It seems Only Happy When It Rains has been misunderstood. Primarily being taken far too literally, the song is not in fact, about being pleased with being depressed. I’d like to bring up a quote of Shirley herself describing the song:
"It's about the grunge attitude in America, which is a pretty morose attitude to have. We were being pretty tongue-in-cheek. But it's also a song about wanting love, but knowing that life will always get in the way, and of knowing that, and yet not being obliterated by that. It's a song for people that know what it's like to live on the dark side."
Take her translation however you feel is best. I personally understand it as a realistic but empowering perspective of acknowledging the difficulties in life. But rather than letting the tragedies we face bring us down, surviving the ordeal becomes an empowering experience, leaving us grinning where others would have broken down. The ‘happiness’ doesn’t come from the sadness itself, but in surviving it.
@Lynoitus For me this is bang on. It's about being a SURVIVOR. Some of us have looked death in the eye and laugh when people loose their shit over a cell phone. Some of us enjoy being tested beyond losing our wallet or piddly possessions. I feel more alive when the bullets are flying and I need to rely on my wits.
@Lynoitus For me this is bang on. It's about being a SURVIVOR. Some of us have looked death in the eye and laugh when people loose their shit over a cell phone. Some of us enjoy being tested beyond losing our wallet or piddly possessions. I feel more alive when the bullets are flying and I need to rely on my wits.
Seriously, it could be a song about being in combat.
Seriously, it could be a song about being in combat.
It seems Only Happy When It Rains has been misunderstood. Primarily being taken far too literally, the song is not in fact, about being pleased with being depressed. I’d like to bring up a quote of Shirley herself describing the song:
"It's about the grunge attitude in America, which is a pretty morose attitude to have. We were being pretty tongue-in-cheek. But it's also a song about wanting love, but knowing that life will always get in the way, and of knowing that, and yet not being obliterated by that. It's a song for people that know what it's like to live on the dark side."
Take her translation however you feel is best. I personally understand it as a realistic but empowering perspective of acknowledging the difficulties in life. But rather than letting the tragedies we face bring us down, surviving the ordeal becomes an empowering experience, leaving us grinning where others would have broken down. The ‘happiness’ doesn’t come from the sadness itself, but in surviving it.
@Lynoitus For me this is bang on. It's about being a SURVIVOR. Some of us have looked death in the eye and laugh when people loose their shit over a cell phone. Some of us enjoy being tested beyond losing our wallet or piddly possessions. I feel more alive when the bullets are flying and I need to rely on my wits.
@Lynoitus For me this is bang on. It's about being a SURVIVOR. Some of us have looked death in the eye and laugh when people loose their shit over a cell phone. Some of us enjoy being tested beyond losing our wallet or piddly possessions. I feel more alive when the bullets are flying and I need to rely on my wits.
Seriously, it could be a song about being in combat.
Seriously, it could be a song about being in combat.