Adults React To Songs With Darker Meanings Than You Think!

[@atwizteddragonbogdanowicz5149]

Did I seriously get a warning for this video? 😂

[@enthusiastic_swiftie_13]

Yep

[@Schuldig]

samesies. i really thought i lost my premium or something 😂

[@AyushSingh-qw8wb]

Same bro

[@deshwitat_2]

Try goes good Charlotte - hold on..😂😂

[@christopherking4932]

Very hilarious 😂

[@benschultz1784]

Definitely needs a part 2. There's so many more songs with dark lyrics, Born in the USA, 99 Luftballons, etc.

[@marie-jo2604]

You still white Europeans not American

[@charlessalzman4377]

@@marie-jo2604 If you use the logic that our ancestors coming from Europe precludes our ability to be American than no one can be and everyone is African. Humans didn't spontaneously evolve in the Americas, everyone's ancestors were from some place else.

[@charlessalzman4377]

They could do a whole video on "That's about the threat of war nuclear war wiping out human life."

[@icantthinkofaname_-vd7pt]

they did 99 luftballoons in the first vid

[@rogerd.4239]

For Pumped Up Kicks an important note is the bassist's cousin was a student at Columbine High School during the infamous school shooting. "bassist Cubbie Fink has a cousin who survived the Columbine High School massacre in 1999. Fink said of his cousin's experience, "She was actually in the library when everything went down, so I actually flew out to be with her the day after it happened and experienced the trauma surrounding it and saw how affected she was by it. She is as close as a sister, so obviously, it affected me deeply. So to be able to have a song to create a platform to talk about this stuff has been good for us"

[@KaitLynnHt]

As someone who graduated slightly over a month after Columbine, Pumped Up Kicks always felt dark to me. Bit of trivia, the bassist's cousin was a survivor of Columbine.

[@DukeHalliday-cv4fx]

Wow

[@rochellealexander8271]

Does that mean you were there during the shooting?

[@KaitLynnHt]

@@rochellealexander8271 no, I didn't go there. But that last couple of months felt suffocating at our school, and I'm sure nearly every other. Teachers, administration, even other students were on edge. It was not the first school shooting but at the time it was big enough to garner live nationwide coverage in a still mostly analog time. EVERYTHING changed after that. I only experienced a couple months of increased security, zero tolerance rules, and severe consequences for trivial infractions, esp as seniors.

[@CassidyJ22]

So Anthony Kiedis has stated Under The Bridge is not about him doing heroin, it is about the loneliness about being clean from drugs while the rest of the band was using. He even said he almost didn't share the song with the band.

[@mrfunnybones3839]

Pearl Jam - Jeremy. Song is a true story about a kid who shot himself during "show-n-tell" in front of his whole class for being bullied

[@Ansemite]

I realize there's no way it was meant like it comes across but "Sandy Hook shook me, I was literally depressed for like a week" is an insane statement. 😂

[@bubbles2215]

How do you sing Pumped Up Kicks and not realize what the lyrics are about??

[@shelbym.4328]

For years I sang Pumped Up Kicks without actually listening to/thinking about the lyrics

[@nicolettaveganthibeault8781]

First couple times I heard this I was like "oh this is a fun song" but ya then I did a double take relistening to the song.

[@moonlightingwolf7542]

Exactly 💯 just read the freaking lyrics you could tell it's dark

[@MonstaFreak13]

​@@shelbym.4328 🤦🏽‍♂️🤦🏽‍♂️

[@fckyurteam2989]

Fr

[@dylanstewart9]

I hope they make a part 2 of this, there’s so many songs with hidden meanings. Little Talks was the most surprising to me

[@SnowxXxAngel]

I've always thought of 'Every Breath You Take' as a creepy stalker song.....

[@pausethefilmpau]

Same here and I got creeped out by it because my sixth grade teacher had it on repeat 😂

[@Terryhunt385]

I figured that out years ago. When I actually pointed out the lyrics, people were shocked.

