EVEN MORE of the Most MISUNDERSTOOD Songs in Music History

[@whodatboi2567]

The biggest irony of "Hey Ya!" is that it was a popular song at weddings.

[@tervinnyengwa1250]

After all this time,you'd think people would've noticed this when singing along to the song. Also,it's nice see a fellow South African here.

[@whodatboi2567]

@@tervinnyengwa1250 Same to you. In fairness English first language speakers barely pay attention to the lyrics so it would be harder for bilinguals.

[@MarcillaSmith]

How about the irony that the meaning is misunderstood by a video on misunderstood songs? The "people staying in unhappy relationships" part is only a verse and a half or so and the _premise_ of the song. The _theme_ of the song is stated in the line, "We get together, oh we get together, but separate's always better when there's feelings involved." This is reiterated by, "[I] don't want to be your daddy, just want you in my Caddy," etc., to the end in which he is encouraging "all the Beyone's and Lucy Liu's and baby dolls" to "get on the floor," so they can "shake it like a Polaroid picture"

[@aliekexie8467]

Would be funny, if they used the song as some sort of forshadowing tool.

[@TarynAnnTibble]

It was banned from my wedding playlist, along with Loslappie, for obvious reasons (I married into an Afrikaans family, for context)

[@AlwayzHilarious]

Wait, there are people who don’t know that Last Christmas is a breakup song??

[@JustARapAndAnimeFan]

Many People think its only about Christmas

[@azuki_O]

Weird!!!!!!

[@TheMrMe1]

It literally says, "Last Christmas I gave you my heart, but the very next day you gave it away". How can people misunderstand that??

[@fettycheese2498]

@@TheMrMe1 it even goes on “This year, to keep me from tears, I gave it to someone special.”

[@karlthepain7491]

So many people didn't understand, when I tried to tell them that the story repeats every Christmas.

[@patchiezero]

pumped up kicks isnt misunderstood at this point its impossible now to search for the song without seeing hundreds of thousands of people saying what the meaning of it is

[@Awesomesufff]

In 2011 when it came out people didn’t realize

[@catholiccontriversy]

That and every unofficial music video somehow involving a shooting.

[@MrVkull]

@@Awesomesufff I remember first hearing the song, then laughing as I'm like, "what? Did I just hear that right?" A bunch of school shootings were happening at the time, or at least that was whats popular in the news. And the radio is just blasting that song everywhere lol

[@itznani1509]

fun fact: i accidentally sang this song in front of a survivor at a birthday party and didn’t find out until the next day

[@nicholasmorgan7609]

@@itznani1509 nice

[@lassefiedler3542]

As a German I have to add: we still dance to 99 Luftballons. Yes It was a protest song for peace and de escalation during the cold war. And ist took the nation by storm because of this. But the cold war is over, the 80s generation is now a bit older. And the song has a good melody to sing along and move your body to

[@KäptnKrückschwank]

And why not? If they wanted you to sit around moping, a lot of NDW wouldn’t have sounded the way it did.

[@lassefiedler3542]

@@petertrudelljr No. In that case I trust in the greed of russian kleptocracy. They will never start a nuclear war, life‘s just too good for them to fuck it all up. And they can toot the propaganda horn all they want, in the end it’s up to them to decide to push the button or not. If you are really scared of nuclear war though, I‘d suggest you take a look at the media you consume.

[@thomaspudney7272]

Honestly the song is a bop just likeany grehat protest songs of that same era

[@Jae-fk9vn]

It's a bop. And I like that it is a protest song. Especially a egalitarian protest for anti-war, right up my avenue. 💖 Although my German is rusty, I do love to sing along but with the English Version instead. 😁

[@jdarokhajiit9153]

It's a banger

[@lupuszero9879]

The fact that Stevie Wonder wrote a song about how proud he is of his daughter and that he became a dad is really sweet to me.

[@tori2dles]

I always loved that song because of it. I remember listening to Top 40 countdown when I was a kid (on the radio) and Kasey Kasem telling the story. I liked it so much, I saved up my little allowance till I could buy the LP. It’s so cute when you hear the baby in it.

[@brandongrayson456]

You ever seen Stevie's wife?

[@Ervalo]

@@brandongrayson456 Even Stevie never did

[@ghostiewohstie674]

@@Ervalo LMAO

[@ghostiewohstie674]

My dad always used to play that song for me when I was little 😅

[@AlexKnight002]

MGMT did a really good job of making bangers as a joke. A lot of musicians can’t make music that good while trying.

[@Lo-opss]

@@benro6564 ween what?

[@MassiveToggaf]

@@benro6564 She's turned the weens against us

[@OriginalKingRichTv]

@@benro6564 nerd rock

[@henemy195]

Leagues above the stuff they made when "trying" too lmao

[@ussishkingang7194]

I mean just because they we're satirising the genre doesn't mean they didn't put any effort into it

[@migaish_]

Feel Good Inc. is a good example of a very misunderstood album. Every song on Demon Dayz tackles a serious issue; addiction, depression, capitalism, war and so on

[@nobodyburgen4594]

Please explain some of’ em cuz I dont like genius and im curious

[@haalandfilms1695]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/bGmXmoWAnM6qoM0

[@mrrselfdestruction1077]

They sell 300 dollar shirts now.

[@laura-vq6zc]

@@mrrselfdestruction1077 AND nfts...

[@OCmillion]

@@laura-vq6zc wait what‽

[@muyagichigi_II]

The Weeknd has never been vague with his lyrics & he addressed Can't feel my face being nominated for a kid's choice with a hilarious line on 'Reminder' "Just won an award for a kid's show, talking bout my face coming off a bag of blow"

[@wayjohn]

Bob Marley actually credited his childhood friend who ran a soup kitchen with writing No Woman No Cry. So that his friend would get the royalty checks every time someone would listen to it he could keep the soup kitchen afloat.

[@okalright3941]

Dang

[@danhea99]

I first thought it was about Jamaican independence from England and the Queen!

[@heathermorrison1674]

I was really shocked that people were misinterpreting this song like that. Have they never listened to the lyrics at all?

[@dsandoval9396]

@@heathermorrison1674 A lot of people mindlessly listen to a song solely because of the music even if the lyrics would be talking about incest or the like. Just people being morons I guess.

[@rooneye]

@@heathermorrison1674 IKR! "Here little darling, don't shed no tear... (RIGHT BEFORE the fucking idiotic appropriated slogan of:) ...No woman, no cry" But yeh I wasn't shocked as I KNOW people that thought it was that lol No woman? No cry! No hassle! Be single!

[@mikenash7049]

Many years ago, at the church I used to go to, an elderly lady bounded up to me and announced, "There's a Christian song in the charts!" It was news to me, so she went on, "Oh, yes! I don't know what it's called, but they keep singing 'Hallelujah' and 'Amen'!" The song turned out to be "It's Raining Men".

[@jayfredrickson8632]

😅

[@VampireDemonNinja]

Omg 😂 I would've loved to be the fly on the wall to see her face, when someone actually explained to her what the song was

[@gaywizard2000]

Did she see the video?

[@misty6026]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@dildonius]

That's like when in the late 1960s/early-1970s, the song _One Toke Over The Line_ by Brewer & Shipley was covered live on some Southern Christian Fundamentalist televisionne programme and praised as a hip new Christian gospel song evangelizing the youths of the day (now the olds of today) literally just because the song goes "One toke o'er the line, *sweet Jesus* / One toke o'er the line / Shittin' downtown in a railway station / One toke o'er the line / Waitin' for a train to take me home, *Sweet Mary* / hoping that the train is on time / Shittin downtown in railway station / One toke o'er the line / etc / etc / etc" and the old farts in charge had no clue what "toke" meant, lololol.

[@thomasderkos2341]

Afroman "Because I got high". Everyone always plays at parties and while smoking weed, but the lyrics talk about how smoking weed ruined his life.

[@mooommo14]

Everyone knows it's a song about blaming your problems on weed.

[@johndexterzarate6663]

....132 people liked this because they are high

[@DeionJohnson95]

Hey also did a remake of it talking about how smoking weed made his life better

[@amauer4834]

@@DeionJohnson95 facts

[@Th3Broth3r]

He just couldn't take accountability for his laziness so blames weed

[@atunrandom7765]

Bro there's no way MGMT didn't stop and think like "this is actually fire" while recording Electric Feel

[@chilledchupacabra5317]

Or time to pretend

[@StuartMawdsley]

I don't think they didn't enjoy it. The point made in this video was they were trying to speedrun, selling out. But that could be a cop out for selling out too.

[@Rowsdower420]

I knew people who went to school with these dudes. They were just trying to get famous. Period. There wasn’t anything ironic about it.

[@mathewkelly9968]

The whole album is fire

[@billyp4352]

It's always the people who think "Man this is so easy" that end up being very talented but just don't know it. But because they have such little care they often don't last sadly it seems.

[@spartenz14]

In regards to the Green Day one, the most touching part, is Billie Joe Armstrong changes the lyrics in concerts from the "20 years has gone so fast" to whatever amount of time has actually passed. At this point I think it's been 38 years

[@glengreer9614]

Well, I’m pretty sure 2020 counts for at least a decade, so…

[@neonwired4978]

it's not as misunderstood as the sarcasm of good riddance

[@fuzi5303]

@@neonwired4978 no way people don’t get that you’re joking

[@thehwguy4293]

@@fuzi5303 watch AlfoMedia's last video on this topic, you'll see why.

[@Avrysatos]

@@fuzi5303 they really don't get it

[@SC-RGX7]

When The Weekend sings, we don't really know if it's about a girl or cocaine.

