# Most misused song **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 14, 2012, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887 "2012-05-14T15:02:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2012, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/41 "2012-05-15T01:37:00Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > I don’t know if I would characterize it as “creepy” but it’s definitely not a happy song. Stalkery a better adjective? Despairing? It’s particularly the “you’ll regret it” verse that sends shivers down my spine, although I admit it might not have been the author’s intention to make me infer a 3 way murder suicide. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2012, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/42 "2012-05-15T01:41:02Z")
Well, of course you are free to interpret it however you want, but I feel that “you’ll regret it” is more “you’ll miss me when you realize what you’ve lost” as opposed to “I’m going to hunt you down and murder you.” ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2012, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/43 "2012-05-15T01:54:52Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Stalkery a better adjective? Despairing? It’s particularly the “you’ll regret it” verse that sends shivers down my spine, although I admit it might not have been the author’s intention to make me infer a 3 way murder suicide. I think the hinted intent is a suicide threat. The singer is addressing somebody who’s leaving him for somebody else. He’s begging her not to leave and saying she’s his only reason for living. And he says she’ll regret what will happen if she leaves. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2012, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/44 "2012-05-15T01:57:49Z")
I don’t think it’s anything so maudlin or sinister. It’s just the general “You’ll eventually regret leaving me” sentiment. ---
**Author:** ![Feyrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/fbc32d/32.png) [@Feyrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Feyrat)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2012, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/45 "2012-05-15T02:05:13Z")
> [@well\_he\_s\_back](#): > > Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen. I’ve seen it sung with a choir backing the sollist. just no. not really a religious song. Yeah, I was coming here to say this one, and also “American Woman,” which people seem to use to… celebrate how awesome American women are. Which… no. Just no. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2012, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/46 "2012-05-15T02:09:46Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Maybe not the _worst_, but one of the funniest has to be using “New York, New York” to sell Philadelphia cream cheese (which incidentally is made in Chicago). Similarly, a few years ago, they played “Sweet Home Alabama” (without the words) in commercials for KFC (i.e., Kentucky Fried Chicken). ---
**Author:** ![tomcar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tomcar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomcar)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2012, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/47 "2012-05-15T02:50:39Z")
A large hospital group in Columbus Oh used Lou Reed’s Street Hassle in their tv commercials for a long time. For those who dont know, the song is about a guy who has sex with a girl, she ODs and he leaves her body in the street so it looks like a hit-n-run. ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2012, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/48 "2012-05-15T03:05:52Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > “Pink Houses” should be able to give that a run for its money. > > \*There’s a song by John Cougar > Playing on the radio > And I sing along with the chorus > The rest of the words I don’t know > > Oh, but ain’t that America for you and me > Ain’t that America somethin’ to see baby > Ain’t that America home of the free, yeah > Little pink houses for you and me\* I have an incredible urge to buy a truck. > [@tomcar](#): > > A large hospital group in Columbus Oh used Lou Reed’s Street Hassle in their tv commercials for a long time. > For those who dont know, the song is about a guy who has sex with a girl, she ODs and he leaves her body in the street so it looks like a hit-n-run. I hate to admit this, but I laughed out loud reading the above. I didn’t know that Mr. Reed was so deep, but for someone to actually use the song in a commercial is hilarious. I’m going to have to find that song to see if he gives a good outline for getting out of a tough jam in rhyme. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2012, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/49 "2012-05-15T04:32:50Z")
> [@well\_he\_s\_back](#): > > Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen. I’ve seen it sung with a choir backing the sollist. just no. not really a religious song. This was going to be my first nomination too. I’d say it’s also a strong contender for most over-covered song. > [@Kizarvexius](#): > > Wagner’s Bridal Chorus from _Lohengrin_, a.k.a. “Here Comes the Bride”. The story just ain’t purty. Even ignoring the plot of the opera, I think it’s kind of funny that this piece is now most famous from being used as a wedding processional. In the opera it’s actually the recessional. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2012, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/50 "2012-05-15T05:14:38Z")
One of the verses we sung as kids for _You Are My Sunshine_ follows: The other night dear, as I lay sleeping I dreamt I held you in my arms. But when I woke, Dear Your neck was broke, Dear So I hung myself in the barn. We loved how upbeat and macabre this song is. Still do, really. ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2012, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/51 "2012-05-15T08:14:01Z")
The one I love by R.E.M., played at wedding receptions all the time and its a song about masturbation. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2012, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/52 "2012-05-15T09:22:11Z")
Because nothing says “I Love You” more clearly than “Another prop has occupied my time.” ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2012, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/53 "2012-05-15T10:22:17Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > I have an incredible urge to buy a truck. Okay, along those lines, “Like a Rock” by Bob Seger. It’s basically about he used to be all young and hard but now it’s not. For the US auto industry, unintentionally and sadly true, which makes it a rather tragic expropriation. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2012, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/54 "2012-05-15T17:14:59Z")
BTW, it’s not _Pink Houses_, it’s _Our Country_. Still Mellencamp, though. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2012, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/55 "2012-05-15T19:44:13Z")
The US Navy once gave serious consideration to using \*In The Navy \*in their recruitment campaigns. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2012, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/56 "2012-05-15T20:39:08Z")
I do not remember which car company used it but I think it may have been an early green car commercial because there were flowers and birds and the pretty, lilting flute of Jethro Tull’s Thick As A Brick. ---
**Author:** ![Orca\_Eyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4491bb/32.png) [@Orca\_Eyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orca_Eyes)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2012, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/57 "2012-05-18T01:08:35Z")
“Born to be Wild” - I hear this played in every other movie trailer.:mad: I’ve heard it so many times that whenever it’s on the radio I want to light the radio on fire. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2012, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/58 "2012-05-18T02:58:27Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Every Breath You Take also known as “The stalker song”. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2012, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/59 "2012-05-18T03:43:27Z")
> [@MegaBee](#): > > “Semi-charmed Life” used in the previews of a Winnie the Pooh movie. LOL Really? For those who don’t know this song is about doing blow. ---
**Author:** ![Satellite\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Satellite\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satellite_Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2012, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887/60 "2012-05-18T04:35:36Z")
[Rihanna](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhBorPm6JjQ)’s [California King Bed](http://www.metrolyrics.com/california-king-bed-lyrics-rihanna.html), used by [Nivea](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHK8cDSP8NE). They play it off as a song about closeness (Chest to chest, nose to nose…) but the song’s actually about how they’ve grown apart, and her longing for the closeness they once had. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-misused-song/621887.md?page=4)