[@bigvanhood]

How could pumped up kicks even be assumed to mean anything else, it's not subtle.

[@richlisola1]

Seriously, that one chick screeching her way through those songs, especially this one was really grating. And yes Pumped Up Kicks was about as subtle as a gun. No pun.

[@willythemailboy2]

It's like being confused by "Janie's Got a Gun"

[@angiewilliams10]

Foster the People have also said Columbine was pretty much the shooting in mind because a relative of a band member was a victim/survivor of that shooting.

[@adrigon]

The monsters and men song is even worse: his ghost is begging her to take care of herself, and being tortured to watch her falling apart over him

[@TonyTonez91]

Kinda sounds like that Robbin Williams movie What Dreams May Come(1998)

[@JazzTurkeyWithPotatoes]

Pumped Up Kicks... was my anthem back when I was violently depressed

[@paulmaehara7878]

American Pie was also the name of the plane that was carrying Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper.

[@Goleon]

I knew what the song dealt with but I didn’t know that’s what that part meant.

[@brentton2]

No the name is beechcraft bonanza

[@shannaschueller]

I never thought of Every Breath You Take as a love song. I've always called it the stalker song. 😂

[@lelic29]

Same

[@DHix319]

Facts!! The Police (Sting) always talked about wild topics. Don't Stand So Close to me is even crazier!!

[@stephaniephillips2643]

Truth

[@sandraperlstein79]

The video features a violent fight in an apartment between a male and a female character shown in reverse, beginning with the death of the female character at the hands of the male character, who bludgeons her with a breeze block. As the fight progresses backwards, it is revealed that the female character is the aggressor in the fight, having ambushed the male character as he returned home to discover his wife bound and gagged. In the song it's the opposite.

[@MatthewSchellGaming]

It already has a sad tone but I remember when I learned the story behind "Tears In Heaven" - Eric Clapton. I can't imagine going through that.

[@jasonbeyer4794]

Duran Duran has several songs that are much darker than people would expect. "Do You Believe in Shame?" and the amazing "Ordinary World" are both about the overdose death of a friend of Simon Le Bon.

[@tubblebub]

It's wild to me when people don't know about the first song, Semi-Charmed Life, cuz the lyrics really spell it out, lol. "I was taking sips of it through my nose" "doing crystal m. will lift you up until you break" "I took the hit that I was given, and I bumped again, and I bumped again." Among other things. 😂

[@megganc1334]

They completely missed the Nirvana song Polly, that was written from the perspective of a real life guy who kidnapped a girl. (She got free).

[@robertalter3186]

99 Luftballons is a happy, upbeat song... about nuclear war.

[@andrewfillmore1986]

The song is about the perspective of West Germany when 99 Luftballons crossing into East Germany mislead as missile and prepare with Soviet counter strike

[@nurlindafsihotang49]

Aint cold war fun, kids!?😂

[@andrewfillmore1986]

@@nurlindafsihotang49 haha very funny dude, I widness the end of the cold war.

[@roxysmom1986]

Uncle Kracker sing a song called follow me which is about heroin. There’s a line in the song that says “ I’ll swim through your veins like a fish in the sea” that line is talking about shooting up heroin

[@SarahSharp38]

It crazy that song was in our high school video yearbook at the end of the year. Each year they made videos with pics, short videos or clips, and music (vhs tapes) they'd have them for sale the last few weeks of school. Just something to remember the fun/good times during the year.

[@WatUP273]

Please do more of these ... I love watching people find out the meanings to songs

[@ninalove3044]

I second this notion!

[@modern.day.vampire]

I'm shocked Master of Puppets wasn't on this list as the song is about how having an addiction (i don't remember for what drug off the top of my head) the lyrics literally say "obey your master, you're life burns faster" ,along with the rifts going fast (the high) and then slowing down (the wear of the high). Or Smoke on the water that is literally written about the tragedy of a Frank Zappa concert where the whole venue caught on fire ,but the song is mainly known for it's iconic guitar rift that is banned in some music/guitar shops.