[@queboy2]

Its usually both. Heck, Blinding Lights is actually a cocaine binge and the user wanting to rape his ex while coming down. Man was clever saying it was PSA about driving under the influence.

[@SC-RGX7]

@@queboy2 I knew it

[@adambaryliuk3393]

I don’t think he knows either

[@shaken_thesaurus2001]

@@queboy2 WHAT?! I thought blinding lights was a typical love song

[@possum1093]

Normaly cocaine

[@thilsiktonix]

I feel like "Wake Me Up When September Ends" is the saddest one here. Holy fuck, I can't imagine writing a song about my father dying and people just keep _laughing_ about it.

[@mewgiah8057]

Yeah it’s really messed up. I watched an interview with Armstrong a while ago where he said every September he slips into a deep depression. He feels numb and so overcome with sadness that he locks himself away from friends and family for that period of time. The song is literally about him desperate for the month to end, because he cant bare the grief and loss of his father. So its really sad that he poured his heart out on this song, only to get mocked.

[@nothanks7263]

that's the emotional danger you face as an artist. people are pigs and will always say stupid and hurtful shit about your art.

[@AkReaper]

I honestly never understood what this song was about, but damn. My dads not dead yet, but I always associated the Highwaymen version of Desperado with him.

[@thesparks00]

Major tf. Just stick to the damn rickman

[@iaincampbell6959]

Strange - I always thought about that song about how I saw the video - a kid throws his home life away to serve his country, goes overseas and gets K.I.A.

[@duderyandude9515]

Another good one is Somebody To Love by Queen. This song was Freddie and Freddie's mum's favourite and he even thought that it was better to Bohemian Rhapsody. Everybody thinks that the song is about someone finding him someone else for him to love; "Can anybody find me somebody to love?" But actually it's about Freddie wondering if anybody can ever love *him*. Essentially, can anybody find me as *their* somebody to love? Am I deemed lovable by anyone else? This stemmed from the amount of one night stands that Freddie was having as part of his rock star lifestyle but he didn't feel fulfilled after doing this for years.

[@miss1of2]

So is careless whispers...

[@ethanlapp8032]

I thought he was gonna say “you’ve got a friend in me” was misunderstood. Almost got concerned there.

[@hayleyholland8287]

Just read this as i got to that part and i was like what the hell did i miss lol

[@sandywolfr26]

Same

[@snappingshrimp235]

Maybe it was originally for alien, who knows...

[@Catnippy]

@@snappingshrimp235 lmao

[@stupidfuckingidiot]

With every other one of his songs being satirical, I'm still iffy on that one. This video's gonna make me overanalyze every song...again lol.

[@javrak]

I really have no idea how anyone would get "Take me to church" confused with proreligion. "I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies" should be enough of a tip off.

[@mintfroggi506]

First time I heard that song was at a catholic churchs father daughter dance...I still have no idea how no one noticed

[@BurningAzure]

Certainly better than people not knowing that Last Christmas is about a breakup especially with how the chorus makes it so obvious unless there's another meaning to "Last Christmas, I gave you my heart , but the very next day you gave it away."

[@c4tm340w]

It’s very obviously about an lgbtq+ teen being brainwashed by their church, thinking that it’s a sin to be themself

[@gido9467]

@@zsbacskai7331 The character wasn’t racist because of what he heard. He was racist because he was raised by white supremacists. Though I also didn’t know that white supremacists like that skit. I guess it stands to reason they would; any subtext would be lost on them.

[@TheSchmiddler]

@@zsbacskai7331 if the messages are this simple and are still misunderstood, I think it’s time to blame the audience instead of the artists.

[@helloimcroquette]

I mean in "Last christsmas" He litteraly says "Last Christmas I gave you my heart, but the very next day you gave it away" How could you not know it's about a breakup ???

[@psyche234]

It’s pretty fucking clear, even when I was a kid I understood the songs meaning.

[@itchgods]

wham is generally a VERY misunderstood band

[@advictoriams]

I mean I always thought it was pretty clear that Last Christmas is a breakup song

[@weeb_dweeb]

I thought it was about unrequited love.

[@Hydratonis]

Oh my god I’m stupid.

[@Tribleman247]

One of my favourite weird facts about The Office US is that for all her ditziness and lack of awareness at times, Arin actually understands what the song No Woman, No Cry means, which is a hilarious level of irony when you consider its likely a joke that shows writers have no idea what the song means but have their fictional character get it right

[@DrClownPhD]

Or the writers do know what the conveyed message is and there is no irony?? It's pretty funny considering all the click bait these channels do, they're never actually correct about their claims

[@rodrigoodonsalcedocisneros9266]

It's weird how an english speaking country like the US got that song so wrong. For us non-english speakers, it's pretty obvious this song is about consoling a woman. 😂

[@Tribleman247]

@@DrClownPhD nope, multiple writers have said in interviews its a happy accident that she gets it right, because her whole thing is miss using quotes, like Michael, thats the entire joke, thus ironic that she used it correctly

[@DrClownPhD]

You put way too much trust into your lack of proof assumption. Good for you, it's nice to have confidence even if you're potentially wrong@@Tribleman247

[@Blebstinchen]

The fact that Isn't She Lovely is not about romantic feelings for a woman, but about how he loves his daughter makes it even better

[@GabrielShitposting]

I like how there's a song in a completely different genre, in a completely different language, that also, at first glance, appears like it's the singer singing about how his loved one can make or break many aspects of his life, can help him cope with pain and hardship, can make him enjoy life, basically. But in reality who he is talking about is his daughter and, with that knowledge, almost every line in the lyrics change meaning. It still works if you dedicate it to your partner but it holds a lot more weight if dedicated to your daughter. Song's "La Quiero a Morir" in case you're interested.

[@lamarswaggout2011]

Yeah, the song starts with his daughter crying as a baby. It's meant to be a lullaby

[@Abyrae]

​@@GabrielShitposting That song was originally in French. Francis Cabrel wrote one song about his wife (Petite Marie), and 2 or 3 about his daughters, Je l'aime à mourir being one of them.

[@SOM-v4o]

Makes sense when in some versions. You hear a baby.

[@snorpenbass4196]

Summing up the 99 Luft Ballons for those still confused: The lyrics are about how a guy buys 99 red balloons and sends them up in the sky to show his girlfriend he loves her. The military radar systems mistake this for a foreign attack, all the politicians panic and run away and the generals hide in bunkers, and the world ends in nuclear fire.

[@manorid]

makes you wonder how many german/ french songs have deeper meanings that are nothing alike what people make of them, hidden behind the language barrier...

[@jg6551]

such lovely lyrics

[@crisistian_]

@@manorid For those who are confused by Vamos a la Playa: it's about mass medias not caring at all about possible nuke explosions

[@kaphizmey6229]

i actually like that more than just generic lyrics about the threat of nuclear war, it’s like a (kinda messed-up) story

[@turtleanton6539]

wow

[@_minty_fresh_]

I mean, I feel like pitbull existing is enough proof that people don't actuall pay attention to song lyrics.

[@whocares9764]

That's a good enough reason incase one gets curious and ends up bewildered

[@neveratinygoldilocks]

Yeah his are all creeeeeepy

[@landonmiles97]

Summer Girls by LFO is proof of that too. The lyrics make no sense.

[@kyriakoschrist]

Pitbull is trolling everyone with those lyrics and i love him. He is like if The lonely island became mainstream. Beautiful

[@Milkpastasoup]

dw. he's been there. done that.

[@barbaramatthews4735]

I remember the song by Pat Benitar Hell Is For Children. This is actually a song about child abuse and it is against it. It was very controversial when it was released because some people thought she hated kids and wanted them to go to hell. It was bad enough that they quit playing it. It was against child abuse. She was not for it...but people thought she was the devil and for it.

[@91adam12]

I used to love this song and her, and always took it as a song AGAINST child abuse.

[@GeekWithClipOns]

Her record label didn’t wanna release it because of child abuse being depressing, which she said was the point.

[@Solenya1111]

Are there ANY songs that are genuinely pro-child abuse?

[@GeekWithClipOns]

@@Solenya1111 I mean I haven’t actively looked into it, but there might be, at least ones that are darkly comedic…

[@cdprince768]

It was only controversial among the religious right who didn't bother to read the lyrics.

[@Wolfiyeethegranddukecerberus17]

When you realize Dirty Harry isnt a happy go lucky ragtime song, but actually a song about a South African war and the kids being the only survivors (from the crashed plane in the background of the music video)

[@alisterfolson]

Gorillaz Clint Eastwood?

[@aobrainstem9208]

There is a line in the song that states “The war is over so says the speaker with the flight suit on”. I am certain that was a reference to George W Bush in a flight suit having landed a plane on the deck of an aircraft carrier, telling everyone “mission accomplished” with respect to the Iraq War.

[@thepurplestofpies1136]

I thought Dirty Harry was about untreated war time trauma and or the drafting system. But it seems I was wrong

[@Jacob-ru3mu]

@@aobrainstem9208 MaByEtOhImImJuStApAwN I’m sorry

[@bagelbramble7335]

Thought that was kinda obvious

[@dragonkyng]

I genuinely don’t believe for a second anyone thinks Take me to Church is a religious song.

[@starrysky10]

People actually think it’s a religious song 😭

[@2007ghettonissanaltima]

What is it?

[@danielstaples1293]

What's the app you made your pfp with?

