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27 Songs That Don’t Mean What We Thought

November 06, 2023

You’d think that radio hits would be nothing but surface-level bubble gum pop songs. At least that’s what the salty “real musicians” who can’t get on the radio will have you believe. But the truth is, some of the lyrics we joyously belted out in the car actually had some pretty dark hidden meanings. Ignorance was bliss, indeed.

27

SONG FOREVER WINTER (TAYLOR'S VERSION) LYRICS Too young to know it gets better He says 'It's not just a phase I'm in Live my life scared to death he'll decide to leave instead This song focuses on a friend who is struggling with his mental health, and the narrator is worried that he'll die by suicide. The It Gets Better project was founded to help prevent LGBTQ+ suicides. (LGBTQ youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers.) Many people's queerness is initially dismissed as a phase they're going through. CRACKED.COM — Source

26

ALL TIME LOW and Lutherville- Timonium, Maryland Their song Come One, Come All is a diss track to a local radio DJ. About the town, they say, There's a mile gone for every minute passed when I'm stuck in this town. And, I don't need no medication. I just need one more vacation. And make it last. CRACKED — Source

25

CRACKED RAMO ЛАУЕ NICKELBACK and Hanna, Alberta, Canada The song Photograph is about fond memories in their small town of 3,000 people and them not wanting to move away, but needing to for their career. Most of the video was shot there, and the town has Proud to be the home of Nickelback on its sign. — Source

24

SONG ME! LYRICS But one of these things is not like the others Like a rainbow with all of the colors The song ME! (which was released on Lesbian Visibility Day) is a song about self-confidence, celebration, and accepting yourself fully for who you are, an especially important lesson for LGBTQ+ people who have to live with constant anti-gay rhetoric. Also, the rainbow could be a reference to the pride flag. CRACKED.COM — Source

23

SONG Right Where You Left Me LYRICS I swear you could hear a hairpin drop Taylor Swift is a master songwriter. She would not change pin drop to hairpin drop without intention. A hairpin drop means to drop subtle hints that you're gay. The Stonewall Riots are even known as the hairpin drop heard around the world. Taylor Swift performed at Stonewall in June 2019 so it would be very strange if she wasn't familiar with this saying. CRACKED COM — Source

22

CRACKED ONE LIE TELLS A THOUSAND STORIES. THE GREATEST STORIES THAT WERE EVER TOLD. KELLY OSBOURNE HAS Kelly Osbourne for the win! She's saying that the truth is just one story, but a lie can be anything it wants. It can sound impressive but it's still a lie. — Source

21

GRACKED DON'T GIVE UP ON ME. 'CAUSE I'M JUST IN A RUT. I'M CLIMBING BUT THE WALLS KEEP STACKING UP. THE KILLERS The Killers singer Brandon Flowers puts a little more oomph in the I can change cliche. Sometimes people are trying to change, but it takes time. — Source

20

CRACKED YOU'RE A CANARY. I'M A COAL MINE FALL OUT BOY The canary in the coal mine is an idiom about recognizing potential danger, since canaries were used by miners to detect toxic gasses. Patrick Stump's lyric recognizes that he's been toxic in the relationship. — Source

19

CRACKED HELLO MY FRIEND, WE MEET AGAIN. IT'S BEEN A WHILE, WHERE SHOULD WE BEGIN? CREED Written about his issues with addiction, Scott Stapp reconnects with his sober self. — Source

18

CRACKED.COM R.E.M. Losing my Religion Michael Stipe, the lead vocalist and writer of that song has said it actually has nothing to do with religion, it's about a bad relationship. Losing my religion is a Southern expression meaning to be at the end of one's rope. — Source

17

Responding on Quora, Sarah McLachlan said that her song Angel is about the Smashing Pumpkins member who died of drug overdose in a hotel. A rush of empathy for his loneliness and isolation led her to write the song, now used in ASPCA ads. CRACKED.COM — Source

