Popular Pop Songs That Actually Have A Depressing And Dark Backstory (You’ll Want To Have Another Listen)
Catchy songs have always topped the music charts. We all sing along in our cars, but how many of us really pay attention to the lyrics? It makes it a little awkward when you find out that the happy-go-lucky song you're playing on repeat has a dark backstory.
When you take a deep dive into the lyrics of these popular songs, you'll be shocked to find out they are really about. From drugs to war, school shootings, or death, these songs got dark quick.
The Weeknd's True Love Is Cocaine
Most of us now know that The Weeknd's catchy song "I Can't Feel My Face" is not about how happy he is with his girlfriend. We quickly learned it was about how cocaine numbs your face and senses.
The Weeknd has been open about his struggles, telling The Guardian that when he focussing on music, "drugs were a crutch for me."
'I Don't Like Mondays' Is About A School Shooter
On January 29, 1979, Brenda Spencer took the lives of two men and injured several children in a school shooting. When asked why she did it, she simply responded: "I don't like Mondays."
Bob Geldof of the Boomtown Rats thought the line was incredibly powerful and wrote a song about it. He later regretted it after Spencer told him she was happy she did it thanks to the song.
Hanson Was Singing About The Most Teenage Problem Ever
MMMBop was the bop of the '90s. We all sung along to it even though we had no idea what the lines were. If you listen carefully, the song is about how friendships never last and are full of pain and strife.
That's some pretty deep stuff for a teeny-bopper group.
M.I.A. Has Always Been Political
A lot of artists bring politics into their songs, but M.I.A. takes it an extra level. Her 2007 pop hit "Paper Planes" catches your attention with its gunshots and cash register samples, but the lyrics reference refugees, border security, poverty, and more.
Usually, the political songs don't make it big, but "Paper Planes" is widely believed to be one of the best songs of the decade.
'Born In The USA' Is Not As Patriotic As You'd Think
Bruce Springsteen's rock anthem "Born In The USA" comes off as pro-USA, but it's very anti-America. The song is about a man who has to fight in Vietnam because he was born in the USA and therefore eligible to be drafted.
He comes home broken, struggled to find work, isn't supported as a veteran, and has his life ruined.
The Cuban Missile Crisis Inspired A Christmas Song
Yes, you read that right. The Cuban missile crisis inspired songwriter Gloria Baker to write a song begging for peace. The song, "Do You Hear What I Hear" was fuelled with emotion surrounding the threat of nuclear war.
They released the song around Christmas, and it quickly got picked up by other artists, and everyone forgot it's original meaning.
The Police Were Trying To Avoid Being Arrested
"Don't Stand So Close To Me" was written by String about how it's hard to "keep his hands off" young girls who like him. Sting worked as an English teacher and admitted he had trouble keeping his hands off his young students who liked him.
Uhm, that's creepy. I can never listen to this song the same way ever again.
Parents Weren't Happy With Foster The People's Gun Anthem
"Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster The People is a catchy indie pop song, but when parents realized the lyrics were about kids out-running a shooter's gun, they were angry.
The song was even actually taken off the radio in 2012 after the Sandy Hook school shooting.
Nuclear Tensions Were High When Nena Wrote '99 Red Balloons'
West-German techno singer Nena wrote "99 Luft Balloons" when The Berlin Wall was still up, and nuclear war was a genuine threat. The song is about war breaking out after one side over-reacts to a child's lost red balloon.
Even though the song was about the end of the world, it was a massive hit in Germany and was translating into English and Japanese.
We're Worried About The 'Girl' Beck Is Singing About
Beck has been reimagining music for decades, but one of his earliest hits "Girl" has some people worried. Some lyrics talk about a girl "with a noose" and how "I'm gonna make her die."
To make it more mysterious, Beck has never told anyone if the chorus says "my sun-eyed girl" or "my cyanide girl."
Third Eye Blind Were Singing About Their Crystal Meth Addiction
Drugs have always made appearances in the music world, but fans were shocked when they found out that Third Eye Blind's "Semicharmed Life" is all about crystal meth. The song is usually heavily edited for the radio, so most people miss out on the hidden drug references.
The most painfully obvious lyric most people don't notice? "Doing crystal meth will lift you up until you break."
'Slide' Is About The Aftermath Of An Abortion
Mike Pence would not approve of the Goo Goo Dolls' catchy song 'Slide' after learning that it's actually about a teenage girl raised Catholic who is debating having an abortion.
The lyrics make it clear when they sing, "The priest is on the phone, your father hit the wall, your ma disowned you." Yikes.
People Speculate 'Some Nights' Is About Sexual Assault
A lot of people have debated what Fun.'s first single, "Some Nights" is about. Many think it's about the struggle of selling out, but when you look closely at the lyrics, there are references to assault and pregnancy and the consequences of a single night.
Towards the end of the song, the lyrics tell a story of the frontman's sister who was "conned" into "love" and a child who resulted from a "terrible night."
Psy Is Secretly A Savage
It's okay if you didn't know the dark side of Psy's "Gangnam Style" since no everyone knows Korean. Thankfully, the internet has let us know that his song is a critique of how fake the elites living in the Gangnam District in South Korea are.
In the song, Psy says they only look good because they have personal trainers and plastic surgery. Ouch.
The Cheers Theme Is Not Cheerful
Most of us don't care about TV theme songs, but the Cheers intro is one of the most well-known in America, and it's actually really dark. "Where Everybody Knows Your Name" starts off normal, then in the full version you get the lines: "your shrink ran off to Europe" and "your husband wants to be a girl."
Basically, the song is about how awful everything is until you go to the neighborhood bar where everyone knows your name.
Blues Traveller Called Out Their Own Fans
"Hook" by Blues Traveller is making fun of their fans. The lyrics tell a story that good music doesn't matter anymore because all they have to do it write a catchy hook and a song is successful.
They were way ahead of their time. Music producers now admit that they care more about the first 30 seconds of a song because that's what brings listeners back.
The Lead Singer Of Semisonic Hid The Truth About 'Closing Time'
"Closing Time" is usually belted out by the entire bar as the band plays everyone out, but frontman Dan Wilson wrote it about becoming a father. The song tells a story about impending fatherhood and leaving your regular life behind.
Wilson kept the true meaning from his bandmates though because he knew they wouldn't want to play a song about his kids over and over.
The Eagles Call Out Hollywood In 'Hotel California'
The Eagles were calling out the entire music industry in the best way possible: in a chart-topping single. The band told Rolling Stone that "Hotel California" is about self-destruction and greed in the music industry.
Anyone can come to "Hotel California," but they can never truly leave after being corrupted by the music industry.
Lola Goes Loco In Barry Manilow's 'Copacabana'
Most of us only know the catchy chorus to Barry Manilow's "Copacabana," but the die-hard Manilow fans know the song tells a sad tale.
The lyrics tell a story of Lola, the showgirl, and Tony, who tended bar. Everything is fine until Lola become old and goes crazy after Tony dies, eventually losing her mind.
The Macarena Is About A Cheating Girlfriend
Heeeey, Macarena, you're an awful girlfriend. The '90s dance craze by the two strangest singers, Los Del Rio, tells a tale of a girl Macarena who shacks up with not just one, but two of her boyfriend's friends while he is away serving in the army.
Now I feel like a bad person for happily dancing to Macarena's promiscuous ways.
