9 Catchy Pop Songs About Horrible Circumstances
Singing these peppy songs in the car just made the morning commute a whole lot darker.
Singing these peppy songs in the car just made the morning commute a whole lot darker.
Photo by Bob Riha Jr / WireImage | Licensed to Alpha Media Group 2012
Most of us don’t have the time or patience to actually pay attention to song lyrics. If we did, the world would be a horrible and grim place. These well-known toe-tappers are really about sad, depressing, nightmarish situations. Prepare to have your mind and sunny disposition blown.
Born in the USA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhwROO2M6lw
Artist: Bruce Springsteen
What most people think it’s about: A fun, patriotic ode to the land of the free and the home of the brave.
What it’s really about: A fucked-up Vietnam vet returning “home” to a country that doesn’t care about or want him.
Telling lyric: “You end up like a dog that’s been beat too much”
Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone
Artist: The Temptations
What most people think it’s about: A groovy Motown jam about a hip dad.
What it’s really about: A deadbeat, alcoholic, philandering man who leaves his struggling wife and children and then dies.
Telling lyric: “Folks say Papa never was much on thinking / Spent most of his time chasing women and drinking”
Janie’s Got a Gun
Artist: Aerosmith
What most people think it’s about: A sexy girl acquires a gun.
What it’s really about: A young woman shoots and kills her father, who sexually molested her as a child.
Telling lyric: “What did her daddy do? / He jacked a little bitty baby”
Semi-Charmed Life
Artist: Third Eye Blind
What most people think it’s about: A jaunty ‘90s anthem about a rock star having fun with girls in little red panties.
What it’s really about: A harrowing look at crystal meth addiction.
Telling lyric: “Doing crystal meth will lift you up until you break”
The Freshman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2eqn0MLtk0
Artist: The Verve Pipe
What most people think it’s about: A nostalgic look at that super exciting first year of school.
What it’s really about: A man’s heart-wrenching guilt over his ex-girlfriend’s suicide.
Telling lyric: “His girl took a week’s worth of Valium and slept / And now he’s guilt stricken sobbing with his head on the floor”
Under the Bridge
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zLoRNMgmFo
Artist: Red Hot Chili Peppers
What most people think it’s about: Chilling with your buddies under a pretty bridge in the city you love.
What it’s really about: The abject isolation you feel when strung out on heroin and cocaine.
Telling lyric: “Under the bridge downtown / Is where I drew some blood”
Pumped Up Kicks
Artist: Foster the People
What you think it’s about: A pair of cool new sneakers.
What it’s really about: A troubled youngster contemplating shooting up his school.
Telling lyric: “You better run, better run, faster than my bullet”
99 Luftballons
Artist: Nena (Note: the video is the badass Goldfinger version)
What most people think it’s about: A German girl from the ‘80s’ love of colorful things that float.
What it’s really about: Children’s balloons are mistaken to be missiles, starting a war between the East and West and resulting in global nuclear Armageddon.
Telling lyric: “99 years of war left no room for victors / There are no more war ministers nor any jet fighters / Today I’m making my rounds / See the world lying in ruins”
To Be With You
Artist: Mr. Big
What most people think it’s about: A guy waits around for the woman he loves.
What it’s really about: A gang bang.
Telling lyrics: “I’ve waited on a line / Just to be the next to be with you”
Another lyric if you still don’t believe us: “Build up your confidence / So you can be on top for once.”