16

The lyrics for Layla describe Eric Clapton's unrequited love for Pattie Boyd, the wife of his close friend George Harrison of The Beatles. Boyd divorced Harrison and married Clapton years later. CRACKED.COM — Source

15

CRACKED.COM Pink Floyd's Shine On, You Crazy Diamond was about Syd Barrett, the original vocalist for the band before he descended into madness. S hine On, You Crazy Diamond BARRETT Coincidentally, Syd visited them when they were about to finalize the track at Abbey Road studios, barely recognizable. — Source

14

Radiohead's Creep was inspired by the time Thom Yorke stalked a girl at school. When you were here before Couldn't look you in the eye... ...I want you to notice When I'm not around. That girl later showed up to his band's performance. CRACKED.COM — Source

13

Alanis Morisette told the New York Times that Hands Clean is about one of her former relationships. It's a relationship with someone in the music industry she had when she was about 14 or 15. CRACKED.COM — Source

12

POLLY BY NIRVANA This brooding classic is based on a news article the band read about a Tacoma woman that was kidnapped from a concert. ؛ In order to escape, the woman began to come on to her kidnapper until he let his guard down. Then she got away. Krist Novoselic said the story really hit Kurt Cobain hard. CRACKED.COM — Source

11

CRAGKED.COM I am sitting in the morning At the diner on the corner Lam waiting at the counter For the man to pour the coffee W 112 = RESTAURANT RESTAURANT TOM'S - DE EPSON 14 Somp Jerry Suzanne Vega's Tom's Diner is actually Tom's Restaurant, made famous by Seinfeld as Monk's Café. The a cappella version was used to fine-tune the MP3 compression algorithm, Vega thus becoming the mother of the MP3. — Source

10

GRACKED.COM Under the bridge downtown is where I drew some blood -'Under the Bridge', Red Hot Chili Peppers: The line is about Anthony Kiedis and his Mexican mafia ex-con connection Mario bullshitting their way into a Mexican gang's drug den situated under a freeway. — Source

9

Semi-Charmed Life THIRD EYE BLIND CRACKED.COM A tune meant to get people dancing hits you over the head with the warning that doing crystal meth will lift you up until you break, it won't stop. — Source

8

Pumped-Up Kicks FOSTER THE PEOPLE GRACKED.COM Kids in this song better run better run, faster than my bullet because yes, this ethereal tune that topped pop charts is about a school shooting. — Source

7

MMMBop HANSON CRACKED.COM Those adorable Hanson Brothers were telling us how depressing our lives would be, asking when you get old and start losing your hair, can you tell me who will still care? — Source

6

Girl BECK ARANOS TO DE CALZA ГАР DE SHINE CRACKED.COM Known for his obtuse lyrics, it's still a bit haunting to hear Beck, potentially stalking a woman, say I know I'm gonna make her die, take her where her soul belongs. — Source

5

The Macarena LOS DEL RIO CRACKED.COM The female singer gives he was out of town, and his two friends were so fine as a reason for why she cheated on her boyfriend. — Source

4

Zoot Suit Riot CHERRY POPPIN' DADDIES CRACKED.COM Now you sailors know where your women come for love says the singer of this 90s swing tune, referencing the real 1943 Zoot Suit Riots where Navy servicemen assaulted minorities. — Source

3

Bad Moon Rising CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL a CRACKED GOM Your dad's favorite song is actually about the end of days, with such hauntingly-prophetic lines as I fear rivers overflowing, I hear the voice of rage and ruin. — Source

2

Wrong Way SUBLIME CRACKED.COM Everything was going fine till the day she met me, says the singer. Well you said earlier she was forced into prostitution by her awful family, so how much worse could it get? — Source

1

Copacabana BARRY MANILOW CRACKED.COM What a cool bar the Copacabana must be: the hottest spot North of Havana houses a sad old lady whose lover was shot dead, and now wastes her time getting drunk. — Source

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