'Safe'
There's a lady plays her fav'rite records/On the jukebox ev'ry day/All day long she plays the same old songs/And she believes the things that they say/She sings along with all the saddest songs/And she believes the stories are real/She lets the music dictate the way that she feels.
"The One I Love"
IIRC, Stipe set out to write the most anti-love love song he possibly could, and "The One I Love" was the result.
Four years later, "Shiny Happy People" proved they should stay as far away from love songs as possible.
Hmm, Disturbing Pop... all I can think of is "Pass The Dutchie," mainly for having a 10 year old singing the euphemistic praises of ganja.
Beautiful South have done tons of Disturbing Pop. My personal favorite would have to be Woman in the Wall:
He was just a social drinker but social every night
He enjoyed a pint or two or three or four
She was just a silent thinker, silent every night
He'd enjoy the thought of killing her before
Well he was very rarely drunk but very rarely sober
And he didn't think the problem was his drink
But he only knew his problem when he knocked her over
And when the rotting flesh began to stink
Cry freedom for the woman in the wall
Cry freedom for she has no voice at all
I hear her cry all day, all night
I hear her voice from deep within the wall
Made a cross from knitting needles
Made a grave from hoover bags
Especially for the woman in the wall
She'd knitted him a jumper with dominoes on
So he wore it everyday in every week
Pretended to himself that she hadn't really gone
Pretended that he thought he heard her speak
Then at last it seemed that he was really winning
He felt that he had some sort of grip
But all of his new life was sent a-spinning
When the rotting wall began to drip
Four years later, "Shiny Happy People" proved they should stay as far away from love songs as possible.
Redeemed somewhat by R.E.M. playing it on Sesame Street as "Shiny Happy Monsters."
Redeemed somewhat by R.E.M. playing it on Sesame Street as "Shiny Happy Monsters."
FURRY Happy Monsters.
Annabel danced around to it (FHM) the other day. She's into R.E.M.
He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss) is one of the best records ever. Hole used to do a great live version. In terms of disturbing semi-abusive love songs you can't get better than You Don't Have To Say You Love Me in which Dusty basically grovels for 3 minutes to a lover who clearly does't give a fuck.
What about Joan Armatrading's sublime (I Love It When You) Call Me Names?
My friend Paul used to do a version of "Shiny Happy People" as it would have sound sung by the late great Ethel Merman.
Really, it saved the song for me.
Misguided Angel, on the first Cowboy Junkies album, is pretty chilling, too.
Of course, there's "Luka," is that pop? It got airplay like pop, for a while.And I thought Tom Petty's "Last Dance With Mary Jane was pretty weird too, but that was the video of dancing in the morgue...
Disturbing pop, early '60s version -- Joanie Sommers, "Johnny Get Angry"
I want a brave man
I want a cave man
Johnny, show me that you care, really care, for me.
I'll also add Marcie Blaine, "Bobby's Girl." The only thing she wants in life is to have a particular guy as a boyfriend?