People Are Sharing Songs That "Hit Different" Once You Actually Read The Lyrics, And...Yup
Recently in a viral thread, redditor u/Klusten asked, "What song hits different after you read the lyrics?" and music lovers came through with all kinds of A+ answers.
NBC
So, with that in mind, here are just a few of the most popular responses shared:
1."Born in the U.S.A." by Bruce Springsteen
"It's famously misinterpreted as patriotic."
You can listen to the full song here:
2."Greased Lightning" from Grease
"That song is FILTHY."
You can listen to the full song here:
3."Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad" by Meatloaf
"Meat Loaf said it always depressed him how many people came up to him and told him they danced to this at their wedding. It was like, 'Have you ever listened to the damn lyrics?!'"
You can listen to the full song here:
4."Macarena" by Los Del Rio
"They played that song all the time for stuff when I was in elementary school, but it's about a girl cheating on her boyfriend with multiple people while he's away."
You can listen to the full song here:
5."We Are Young" by Fun
"It's actually about glossing over a toxic relationship, domestic violence, and drug use."
You can listen to the full song here:
6."Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears For Fears
"It's a sing-a-long dystopian song about the Cold War. It took me a long time to realize this, and I was around when it was first released."
You can listen to the full song here:
7."Hey Ya" by Outkast
"It's the one that pops in my head right away. It’s a dance song with a depressing message."
You can listen to the full song here:
8."Pour Some Sugar on Me" by Def Leppard
"Those lyrics went right over me when I was a kid."
You can listen to the full song here:
9."Physical" by Olivia Newton John
"It went over most kids' heads, but I was sitting there thinking, 'I'm pretty sure it's completely inappropriate to have a bunch of 10-year-olds exercising to this song.'"
You can listen to the full song here:
10."My Sharona" by the Knack
"They’re basically singing about having sex with an underage girl."
You can listen to the full song here:
11."Escape (The Piña Colada Song)" by Rupert Holmes
"I had no idea that song was about a married couple trying to cheat on each other and accidentally winding up on a date together."
You can listen to the full song here:
12."Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds
"It has a catchy beat, but, if you're not paying attention, you can totally miss the meaning of the song. I teared up a bit thinking about my old friends when I first read the lyrics."
You can listen to the full song here:
13."Cat's in the Cradle" by Harry Chapin
"I used to love it as a kid, but it absolutely crushes me as an adult with children."
You can listen to the full song here:
14."Walking on the Sun" by Smash Mouth
"It was doomsaying about global warming, spoiled boomers, and the Rodney King riots, but all anyone seems to remember is that it was a fun '90s summer jam."
You can listen to the full song here:
15."Every Breath You Take" by the Police
"And to think it was a 'bride's choice' favorite at weddings."
You can listen to the full song here:
16."Build Me Up Buttercup" by the Foundations
"It’s a pretty sad song about a guy who keeps getting ghosted, and he won’t take the hint."
You can listen to the full song here:
17."The Kids Aren't Alright" by the Offspring
"The beat hit me so hard that it wasn’t until much later, when a close friend made a comment, that I realized how sad the song was. After that, the song really wasn’t as upbeat as I made it out to be."
You can listen to the full song here:
18."Take Me to Church" by Hozier
"Although, to be fair, it was the video that made me do an 'Ohhh.'"
You can listen to the full song here:
And finally:
19."Barbie Girl" by Aqua
"'You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere!' Who let me sing this when I was 5?!"
You can listen to the full song here:
You've read their picks, but now it's your turn. Which ones did they miss? What songs "hit different" after reading the lyrics? Share your pick(s) in the comments below!
Some responses were edited for length and/or clarity. H/T: Reddit.