[@thisisincrediblyweird]

A friend of mine told me he didnt like the song bc he didnt relate to the lyrics, i laughed and said well im gay so i relate and he looked at me in shock and said “wait so the song is not about christianity and going to church?” This was 6 months ago. In the year 2021.

[@savanareherman654]

Story time: I’m a very tiny person, like, people will ask if I want a kids menu at restaurants tiny, and one day my family was trying out a new church and I got shoved into the second grade group. While this was slightly demoralizing, I used this opportunity to my advantage. They do karaoke in that class, but only religious songs. So, I suggest Take Me To Church. The pastor clearly wasn’t paying attention to the lyrics and absolutely loved the song. Two weeks later I bunch of children got up in front of the church singing a song that basically means ‘fuck the church’. It was a very proud day when I saw the look on the parents’ faces.

[@julianoallard8398]

I found it quite ironic that "Everybody Hurts" was chosen as "the confusing" REM song where the vast majority of their songs have a hidden message, such as "The One I Love", "Man on the Moon", "Shiny Happy People" and "Drive" that are harder to decipher. Michael Stipe has been quite honest about how cryptic their songs were but it's still something that trips people up

[@Solenya1111]

Stipe often made up words in his early songs. A great example is 9-9, I think it's from Murmur. It seems deliberately incomprehensible, except for two words that conclude the chorus: "conversation fear."

[@AndyWarhols_Eyebrow]

@@Solenya1111it is deliberately incomprehensible at points, some of it is honest to god gibberish. Shout outs to Exhuming McCarthy for one of their best “hidden” meaning songs

[@magazinekirby]

I work as a wedding caterer and I’ve heard Kanye’s Gold Digger, Outkast’s Hey Ya, and Hozier’s Cherry Wine and I died laughing all 3 times

[@mydogeatspuke]

Gold Digger I can kind of understand, like that Chris Rock bit about that Lil John song. Not sure I can type it out without the AI deleting it 🤭

[@Superbasedperson14]

Interesting job........

[@cameron8619]

I've heard cherry wine at a wedding it started making me laugh so hard people were asking me why I'm laughing

[@lolasmom5816]

I would definitely play gold digger at my wedding but mine and my husbands sense of humor is like that

[@ajrollo1437]

I am in a similar line. Last week I saw a wedding DJ throw on "I Write Sins Not Tragedies", and 200 people screaming along "It's too bad the poor bride is a whore". Though what the song is actually about might have been a dig at some family members they didn't want around. Still funny.

[@liz344]

I can't believe people would use "Every Breath You Take" for their wedding. It's creepy.

[@glennso47]

How about Turn Around Look At Me by the Vogues. I envision a chick walking down a dark street with some wacky guy stalking her with a butcher knife. When she does turn around he plunges it into her gut while she’s screaming bloody murder.

[@omarmac1]

The psycho got someone to marry....take a bow . 🧎‍♂️🙇‍♂️

[@Multitudes-e5n]

Legit hate I’ll be watching you, It actually makes me super uncomfortable

[@mr.context3872]

The guy on the radio who played the song said that and then I realized

[@BiBiren]

I keep laughing at a wedding reception when they blasted "Someone Like You" by Adele or "Bang Bang" by Ariana Grande during a kid's birthday party.

[@mofbooks6095]

Hotel California is fucking terrifying when you really listen to it

[@InReserveProductions]

Which is why it's funny when my retail job plays it and I feel like they know.

[@dinamirm.9290]

I remember listening to it the first time and i never trusted hotels or motels ever again

[@amatic_sym]

Bloody love it though

[@livetomorrowalways]

god it is

[@fuze738]

Hells yeah it scary

[@gorgsbagofchips3511]

about a week my grandfather died, Wake me up when September ends started playing on the radio and i remember my mother just started crying and we pulled over and cried and it hurts to see it played as a meme because it really is a good song.

[@nayancat5321]

Paper Planes by M.I.A. On the surface everyone thinks its just some fun song about hustling but in reality she was rapping about how immigrants are treated in the U.K. and her experiences as one in the nation.

[@bmp2791]

I am stating my personal opinion but i've known this song for a long time before I learned english and it always had this very melancholic, kind of sarcastic feel to it. Paper planes is such a great song, in my opinion best female rap song ever.

[@solojones1138]

"If you catch me at the border, I got visas in my name". How clear could she be? What a song.

[@user-xh6ju3pg8c]

Why does everyone have anime profile pic

[@skylerpatrick23]

I can't believe Take Me to Church needed to be mentioned. It literally says "I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies. I'll tell you my sins so you can sharpen your knife."

[@_gremlinboy]

I heard that one on the church bus back in the day, you'd be surprised how many people hear some religious keywords and just don't listen any further lol

[@generaleerelativity9524]

Same thing with _"He is"_ by Ghost. It also has such a catchy guitar melody that you can't NOT like it.

[@midnitesky71]

Its almost as apparent as "I'll pray for you" lol

[@_gremlinboy]

@Gi Gi I always loved the super overtly critical bit "that's a fine looking high horse that you've got in the stable, you've a lot of starving faithful, that looks tasty it looks plenty" rly helped a baby gay out lol

[@phyllisdicks9830]

People don't pay attention to lyrics.

[@peterhaha8183]

James Blunt actually stated in an interview that "Beautiiful" was about a stalker watching a victim and hilariously most people thought he was joking. He wasn't.

[@rakoon6351]

rewatched the mv and why was he stripping-

[@TheSlipperFitsMe]

I aaallllllwwwways said that song was super creepy. My ex was like, "No, dude, it's totally romantic." Um, next ...

[@rakoon6351]

@@TheSlipperFitsMe exaaactly

[@uuddlrlrba8974]

He definitely wasn’t joking because he was, in fact, the stalker in question

[@kaldo_kaldo]

@@rakoon6351 The song is about him falling apart and not getting the things he wants because he's a complete mess. He "saw her on a subway - she was with another man, but that didn't matter, cause he had a plan", but you see, then "she caught his eye as he walked on by and she could see on his face that he was fucking high" then later he saw her again and she didn't give him the time of day and "he doesn't know what he'll do, cause he'll never be with (her)"

[@gedalyahreback2133]

Lesson: If you want to make an ironically peppy-sounding song with a somber message, it won't actually get your message out.

[@whatcanidooo]

I feel like one artist who avoided the confusion around doing this is twenty one pilots. Their songs are upbeat but about heavy topics

[@Tere999]

@@whatcanidooolike what songs?

[@nevaehhamilton3493]

It's like playing a game of "play stupid games, win stupid prizes" if you ask me.

[@ProfessionalWreslingFan]

​@@Tere999 there's a lot actually, for example their newest song talks about the lead singers attempt.

[@Tere999]

@@ProfessionalWreslingFan Which song was that one? Chlorine

[@PhantomSavage]

Not sure if people get confused about its intentions, but Ready to Die by Andrew C.K is just a giant, creepy death threat that happens to sound like one of the happiest rock anthems in the world. I love it.

[@xVx_Krt_xVx_KillMe]

*Andrew W.K

[@AroundTheBlockAgain]

...literally ALL of the lyrics are about killing and violence, the title is THAT, and people miss that??? Andrew W.K is known for his major-key chords and songs, this is one of my favorite songs ever, but it very much is an "i am going to F&@% YOUR $H*T UP" song

[@princeoffools1058]

yeah a guy with a song called "ready to die" is the perfect person to send out into the desert with a bunch of kids, heavy equipment, explosives and minimal supervision

[@dragonfire101g]

I just listened to this. Hilarious.

[@AroundTheBlockAgain]

@@dragonfire101g ISN'T IT GREAT

[@noledevoss9262]

another fun fact, the Smash Mouth All Star song isn't about onions having layers, but in fact about an ... all star

[@plebisMaximus]

It's about a dude really fucking down on his luck, but just rolling with the punches. Lyrics are actually pretty cool when you listen.

[@thecarrotclarinet]

Also a little bit about global warming

[@YodaMan-420]

and golden showers. the irony of "all that glitters is gold"

[@Emike-nc9ew]

Yes shrek is the all star. Fits well shreks character that plebis describes...

[@PartTimeGoblinSlayer]

But.... Onions have layers....

[@willmfrank]

What's really disturbing about "Don't You Want Me" is that it hit it big on the charts around the same time that actress Dorothy Stratten was murdered in an incident eerily similar to the song's lyrics.

[@terrytheblackmage4799]

You don't say...

[@milascave2]

will: It was on the radio a lot when it came out. The lyrics were very easy to understand. I didn't think about it too much, but you really didn't have to. I liked to sing it to my then-wife because she was working in a cocktail bar. She was mildly annoyed, as was my intention.

[@willmfrank]

@@Shush959 Of course it is. The songwriter stated that he'd been inspired by the movie "A Star is Born" - whether the 1937 version, or the 1954 one, I've forgotten - rather than on any actual incident, but it's still a creepy coincidence.

[@dodsonboys]

...Jesus...

[@ShadowWolfe]

Oh.... oh no. Also, I swear some of these songs were taken and played on the radio (or in commercials) just because it has an upbeat feel. Apparently no one ever listens to the entire song or the lyrics. It's not bad that they're hits, but the fact some of these (like "Don't You Want Me") are played so often on the radio (where some channels are even considered family friendly to my understanding - no swearing and all that), it's really off-putting.

[@Ea-Nasir_Copper_Co]

"Don't You Want Me" is probably based on the 1931 movie "Svengali" starring John Barrymore (itself based on a George du Maurier novel); the plot of an evil mentor exploiting a young female singer is the same, and many of the shots in the video mimic the movie.

