# Love songs with unhealthy ideas about love **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 19, 2011, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-songs-with-unhealthy-ideas-about-love/575218 "2011-03-19T01:53:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-songs-with-unhealthy-ideas-about-love/575218/61 "2011-03-20T00:48:48Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > There’s the Beatles’ “Run for Your Life”. Damn, beat me to it. That’s the song that immediately came to mind for me. And I totally agree with the OP. The healthiest love is when there’s an even give-and-take between the two people. I’d hate someone to tell me that he gives more than he receives (or vice-versa). ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-songs-with-unhealthy-ideas-about-love/575218/62 "2011-03-20T01:40:23Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > Is that what that song’s about? I always thought it had a “there’s plenty of fish in the sea” type message about not pining away for someone who didn’t return your interest, but I admit I’ve never paid much attention to the lyrics. That’s how I’ve always interpreted it, as well. ---
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-songs-with-unhealthy-ideas-about-love/575218/63 "2011-03-20T01:46:02Z")
Elvis: Treat me like a fool treat me mean and cruel But love me Take my faithful heart tear it all apart But love me and so on. For the oldsters amongst us. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-songs-with-unhealthy-ideas-about-love/575218/64 "2011-03-20T01:55:54Z")
An oldie from last century by Gale Garnett, which I’ve mentioned previously: We’ll sing in the sunshine We’ll laugh every day We’ll sing in the sunshine Then I’ll be on my way… I will never love you The cost of love’s too dear And though I’ll never love you I’ll stay with you one year… And we can sing in the sunshine… My daddy he once told me Don’t you love you any man Just take what they can give you and you give what you can And we can sing in the sunshine We’ll laugh every day We’ll sing in the sunshine Then I’ll be on my way. Such a nice, sunny little song. So cold and warped. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_A.Robrin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sam_a.robrin/32/14497_2.png) [@Sam\_A.Robrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_A.Robrin)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-songs-with-unhealthy-ideas-about-love/575218/65 "2011-03-20T02:30:40Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > OOOH, I get to post Lou Christie’s “Lightning Strikes!” > > If you’ll just wait around like a damn idiot while I cheat on you, eventually I’ll come back and be faithful! I promise, baby! But every time I see a pretty woman, lightning strikes and I just can’t keep my pants zipped! > > Nature’s takin’ over my one-track mind > Believe it or not, you’re in my heart all the time > All the girls are sayin’ that you’ll end up a fool > For the time being, baby, live by my rules That was another one I was going to get to. I think it’s the most _accurate_ depiction of male/female relations ever condensed into a three-minute pop song. Not that I _like_ the situation, but it’s an accurate depiction of it! ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-songs-with-unhealthy-ideas-about-love/575218/66 "2011-03-20T02:42:51Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > The song “[Haven’t Met You Yet](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AJmKkU5POA)” by Michael Buble is my current, obnoxious earworm (be warned before you listen to the wretched thing) and the lyrics of it make it into a theme song for dysfunctional romance (and possibly Nice Guy Syndrome): > > I can’t think of anything less romantic than “I’ll give so much more than I get” unless it’s “I’ll do home dentistry on the cat.” > > What songs are attempts at love songs that just miss the mark? I don’t mean stalker songs or deliberately creepy songs. I mean things that are meant to be love songs but just… aren’t really about love, or at least healthy love, at all. [Lost](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-8ez6dGao8) by Michael Buble. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-songs-with-unhealthy-ideas-about-love/575218/67 "2011-03-20T09:57:39Z")
Oo, speaking of Elvis…What exactly is “Hound Dog” supposed to be about? On the surface, it seems “hound dog” is a metaphor for a girlfriend who complains all the time, but what’s up with “catching a rabbit?” ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-songs-with-unhealthy-ideas-about-love/575218/68 "2011-03-20T10:47:54Z")
