The 10 most uplifting songs in goth music
The last thing a goth would want to be accused of was being cheerful. However, it’s not all doom and gloom, and some of goth music’s most iconic hits are, in their own right, an incredibly uplifting listen. A lot of this is largely because what defines goth is often at the whim of the listener, and there are undoubtedly tracks that some would insist were closer to post-punk in the confusing world of genre boundaries.
Often capable of fusing glam-rock, post-punk, and psychedelia, goth’s use of heavy bass lines, distorted guitars, and dramatic, lovelorn themes can often result in tracks that seem bizarrely good to dance to, given their subject matter.
But its reputation as a depressing, overly emotional musical oeuvre stems more from its imagery, which often borrows from 19th-century gothic fiction and horror films – leading some listeners to think its core themes consist of little more than vampires and depression.
Although its music can be insular and moody, the subculture has always been built on community, with its own dedicated festivals, clubs, and, most infamously, fashion. The joy of the music is sharing it with other like-minded listeners, and the thought of a room full of pale-faced goths whimsically dancing away to The Cure is enough the spark joy in and of itself.
Goth music charts the full spectrum of human emotion, creating dread with the same musical ease as joy. With that in mind, here’s our list of goth’s ten most cheerful songs.
Goth’s 10 most cheerful songs:
10. The Danse Society – ‘We’re All So Happy’
The Danse Society sat somewhere between The Cure and The Psychedelic Furs, making grandiose goth pop. In the semi-ironic opening to ‘We’re So Happy’, a crack of thunder bellows out, and a rapturous synth overtakes before they divulge they’re happiest in a nightmare.
The song is an ode to unabashed chaos, following a group of people who are always watching and waiting, ready to strike. The inciting chants of “treason, treason” are as infectious as the bassline, making it a delightful call to arms for general anarchy, urging listeners to scream and shout to their heart’s content. In 1983, ‘We’re All So Happy’ reached number 22 on the UK Indie Chart and has remained a masterpiece that’ll put a smile on the face of even the most dedicated gloomy goth.
9. The Birthday Party – ‘Release The Bats’
Nobody in their right mind would call Nick Cave’s screeching with The Birthday Party a strictly cheerful output, but there’s something about ‘Release The Bats’ that’s so balls to wall loud it feels almost cathartic. Their shows (and sound) were often genuinely scary, violent, and raucous – but that’s what makes their music so weirdly uplifting.
Its unhinged cries of “Sex! Vampire! Bite!” almost seem like a camp take on gothic themes, which is how the track is best enjoyed. An unrelenting joy from the Australian goth rockers, ‘Release The Bats’ is a key cultural touchstone for goth music. Producer Nick Launay recalled the band walking into the studio “looking like they hadn’t slept in days” and “hadn’t washed in weeks” – adding: “Recording a song called ‘Release The Bats’ with people who looked like vampires was pretty fucking exciting!”
8. Bauhaus – ‘Ziggy Stardust’
Bauhaus are rightly one of the most celebrated goth bands in history, almost single-handedly pioneering goth rock with ‘Bela Lugosi’s Dead’. But they took a brief departure from their typical dark, gloomy sound to pay homage to one of their heroes, David Bowie.
Their take on the glam rock classic ‘Ziggy Stardust’ showed they were capable of applying a little traditional rock swagger to their sound. Their cover reached number 15 on the UK Singles Chart and swung them an appearance on Top of the Pops. It is quite endearing to listen to their deep appreciation of Bowie’s sound, and the energy they bring to it, making it a brilliant listen for goth and pop fans alike.
7. Jesus And The Mary Chain – ‘Just Like Honey’
‘Just Like Honey’ is goth-pop brilliance at its finest. With the opening drums lifted directly from The Ronnettes’ classic ‘Be My Baby’, from the off-set, the song is sweeping cinematic stuff. The reverb of William Reid’s guitar brings it back down to earth, adding a tinge of darkness to the opening track from Pyschocandy.
‘Just Like Honey’ reached number 45 on the UK Singles Chart and has been a mainstay not only in goth playlists but across film and television. The Jesus And The Mary Chain song has been featured in Lost in Translation, American Horror Story, and The Man Who Loved Yngve. It was the perfect marriage of rock, shoegaze, and goth – a souped-up, fuzzy delight that continues to be an anthemic hit.
6. Sex Beat – ‘Sex Beat’
‘Sexbeat’ was included on the 1983 record The Batcave: Young Limbs And Numb Hymns, which charted the best tracks to come out of the infamous London goth club, The Batcave. The song was a nod to the inclusivity of The Batcave and goth’s crossover into fetish fashion: “Some wear leather, some wear lace / Some wear makeup on their face.”