[@DaMilkManMan]

Oh that’s cool. Gonna have to watch it

[@zachery2759]

Billie Armstrong simply said, “wake me up when September ends” to his mother when she checked on him after he ran home from his dad’s funeral. His dad passed away on September 10th 1982 when Billie was 10. September is a very hard month for Billie and his family.

[@williambigbills-9665]

I always thought it followed the music video and was the last month of deployment for a solider.

[@morganc5154]

@@williambigbills-9665 it’s kind of both, but the main inspiration is his father. He talked about the song in a documentary they did about Green Day’s Broadway musical. It’s really interesting to see their thought processes on their songs

[@morganc5154]

@@williambigbills-9665 it’s kind of both, but the main inspiration is his father. He talked about the song in a documentary they did about Green Day’s Broadway musical. It’s really interesting to see their thought processes on their songs

[@Gtasplayer]

He actually died on September 10th. The song is also inspired by post 9/11 grief and his anti-war sentiments.

[@Superbasedperson14]

Yea but Billie kinda sucks.

[@zero2.010]

That's why the Weeknd said in another song "god damn bitch I am not a teen choice", and in the same song "every time you try to forget who I am I'll be right there to remind you again".

[@djrascal445]

I can respect that 😁

[@Kazperian]

Either way teens choose him

[@TheAlphaWolf77]

The song is called Reminder from the Starboy album for anyone wanting to look for it!

[@BrickWolfy]

And the line before is "I just won a new award for a kids show , talking 'bout a face numbing off a bag of blow.." then again, its the weeknd lol

[@RetroReviewsMovies]

I’m pretty sure *”All Star”* by Smash Mouth is actually about growing up. This is clear from lines like: “The years start coming and they don’t stop coming” showing the inevitability of ageing, “It didn’t make sense not to live for fun” showing how as a child, the singer lived a more fun and relaxed lifestyle and the line “You’re brain gets smart but your head gets dumb” commenting on how the “living for fun” mentality is a better lifestyle that the singer has abandoned as they’ve grown up and how many adults don’t realise this even though they become academically smarter.

[@theoncousland4587]

That song is a bit of a meme these days but you're right. It has much more depth than people give it credit.

[@evolvingDimes]

I genuinely hope you’ve just recently heard that song for the first time and/or you’re a ten year old.

[@aymuhspunj]

Could also be about the growing awareness in global issues like global warming and whatnot that comes with maturity.

[@SNEAKYSNAKE777X]

I always understood the lyrics but their gravity hasn't set in until I read your comment. I remember being in third grade when that song debuted. It was stuck in my head for weeks lol. After reading that I remembered how I used to feel as I sang it aloud, that one day I'll know what it means to be an adult, and whether or not my responsibilities would weigh me down, or if I'd carelessly drift through life with ease. Regardless life was definitely about living for fun, and back then, that's all that ever made sense. It's still one of my favorites.

[@ihopeicanchangethisnamelat7108]

And there was a bit about climate change and how we deal with serious topics that threaten our lives like children I think? “It’s a cool place, and they say it gets colder… but the meteor men beg to differ, judging by the hole in the satellite picture. The ice we skate is getting pretty thin, the water’s getting warm so you might as well swim.”

[@konokukistune]

im sure you mentioned it in the last video, but weddings where "every breath you take" was their first dance song or whatever always had me side eyeing

[@Valenciaga.CrocHeels]

I think my absolute favorite example of "song in foreign language that sounds happy" to me is Stay With Me from Miki Matsubara. Realizing that the entire song is about Miki begging her husband not to leave her kinda changes the whole feel of the song

[@fresanegra77]

So my ex once dedicated a "love" song to me, it was japanese and I don't know it's title but it said something along the lines of "love me or I will *kill* you" "hug me until my ribs break" and such, the main chorus said Suki Suki Daisuki so that may help. Yes, he was that kinda ex boyfriend and I too was that kind of boyfriend. I kinda moved on from that but just wanted to share a similar experience

[@رزيئة]

@Elias Salinas the song is Suki Suki Daisuki by Jun Tagawa, it's about a girl falling in love with an older man or something like that. Jun was famous for making controversial songs and subverting what lyrics written by women are supposed to be and she wanted to express her actual thoughts and feelings to inspire other women songwriters to write what they actually want to rather than what's acceptable. At least that's how I understand it but it doesn't matter because the song is a banger regardless.

[@fresanegra77]

@@رزيئة it really is a banger, and thank you for the backstory of the singer/writer of the song and what it was about, thank you! Really ^^

[@yuricock]

ironically i always listened to that song when i was in an abusive relationship back then LOL

[@Lechuga1815]

Gives me "Lovefool" by the Cardigans vibes. That whole song is literally "I know you don't love me anymore but please don't leave me because I need you". Like major dependency disorder. It's hidden behind a poppy beat and I don't think the band had much lore background for the song so it just got lost in 90's upbeat playlist.

[@jennifertarin4707]

How do people NOT know about Last Christmas? The song explicitly says that "Last Christmas I gave you my heart and the very next day you gave it away."

[@JDT-Loadsamoney]

It’s even a slower song, with a clear voice. HOW

[@RK-ig8gc]

@@JDT-Loadsamoney my friends think it’s about the holidays, cause English isn’t our first language, and we’re 15

[@JDT-Loadsamoney]

@@RK-ig8gc ah, understandable

[@mysryuza]

Literally

[@LRM12o8]

Another case of people not even listening to the first two lines of the chorus! Just like Take Me To Church where the second line says: "I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies", yet people - native speakers, even - still somehow manage to miss the sarcasm and think it was a Christian song! How do these people exist? And how are there so many of them? I'm not a native speaker, but I've known what Last Christmas really is about since I was like ten or eleven years old. The lyrics are very simple both in concept and language!

[@timothy6769]

MGMT’s story’s gotta be the best one. They’re making fun of how dumb it is to be successful off of dumb music and they become mega famous off of the same music that was made for a joke.

[@gerradfoster8777]

The lyrics in “Time to pretend” say everything you need to know about their feelings for mainstream BS. Though I have to say “Congratulations” was their best GFY towards the industry as a whole.

[@zackthewolf8898]

they became the joke

[@plutosgardener2631]

There’s a fantastic podcast called Song Exploder, with an episode with MGMT talking about Time To Pretend

[@laycebug3260]

i love them sm

[@rhbenton1088]

@@gerradfoster8777 Sing about doing heroin then close out the song with "We'll choke on our vomit, and that will be the end, we were fated to pretend" yup, just a happy fun pop song.

[@Annabellywelly447]

My favorite is the silly meme of an animated cow dancing to a Polish song when the song is about drug addiction

[@Secumind]

Don't worry, us Germans are also dancing to 99 Luftballons and don't care about the lyrics at all

[@name8731]

Tbf it seems to be one of those "Hey we might as well be happy in the face of this constant dread" songs.

[@mrsynth2643]

@@name8731 yeah, it's about going to a balloon shop, and releasing all of them just for fun. Which was a metaphor for many things, like the abysmal state that Germany was in after world war 2, ofcourse its actual state being in a fair bit of disarray aswell as the immense amount of guilt and hatred from other countries. Germany was ofcourse still seen as the grand villain of the world back then, but the country was always left in a horrible state after both wars

[@evapalma9899]

"That's Nena's anti-balloon protest song!"- 30 Rock

[@jstafy123]

Some of us Americans are listening to Goldfingers cover called 99 Red Balloons which roughly translates it into English

[@surfer12z]

@@jstafy123 just thought I’d let you know nena released a English version

[@PortSDG]

honestly I feel like pumped up kicks is kinda the total opposite of this, back in high school i'd constantly hear kids saying "bro this song is so deep you think it's like a normal song but it's about like a bad thing" what wonderwall is to guitar players pumped up kids is to music discussion

[@Cheesusful]

In our school that song was: " hey did ya know, every breath you take" is about a stalker...

[@tarotsushima3332]

@Dreyarde It was pretty misunderstood around the time it came out until more and more people made music videos depicting school shootings using it as well as the popularity of the quiet kid memes made it so pretty much everyone knows what the song means.

[@_.kryptic.and.sadistic._]

Stay With Me by Miki Matsubara was very upbeat generally, but her lyrics were about her grieving for her significant other leaving her, only having Miki’s memories with him intact and being the only thing she had left of him. What makes the song even sadder was that she destroyed her records and regretted her whole music career the moment she was alerted to having cervix cancer and she died at 44. The song is over 40 years old and I still can’t understand how it’s so great even to this day. It aged like fine wine and it’s hard to say music from so long ago is enjoyable to the current generation, but this song is a very bold exception to that very principle. She was a very talented singer and always will be known for it.

[@رزيئة]

It's city pop, city pop is always good.

[@chcipnimrdko5138]

Tbh I could see myself mistake it for an anime opening

[@LivingDead77]

This song is honestly the last thing I want to hear if I ever die. I love it so much that I'm afraid of checking out her other songs because I'm afraid that nothing will be able to match the way this one pulls at my emotions.

[@king.2597]

She didn't regret making music as much as she regretted not doing more stuff in her life in general

[@keithperkins3798]

Decades ago, I used to play in an R&B band, and one of our most beloved covers was If Loving You Is Wrong, I Don't Wanna Be Right. We were preparing for a wedding reception, and it was my job to prepare the setlist. I left the song off the list, and when asked why, I responded, “You do know that song is about committing adultery?” 😂😂😂

[@Coldness.1308]

Blinding Lights has multiple dark meanings behind it and one of them is literally hallucinating while being carried in an ambulance...