> [@Lucky\_13](#): > > I would have to include the latest single, “Space Bound.” Every time he writes a love song (if you can call it that, what with all the threats of violence,) I just assume it’s about Kim, his ex-wife. > > Also Bruno Mars’ “Grenade”: > > Bad woman, madwoman, that’s just what you are > Yeah, you smile in my face and tear the brakes out my car > … > > I would go through all this pain > Take a bullet straight through my brain > Yes, I would die for you, baby > But you won’t do the same > I think this guy needs to put a restraining order on his girlfriend and get some counseling ASAP. I came in here to mention **Grenade** as the most co-dependent song playing right now. Ditto on the Rupert Holmes song Pina Colada. Enrique Whatshisface has two hit songs out right now and one has a lyric that is along the lines of _My girlfriends out of town and your boyfriend isn’t here…oooh ohhh…waaah oooooh…_ So let’s CHEAT! There is a song from either the late 60’s or 70’s that I’ve (and probably you) have heard a bajillion times and never paid attention to the lyrics. All I remember is it is a guy singing something like, " She’s just 13 ( or 14/15/16) years old, leave her alone, they say…" My mouth dropped. Someone help me out. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-songs-with-unhealthy-ideas-about-love/575218/69 "2011-03-20T10:49:38Z")
> [@pohjonen](#): > > Elvis: > > Treat me like a fool treat me mean and cruel > But love me > Take my faithful heart tear it all apart > But love me > > and so on. For the oldsters amongst us. But, it’s ok to crap on a guy, amirite? ---
**Author:** ![ecseas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ecseas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ecseas)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-songs-with-unhealthy-ideas-about-love/575218/70 "2011-03-20T13:09:12Z")
_Well I’d rather cut you then the wedding cake, and your bloody guts on my rented tux. I do, I do, I do want to kill you, Till death do us part, I’ll tear us apart Now I kiss your cold dead lips and I dip my chips in the blood that drips I smear the cake right in your face hope your god will take you to a better place._ ---
**Author:** ![Lucky\_13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucky_13/32/13209_2.png) [@Lucky\_13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucky_13)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-songs-with-unhealthy-ideas-about-love/575218/71 "2011-03-20T13:24:33Z")
> [@Shirley\_Ujest](#): > > Enrique Whatshisface has two hit songs out right now and one has a lyric that is along the lines of _My girlfriends out of town and your boyfriend isn’t here…oooh ohhh…waaah oooooh…_ So let’s CHEAT! That’s “Baby I Like it,” by Enrique Iglesias. It gets on my nerves. I tend not to like songs about cheating on one’s partner. This is why I think I’m one of the few people who don’t like “Yeah!” by Usher. > [@Shirley\_Ujest](#): > > There is a song from either the late 60’s or 70’s that I’ve (and probably you) have heard a bajillion times and never paid attention to the lyrics. All I remember is it is a guy singing something like, " She’s just 13 ( or 14/15/16) years old, leave her alone, they say…" > > My mouth dropped. > > Someone help me out. This one is from the early 80s. It’s called “Into the Night” and it’s by Benny Mardones (as mentioned by a previous poster). I think mostly girls who were 16 at the time the song came out liked it. Notice the guy singing doesn’t specify his own age. Gee, I wonder why? ---
**Author:** ![Sakuma\_Drops](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sakuma\_Drops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sakuma_Drops)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-songs-with-unhealthy-ideas-about-love/575218/72 "2011-03-20T13:53:34Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > Oo, speaking of Elvis…What exactly is “Hound Dog” supposed to be about? On the surface, it seems “hound dog” is a metaphor for a girlfriend who complains all the time, but what’s up with “catching a rabbit?” I always thought the “you never caught a rabbit” line = you never did anything for me, this relationship is one-sided, etc . Here’s another oldie I thought of: “[Just Like Romeo And Juliet](http://lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/j/justlikeromeoandjuliet.shtml)”. This is a guy proclaiming that he and his new girl are gonna have, like, the best romance ever - provided he can find a job so he can buy her stuff. If he can’t find a job, their romance will “be destroyed like a tragedy/Just like Romeo and Juliet.” Right. Because the _real_ reason that Romeo and Juliet killed themselves is because they didn’t have enough money to go to the drive-in and buy each other pretty presents :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-songs-with-unhealthy-ideas-about-love/575218/73 "2011-03-20T14:10:09Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > How about “Love the One You’re With”. A song that says that if you’re travelling away from your SO, you should have an affair with whoever is conveniently around you. Really? I always thought it was eve more depressing than that - if you can’t have the person you’d really like to be with, then settle for whoever is handy. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-songs-with-unhealthy-ideas-about-love/575218/74 "2011-03-20T14:14:26Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > Really? I always thought it was eve more depressing than that - if you can’t have the person you’d really like to be with, then settle for whoever is handy. There’s a line early on about “Because your baby is so far away.” I guess that could be in a metaphysical sense, but I always took it as “She’s out of town or you are.” ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-songs-with-unhealthy-ideas-about-love/575218/75 "2011-03-20T14:19:18Z")
> [@Lucky\_13](#): > > That’s “Baby I Like it,” by Enrique Iglesias. It gets on my nerves. I tend not to like songs about cheating on one’s partner. This is why I think I’m one of the few people who don’t like “Yeah!” by Usher. > This one is from the early 80s. It’s called “Into the Night” and it’s by Benny Mardones (as mentioned by a previous poster). I think mostly girls who were 16 at the time the song came out liked it. Notice the guy singing doesn’t specify his own age. Gee, I wonder why? Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-songs-with-unhealthy-ideas-about-love/575218/76 "2011-03-20T14:47:44Z")
> [@boomerwang](#): > > ‘Common People’ by Pulp. I don’t think that flame will burn long. Either I’m missing something, or you are, or I’ve been whooshed. _Common People_ is in no way **at all** a love song - from the outset. It begins with the prospect of him him banging some rich hottie, before he’s immediately overtaken by anger and eventually hatred towards her, because she’s a ‘class tourist’, treating the plight of the poor as an exhibit - and that because of her wealth she will never understand what it means to live under the grinding burden of poverty. (I’m on a soapbox because it is, in my opinion, the greatest pop song ever written - great tune, clever lyrics, humorous then passionate, culminating in a massive crescendo of emotion. As an aside I heard an interview with Jarvis Cocker where he said in reality he never did manage to screw her. Poor Jarvis.) ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-songs-with-unhealthy-ideas-about-love/575218/77 "2011-03-20T15:35:05Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > Either I’m missing something, or you are, or I’ve been whooshed. > > _Common People_ is in no way **at all** a love song - from the outset. It begins with the prospect of him him banging some rich hottie, before he’s immediately overtaken by anger and eventually hatred towards her, because she’s a ‘class tourist’, treating the plight of the poor as an exhibit - and that because of her wealth she will never understand what it means to live under the grinding burden of poverty. > > (I’m on a soapbox because it is, in my opinion, the greatest pop song ever written - great tune, clever lyrics, humorous then passionate, culminating in a massive crescendo of emotion. As an aside I heard an interview with Jarvis Cocker where he said in reality he never did manage to screw her. Poor Jarvis.) I also love it because I’ve known so many people just like the subject of the song. I was going to ask in what way it’s a love song, but I’ve already exceeded my quota of nitpicking on here lately. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-songs-with-unhealthy-ideas-about-love/575218/78 "2011-03-20T15:42:23Z")
Couple of obvious songs I’m a little surprised haven’t been mentioned already (apologies if I missed a post — I did read the thread first). **Rolling Stones — Under My Thumb** > [@](#): > > Under my thumb > The squirmin’ dog who’s just had her day > Under my thumb > A girl who has just changed her ways > > It’s down to me, yes it is > The way she does just what she’s told > Down to me, the change has come > She’s under my thumb **Gary Puckett & The Union Gap — Young Girl** > [@](#): > > So hurry home to your mama > I’m sure she wonders where you are > Get out of here > Before I have the time > To change my mind > 'Cause I’m afraid we’ll go too far, oh, > > Young girl get outta my mind > My love for you is way outta line > Better run girl, you’re much too young girl ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-songs-with-unhealthy-ideas-about-love/575218/79 "2011-03-20T15:43:40Z")
Although, arguably, the first one doesn’t quite meet the OP’s theme of not being creepy. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-songs-with-unhealthy-ideas-about-love/575218/80 "2011-03-20T15:44:13Z")
> [@Troppus](#): > > Possum Kingdom by The Toadies > > “I can promise you, > You’ll stay as beautiful > With dark hair > and soft skin…forever… > Be my angel > Do you wanna die?” This is one of my favorite songs of all time. So what if it’s about a vampire who loves a mortal? Is that so WRONG? 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-songs-with-unhealthy-ideas-about-love/575218.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-songs-with-unhealthy-ideas-about-love/575218.md?page=5)