The club welcomed some bonafide goth stars, opening its doors to the like of Nick Cave, Marc Almond, Siouxsie Sioux, Robert Smith, and Sigue Sigue Sputnik. The track is so uplifting because it feels like it takes you to the heart of that space, the thumping rhythm and relentless bass making it a toe-tapping, nostalgic goth hit.
5. The Cramps – ‘Goo Goo Muck’
The iconic single by The Cramps enjoyed a revival in 2022, following its inclusion in the equally gothic Netflix series Wednesday. Jenna Ortega, who played the titular character in Tim Burton’s reimagining of The Addams Family, looked to the goth subculture for inspiration when she danced to the track. Ortega told Jimmy Fallon she had “watched videos of Siouxsie and the Banshees”, as well as digging out “archival footage of goth kids dancing in clubs in the ’80s” in preparation for the scene.
And although The Cramps never defined themselves as a goth band, her sources of inspiration were a perfect match for the song, proving it belongs in the goth canon. Its catchy melody and warbled lyrics make it a brilliant tune to dance to, making it one of Psychedelic Jungle and goth’s most cheerful tracks (if you discount the lyrics about a monster roaming the night, that is).
4. Echo & The Bunnymen – ‘Crystal Days’
Even goth’s most musically cheerful-sounding songs usually retain a bit of sombre lyricism disguised by poppy synth, but ‘Crystal Days’ is a notable exception. Its sunny outlook (“Whole at last with a golden view / Looking for hope / And I know it’s you”) is paired with Ian Mcculloch’s delightful vocals – which veers so much towards the cheerful side we even get a hint of 1950s doo-woop with Mcculloch’s “Do do do do do do” outro.
The third track on 1984’s Ocean Rain, the album drew mixed reviews but is now considering a post-punk gothic classic, producing staples of goth playlists like ‘The Killing Moon’ as well as ‘Crystal Days’. Echo & The Bunnymen were not always considered a goth band, but their neo-psychedelic imagery made their sound almost other-worldly, which made them a favourite in post-punk and gothic circles.
3. Siouxsie And The Banshees – ‘Happy House’
Not just a contender because it has the word in the title, ‘Happy House’ is genuinely one of Siouxsie and the Banshees‘ most upbeat tracks. It marked a change in direction for the band thanks to the arrival of two new musicians, former Slits drummer Budgie and former Magazine guitarist John McGeoch. Budgie, in particular, bought a new musical optimism to 1980’s Kaleidoscope because he was a fan of African polyrhythms, which sat in stark contrast to McGeoch’s atmospheric guitars – so they pair invented a new sound that combined reggae and goth.
The first single released on Kaleidoscope, it became the band’s second top 20 hit, reaching number 17 on the UK Singles Chart. Although lyrically it’s relatively cynical, its bouncing bassline lifts it to upbeat heights – even if Siouxsie admitted it was about: “Mental families, really, but the projection [that] everyone’s smiling, blonde hair, sunshine, eating butter without being fat, and everyone perfect.”
2. The March Violets – ‘Snake Dance’
The March Violets joined The Sisters of Mercy and Red Lorry Yellow Lorry as one of the best gothic bands to come out of ’80s Leeds. 1984’s ‘Snake Dance’ was their defining anthem, with a pounding opening bass line that rouses and reinvigorates the listener before the upbeat titular chant takes over: “Snake. Dance. Snake. Dance…”.
Tom Ashton and Laurence Elliot’s glittering guitars completely make the track, backed by the band’s beloved drum machine, naturally nicknamed “Dr. Rhythm”. Cleo Murray’s backup vocals allow Rosie Garland’s guttural cries to make the song equal parts rousing and sensual, and, in turn, made it a much-beloved hit that swept goth clubs, reaching number two on the UK Indie Charts in 1984.
1. The Cure – ‘Friday I’m In Love’
Nobody pulled together a jangly goth earworm like The Cure, who quite easily could’ve taken the top spot with ‘Lovecats’, as Robert Smith sings lyrics like, “It’s the grooviest thing, it’s the perfect dream!”. While Smith was capable of making some of goth’s most morose, atmospheric sounds, he was able to churn out an imminently danceable number too – and fittingly described ‘Friday I’m In Love’ as a “throw your hands in the air, let’s get happy kind of record”.
Although it might not have fit the nihilistic Pornography, it’s a fan favourite because it doesn’t veer too far from Smith’s romantic predilections: “It’s such a gorgeous sight, to see you eat in the middle of the night” is light-hearted, but an earnest account of how love can make even the smallest interactions seem miraculously joyful. For a band that wrote the lyrics: “And I feel like I’m being eaten by a thousand million shivering furry holes,” the catchy pop stylings of ‘Friday I’m In Love’ make it one of goth’s most upbeat songs.
