People Are Sharing Beautiful Songs That Have Disturbing Meanings, And I Can't Listen To Some Of These The Same Way Again
Have you ever listened to a catchy, upbeat tune only to realize the lyrics are actually pretty dark?
FOX
If so, you're in good company! This week, Reddit user u/MagicDalsi asked, "What song has a beautiful sound but a disturbing meaning?"
Cartoon Network
As always, the responses did not disappoint! Here are some of the most eye-opening ones:
Note: Some of the following contain mentions of suicide, addiction, and domestic violence.
1."Electric Avenue" by Eddy Grant
2."The Way" by Fastball
"The backstory to the song was inspired by an elderly couple who just took off one day to see the world and experience life. From what I remember, they ran off the road weeks later and died."
3."At Least It Was Here" by the 88
"The theme song for Community is about hanging yourself. But damn, it's catchy."
4."Run for Your Life" by the Beatles
"The song is basically, 'If you cheat on me, I will find you, and I will kill you.'"
5."Born in the U.S.A." by Bruce Springsteen
"[It's] about a man who got into some trouble as a kid, got shipped off to Vietnam, saw his good friends die there, and was an outcast [from] society coming back home. Yet for some reason, it’s played all over the place as a patriotic anthem. Ronald Reagan even briefly used it as his campaign song before Springsteen told him to stop."
6."Macarena" by Los del Río
Suggested by: u/rekay-boii
As translated from Spanish above, the original song is about a girl named Macarena who cheats on her boyfriend with two friends while he's in the military.
7."Wave of Mutilation" by Pixies
"[It] was inspired by a guy who drove his family off a cliff."
8."Fast Car" by Tracy Chapman
"[It's] not necessarily disturbing, but [it's] very sad."
9."Semi-Charmed Life" by Third Eye Blind
"The line about crystal meth stood out and keyed me in that the rest of the song wasn’t exactly positive."
10."Alone Again (Naturally)" by Gilbert O'Sullivan
"The music itself is peaceful and calm, but the lyrics are depressing. No double meanings, just pure upfront grief: A man ready to kill himself reflects on every low point of his life and how there is no escape from being alone."
11."You Are My Sunshine" by Jimmie Davis
"[It] seems like an upbeat, happy song, but it's actually pretty depressing when you hear more of the lyrics."
12."Every Breath You Take" by the Police
"Wonderful composition, but the lyrics make it a stalker's anthem."
13."The Kids Aren't Alright" by the Offspring
"It has such a great classic punk sound, but damn, the lyrics are just frightening."
14.And finally, "Barbie Girl" by Aqua
Suggested by: u/bullhorn143
Got a surprisingly dark song that didn't make this list? Tell us in the comments!
Note: Some entries have been edited for length and/or clarity.
