I can’t say I’ve ever heard this as an ‘upbeat swing tune’ – it always seemed very aggressive and dark to me, regardless of content, musically as well as through Steve Perry’s delivery.
In a similar vein to “Mac the Knife”, there’s also “Moon over Bourbon St.” by The Police.
How peculiar. I have this song on one of my albums and wasn’t aware there were any lyrics at all. Consider me unpleasantly surprised.
“Mack the Knife” is exactly what you think it is, but it wasn’t written as a peppy swing tune - that’s just how Louis Armstrong and Bobby Darin (and then many others) arranged it. It’s the opening song of Brecht’s Threepenny Opera, and the intent is that you get a sense of just how bad this guy is so you can’t identify too closely with him even though he is the hero of the show.
Maroon 5- Harder To Breathe.
“I have the tendency of getting very physical
So watch your step cause if I do you’ll need a miracle”
Yes, yes, I know it’s a song about their frustration with their record label, but every time I hear it it sounds like a guy threatening to beat up his girlfriend. Nice.
Nope, it’s about an extramarital affair.
Second verse:
*I don’t worry ‘bout the ring you wear
Cause as long as no one knows
Nobody can care
You’re feelin’ guilty
And I’m well aware
But you don’t look ashamed
And baby I’m not scared *
or something like that.
Possibly my favorite hate it while turning up the radio and singing along song. Number two on the list is Carrie Underwoods “Next Time He Cheats”
Nick Cave, on the other hand, performed that song (YouTube link) with a gleeful darkness that throws a quite different light on the lyrics…
I remember sitting around with some coworkers in the break room when “Don’t Fear the Reaper” by Blue Oyster Cult came on. You know the one:
“…It was clear she couldn’t go on
And the door was opened and the wind appeared
The candles blew and then disappeared
The curtains flew and then he appeared
Said, ‘Don’t be afraid, come on baby,’
And she had no fear, and she ran to him…”
Etc. My coworker said, “Man I hate this song. I think it’s about suicide.”
I said, “Yeah, I think so too. What a great song.”
A lapdance is so much better when the stripper is crying. by The Bloodhound Gang.
The song is catchy, but it’s not something you want to be caught singing to yourself on an elevator.
Another vote for Every Breath You Take - great song, creepy lyrics. Never noticed the lyrics of Don’t Stand So Close To Me - will pay more attention next time! Yep, Mac the Knife also horrible song made even more freaky by the fact that its most popular rendition is usually so cheerful musically!
Not that I care too much what they’re about as such, hell, not that I’m even SURE what they’re about half the time, but I love Radiohead and think they’re an AMAZING band musically. But their lyrics for the most part either leave me cold or are downright annoyingly navel-gazing/ angsty/ obtuse in an overly contrived fashion. :mad:
Tom Paxton’s Jimmy Newman
I just thought of another one. “Second Chance” by 38 Special. The song is about a guy who cheated on his wife or girlfriend, and is begging for forgiveness, but the lines he uses are the same old meaningless cliches that people use when they cheat. Example:
Oh, so it wasn’t about love, only sex. That makes it all better. Most of the other lyrics make me roll my eyes as well.
Plus, my body is my possession. My mind is my possession. “Imagine no possessions” kind of treads on my right to not be a slave, to not be used for medical experimentation against my will, and to have my conscience respected.
Also, am I really the first one to mention Alison? It’s about killing your ex-lover because she’s getting married to someone else.
Agreed.
Tammy Wynette’s Stand By Your Man.
No regards,
Hillary Clinton
The weird ways people interpret song lyrics never cease to amaze me. I dislike “More Than Words” too, but not because it about some guy demanding that his girl demonstrate her love by sleeping with him or sucking him off – of course it bloody isn’t :rolleyes: – but because the lyrics are so clumsy and badly written: “More than words is all you have to do” etc.
Nice tune, though.
Well, to be fair, the guy can’t help killing, since he’s a vampire…
I mean the stuff Enya is chanting in the background in Gaelic. I read the translation on an Enya fansite. So I could be wrong.
I love the music to Eminem’s Kim, but the lyrics are disturbing as hell (crazy jealous boyfriend murders his ex’s new husband and boyfriend, and then his ex). It sends shivers down my spine, but I still find myself singing along at the climax: “Bleed bitch bleed!!!”
Equally catchy and disturbing is the sequel, '97 Bonnie & Clyde. Maybe more disturbing, because the overt rage of the first is gone.
I couldn’t find it either, but IIRC the title is actually a line from the song, repeated a couple times. He also says he knows what’s going on in her head and they’re going to be playing games. It’s kind of a “ok baby, we’re going to have a 24/7 D/s relationship and I’m taking charge because we know the game and we’re gonna play it. Total commitment.”
Creepy.
Enjoy,
Steven