[@vanessab.s2596]

I never understood how people thought Pumped Up Kicks was a happy song. Like, haven't you listened to the chorus??? They literally talk about some crazy person pointing a gun and shooting someone Also, wanna hear to a dark song? Listen to Copacabana. It may sound happy, but let me tell you you're in for an interesting ride

[@umu-cew]

my friends in college was vibing this song back then because an indonesian idol contestant singing it. and it really surprising to me while we are in english major and this friends of mine can't comprehend anything about that song, not sayin my english is better or something but the lyrics of the song didn't even try to be subtle at all

[@jamesdavis3127]

Read the lyrics of Californication. Mind blowing that that song was released in 1999 but reads like it predicts the future.

[@bobhill3941]

I understood what the lyrics meant back in 99 and it's still my favourite chilli peppers song.

[@bigdaddycool6930]

So many people “oh yeah that song gets me pumped” about Jump and I’m like no… no… you are NOT getting it- That and people using Every Breath You Take as the first dance at wedding receptions… creepy….

[@RockyRajkumar-yg1ee]

What about Pink Floyd "when the tiger broke free" ? Fleetwood Mac "Go your own way", " Silver Springs" , Pearl Jam "Jeremy ", Judas Priest "beyond the realm of death ", Ozzy Osbourne"suicide solution " etc. Include those type of songs in the next episode.

[@vulamnguyen9453]

"Jenny was a friend of mine" by The Killers

[@moodycowcrafts4862]

Some songs the meaning is clear if you listen to the lyrics and some aren’t clear unless you recognise the double entendre It’s usually when it’s got a really boppy/uplifting tune that you don’t expect the darker meanings - so the people that just listen to the tune and aren’t massively interested in knowing the lyrics are most shocked by these reveals

[@adamstclair9461]

This is proof that people who listen to music don't actually listen to more then the catchyness of it and not it's meanings

[@heathermathews1872]

As Blues Traveller said, "the hook brings you back."

[@amberdani38]

It was after Sting got divorced too. He was mortified when couples kept telling him it was, "their song."

[@royporter1946]

God her face when she realized pumped up kicks is a song about school shootings😂

[@SingingSealRiana]

. . . .she knew the Lyrics, how did she Not realise?! IT IS spelled Out!!!

[@draco1811]

I love "Little Talks" by of Monsters and Men. I always assumed it was about a generally depressed person, not a grieving, suicidal widow.

[@btetschner]

"Jump" by Van Halen and "Every Breath You Take" by The Police were both released as singles in '83, with "Every Breadth You Take" being the #1 single of '83. For the first 18+ years of my life, I lived in 83 County.

[@abrahamesparza01]

Breath

[@SoyPabloCastro]

Well, based on recent statements, “Every time” by Britney Spears sure took a 180º turn and it’s meaning it’s definitely not what we thought it was.

[@gnu_andrew]

How so? It's always felt pretty dark to me and the video had her nearly committing suicide.

[@mithroch]

I watched an interview once where Sting mentioned that he was truly terrified at how many fan responses he got to Every Breath You Take saying that they really identified with the song.

[@SunshineStorm]

I was pleasantly surprised "American Pie" was on this list. I did half expect to see "Hotel California."

[@marieangels6]

How did you not know about pumped up kicks!? It is so obvious!

[@artisannoteworthy]

I'm surprised no one ever talks about how 'Unwell' by Matchbox 20 is someone dealing with depression /( or schizophrenia, depending on how you're looking at it)

[@Smallziez]

It blows my mind that people listen to music without actually listening to the lyrics every song has a story

[@kurtsudheim825]

Not every one

[@Ash-72]

I was a little surprised "I Don't Like Mondays" wasn't played. Would have been interesting to see their reaction to "Strange Fruit" as well...I think with so many songs that have darker meanings, this video needs to be done again with more songs.

[@stwenty5758]

The first time I heard Every Breath You Take at a wedding, I said, a bit louder than I meant to, "Are you f###ing kidding me?" What idiot thinks that song is romantic?