[@nunomaianhi3891]

How do you know?

[@Kr1zpy]

@@nunomaianhi3891The hallucination part is true, you can tell throughout the entirety of the song it basically points out during the beginning sequence and the ending.

[@sunflowercass2256]

@@nunomaianhi3891 I recommend watching D’Angelo Wallace’s video on After Hours as a whole. He does a very good job explaining the meanings behind the songs in detail :)

[@GDEndy]

@@nunomaianhi3891 basicly the song on the album before blinding lights called "Faith" is about him basicly overdosing on drugs and he ends this song with the words "I ended up in the back of a flashing car, with the city shining on my face, the lights are blinding me again"

[@ronin667]

For us in Germany, "99 Luftballons" was always clearly perceived as an anti-war song (plot: 99 balloons are mistaken for UFOs and intercepted by fighter jets; the neighboring country misinterprets this as an attack and retaliates; 99 years of war ensue, leaving the world in ruins). I've always wondered what people who don't understand German would see in this song.

[@tjl9458]

It was known as an anti-war song in English speaking countries back when it came out. Nena made an English language version of it, 99 Red Balloons where it's explicitly clear. I think what's happened over the years is that the English language version has kind of faded from memory (as it's not nearly as good) and so the whole context is lost.

[@sp8cescience433]

I remember 99 Red Balloons because one of my high school teachers played it for us at one point (Probably either history or English class to use as a segue into anti-war stuff) and that's the only reason I recognized the song when it got played in the video

[@2dawgsmiked684]

Well, now you know... ;)

[@EbuCallinav]

It's hardly ever a misunderstood song, it should not even have been on this list.

[@luketfer]

@@EbuCallinav I think the problem is 99 red balloons never charted in the US IIRC, it only charted in the UK, so most Americans have never heard the English version.

[@DeputatKaktus]

Fun fact: Metallica's "Master of Puppets" is basically an 8 and a half minute long epic the upshot of which is "Drugs are bad, mkay...?" Still one of my all time favorites.

[@drabnail777]

That makes the song even better. They should have added a lyric at the end explicitly saying that doing drugs makes you a worthless loser

[@triad5766]

@@drabnail777 - that would’ve broke the immersion plus they were doing drugs anyway

[@drabnail777]

@@triad5766 well at least they're successful.

[@triad5766]

@@drabnail777 idk what gave you the impression that I don’t like metallica but I’m a big fan boy. I’m just saying it’s not in Metallica’s style to do some lame don’t do drugs sponsor at the end of a song

[@KolMan2000]

I wouldn’t say that’s really an example of misunderstanding since it’s very clear in the song and the tone of it already implies a dark meaning. Heavy metal songs are kinda tailored in tone to dark subjects. The song also never had radio success, as was common with most songs before Metallica’s Black Album, and was only ever really known by people that understood the meanings behind the songs. I can’t really name a single early song by Metallica with an uplifting tone, and the only uplifting lyrics that come to mind might be “Nothing Else Matters” since it’s a song about the faith they have in the bands fans following a failing relationship.

[@Confucios1118]

“Lips of an Angel,” was the first song I ever realized how you can misinterpret a song when it was played so often, even as a teenager, I realized what it was about. It then became hilarious because Bluetooth and custom ringtones were all the rage at the time, and girlfriends were setting theirs and their boyfriends phones to that song for ringtones.

[@ericpayne4424]

Escape (the piña colada song) is another one that people just don’t get but the lyrics are very clear. It’s about a husband and wife who are dissatisfied with their marriage and take out a personal ad to cheat, but end up answering each other’s ads by coincidence.

[@Fitch93]

THANK YOU!!! The fact that it has a perceived happy ending always pisses me off. Although, I explained what it meant and a friend tried to spin it as being about a woman trying to save her marriage and that she had placed the ad specifically for him to find. Which, to me, makes the song even more worse than it is.

[@chamonix2602]

Actually, the ending IS hopeful, as the husband and wife realize there are avenues to explore, and they get to enjoy their pina coladas too.

[@Zackattack-jg9uk]

@@chamonix2602 I mean, it kinda isn't tbh, realistically they just go back to being in a toxic relationship with eachother, the ending sounds hopeful, but its just miscommunication and deceit from both parties.

[@camilavanordergonzalez8128]

unrelated but i hated those kids in middle school with inflated sense of self who would explain the meaning behind that song at random

[@sheepshiftsheetsplit4322]

No one is confused about that song lol it's pretty clear my dude

[@mad7monkey423]

I don't understand how people could have seen Bob Marley's No Woman, No Cry as a bachelor song. Bob Marley puts enough expression into the words to make it feel sympathetic to women (even without listening to the lyrics)

[@henkkaj73]

Because majority of world's population do NOT speak jamaican and most don't speak english as their first language so very few people understand that "no woman, no cry" actually means "don't cry, woman". I know I spent decades of my life thinking this song was about a breakup and Bob was happy to get rid of some woman before reading about this. Mind blown.

[@sol4453]

I’m Hispanic Italian and even I understood that it’s about a woman and not a bachelor song.

[@Coldness.1308]

It’s so obvious from the tone of his voice and the lyrics that it’s about women empowerment but people just don’t care lol

[@JRenee141]

Same, I guess you'd have to have never heard any of his songs before to think that was the meaning. I mean does that really sound like a song he would actually write?

[@garybarham3992]

I would imagine some misunderstanding the lyrics would be 1 in 100000.

[@moonluminary]

So here in Brazil Pumped up Kicks became a meme and most people here don't know English so most don't actually know the meaning. My school used to accept requests for songs to use as the "bell" and someone suggested Pumped up kicks. After i told them the real meaning of it they started to actually pay attention to songs

[@karenk6985]

Imao the idea of the school playing that song as the school bell sounds hilarious. I can't imagine if my old high school did that (I live in an English speaking country, where it's also been a huge meme).

[@juanaugusto5547]

Os cara colocaram essa música como um sinal ... Tava dando um aviso que de ia dar merda, mas vc estragou os planos contando qual era o significado da música kkkk

[@Codabmm]

You're going to Brazil

[@l0wlif3official83]

I live in america (I go to high school) and they played it at lunch (we a school shooting threat months before that day and it honestly was just cringe)

[@Jacob-ru3mu]

Welcome to America

[@BRIDINC1972]

This is why I always try to pay attention to the lyrics, all of these songs have a message.just because they sound good doesn't mean you should ignore the meaning.

[@Brian-yf3by]

I think most people don’t realize it but Blinding Lights by The Weeknd is about driving intoxicated off cocaine lol. Crazy how it became such a smash hit

[@waalter]

ohhh

[@coastercraziness]

Technically it just represents the lights of the cop car that he ends up in at the end of Faith. You have to look at it in the context of the album

[@Brian-yf3by]

@@coastercraziness songs can have multiple meanings, I like that the songs off AH make sense with and without the rest of the album tbh

[@mitchdavis3182]

@@coastercraziness the one OP described is the one from The Weeknd himself but you’re also right in context of the album

[@coastercraziness]

@@Brian-yf3by very true, such a fantastic album

[@SynGirl32]

Oh my god, did he actually listen to my White Wedding comment? Even is it isn't the case, thank you Alfo.

[@Qiqi_120]

I thought the same about my Hey Ya! comment... but it has 1 like

[@springbloom5940]

Its a nice day to start again 🙄

[@laboon344]

If

[@jasong8085]

You weren't the only one to leave a comment about white wedding

[@bertcompton]

Who plays that at their wedding tho, wtf

[@drkatbun8566]

Every breath you take by the police, I feel like that's the stalker anthem but I can't believe how many people have it either as a wedding song or as a couple song

[@nothanks7263]

it's actually about his(Sting's) daughter

[@drkatbun8566]

@@nothanks7263 bro I had to look it up because the lyrics where already creepy, and if it was about his daughter it would have been even more but it says that sting wrote it after his divorce to his first wife (he cheated on her with her "best friend"), and then this is what he said about it. "I woke up in the middle of the night with that line in my head, sat down at the piano and had written it in half an hour. The tune itself is generic, an aggregate of hundreds of others, but the words are interesting. It sounds like a comforting love song. I didn't realise at the time how sinister it is. I think I was thinking of Big Brother, surveillance and control."

[@Barney7535]

And heres me thinking it was about the papparazzi because they follow him about all the time

[@Cheepchipsable]

@@nothanks7263 No, it's about having an intense one way relationship with someone. He said people come up to him and tell him how romantic it is, and he has stopped trying to tell them otherwise.

[@nah456]

good to know im not the only one that thinks the lyrics have this meaning

[@wavypumpkingaming]

Wake Me Up When September Ends makes me tear up when I hear any individual second of it. It is a masterpiece, and Billy Joe strikes such a chord with me.

[@Q2Cockatiel]

Never Gonna Give You Up is actually about a really, really persistent meme

[@aobrainstem9208]

Yep if you ever find yourself rickrolled.

[@douglastaggart9360]

Yeah it's actually about having am affair

[@bendingbananas6540]

This is the longest standing meme ever and i want it to stay that way. Never gonna give up alright

[@jack2breeze]

so meme`s started in the 80s?

[@SlyHikari03]

Thought it was a song about relations.

[@JS-fz8iu]

I refuse to believe people weren't trolling you with "Pumped up Kicks". I mean, it literally sings about finding a gun, and them running faster than a bullet.

[@bman21000]

The thing is your right it feels like a troll, but at the same time it is still being played in schools as a fun pep song for student gatherings. Never underestimate human stupidly if people can use Born in the USA and Fortunate Son as patriotic songs, For what it's worth as a protest song. Then we know school administrators are dumb enough to play Pumped up kicks. Hell I've experienced from middle school through college in the case of Pumped up kicks.

