Songs you never got the meaning of

[YourMajesty]

I agree! I always hated that song.

On another note, I am shocked about the Prince song I Would Die 4 U. I never knew and have probably heard the song 1000 times.

I had a friend that thought the Prince song I Would Die 4 U was..."ooh...apple dapple dooh" Half the time we didn't even sing the lyrics correct much less know what the song was about!

 

[WDW Poly Princess]

As for a newer song, "You're Beautiful" makes no sense to me!

 

[stemikger]

Originally posted by blowinbubbles
Stairway to Heaven

I feel like that about a lot of Led Zepplin's songs. There was a time when Jimmy Page was into the occult and I think he used a lot of metaphors that had to do with the dark arts.

Also Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. There was a time I didn't know that was about the drug LSD.

 

[Disney Doll]

http://www.inthe70s.com/generated/lyricsmeaning.shtml


"A Horse With No Name " was about heroin? I never knew that. I just thought it was about riding a horse in a desert!

It is????!!!!!

I never knew that either!!!!

 

[auntpolly]

Sometimes maybe we don't want to know! I used to wonder about "Turning Japanese" until I heard the band talk about what they intended! I used to like that song....

 

[JennyMominRI]

What was that song Donna Summer did--had the words "Someone left the cake out in the rain...And I don't think that I can take it...Since it took so long to bake it...And I'll never have that recipe again..."
MacArthur Park?
What was that all about?

It's a song about a woman who lets her relationship go south..She said because she realizes it was the best relationship she ever had,and she will never have another one like it again...The *cake* is metaphor for the relationship

 

[JennyMominRI]

As for a newer song, "You're Beautiful" makes no sense to me!

That's about James Blunts first love. The relationship ended and years later,James saw her on a train,with her husband.. She gives him a meaningful glance and moves on..He realizes he will never see her again

 

[carolfoy]

Brimful of asha - by cornershop can someone PLLEEAASSEE explain?

 

[lisajl]

That's about James Blunts first love. The relationship ended and years later,James saw her on a train,with her husband.. She gives him a meaningful glance and moves on..He realizes he will never see her again

Oh! Ok Jenny...that makes sense. Have you seen the video? I hate the end.
It looks as if he commits suicide. That was our take on it. He lines up all his stuff, neat and orderly, then jumps in the water.

Love that song, though.

 

[JennyMominRI]

Oh! Ok Jenny...that makes sense. Have you seen the video? I hate the end.
It looks as if he commits suicide. That was our take on it. He lines up all his stuff, neat and orderly, then jumps in the water.

Love that song, though.

Yeah,He's killing himself... They spoofed the video on Mad TV..They made it I'm Beautiful,and James was singing about how much he loves himself.

 

[6_Time_Momma]

The narrator was Billy Joe's girlfriend, and the song is about her family's nonchalance when talking about the suicide at dinner and implies that they didn't know she and Billy Joe were an item.

But what drives me crazy is that they never say what she threw off the bridge, did they?

 

[lisajl]

Yeah,He's killing himself... They spoofed the video on Mad TV..They made it I'm Beautiful,and James was singing about how much he loves himself.

Ok..glad to know I was right, now I really hate the end of that video!!!!

Lisa

 

[lisajl]

But what drives me crazy is that they never say what she threw off the bridge, did they?

From what I remember of that song, was that Billy Joe was gay.
Not sure WHAT she threw off the bridge...maybe it was proof of that.
That song is depressing!

 

[JennyMominRI]

From what I remember of that song, was that Billy Joe was gay.
Not sure WHAT she threw off the bridge...maybe it was proof of that.
That song is depressing!

In the movie,Billie Joe(Robbie Benson) is raped by men, and is so ashamed that he kills himself... Actually I take that back..The sex is consentual and he is ashamed and kills himself
In the song,she picks flowers for him and throws them off the bridge every week

 

[joshsmom]

There was a song by George Michael, Monkey, and my friend and I had a raging debate about the meaning of the song. I say it's about drugs--the whole "monkey on your back" thing. My friend maintained it was about an actual monkey. I'm pretty sure I'm right, but maybe someone has the inside scoop.:

Why can't you do it?
Why can't you set your monkey free?
Always giving into it -
Do you love your monkey or do you love me?
Why can't you do it
Why do I have to share my baby with a monkey?


