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Songs with commonly misinterpreted messages

Started by dr beat, May 13, 2021, 07:24:36 AM

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dr beat

This got me thinking with the mention of playing Band of Gold at a weddings.  More than once I've heard Young Hearts Run Free at weddings, despite it being about an abusive relationship.

Also in that BBC3 show 'The Call Centre', the boss (called Nev IIRC) used to gee the staff up each morning by getting them to sing along to The Killers Mr Brightside, obviously not aware that's it's about a break-up.

So what other songs get misinterpreted?

dr beat

Of course theres a whole load of songs that are supposedly really about drugs.  Practically a sub-genre.

DrGreggles

Wedding favourite Every Breath You Take, a song about an obsessive stalker.

the science eel


falafel

I used to DJ at weddings, and I swear one couple had their first dance to Careless Whisper. Not a joke

The Culture Bunker

Quote from: the science eel on May 13, 2021, 07:46:55 AM
'Born In The USA', apparently
I think the problem is caused there by the production/arrangement. His original acoustic demo works a lot better:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22Gh1wQEe1I

Brundle-Fly

Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll.  It's about liberating oneself from a 9 to 5 existence and jokingly suggesting decadence to the businessman in his tie and suit. Ian Dury was a bit concerned it became a celebratory anthem because of the drugs aspect, having problem himself with the rec meds. That's why he wrote I Want To Be Straight, apparently.

jobotic

Quote from: falafel on May 13, 2021, 08:17:44 AM
I used to DJ at weddings, and I swear one couple had their first dance to Careless Whisper. Not a joke

What's it about then? Never listened to the lyrics as it's awful.

Jerzy Bondov

Quote from: jobotic on May 13, 2021, 09:12:42 AM
What's it about then? Never listened to the lyrics as it's awful.
It's about the end of a relationship

The Culture Bunker

Quote from: Jerzy Bondov on May 13, 2021, 09:22:03 AM
It's about the end of a relationship
In large part because the singer has been shagging about, for extra "perhaps inappropriate for a wedding" points.

Brundle-Fly

My bugbear is In My Life by The Beatles. Lauren Laverne once announced on 6Music that it was the best song ever written about remembering happy times. Yes, it touches on memories briefly but it's really about placating a jealous lover, isn't it?

Endicott

I've never given it that interpretation. Yes, it's about proclaiming your lovers status, but not in a negative way or for negative reasons. It's a joyous song, to me. The lover isn't being placated, they are being valued because they are special.

boki

Quote from: dr beat on May 13, 2021, 07:24:36 AM
This got me thinking with the mention of playing Band of Gold at a weddings.  More than once I've heard Young Hearts Run Free at weddings, despite it being about an abusive relationship.
Sooo many of the wedding disco mainstays are eye-rollers; Build Me Up Buttercup, Love Really Hurts Without You, Hammer Smashed Face, Freedom...

JaDanketies

Hey Ya! by Outkast isn't just a jam about hollering at a lady you like.  If you read the lyrics straight, it's about a relationship that is falling apart but both parties are staying in it, and they don't know why.

Andre 3000 references how nobody's paying attention to the lyrics and is just enjoying a pop song when he makes the aside after "y'know we're not happy here..." He says, "Y'all don't want to hear me, you just want to dance."

holyzombiejesus

Slack Motherfucker by Superchunk became a bit of a rallying call for layabouts during that Slacker/ Generation X period but rather than being a celebration of slackerdom, it's actually criticising a workshy colleague.

Kankurette

Not exactly common but I saw a video of a couple of women singing Tori Amos' Leather at a wedding. It's pretty obviously about sexual frustration.

Jockice

We don't talk about love, we only wanna get drunk.

purlieu

Common People being a celebration of working class culture, when it's pretty much criticising people who think that.

Brundle-Fly

Quote from: Endicott on May 13, 2021, 11:17:01 AM
I've never given it that interpretation. Yes, it's about proclaiming your lovers status, but not in a negative way or for negative reasons. It's a joyous song, to me. The lover isn't being placated, they are being valued because they are special.

That might be me projecting that interpretation then because I did once play it to someone to allay their insecurities. It went down like a tankard of tramp phlegm.

PaulTMA

The YMCA is a good place to have a nice bath, never mind get off heroin

Chicory

Twenty odd years ago I was working in a supermarket and we used to have random pop hits piped through the whole place.  Babybird's 'You're Gorgeous' came on and I overheard one of the stupid managers proudly and gushingly tell another staff member "this song was playing when my baby daughter was born".

thugler

Quote from: dr beat on May 13, 2021, 07:24:36 AM
Also in that BBC3 show 'The Call Centre', the boss (called Nev IIRC) used to gee the staff up each morning by getting them to sing along to The Killers Mr Brightside, obviously not aware that's it's about a break-up.

I recall this, but just thought it was because it's a popular song and an attempt to gee people up, rather than him not understanding the meaning of the song, I mean it's one of those songs oft referred to as an 'anthem' isn't it.

As for the thread premise, you've got 'Blackbird' if you believe McCartney's explanation of it being about the little rock nine.

Kankurette

I was in a school concert where the local primary school's choir did a couple of songs and one of them was Perfect Day. It was probably because of the BBC version that had recently come out, but it was a bit weird seeing a bunch of little kids singing about drugs.

phantom_power

Quote from: boki on May 13, 2021, 11:19:16 AM
Sooo many of the wedding disco mainstays are eye-rollers; Build Me Up Buttercup, Love Really Hurts Without You, Hammer Smashed Face, Freedom...


See also The One I Love by REM and You're Gorgeous by Baby Bird

Tubthumping and Born Slippy have been co-opted by the Gary Brigade when those songs are at best neutral reportage and more likely critical of the whole thing

PeterCornelius

Quote from: dr beat on May 13, 2021, 07:24:36 AM
This got me thinking with the mention of playing Band of Gold at a weddings.  More than once I've heard Young Hearts Run Free at weddings, despite it being about an abusive relationship.

Also in that BBC3 show 'The Call Centre', the boss (called Nev IIRC) used to gee the staff up each morning by getting them to sing along to The Killers Mr Brightside, obviously not aware that's it's about a break-up.

So what other songs get misinterpreted?

Young Hearts Run Free - well that's something I never knew

Band of Gold must be the only song to directly address erectile dysfunction on the wedding night.

shagatha crustie

Quote from: Kankurette on May 14, 2021, 09:37:50 AM
I was in a school concert where the local primary school's choir did a couple of songs and one of them was Perfect Day. It was probably because of the BBC version that had recently come out, but it was a bit weird seeing a bunch of little kids singing about drugs.

Is Perfect Day actually about drugs, or is that just the Trainspotting connection?

PeterCornelius

Not really a misinterpretation but something that I overlooked for years - Coward of the County has a gang rape at its centre.

earl_sleek

Quote from: shagatha crustie on May 14, 2021, 10:23:28 AM
Is Perfect Day actually about drugs, or is that just the Trainspotting connection?

Reed denied it's about drug use, whether you believe him or not is another story.

holyzombiejesus

Quote from: shagatha crustie on May 14, 2021, 10:23:28 AM
Is Perfect Day actually about drugs, or is that just the Trainspotting connection?

I'd heard it was about drugs way before Trainspotting came out.

purlieu

Quote from: phantom_power on May 14, 2021, 09:46:09 AM
Tubthumping and Born Slippy have been co-opted by the Gary Brigade when those songs are at best neutral reportage and more likely critical of the whole thing
Born Slippy is definitely a negative song, it's a song about a half-remembered chaotic drunk night written by a barely functioning alcoholic. It always makes me a little uncomfortable.