Misunderstood Songs

General Gibberish Forums The Pool Room
41
Not so much misunderstood as not understood. And if you like the song but don't know what it's about, you may not want to find out.

Brick - Ben Folds Five


How the fk do people not know what the song is about?
42

Closing Time by Semisonic isn’t about last drinks at a pub

https://youtube.com/watch?v=UVrQcieqD0U

43
Not so much misunderstood as not understood. And if you like the song but don't know what it's about, you may not want to find out.

Brick - Ben Folds Five


How the fk do people not know what the song is about?

Because the subject is never mentioned.
No offence, but you sound like the quizmaster who can’t believe no-one got it right when the answer’s right there in his hand.

It’s obvious when you have that bit of information.

44
Born in the USA turned me off Springsteen for about 25 years as I misinterpreted it as rampant patriotism.

In a similar vein, “London Calling” is also meant to be a negative song about the city IIRC.


Great song (and album), but I never interpreted it as a positive celebration. I guess The Clash were always clearly anti-establishment, where Springsteen’s message was far more subtle, if not ironic.
I've read somewhere that London Calling came about when Strummer had a great fear that London was going to be flooded and the line, "cos London is drowning and I live by the river" is quite a literal thought. Don't know if it's true.
45

American Woman - The Guess Who (and also Lenny Kravitz)
A song about Vietnam, conscription and US politics. Not really about women at all.

46

Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me?

47

Pumped up kicks - a lot of people didn’t realise the song was about people shooting up a school

Thrift shop and selfie are missunderstood by the droolies

48
Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me?
Elton John or Rodney Rude version?
49
Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me?
Elton John or Rodney Rude version?

Well, I haven’t heard the latter, but I can imagine it…

50

The number of the beast - iron maiden

The amount of people who thought/think this song praises satan is astounding

51
Pumped up kicks - a lot of people didn't realise the song was about people shooting up a school

Thrift shop and selfie are missunderstood by the droolies

That song, I understand people think its meant to be satirical/ ironic or whatever, but im convinced that its legitimately a song about taking a selfie and that was the artists attempt at making a genuinely good song- their next single ‘closer’ is one of the most boring, braindead songs ive heard in recent times and it makes me wonder whether they had the artistic capacity to be satirical with ‘selfie’

52
The Police have some serious form of weird songs - 'Be My Girl/Sally' is another one.

“You’ll be sorry when I’m dead and all this guilt will be on your head” - So Lonely, The Police

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The Police have some serious form of weird songs - 'Be My Girl/Sally' is another one.

“You’ll be sorry when I’m dead and all this guilt will be on your head” - So Lonely, The Police

Can’t Stand Losing You?

54
The Police have some serious form of weird songs - 'Be My Girl/Sally' is another one.

“You’ll be sorry when I’m dead and all this guilt will be on your head” - So Lonely, The Police

Can’t Stand Losing You?


Doh, thanks for the correction
55
The Police have some serious form of weird songs - 'Be My Girl/Sally' is another one.

“You’ll be sorry when I’m dead and all this guilt will be on your head” - So Lonely, The Police

Can’t Stand Losing You?


Doh, thanks for the correction

Sure.
Everyone loves being corrected.

56
American Woman - The Guess Who (and also Lenny Kravitz) A song about Vietnam, conscription and US politics. Not really about women at all.

There are a lot of songs like this about Vietnam. Don’t you want somebody to love, he ain’t heavy, he’s my brother etc…

57

Re conscription - Alice’s Restaurant

58

What about misappropriation of songs - American happy-clappers taking over ‘imagine’ (some say a song about communism) and changing “and no religion too” to “and one religion too”. Shameless!

1 Like
59

Better Man by Pearl Jam contains lyrics about a bloke that belts his wife/girlfriend. I remember ages ago on Sports Tonight they played it as part of tribute to some retiring NRL player, perhaps Alfie Langer, maybe one of the Johns brothers, seemingly oblivious to the actual point of the song. I believe the player in question was a pretty solid citizen off field so the song was a pretty choice for him.

60
Maxwell's Silver Hammer.

Sounds like Bob the Builder, but is about a serial killer.

Hard to see how lyrics like:
“Bang bang Maxwell’s silver hammer made sure she was dead”… [victim #1]
“Bang bang Maxwell’s silver hammer made sure she was dead”… [victim #2]
“Bang bang Maxwell’s silver hammer made sure he was dead” … [victim #3]

…could be interpreted in a way to suggest that Maxwell was in fact a benevolent philanthropist.