Upbeat Songs With Depressing Lyrics, The Guess Who
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American woman, said get away
American woman, listen what I say
Don't come hangin' around my door
Don't wanna see your face no more
I don't need your war machines
I don't need your ghetto scenes
Coloured lights can hypnotize
Sparkle someone else's eyes
Now woman, get away from me
American woman, mama let me be.
With the success of the #1 single, "American Woman", the Canadian band, the Guess Who started a new chapter in their career going more hard rock than the jazz/rock fusion songs that made them U.S. hit makers in the very late 1960's. "American Woman" was about the fact that many Canadians were not happy about the Vietnam War and the U.S. involvement in it and not seeming to be concerned about social ills in the country, with the "American Woman" in question being the Statue of Liberty. But when reading the lyrics they can be depressing considering what event they came out of, the Vietnam War. Even though the Guess Who went uptemp hard rock with this tune. In a bit of irony, the Guess Who's "American Woman" was the #1 single the week of May 4, 1970, which was the same date as the Kent State University in Ohio massacre of four students by National Guardsmen when students utilized their Constitutional rights to protest the fact that President Nixon wanted to expand the Vietnam War into Cambodia. Which in turn gave more credence, by a lot of Americans, to the Guess Who's feelings about the "American Woman".
Submitted by: Peter
Time goes slowly but carries on
And now the best years have come and gone
You took me by surprise
I didn't realize that you were laughing.
"Laughing" was the Guess Who's third hit in the States, going all the way up to #8 on the charts there in 1969. Written by Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings, with Burton Cummings vocals pointing to a guy who didn't realize the best years with a woman have just happened and therefore leaving us kind of depressed despite the continuing Guess Who uptempo jazz/rock beat, it was a hit that still has much impact to today. (By the way, if you think I'm a fan of the Guess Who and Burton Cummings, you got that right). In 1970, the Guess Who was about to change into a more hard rock sound, but the depressing lyrics that were uptempo were to continue, and the first tune in that change was about to address an issue that was on a lot of people's mind in not only Canada but also the U.S.
Submitted by: Peter
No sugar tonight in my coffee
No sugar tonight in my tea
No sugar to stand beside me
No sugar to run with me
"No Sugar Tonight" by the Guess Who is most of the time played as medley with the Guess Who's song, "New Mother Nature". But alone as it sometimes is played, "No Sugar Tonight" is rather depressing in the lyrics department well continuing from "American Woman" the uptempo hard rock that the Guess Who was then playing in the early 1970's. It's depressing because the guy, Burton Cummings is vocalizing, can't get a woman (or his "sugar") to be with.
Submitted by: Peter
No time for a summer friend
No time for the love you send
Seasons change and so do I
You need not wonder why
You need not wonder why
There's no time for left for you
"No Time" was the third hit single for the Guess Who in the early 1970's (following "No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature" and "American Woman"). "No Time" continued the hard rock upbeat tempo, but with a decidedly depressing lyrics about the fact that Burton Cummings seems to have no time for someone, although near the end of the tune it ends up being that he has no time for the war, guessing he means the Vietnam War following on the theme set up in "American Woman".
Submitted by: Peter
These eyes watched you bring my world to an end.
This heart could not accept and pretend.
The hurtin's on me yeah,
But I will never be free no no no.
You took the vow with me
"These Eyes" was the Guess Who's second hit in the U.S.. It was released in December 1968, and made it to #6 in the states in the spring of 1969. "These Eyes", as with "Undun" was a very uptempo jazz/rock beat tune, but with Burton Cummings' vocals about a guy who's recently wed wife leaves him one couldn't help to wonder how depressed he might be.
Submitted by: Peter
She's come undun
She wanted truth but all she got was lies
Came the time to realize
And it was too late
"Undun" was the first top 20 hit in the U.S. for the Canadian band, the Guess Who, released in the fall of 1968. The vocals of lead vocalist Burton Cummings really sold the song here, and with most of the Guess Who's songs being written by either Cummings, member Randy Bachman or both, the Guess Who were assured of a long career in the U.S. (or for however long they wanted to have one). "Undun" is an uptempo jazz/rock fusion song but with depressing lyrics about a woman who just doesn't get to where she wants to or what she wants out of people and she becomes, "Undun".
Submitted by: Peter
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