[@ngotemna8875]

The whole point of the video is that people *don't* listen to the lyrics...

[@jenneebee606]

My kids pointed out to me what the lyrics meant! I missed that one.

[@ProductBasement]

I can't believe so many people thought "Take Me to Church" was some sort of Christian anthem. If you hear, not even the verses, but anything other than the first and last lines of the chorus, you must either be incredibly dense or not paying attention if you think it's a Christian song

[@maryabruxinhaartista4045]

The time that everyone was talking about "Take Me to Church" being such good song about Christian and religon aspects (in the good way) i was like: guys... this is not about the "good things" that the church did... Stop this pls, y'all are not looking the lyrics??. So I'm only appreciating now this song

[@zealot8904]

@@maryabruxinhaartista4045 learn english

[@driveasandwich6734]

@@zealot8904 What they wanted to say was very clear. Learn to recognize and infere meaning from imperfect english.

[@FroggyBoyKermit]

I feel like a lot of people heard the Amen part of the song and were just like "oh yeah this is definitely pro christianity" and stopped listening.

[@sillyking1991]

while last christmas was definitely the one that surprised me the most (to the point that i struggle to believe that people actually misunderstand it) take me to church definitely surprised me too. that and 'no woman, no cry'. both of them i was like 'wait...what?'

[@elberno4243]

I waited tables at a wedding where the first dance was an acoustic rendition "We Found Love In A Hopeless Place"... Unironically

[@somenerd710]

wait, people HAVEN'T been noticing last christmas' tone? god, i actually feel smart for the 2rd time in ly life

[@CrazyQuilman157]

Aaaaaand I completely didn't notice you typed "ly" instead of "my", reminding me that I should probably get my eyes checked.

[@sarakshik]

honestly it's so obvious, they must be deaf or something

[@404_VipersBite]

@@CrazyQuilman157 he also said 2rd

[@CrazyQuilman157]

@@404_VipersBite *eldritch noises*

[@dvs620]

The first time I heard it was the Taylor Swift version ( I worked in a grocery store). I was like, "Of course Taylor would make a break up song around Christmas." That's when someone told me it was a George Michael song, more accurately a Wham! song. And who thought Careless Whisper was a love song?

[@andrewvirtue5048]

0:31 Hey Ya - Outkast 1:25 Can't Feel My Face - The Weeknd 2:00 Rednecks - Randy Newman 3:30 Lips of Angel - Hinder 3:42 White Wedding - Billy Idol 3:56 Bittersweet Symphony - The Verve 4:14 Possession - Sarah McLachlan 4:46 No Woman, No Cry - Bob Marley 5:10 Love Song - Sara Bareilles 5:50 MGMT 6:55 Electric Avenue - Eddie Grant 7:40 Feel Good Inc - Gorillaz 8:03 99 Luftballons - Nena 8:40 Don't You Want Me - The Human League 9:40 Honorable Mentions

[@Deviantygr]

F

[@clemsandrone1223]

PEOPLE THINK LAST CHRISTMAS IS A FUN CHRISTMAS SONG?!?! DID THEY NOT HEAR “last Christmas, I gave you my heart, and the very next day, you gave it away.”

[@Avrysatos]

It's a hopeful break up song though because this year they'll give it to someone special.

[@no.1_queenfan]

" 'Happy christmas' i wrapped it up and sent it with a note saying 'i love you', now i know what a fool i've been" do they not hear that? "I'm hiding from you with your soul of ice" do they not hear that??? "my god, i thought you were someone to rely on. me? i guess i was a shoulder to cry on" DO THEY NOT HEAR THAT??? 😭

[@alakrawczyk5611]

You did a great job. I already knew some of the meanings of these songs, but there were also songs about which I had no idea. Cheerful sounds and song titles can be very misleading. The biggest shock for me was when I once read a comment that "Last Christmas" is not a Christmas song. I think that the radio also plays a large part in the reception of this song, as it plays this song a million times every year before and during Christmas. This video is a great appeal to people to pay more attention to song lyrics. Greetings from Poland. :-)

[@tilley31]

Thank you for mentioning Wake Me Up When September Ends. I think it's horrible how people make jokes about such a beautiful, sad song.

[@theuglydumpling4772]

Especially how the song is about for the singer of greenday’s dad died as a child

[@bda1st]

Yeah, it's a beautiful song, but like Billie said, the internet is the internet, it will make fun of anything or everything. Not in those exact words but an oversimplification of it.

[@NateS917]

lmao

[@coldlycalculatingHalcomputer]

"I'ts gonna be called shut the f*** up when october comes"- Bille Joe Armstrong

[@TheNitroG1]

@@coldlycalculatingHalcomputer lol that's actually pretty funny.

[@TheHuckeberrie]

My school had an optional class called "The history of rock and roll." I was never able to get in due to schedule conflicts, but from what i understood after talking to the instructor, is that he focused more on the meaning of the songs more than the structure and instrumentals. I really wish there was more classes like this in the public education system, or even make it part of the English curriculum. Music is such a vast and powerful medium and people really only look at the surface level of music and don't really delve any deeper. I don't think that's true for most of us here, as anyone clicking on videos like these probably already understands this. However, across the 330 million population of the USA, its a pretty solid point. Nirvanas "In Bloom" really shows how evident this is.

[@kruggyy]

woah that’s so sick that your school offered a class like that. public schools should have those types of classes instead of forcing PE and other pointless things

[@JM-cl7pl]

Listen to the instruments in a medium revolving around them and you don’t know da deeper meaning of music, but completely ignore what makes music music and you’re a musical genius

[@xlxDxlx]

In Bloom nails it in terms of people ignoring the songs' meaning. It has an angry tone to boot and people still swing to it.

[@yourface8700]

My school has a class called "Poetry of Rock and Roll Music" which is essentially what you described. The whole class is about breaking down lyrics from throughout music history and explaining their relevance. I'll probably take it by my senior year, it seems like a cool and fun class

[@redleafwater5437]

the teacher is probably jack black

[@murraymon]

Twenty one Pilots has a lot of songs like this, Ride is about dealing with mental illness and deep thoughts, House of Gold isn’t a romantic love song but a song about how the bands singer Tyler wants to do everything he can for his mom, and Kitchen Sink (which was butchered by tick tock) isn’t about wanting to be left alone but about fighting suicide and depression through creativity and at the end even asking for help, these are just 3 of there songs

[@damianchristopher205]

Isn’t that where they got their logo, the kitchen sink hanging method?

[@sadwasdead5065]

there's actually a storyline across the three latest albums and there's a shit ton of lore

[@chlorox01]

This video immediately made me thing of them. SO many of their "radio friendly" songs have a much deeper and/or darker meaning

[@anonimus500p6]

Tbh many of their songs feel the same

[@murraymon]

@@anonimus500p6 idk what band your listing to, but top literally switched genres in the middle of there songs. Either way, most of what makes them so popular is there lyrics and there philosophy of helping as many people as possible through music

[@h3llnite]

Bitter Sweet Symphony is the song I listen too often since my son took his own life. The words resonate so much 😢

[@EatitHarvey]

When I was a kid I always knew Hey Ya! was a depressing song. The lyrics and even some of the music notes felt somber, but when I explained what I felt to everyone around me in class one time they just said "nah, you over thinking it" and one kid just said "you're stooopid" in the most Californian valley girl accent. High School was something.

[@one_vegan_boi1097]

In case it might interest you (and you haven't seen it yet) there's a great version of Hey Ya! on "The Voice" from years ago. The video is titled "The most SURPRISING COVERS on The Voice #1 | TOP 10". She gives the song a completely different vibe but I cry everytime.

[@Dont-At-Me]

It's the same thing with Miss Jackson by Outkast, its a hella dark song and I knew it when I listened for the first time

[@peterhicks6328]

you should check out the version of hey-ya done by anthony vincent. total game changer. he also did a version of coolios gangstas paradise which made the song very dark and depressing.

[@robinthrush9672]

I can't blame people for that one. I don't know how many times I've listened to it and I can barely understand what's being said half the time, let alone string the syllables together to make cogent thoughts.

[@remyhavoc4463]

​@@robinthrush9672I'll still blame them because if the lyrics were read in front of you, there is no way you'd see it as something positive 💀 Unless English isn't your first language, but English isn't my first language either

[@spaghettitoforgetti9516]

"Everybody wants to rule the world" by Tears for Fears, is also a song where a lot of people just listen to the catchy tunes and the actual meaning goes over their heads

[@aranthos]

I totally disagree - there’s not one person I know who doesn’t get the jist of the song

[@SaintJimmy72]

@@aranthos believe me, a LOT of people don't get it

[@lxlxxl6217]

@@aranthos same, I mean even the title and just the tone feels very obvious to me

[@tekartsu2051]

If you ever do another one, you should do Nirvana's In Bloom. It's literally about how people will just take songs at face value, without even thinking about the lyrics or the meaning of the song.

[@neoPeake]

It’s super obvious what the meaning of the song is which is why he probably didn’t include it on the list

[@angrybadger4236]

Basically all of nirvana is misunderstood. Even lifelong fans don't actually know what he meant half the time.

[@ispartacus1337]

@@angrybadger4236 because he literally didnt mean anything half the time.

[@elfey7771]

See when I listen to nirvana it's when I play rockband soo- All I think is heh I'm good at rythem games-

[@dennisemanuelsson8240]

Some people dosen't know the meaning of "Polly" either.