[@SingingSealRiana]

Yeah, the Singer IS also freaked Out by it

[@vaska1999]

Wow! Creepy!

[@ddzgrlcollections8190]

Almost all Linkin Park songs are talking about deep meanings of life…..love them, I miss you Chester😭

[@aaliyah6464]

Bleeding it out a good example

[@justanotherrando8280]

Every Breath You Take was actually based on a letter from a stalker.

[@TonyTonez91]

Sting is the stalker 😂 he even admitted it

[@secretsofthepastsparahisto2993]

The song Jeremy by Pearl Jam is another song that has a dark meaning behind it its about a kid in high school that was being bullied so what he did was he brought a gun too school and in class shot himself in front of his teacher and classmates when the lead singer of Pear Jam Eddy Vedder heard about it he immediately started writing the lyrics and music the Mother of the actual boy that killed himself was not too happy and the boys name is Jeremy its a great song however a very sad one too .

[@PKHalford]

Could've sworn Little Talks was about a couple dealing with the wife's dementia/Alzheimers. "Some days I can't even dress myself," "It's killing me to see you this way," "Your mind is playing tricks on you, my dear," "Though the truth may vary." It's all there in the lyrics.

[@isays]

I think thats the wife going through mourning over her husband, and the ghost of the husband mourning what his death has done to his wife.

[@milhousevanhoutan9235]

Semi-charmed Life was ruined by censorship. It's awful what they did to that poor song.

[@nobledonkey17]

I hope there is a part two because they are so many songs with dark meaning. I think my favorite has to be slide by the goo goo dolls since its about two teenage kids who gets pregnant and They’re trying to decide whether she should get an abortion or if they should get married and try to make it work

[@chrisnemec5644]

Very nice one. If you do a sequel, another song you can put in would be the Eddy Grant song "Electric Avenue." This 1983 tune sounds funky and nice, but Electric Avenue is actually in the section of London named Brixton, and the song talks about the Brixton riots of 1981.

[@DukeHalliday-cv4fx]

Yup

[@pieter.singer]

Amy's Back to Black is the darkest song ever for me. who would have guessed that it was about her struggling life?

[@ausomeaspie]

Also the song "Jeremy" By Pearl Jam is really dark, but that's a dark song anyway.

[@saltysepreme]

When Pumped up kicks came out, I heard it was About Shootings But I didn't think it was True at the time. Now that I hear the lyrics... damn.

[@amiroquet7476]

Okay but how did y'all not know any of these? Like pumped up kicks at least should've been obvious.

[@roguelorewind6029]

Wow you have missed a lot of dark songs. We are gonna need about 500 more editions of this.

[@monajwanae1515]

To not know what pumped up kicks is about is just crazy 😭 it’s literally so clear what else would it mean?

[@sagemartin9522]

Linkin Park actually is the perfect example of songs that have a darker meaning tbh rip chester

[@mr.narrator6781]

99 red balloons should been here too, and Afternoon Delight just to have a fun one lol.

[@DonnaCPunk]

"Don't Stand So Close to Me" by The Police is creepy AF when you actually listen to the lyrics.

[@no.meowww]

especially when you remember that sting was a teacher before his musical career..

[@SingingSealRiana]

Yeah, ironic how both Songs I know from them are reasons to call "the Police" with "dont stand so Close to me" and "every versteh you Take"

[@no.meowww]

@@SingingSealRiana I think that’s the point, they talk about serious topics not really shown in songs. Might be wrong tho

[@kellygirlaj]

Hayley said she was depressed for a week after Sandy Hook: imagine having lived in CT at the time, which I did, and was terrified that someone was going to do the same at my sons' schools. So hubby and I rushed to their schools and got them, and we were the only parents there! I expected to see so many cars at both schools, but there were none. I don't know if no one had heard what happened or if they were at work and couldn't get the time off. Also, a friend of mine had a baby that same day, her child will be 12 this year.

