Sarantos reminds you to look before you leap with his new meta-pop single and video Never Trust A Happy Song — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
The latest release from the independent Chicago artist is an anthemic, catchy song whose joyful tone belies its weighty message, with lyrics describing personal missteps, mistakes, and moments of isolation and abandonment. Sarantos prompts listeners to ask what lies beneath the smooth veneer — of a song, or of any other attractive thing that may not be what it seems.
With Never Trust A Happy Song, he asks us to probe deeper, and presents the challenge of doing so when surrounded by a rallying pop song and imagery showing other people’s happiness. The video is a supercut of beautiful young people grooving with their headphones on, playing guitar, and taking in the scenery of a beach at sunset or a city in winter. Taken together, the footage recalls ads for antidepressants, meant to show the ordinary contentment one may finally feel with the right dosage. But life and its inherent struggles will still challenge us, as Sarantos reminds us with the lyrics:
“I’ve lived so many lives
Lost track of countless nights
Died so many times
But I’ve yet to do one right
Always bite the same bait
I just keep tempting fate
Makin the same mistakes
Can’t ever catch a break
“The world cares nothing about me
It’ll lie to you
Maybe it’s right to doubt me
It won’t cry for you.”
Maybe we’re on our own, he suggests, but what does that matter? We pick up the pieces and push through. Sarantos gravitates away from the saccharine, steering instead toward an uncompromising sincerity. The lyrics are raw and introspective, but Sarantos reminds listeners that they don’t have to sulk through the tune by weaving in and out of an almost playful chorus. His stellar vocal delivery carries listeners through relatable emotionality while working in tandem with an innate musicality. The guitar solo drifts through the song’s upbeat verses like a bittersweet memory.
The multifaceted, hyper-productive artist is dedicated to bringing his art to life, literally, by releasing new music and writing weekly, keeping his fans tuned in for constant surprises. In Sarantos’ path, no stone is left unturned, no genre unexplored, no feeling unexamined. And he’s been doing this for almost a decade, releasing 18 albums containing more than 200 original songs, building a catalog of 4,000 songs in total — alongside nine fiction/fantasy books — and garnering more than a million social media followers. His efforts have earned several top 10 independent chart placements, two Grammy considerations, and multiple TV and media appearances.
Watch the video for Never Trust A Happy Song above, hear more from Sarantos below, and catch up with him at his website, TikTok, Tumblr, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
