Sometimes we get lost in the sound of a song and forget to dissect the lyrics. Sometimes that is done intentionally by the artist and other times it is a by product of a distractingly good beat. Below, find four songs that everyone loves, but have surprisingly dark undertones.
4 Beloved Songs That Are Secretly Disturbing
1. “Every Breath You Take” (The Police)
First up on our list of disturbing songs, we have this potentially obvious one by The Police. “Every Breath You Take” is far more haunting than one might realize upon first listen. The love in the lyrics is an obsessed one–bordering on stalking. If you really think about what Sting is saying in this track, it lays bare a chilling realization that this is more than just infatuation.
Every breath you take
And every move you make
Every bond you break
Every step you take
I’ll be watching you
2. “My Sharona” (The Knack)
The Knack’s “My Sharona” features an enticing melody that is not easily forgotten. Because of that, listeners haven’t really asked many questions about who Sharona is. As the story goes, this track was written about a love interest of band member Doug Fieger’s–a 17-year-old one at that. Fieger was almost a decade her senior when he met the subject of this song. With that in mind, it adds a layer of ick to this otherwise insatiably catchy track.
Ooh, my little pretty one, pretty one
When you gonna give me some time, Sharona?
Ooh, you make my motor run, my motor run
Gun it coming off of the line, Sharona
3. “Adam’s Song” (Blink-182)
“Adam’s Song” is built around a relatively upbeat melody, but hidden underneath the surface, is a disturbing meaning. The band penned this song around the idea of a fictitious teenage boy’s suicide note. With that motif in mind, the lyrics seem far darker.
I never conquered, rarely came
Sixteen just held such better days
Days when I still felt alive
We couldn’t wait to get outside
The world was wide, too late to try
The tour was over, we’d survived
I couldn’t wait ’til I got home
To pass the time in my room alone
[RELATED: Iron Maiden, Blink-182, Styx Top Recent Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Poll of Artists Fans Would Like to See Inducted Next]
4. “Run For Your Life” (the Beatles)
Next up in our list of disturbing songs that everyone loves, we have this Beatles track. In “Run For Your Life,” John Lennon threatens to kill his ex-girlfriend if she tries to find another lover. The meaning of these lyrics isn’t easily hidden. One listen and you’ll likely be keyed into the threats being made, but it’s still a song that is loved by fans despite its nefarious intentions.
You better run for your life if you can, little girl
Hide your head in the sand, little girl
Catch you with another man
That’s the end, little girl
(Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/WireImage)
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