[@shanewilson911]

i mean....some to most of linkin park songs are about unaliving one self and drugs, just saying (rip Chester)

[@itsheatedfire7166]

I know I’m 2 weeks late to watching this but I relate to this video during the pumped up kicks song because of being in a school shooting back in may of 2019

[@krisdybdal]

I missed, "I don't like mondays" about the Cleveland Elementary School shooting in San Diego

[@user-ht6or1vm4m]

I know this is late but Polly by Nirvana is a good one for this.

[@brandiwilliams7178]

My cousin was one of the cops that had to go to Sandy hook and try to find kids. He's still haunted by it

[@FredXWeasleyXForever]

Jeremy by Pearl Jam is pretty damn dark.

[@tinakeith5822]

P. O. D.’s Youth of a Nation should’ve been on here! Disturbed’s Inside the Fire

[@TheTrumpReaper]

Pumped Up Kicks is a beautiful song with horrifying lyrics.

[@natashacarneygee2921]

Yes it is sad 😞

[@TroyF86]

“…It’s giving, like death. And like, suicide.” 😂😂😂

[@andreavarela7874]

Is no one talking about the little wedding announcement we got?!?

[@samsonalipia404]

Literally just a few hours ago, there was a minor wildfire that just happened a few blocks away from my work, and I work in California where the fire started at the back of a highschool and spread at the foot of a hill and onto a trail lol I just had to pause on the moment when they were talking about Billie Eillish's song lol

[@brooklynnbelanger2945]

Okay definitely need to do another episode of this.

[@ralphcaluag2403]

Where's 99 Red Balloons?

[@Lekehak]

'I Don’t Like Mondays' is one of these songs.

[@kurtsudheim825]

How tf do you not get "pumped up kicks"? I'm not the artsy type but those lyrics are so obvious

[@DrAmazing]

Really thought they were going to say something like "now on the surface it's about a school shooting, but the truth is much darker"

[@moodycowcrafts4862]

I think it’s people not being able to hear what they’re saying easily in parts and not thinking about the meaning of the words they do hear - and they just interpret the song by the vibe of the beat and tone of the music

[@jlyvren89]

How about reacting to "Happy Sounding Songs That Are Anything But?" *Examples: Bullet by Hollywood Undead, Pumped Up Kicks by Foster The People, Born In The U.S.A. by Bruce Springsteen, ect.

[@MetaRift]

S. O. S. by The Glorious Sons

[@zuzukris4952]

Anyone who ever thought that “Every Breath You Take” was a love song might be an idiot. 😆 It is clearly a stalker song, and always has been! In 1988 my aunt wanted to use it as her wedding song and even at 14 I pointed out that it was creepy AF! 🤣🤣🤣

[@aylenferreyra6010]

This! It literaly says "every breath you take, every step you make I'll be watching you" where is the romance???

[@moriellymoproblems7842]

I always took it to mean that it was from a deceased person's POV, so they were looking down at their loved one from above.

[@demogorgonn]

Van halens jump was INSPIRED by a suicide jumper but the song itself is a positive message like the reactors were thinking.example- If there's a pretty girl on the other side of the room , you eye her, she eyes you, you're gonna go talk to her but you start to freeze. It's like being on that ledge...don't chicken out...jump. go for it.

[@btetschner]

"Pumped Up Kicks" always reminds me of those Reebok Pumps, a major hit for shoes. Weird History has a video about it called "How The Reebok Pump Changed The High-Tech Sneaker Game Forever." Such a great song, it's so cool!

[@buatbluestack9714]

There so many song that blows my mind with disturbing backstories. Hope u make another for next video like this 🙏🏻

[@MetalClown1974]

Master of Puppets is about addiction. Much darker than people realize.

