From the Q&A page on the old tmbg.com, John Flansburgh said: "Why Must I Be Sad" is sung from the perspective of a kid who hears all of his unspoken sadness given voice in the music of Alice Cooper. Alice says everything the kid has been wishing he could say about his alienated, frustrated, teenage world. It's another one of our speculative, non-autobiographical songs which uses the word "I" a lot."
From the Q&A page on the old tmbg.com, John Flansburgh said: "Why Must I Be Sad" is sung from the perspective of a kid who hears all of his unspoken sadness given voice in the music of Alice Cooper. Alice says everything the kid has been wishing he could say about his alienated, frustrated, teenage world. It's another one of our speculative, non-autobiographical songs which uses the word "I" a lot."