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Songs you've misunderstood - lyrics or meaning behind them
I like the song "One Night In Bangkok" but as a teen I thought it was about gay bathhouses and Middle Eastern political scandals. I thought the chess references were just euphemisms for that other stuff. I'm a fan of "Born in the U.S.A." and always thought it was about American pride, but no, it's really about how terribly Americans treated Vietnam veterans upon their return from war. Who knew? Clearly not the politicians who play the song during their campaigns as a mark of patriotism.
Re: Songs you've misunderstood - lyrics or meaning behind them
I always get a laugh when politicians use "Born in the USA" to bolster American spirit. Obviously, they haven't listened to the song closely enough. I remember when I found out that "Semi-Charmed Life" was about a couple going crazy with crystal meth and had my mind blown. The song sounds so much more cheerful than that.
Charlie82 wrote on Mon, 27 November 2017 02:09 Obviously, they haven't listened to the song closely enough Luckily for the politicians, neither has 99% of the people hearing it lol. I'm guessing the majority of people enjoy a song for the music, not the lyrics or their meaning. I believe most lyrics cant be understood, and people don't have the time to read them, or figure out their meaning.
Ha, I'm one of those people who didn't know that the lyrics meant something other than "Hurray America!" But now I'm one of the enlightened ones. I can't understand the lyrics to 99% of rap songs. They go too fast for me and I'm not caught up enough on the lingo.
johnnycamp5 wrote on Mon, 27 November 2017 08:07 I'm guessing the majority of people enjoy a song for the music, not the lyrics or their meaning. I believe most lyrics cant be understood, and people don't have the time to read them, or figure out their meaning. I usually like songs based on their beat, hook, and chorus. I guess I'm not the only one. Charlie, I had no idea that "Semi-Charmed Kind of Life" was about a drugged out couple! I'm going to find it on YouTube to hear it again. Maybe I can pick out the references now.
The song, "Your Woman" by "White Town" is one I misunderstood for years. It was a one-hit wonder from 1997, and it was catchy but creepy to me. The reason it was creepy was I thought it was a gay man or transgender singing to an unrequited lover. But it turns out it was about a woman and a man. It wasn't a gay thing at all. Actually, according to the artist that wrote it, he wanted it to express several perspectives. White Town's sole band member and writer of "Your Woman", Jyoti Prakash Mishra, has stated that the lyrics could stem from or be related to multiple situations. He says "When I wrote it, I was trying to write a pop song that had more than one perspective. Although it's written in the first person the character behind that viewpoint isn't necessarily what the casual listener would expect". Mishra writes that the themes of the song include: "Being a member of an orthodox Trotskyist / Marxist movement. Being a straight guy in love with a lesbian. Being a gay guy in love with a straight man. Being a straight girl in love with a lying, two-timing, fake-arse Marxist. The hypocrisy that results when love and lust get mixed up with highbrow ideals." The '>Abort, Retry, Fail?_' message that appeared on some inlay cards is explained by the artist thus: "Well, this cheerful message became a kind of shibboleth for me and sort-of characterizes what's been going on for me the last few years." The song was mixed on a Atari ST computer.
Lost the Remote wrote on Sun, 03 December 2017 00:57 Charlie, I had no idea that "Semi-Charmed Kind of Life" was about a drugged out couple! I'm going to find it on YouTube to hear it again. Maybe I can pick out the references now. Oh yeah, Lost the Remote and Charlie. Looking back on their songs about an adult, they're actually a pretty dark band. Most of their songs are about things like that. I didn't know that until a few years ago either. Someone pointed it out to me and now I can't un-hear it.
Charlie82 wrote on Mon, 27 November 2017 01:09 I always get a laugh when politicians use "Born in the USA" to bolster American spirit. Obviously, they haven't listened to the song closely enough. I remember when I found out that "Semi-Charmed Life" was about a couple going crazy with crystal meth and had my mind blown. The song sounds so much more cheerful than that. Oh my gosh, the day I really listened to Third Eye Blind lyrics is the day my world changed. I had no idea they were singing about such dark, depressing things, especially in their happier sounding songs like "Semi-Charmed Life." I have to think a lot of people missed that message or I doubt it would have been so popular on the radio.
johnnycamp5 wrote on Mon, 27 November 2017 08:07 believe most lyrics cant be understood, and people don't have the time to read them, or figure out their meaning. Reminds me of the old American Bandstand with Dick Clark. "It's got a good beat and you can dance to it Dick......I give it a 9". Certain songs are meant to be understood, certain songs are not. That's how I see it.
I worked retail for a while, and the store I worked at played The B-52's "Love Shack". Except, through the overheard speakers, I heard "love shark". The mental image of a giant shark didn't make much sense, but I enjoyed it. Even though I know that its "shack" now, I still like mental picture so I just pretend it's "shark".
My brother and I went years marveling at our misbegotten interpretation of the lyrics to the song Conquistador by Procol Harum. We'd occasionally bring up what, in Gods name, they meant when we thought they sang, "What I'd hoped for, something to find, like a SEAGULL, it pay's to unwind. What the f***? Years later, internet and all, I finally took the initiative to look up the lyrics to this fine piece of music. The hope was of course, "I could see no maze to unwind". We kind of miss our mystery though.
@Rusty, you guys were pretty close though. Usually when I misunderstand lyrics, I REALLY get it wrong! My worst involves lyrics by the Imagine Dragons. I hear, "You're a nacho roll," instead of "You're a natural." And the absolute worst is, "I love you journaling in my face," instead of "I love the adrenalin in my veins." Yeah.
Ya know Madison. I've got to admit that I like to bastardize some songs. Even ones I like. Like Heart's fine rocker, Barracuda. I never followed the lyrics particularly save for the punch line word of the title name. I'm prone to using after the, "Your gonna burn, burn, burn, burn, burn to the wick. Oooooh"..... Gonorrhea!
Rusty wrote on Sun, 03 January 2021 13:07 Ya know Madison. I've got to admit that I like to bastardize some songs. Even ones I like. Like Heart's fine rocker, Barracuda. I never followed the lyrics particularly save for the punch line word of the title name. I'm prone to using after the, "Your gonna burn, burn, burn, burn, burn to the wick. Oooooh"..... Gonorrhea! I think everyone does that one a time or two at least. It's just too easy. Plus it fits better than barracuda anyway. I was reading about the Wilson sisters the other day and it's sad that they had a falling out and never really patched things back up. I was pretty young in the 80s, but I was a big fan of those two.