[@ronakdave9992]

Ill be watching you as first dance is wild. Reminds me of Hozier's Cherry Wine (clearly about domestic violence) becoming a wedding song

[@sunrise0192]

"Pompeii" by Bastille is probably an example for a happy sound, but dark meaning? And because alt-j is mentioned in this video: You know the feeling when you listen to a song for the first time, the sound a bit dark, but quite catchy (I LOVE them that way) and you don't really pay attention to the lyrics (because they are not in your first language) - just to find out later that it's REALLY dark, disgusting even? Happened to me with "Fitzpleasure". That was like...I really enjoyed this song, but finding out about the meaning took the fun out of it...

[@samanthacole9562]

Missed Zombie. Should've done Zombie

[@GQkid13]

Yes!!

[@cianavl]

We love irish history

[@The-Noelle]

WAIT, you didn't show them the WHOLE music video for Breezeblocks?!? The ending (the beginning of the story because it's reversed) changes the entire meaning of the music video. The woman is the aggressor and is the one who can't stand the man in the video not loving her back. 💀

[@shavanzar]

POD - Youth of the Nation About school shootings also. Creepy song to listen too, and i still like it. Excellent video

[@pigskin_spinner]

There's a dark song by Nirvana called *_Polly_* where the lyrics are based on an actual story of a girl kidnapped where very morbid things happened to her but fortunately escaped.

[@dylangerg1]

Those things happened after the song came out because they play the song while they were doing stuff to the girl

[@limlianhui9462]

7:17 He was ‘inspired’ by the Columbine school shootings that basically started all the metal detectors and security at schools all over and speaking out about it but by Sandy Hook people were misinterpreting his intentions as glorifying school shooters and so they decided to retire the song

[@kellipalumbo3069]

This was the parkland guy’s favorite song and literally was listening to it while he was doing what he did. It was put on his trial so yeah it is a good song but yeah it was a bad song

[@kellipalumbo3069]

And I didn’t want to talk about the shooter and the tragedy

[@mirandamack7124]

With American pie the girl who sang the blues he's referring to miss janis joplin

[@moodycowcrafts4862]

I love American pie because everything in it relates to some event/person and you can really get into unravelling the meaning to enjoy the song on another level

[@BuckBlaziken]

06:46 that complete flip in emotions is so funny

[@jatoalworth724]

Somebody probably already mentioned this but I don't want sift through the many comments to find it. If it has already been mentioned... major props to the first person who mentioned it. However if not, 'Gloomy Sunday' would have been a fantastic one to add. Not only is the song dark but everything surrounding it is just as dark if not more so.

[@timisme8360]

Great episode REACT. Didn't ruin anything but made me see some of these songs in a new way. I KNEW it was gonna be a little different when KZbin put the "agree" tag before it would let me play it.

[@MCG55SS]

LOL YT warning before viewing....jesus that made me laugh.

[@kiara-tx9zo]

With “Little Talks”, I was always told and under the impression that the woman had dementia or Alzheimers. I think either one works though

[@MARIELEVAMPYRE13]

I got 3 warnings about this video. It's insane

[@fpspwny995]

Pink Floyd's The Wall. ...as in the WHOLE album.

[@chrisd7047]

Practically everything by Alice in Chains.

[@kingsnake8992]

First time I've ever gotten a warning about a video

[@samanthacayama5050]

Samee

[@Goleon]

When one of them said that a lot of songs revolve around drugs I was like “Wait till you hear White Rabbit.”. Also a lot of Linkin Park’s songs took on a whole new meaning to me after the death of their lead singer. Oh and it took me till I was an adult to realize what Black Sabbath’s Iron Man song actually deals with.

[@tiffanymichaels2429]

What is Iron man about? I don't know the lyrics

[@Goleon]

@@tiffanymichaels2429 - Basically a man going crazy and destroying his city.

[@tiffanymichaels2429]

@@Goleon thx

[@KnockoutKO1122]

This is a good concept, you guys should make other videos like this. :)

[@Doublebarreledsimian]

The end when that kid said: I'll be missing you by P Diddy as a song that was darker than we think. That made me laugh as they had just listened to the song he sampled from. Every Breath You Take, by Sting.