Way Less Sad Lyrics Meaning

this song is about wanting to be happy but not being up to that level yet. the character wants to move somewhere to brighten his scenery but fails to as he sees places with a pessimistic point of view. “i should move cause new york is getting muddy out. there’s l.a but it’s always kinda sunny out…” he admits to this pessimistic point of view by “setting [his]my bar real low.”

“don’t you love it? don’t you love it?” is probably a family member/ friend asking him which he replies “no, i ain’t happy yet. but i’m way less sad.” he’s acknowledging the fact that he isn’t happy yet but he’s made some progress in not being as sad as he was.

“i may be wrong. i may be wrong. it’s stupid but it’s all i have.” here he’s appreciating the things that get him happy and living in that feeling.

we hear the pessimism again later on when he says “i’ve been counting sheep but the sheep all died, and i’m not dead yet so i guess i’ll be alright.” here he’s made progress since the beginning of the song. he knows that he’ll be alright at the end of the day. doing this, he is ‘way less [pessimistic].’