Sad — Bo Burnham

The and a tutorial on how to play the main riff.

"Sad" is one of Bo Burnham’s most iconic tracks from his 2013 special, what. The song is a masterclass in musical comedy, using upbeat, poppy instrumentation to mask dark, absurdist humor that satirizes how we consume tragedy as entertainment. Bo Burnham Sad

The core joke of "Sad" is the subversion of empathy. Bo presents a series of tragic images—from "a depressed onion cutting itself" to "a homeless man named Rich"—and uses them as punchlines. By the end, he reveals himself as a "genius" not for feeling empathy, but for successfully turning suffering into a catchy song for profit. Key: C Major (the "simplest" and most common key in pop). The and a tutorial on how to play the main riff

Available on the Just For Laughs YouTube channel. The core joke of "Sad" is the subversion of empathy

The track is part of the album what. on Spotify and other major platforms.

Standard pop progressions that make the song feel "safe" and familiar, which heightens the impact of the dark lyrics. Key Lyrics & Imagery The song relies on rapid-fire, increasingly absurd tragedy:

Upbeat and energetic, creating a jarring contrast with the lyrics.