[@dyna6448]

Fun fact: The Weeknd also criticized being nominated for the KCA’s with can’t feel my face. In his song “reminder” on his 2016 album Starboy he said: “I just won a new award for a kids show Talkin' 'bout a face numbin' off a bag of blow”

[@My_mid-victorian_crisis]

Sarah McLachlan's Possession helped convict the stalker, when he sued for co-wrighter credit. He was put away for life for stalking.

[@veramae4098]

OHHHHHHHH, he wanted credit??? Can't believe ... yes, I guess I have to.

[@darren.mcauliffe]

HAHAHA

[@mitsukosukino]

Duuuuuude, the NERVE of this stalker!🤣

[@algomaone121]

What’s a “wrighter”?

[@My_mid-victorian_crisis]

@@algomaone121 hahaha, it's writer for the dyslexic.

[@XcaptainXobliviousX]

LITERALLY THE MOST ICONIC LINE FROM CARELESS WHISPER IS "GUILTY FEET HAVE GOT NO RHYTHM" FUCK

[@mahatmarandy5977]

"White Wedding" isn't an "Anti-marriage" song at all. It's about Billy's sister, who got herself pregnant and was going through a shotgun wedding. "Hey, little sister, what have you done?" and "Hey, little sister shotgun." It's pretty straightforward and specific.

[@maxcollodi1770]

In an interview I watched he talks about this.

[@imastuffedgoat7615]

She got herself pregnant? So is she just marrying some random guy so the kid will have a father? Terrible joke is terrible. I'll see myself out.

[@nevrmynd9635]

@@imastuffedgoat7615 I applaud you 👏

[@mahatmarandy5977]

imastuffedgoat not some "random guy," she's marrying the guy who got her pregnant. See, back in the day having a kid out of wedlock was frowned upon. Look up "Shotgun wedding."

[@imastuffedgoat7615]

@@mahatmarandy5977 woooosh goes the joke

[@LinJer.]

There's this one song my dad told me my mom used to love (both dad and mom loved it), but one day my dad explained what the lyrics actually were, and from then on my mom didn't enjoy the song as much...she said it was tragic after understanding it. The song is called "Dancing with tears in my eyes", and it's a disoc song, which has a quite upbeat feeling to it. The lyrics are good, but the meaning is dark. The singer is telling the story of how he works at a nuclear plant, and how one day something goes wrong there. The plant will explode, and there's nothing you can do to stop it. You can't run away quickly enough, and everyone in the town living next to the plant are going to die. He sings how he drives home, watching other people going insane on the street, living their final moments. He drives home to his wife and kid, and they have their child go to bed and tell him goodnight, hiding the fact none of them will wake up. Him and his wife then go downstairs, pour some wine (I think) and put on their favorite music. They then listen to that song on repeat, dancing with each other, with tears in their eyes... It's a great song, you should listen to it.

[@sivalley]

Yeah, and those of us who work or ever worked in nuclear power absolutely hated how the song was a whole hock of fear mongering about nuclear power in general. Let's be real, power plants (not just nuclear) are never that close to densely populated areas to begin with and there are far more dangerous light commercial and light industrial factories near neighborhoods that have, until recent strict federal regulation, routinely had accidents that harmed or killed more people than Chernobyl (31 confirmed, 4000 estimated from long term effects) or even Three Mile Island (0 confirmed, less than 1000 potentially affected) did when that video was produced. If you include Fukushima in retrospect (1 confirmed, less than 1000 potentially affected), you're still an order of magnitude below the Union Carbide Bophal numbers (3500 confirmed, an estimated 15000 long term injured).

[@flossy5258]

Bro is a certified yapper💀💀💀

[@pong9000]

And then _Neutron Dance_ ("I'm just burning - It's in my hands - It's in my feet - It's all over me - I'm on fire") really isn't what it sounds like.

[@mca1006]

Another one is when John Lennon wrote “I am the walrus” in spite of everyone over analyzing every sing Beatles song for double meanings and hidden messages so he just took a bunch of random stuff and put it together.

[@youareasock9752]

No you just don't understand!!!😡 It says a lot about society!! 🖕🤦🏻‍♂️

[@unhelpfulrevelations7989]

Charles Manson deadass thought there were secret messages inciting a race war in the lyrics of the white album. People in the 60s were fucking bored

[@helenam.1077]

I always interpreted “no woman, no cry” as him consoling a woman, I didn’t even realize there were other interpretations 🤦‍♀️ do people really think he’s celebrating being single?! Wtf people haha

[@MindRamble]

Yeah this was a really good pick me up song. But even if you don't listen to the lyrics it is super emotional why would somebody think"oh yes this dude is happy to be single" 😂

[@mikenash7049]

Doesn't it depend on where you put the comma? "No woman, no cry" versus "No, woman no cry"? :-)

[@dash2869]

Some people aren't familiar with Jamaican Patois

[@pendragon4811]

Bro it's so obvious Ive been listening to his music since I was little and even I understood it

[@kuhnhan]

@@dash2869 Most people aren't familiar with Jamaican Patois as most people in the world are not from Jamaica.

[@BobbyOverHere]

Similar to how Sara Bareilles' Love Song is her response to a record company asking her to write a pop friendly love song, Mika's Grace Kelly is his response to a record company telling Mika to change his sound.

[@HarveyLu_]

Love Mika

[@RelativelyBest]

I really hate having to hear Last Christmas over and over every single year. It's like the _opposite_ of what a Christmas song should be, and it's like I'm the only one who realizes that.

[@jimmyl27]

Melt With You by Modern English is about dying with your lover in a nuclear war and it’s in chocolate commercials

[@sonyamiller4853]

And a Ritz cracker commercial.

[@cabbagecart-u3x]

the chocolate company's are ready for the nukes.

[@bennitori4]

Disney also did a terrible rendition of it in their superhero school movie "sky high," a movie about teenage superheroes dealing with teenager drama. No clue why. I'm assuming it had something to do with one kid's superpower being that he could melt.

[@sonyamiller4853]

@@bennitori4 Now I'm remembering that weird show on Nick for a while. "Meltman, with the power to... melt."

[@SZebS]

Based pfp

[@bebefrr]

I was actually really surprised about the last Christmas one.. I mean even if you don’t know all of the lyrics the majority of people AT LEAST know the “Last Christmas, I gave you my heart but the very next day, you gave it away” part.. Wow that one really caught me off guard like it’s so obvious

[@growlie2676]

Baby it's Cold Outside is another Christmas song that isn't Soo fun if you really think about it.

[@coughedfeathers1292]

Ikr?? "This year to save me from tears, I'll give it to someone *special*." "My god I thought you were someone to rely on! Me, I guess I was a shoulder to cry on." Like??? How tf does that read as romantic???

[@KasumiRINA]

@@coughedfeathers1292 what can be possibly more romantic than remembering past mistakes and starting a new romance while still hurting from the previous one though? Romance is sad, love is painful, and remembering is sometimes the worst. It's about someone burned and now being more careful but still in a whirlwind of feelings.

[@coughedfeathers1292]

@@KasumiRINA This is the bit where I'm gonna straight up say; confused and may not be the best to answer that question; I am a whole ass Aromantic person who does not understand stuff like that. I *do not* have romantic attraction to fall back on as a reference, Relationships in that regard confuse the hell out of me. I'll admit that I'm rather practically minded. Blunt as this is- and I'll admit that I'm pretty blunt here- my understanding has always been "actually talk about your problems (communicate)" or break up. Relationships are founded on and maintained by two things - communication and trust. *"My god I thought you were someone to rely on! Me, I guess I was a shoulder to cry on."* This is a relationship where clearly there is no trust left. The song is full of lines like this. With trust gone, all you're left with is communication, which is all over the song stated that they're not great at. Missing those two crucial structures? A relationship is bound to fail and you're just going to end up getting hurt. Because if you can't trust your partner and can't or won't communicate clearly about what you want/feel/expect... What even is there?

[@cooldude8475]

People whose first language isn't english thought it was just a fun christmas song because it always played on the radio during the holidays and had the word "christmas" in it. The fact that it's not about christmas was always shared as a fun fact and I remember being shocked when I found out.

[@hermezkonrad]

ABBA - Winner Takes it All is great example. It's actually a song about a divorce, specifically a divorce of Bjorn and Agnette (yes, half of ABBA), written by Bjorn from his own perspective and it's actually sang by Agnette.

[@KasumiRINA]

One of Us is more straightforwardly about separation... And Thank You For the Music is about breaking up the band... What is obvious if you listen to lyrics at all but you don't think about it when hearing it on radio is Waterloo... it's a losing a battle metaphor for giving in and accepting someone's love. (I was defeated you want the war). But funniest is Does Your Mother Know being about _refusing_ an underaged groupie's advances without being creepy or offensive.