Oh, I count to ten
But I don't know how and I don't know when
To open my eyes
If you kiss me again
Like you did just now, like you did just then
I've had the rest
Now it's time I had the best
So you tell me that you won't do anymore


Well I'd write your heart a letter
But I think you know me better
If I keep on askin' baby, maybe
I'll get what I'm askin' for


Why can't you do it?
Why can't you set your monkey free?
Always giving in to it -
Do you love your monkey or do you love me?
Why can't you do it
Why do I have to share my baby with a monkey?


Oh I hate your friends
But I don't know how and I don't know when
To open your eyes
Yes the monkey's back again
Do you want him now like you did back then?
I tried my best
But your head is such a mess
So I guess that I don't want you anymore


Well you say you care about me
That you just can't do without me
But you keep on dancin' baby
'Til that monkey has you on the floor


Why can't you do it?
Why can't you set your monkey free?
Always giving into it
Do you love the monkey or do you love me?
Why can't you do it
Why do I have to share my baby with a monkey?


Don't look now
There's a monkey on your back
Don't look now
There's a monkey on you...

 

[Annie68]

That song where the artist is singing about "being cold, lying naked on the floor". Good grief, go get some clothes on then!

 

[va32h]

Also Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. There was a time I didn't know that was about the drug LSD.

Well, it's a coincidental acronym. But the title was taken directly from a drawing John Lennon's son Julian made. John asked what the picture was about, and Julian said "It's Lucy, in the sky, with diamonds."

Besides, the Beatles were way more into pot in the Sgt. Pepper era.

That song where the artist is singing about "being cold, lying naked on the floor". Good grief, go get some clothes on

That song is "Torn", and the lying naked part is a metaphor. The line right before that is "This is how I feel" - i.e. "as if I were naked, lying on the floor". The song is about realizing that you've been fooling yourself, the guy you think you love isn't really that great - "illusion never changed into something real", "I'm all out of faith", etc. That she's fallen in love with her own fantasy version of this guy, and is now realizing that it was never real. "Should have seen what was there, not some holy light".

Now that I think about it, it could also be a song about losing religious faith...but the video makes it about a love relationship.

 

[imsorry]

"Spill the Wine" (and dig that pearl?)

What the heck did that mean?

 

[Stan Kelley]

I've read "Dave Barry's Book of Bad Songs" where he talks about all this weird stuff (I highly recommend it).

I've listened to ministers and others rail on about "drug promoting" rock lyrics etc. I always figured they were right some of the time and wrong some too.

I always also figured a lot of lyrics don't really mean anything, just like a lot of poetry. Back in high school I hated having to figure out what some poet or writer "really meant". How many teachers, profs, and students wasted countless hrs trying to decipher nonsense? ...or at least completely distorting what the writer meant. To me, that's the same as the art community finding "genius" in abstract paintings drawn by elephants or monkeys (I always loved those stories). Any English or art teachers care to comment?

When I was a teen I owned the only decent stereo in our home. My Dad used to ask me to play an LP of old Jimmie Rodgers recordings from his youth back in the 1920's. Dad would lie down on my bed, close his eyes, and disappear into memories for a half hr. Anyway, I ran across a web site a couple of years ago that "explained" the (very dirty) meaning of the lyrics to one of those songs Dad listened to over and over. Of course I had never "heard" that in the lyrics, and I really doubt Dad ever did. Maybe good old Jimmie did mean them that way (he apparently used a number of time-worn R&B euphemisms) but if so, 99% of his listeners didn't get it. Or maybe we are trashing Jimmie's memory by suggesting this... who knows?

 

[pozey]

I know a lot of people do not know what the song "American Pie" by Don McClean is about.

You know the song:
We started singing,
bye-bye, Miss American Pie.
Drove my Chevy to the levee,
But the levee was dry.
Them good old boys were drinkin’ whiskey and rye
And singin’, "this’ll be the day that I die.
"this’ll be the day that I die."

The song is about the death of Buddy Holly.