Top 10 Most Misinterpreted Songs

11, Jul, 2010 3 Comments

An interesting music Top 10 coming from a slightly different angle today. This has been compiled by Bianca O’Neill, a music journalist located in Sydney.

Check out Bianca’s excellent blog How to be an Unsuccessful Writer and Annoy People where you will find Music News, Reviews and Opinions, give it a try!

You can also Follow Bianca on Twitter @musicjourno

10: Brian Adams: Summer of ’69

People think that this song is an autobiographical memory of their youth – but Adams would have only been 9 years old. It is in fact about a fond memory of a summer spent in a certain sexual position.

9. The La’s: There She Goes

Often thought of as an innocent pop song about a girl that a guy had a crush on, this is actually a song about drugs: “There she goes / there she goes again / pulsing through my veins”.

8. Ben Folds Five: Brick

One of the most popular songs of the 90s, this track was often touted a break up song. However, if you read the lyrics a bit closer you’ll realise it’s about a trip to an abortion clinic: “They call her name at 7.30 / I pace around the parking lot… Can’t you see / it’s not me you’re dying for / Now she’s feeling more alone”.

7. Inner Circle: Sweat

At the time, this was a Top 40 hit. It was even on Video Hits compilations that mainly 14 year old kids bought. Little did parents know it’s actually about rape: “Girl I wanna make you sweat / sweat till you can’t sweat no more / and if you cry out / I’m gonna push it some more”.

6. The Strangeloves: Candy

Mostly used in children’s commercials, this track is obviously about sex. Now try and banish those visuals of random kids singing “I want Candy… Candy is better / when it’s dressed in a sweater.”

5. Whitney Houston: And I Will Always Love You

One of the most common songs used at weddings, it’s also the funniest to hear used as a love song – mainly due to lyrics like “Bittersweet memories / That is all I’m taking with me” and “If I should stay / I would only be in your way / So I’ll go”. Singing it to your groom? Awkward.

4. John Lennon: Imagine

Apparently according to a quote from Lennon himself, this isn’t so much a hopeful song of peace, but in fact “virtually a Communist manifesto”. No religion, no possessions, no countries – Communism at its final stage.

3. U2: With or Without You

Again, most people attribute this as a bittersweet goodbye song, when in fact it’s about someone so obsessed with their ex-girlfriend they are contemplating suicide: “My hands are tied / My body bruised / she’s got me with / Nothing to win and / Nothing left to lose”

2. Bruce Springsteen: Born in the USA

No, this isn’t a patriotic ‘America, f**k yeah’ type song. It’s in fact deeply critical of America’s involvement in the Vietnam war and was meant by Springsteen as a comment on Americans returning to their homeland to find themselves vilified.

1. Police: Every Breath You Take

This is NOT a tender love song people… seriously think about it: Every breath you take / Every move you make etc / I’ll be watching you. If someone said this to you in a breathy voice over the phone you’d be calling the cops quick smart. Sting confirmed this song’s lyrics are about the dark side of love: obsession, stalking and the like.