[@AliceClow]

This is some Fleetwood Mac shit

[@sleepyenergeticnerd]

The song "Notion" by The Rare Occasions is often thought to be about nostalgia, but if your an atheist or of a religious minority you can tell it's about being an atheist and descriminated against/misunderstood. The line most people take as nostalgic litterally goes "Oh back when I was younger I was told by other youngsters that my end will be tourture beneath the earth." Which, as someone who grew up an atheist, references how comfortable christain children are with telling kids of other religious beliefs that they are going to hell. Then it goes "'Cause I don't see what they see when death is staring at me. I see a window, a limit, to live it, or not at all." Which means I don't believe in an afterlife, when we die that's it. The main line of the chorus goes "Sure it's a calming notion, perpetual in motion, but I don't need the comfort of any lies." This references that the continuation of life within a religious view point is often seen as comforting and positive, but for atheists we don't need that comfort, were fine with life as it is. We don't need to deny the fact that when we die, we might just stop existing. Then the second verse has a line that says "If you could pull the lever to carry on forever, would your life even matter anymore?" This raises the question that I've asked myself as an atheist, if there is no end to our lives is there any reason to care about the consequences of your actions as, if there is reincarnation or an afterlife, everyone is just going to be fine at the end of the day? Like, why do we fear death if heaven, or a "better place," is what comes after? The fact that there is an end to our existences is what gives our actions and lives meaning, not some predetemined purpose or the possibility of being punished for not being a good person. That honestly just makes being kind a selfish thing if your only doing it to be rewarded, think Tahani's arc from The Good Place if you know that show. Then the last part of the song, which is honestly my favorite part of it, goes "I could cross the ocean in a fit of devotion, for every shining second, this fragile body beckons. You think you're owed it better, believing ancient letters. Sure, it's a calming notion, but it's a lie." The first part of this line is a reference to Moses parting the red sea and the fragility of human life. Then the next line perfectly encapsulates why so many atheists come of as "anti-religious." So many religious people do not understand how insulting and condesending it is when they tell others that they are going to be punished or are wrong for harboring different beliefs without even considering how they would feel if we were doing that to them or that they could be wrong and punsihed for their beliefs. On top of that when nonreligous people are trying to have an intelectual conversation with a religious person about religion often the reliigous person will make sure they emphasize that they still believe in their viewpoint whenever giving credit to the other person's point, which they are more doing for themselves then the other, and will often get tense or angry as when you try to talk about religous views critically with them. They will treat it like you're attacking them/their views when you are just trying to have a conversation about the nature of belief. There is a "holier than thou" viewpoint that is naturally engrained into most mainstream religions as most of them have rules that dictate that if you don't follow their practices or believe in their god, you are wrong an will be punished, which causes most religious people to adopt a holier than thou mentality when discussing the matter with people of other religions or nonrelious people. This is especially true when atheists are critical of relgion and especially institutionalized religion as people will take it as intolerance/discrimination, especially since most atheists aren't good with using distinctive language when discussing these matters and end up sounding like they are saying all religion is bad. When, no, religion is not bad and can just result in polarizing mindsets, discrimination, and people being taken advantage of, especially when institutionalized, just like politics, and that is what most atheists are trying to say. A lot of us are just fed up with not being listened to and treated like were attacking people when their personal beliefs aren't the problem, it's people using their/other people's beliefs as an excuse to descriminate, control others, and gain power. The last part of the line reflects the previous statement and actually has ties to freedom of religion and equality. People often incorrectly assume that because they believe in the main religion in their country or that since "freedom of religion" has religion in it's name it means that they don't have to respect nonreligious peoples rights, can tell others what to believe, deny that since they believe in the main religion that others in their country believe in that they aren't priviliged in their access and representation of their beliefs in their media and architechture and/or their religious instituition shouldn't be limited in one way or another. Let me say this as plainly as I can, you are not owed anything more than any other religous group just because you are the majority. I am owed the same as you are owed, as he is owed, as she is, and as they are. If I am not allowed to at least tell you the flaws in your own beliefs and the institutions that practice them you can't tell me I'm going to hell or that I am morally wrong or that I don't see the beauty in the world. You can't say that people aren't allowed temples, synagogues, or mosques when you are allowed a chursh or vice versa. Everyone deserves a safe place to practice or express their beliefs where ever they go. Believing you have the rights to all of that where as others don't is a lie you tell yourself. Stop lying to yourself. TLDR; I'm kind of not fully sober right now (medicine to help me sleep properly cause narcolepsy) so a comment about how Notion by The Rare Occasions is an atheist song often mistaken to be about nostalgia turned into a 6 paragraph analysis/rant/irl experience about atheism and how religious people misunderstand and disrespect atheists. Sorry if I offended anyone, but if you did get offended by this you are a part of the problem.

[@ovalteen4404]

"99 Red Balloons", the English translation which was even released on that same album, makes it exceedingly clear what the song is about. "To worry, worry, super scurry/Call the troops out in a hurry/This is what we've waited for/This is it boys, this is war/The President is on the line/As 99 red balloons go by"

[@jacksonpriestap3685]

99 dreams I have had, everyone a red balloon. It’s all over and I’m standing pretty in the dust that was a city. If I could find a souvenir just to prove the world was here, and here is a red balloon, I think of you and let it go.

[@Ea-Nasir_Copper_Co]

And with most people listening to it on AM radio, the lyrics sounded like "rrrrry, rrrrry, soooor srrrrrry..."

[@kaileyhylia1119]

Even if you watch the music video you would know. We learned about this in 8th grade for some reason, I can't remember why but the meaning has always stuck with me.

[@MaxV01]

the whole "haha gotta wake up the green day guy" joke makes me so mad because Billie Joe Armstrong has asked time and time again for people to stop joking about it.

[@violetsdior]

same its just disrespectful

[@NoLeftTurns965]

@@violetsdior what’s even more disrespectful is that they call him “the Green Day guy”. The LEAST they could do is take the time to figure out his name.

[@MaxV01]

@@NoLeftTurns965 i mean, yeah, that's disrespectful, but I wouldn't call it more disrespectful than making jokes about a traumatic life event

[@Piotr_Tokarz]

ive never seen that meme, probably its only popular in usa

[@kittykittybangbang9367]

@@Piotr_Tokarz I live in the USA, and honestly I have never even seen that meme. The only Green Day meme I've seen was I walk a lonely road or more properly I guess Boulevard of Broken Dreams.

[@akuiper2654]

My aunt divorced my uncle (my dad’s brother) and we were invited to her second wedding to the guy she cheated on him with. White wedding was played at the reception and I’ve never witnessed something so inappropriately dead on in my life before or since.

[@zaynes5094]

Good lord I would’ve whooped both of their asses. No joke, I don’t really care about what others do (or who), but if someone’s married, and they tell me that when I’m pursuing them, I stop right then and there.

[@eve_tron]

Nice day for a *white wedding*

[@iamlowkeyedits]

Omg, I'm so happy somebody stops to think about the lyrics. stay awesome.

[@J4min77]

You should make a Spotify playlist of these songs so that we can follow and listen to them start to finish. Call it something like "No, wait, listen!"

[@RealBadGaming52]

evey song is about rape, thats it

[@dinkmydonk2358]

@@RealBadGaming52 😂😂

[@agnis.ritaputri]

The Ruru character from the Japanese song "Ruru's Suicide Show on a Livestream" is cosplayed a LOT. And even though i agree, the design is very cute, the fact that its's based on rorochan_1999, a girl who livestreamed her own death, is very concerning and shows that people do not care.

[@littlezorkie9311]

That song is so infamous and I’m so sick of people not taking it seriously that listening to the original song isn’t even fun anymore

[@gijin9895]

I mean, its possible theyre cosplaying a character from magical girl site that the design is based off and you got it mixed.

[@Sungblox]

also, isn’t into the night by yobasobi about suicide?

[@rembvlann]

@@Sungblox yes but if i remember correctly it's about a fictional couple, not real people

[@zuruaeclipse]

Actually pretty sure Ruru represents some other girls who committed suicide, died or almost died from their hobby of jumping across train tracks and things like that. But Roro very much was one of the big influences on the songs creation and character name. I also say the represent thing because there are different forms of the Ruru character such as the chibi one, all of the different forms and artstyles of Ruru represent a different girl I'm pretty sure. I'm also saying this because some lyrics link to the other girls (Like the train track one mentioned) and not anything related to what we know about Roro from their dug up streams and chat logs

[@globetrekker86]

“Du Hast” is a troll-tastic song that pokes fun at wedding vows. The title means either “You have me” (with one S in “hast”) or “You hate me” (with a double S). The refrain makes it clearer: “Will you, until death doth sever,/ Be upright to her forever? / (Yeah) No! (Yeah) No!”

[@orcatwar9810]

My dad always thought the song is about trust and can you keep that trust

[@lordginger636]

I think it's kinda cool that it has that duality of being one or the other pending on how you look at it.

[@DatBoi-gi3vq]

Deutschland by Rammstein is a song about the complicated history of the German nation and how you can't blindly say your country is perfect with no mistakes. They even show some terrible stuff like a concentration camp but the media immediately jumped on it and thought it was a song about how great Germany is and how it's super nationalistic... It litterally has the lyric: Will dich lieben und verdammen. Which roughly translates to: I want to love you but also damn you. Because Germany has a rich history with a lot of blood. The greatness of the Germanic people fighting the Romans in the Teutobergerwald to the HRE to the 3rd Reich to Germany being split to being reunited again to what seems to be now a new resurgence of some crazy nationalists and fascists...

[@BookPirate1]

I'm glad that you point out the parody factor that Randy Newman's work. Tongue-in-cheek is not beginning to cover it. But it does needs to be acknowledged.

[@eevee6930]

Fireflies by Owl City is about not being ready to grow up while having your childhood slowly disappear. Sleep is a metaphor for childhood and waking up is a metaphor for adult life. Earth turning slowly is referencing the desire for that "dream" to last a little longer. It talks about being seen as weird because you still act like a child and the stress of being told to "grow up". "The disco is just hanging y a thread" means that soon it's going crash down and all you can do is enjoy the time you have left. And keeping some fireflies in jar is holding on to that inner child despite growing up on the outside, because that dream is "bursting at the seams", no longer able to sustain itself.