[higgmeister]

Those three songs were number one charted hits, although the Spike Jones version only reached number 4.

We might mention "Patches" (not the Clarence Carter song, the Dickey Lee song), "Ode to Billie Joe" by Bobbie Gentry or "Sukiyaki" (Ue o Muite Arukou) by Kyu Sakamoto which were dark in the 1960's but by-and-large I agree that modern songs are darker on average.

[Fiji Hill]

We might mention "Patches" (not the Clarence Carter song, the Dickey Lee song),

One of my least favorite songs of all time because the protagonist is a credulous poltroon. But a year later, an antidote to that song came out featuring a protagonist who was courageous, focused and motivated.

Midnight Mary--Jerry Cole (1963)