# Ordinary songs that no one notices are actually creepy **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 11, 2004, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ordinary-songs-that-no-one-notices-are-actually-creepy/233639 "2004-03-11T04:44:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Jervoise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@Jervoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jervoise)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ordinary-songs-that-no-one-notices-are-actually-creepy/233639/21 "2004-03-11T07:18:00Z")
Similiar to the Sting example, R.E.M’s “The One I Love” is definitely not a love song. Dido’s “White Flag” sounds like any example of contemporary adult pop pablum, but the lyrics are terribly creepy and stalkerish. I’ve been the recipient of unwanted romantic attention before, and hearing this song on the radio pisses me off no end: > [@](#): > > I know you think that I shouldn’t still love you, > Or tell you that. > But if I didn’t say it, well I’d still have felt it > where’s the sense in that? > > … > > And when we meet > Which I’m sure we will > All that was there > Will be there still > I’ll let it pass > And hold my tongue > And you will think > That I’ve moved on… > > I will go down with this ship > And I won’t put my hands up and surrender > There will be no white flag above my door > I’m in love and always will be Gah! Creepy! ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ordinary-songs-that-no-one-notices-are-actually-creepy/233639/22 "2004-03-11T07:24:43Z")
Well, there’s Warren Zevon’s **Excitable Boy** , which has the wonderful lines, \*He took little Susie to the junior prom, Excitable boy, they all said. And he raped her and killed her then he took her home, Exitable boy they all said (exictable boy) After ten long years they let him out of the home, Excitable boy, they all said. And he dug up her grave and made a cage with her bones, Excitable boy they all said (excitable boy) … \* ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ordinary-songs-that-no-one-notices-are-actually-creepy/233639/23 "2004-03-11T07:26:17Z")
**panamajack** I totally agree. “From a Distance” - The message of the lyrics is that the world is very, very screwed up - and that God neither notices or cares how fucked up it all is. So, why, when it came out, did I keep hearing it in churches, where presumably, people do not believe that to be true? (Great song for deists and agnostics, but…) ---
**Author:** ![diku](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4af34b/32.png) [@diku](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diku)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ordinary-songs-that-no-one-notices-are-actually-creepy/233639/24 "2004-03-11T07:45:39Z")
Pretty much all of the Supremes songs are lessons in how to be completely co-dependent. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ordinary-songs-that-no-one-notices-are-actually-creepy/233639/25 "2004-03-11T08:03:51Z")
**D.O.A.** by Bloodrock ---
**Author:** ![Kaitlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/73ab20/32.png) [@Kaitlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaitlyn)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ordinary-songs-that-no-one-notices-are-actually-creepy/233639/26 "2004-03-11T08:15:45Z")
_If You’re Not the One_ starts nice, with the couple seemingly walking hand in hand, but turns creepy with the first chorus, and gets more so as the narrator gets more obsessed. By the time we get to, “And I wish that you could be the one I die with”, I’m not so sure that he necessarily means “grow old and die with”. ---
**Author:** ![Murcielago](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Murcielago](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Murcielago)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ordinary-songs-that-no-one-notices-are-actually-creepy/233639/27 "2004-03-11T08:36:08Z")
I remember speculation that Pearl Jam’s seemingly strong and defiant song “Alive” was actually a twisted reflection on incest. Eddie never talks about lyrics, so I guess you could throw anything on their songs without fear of refutation by the author. ---
**Author:** ![Short\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Short\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Short_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ordinary-songs-that-no-one-notices-are-actually-creepy/233639/28 "2004-03-11T09:35:25Z")
> [@Murcielago](#): > > I remember speculation that Pearl Jam’s seemingly strong and defiant song “Alive” was actually a twisted reflection on incest. Eddie never talks about lyrics, so I guess you could throw anything on their songs without fear of refutation by the author. I’ve always heard Eddie wrote the song after he found out that the man he thought was his father turned out not to be. ---
**Author:** ![Murcielago](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Murcielago](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Murcielago)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ordinary-songs-that-no-one-notices-are-actually-creepy/233639/29 "2004-03-11T09:44:57Z")
I don’t doubt that is accurate **Short Guy** , the other interpretation is probably a spin on the lyrics just to be sensational. ---
**Author:** ![Suzene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7cd45c/32.png) [@Suzene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suzene)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ordinary-songs-that-no-one-notices-are-actually-creepy/233639/30 "2004-03-11T10:19:42Z")
“Crash Into Me” by Dave Matthews Band. That song beats out “Every Breath You Take” for stalker vibes, IMO. > [@](#): > > Hike up your skirt a little more > And show the world to me > Hike up your skirt a little more > And show your world to me > In a boys dream… in a boys dream > > Oh I watch you there > Through the window > And I stare at you > You wear nothing but you > Wear it so well > Tied up and twisted > The way I’d like to be > For you, for me, come crash > Into me Ugh… Suzene ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Death](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecccb3/32.png) [@Evil\_Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Death)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ordinary-songs-that-no-one-notices-are-actually-creepy/233639/31 "2004-03-11T10:30:40Z")
> [@SolGrundy](#): > > You know, I’ve heard the song hundreds of times, and I recognized all the words fine, but for some reason I never pieced them together as a coherent sentence until I just read it there in print. And now I’m all creeped out. But then the next lines aren’t so bad: > > _Nothing to say but “What a day! How’s your boy been?”_ > > Which I guess is kind of funny, the idea of having to give your last words and having nothing interesting to say. Or it would be, if the song had anything to do with that. “Nothing to do to save his life” means he couldn’t think of anything to do if his life depended on it. Basic plot of the song: A man is totally bored and fed up with running through the same motions every day. In fact, he’s so pissed off with his dull home life that he often works so late he doesn’t see his wife until the next day or his son at all - not that work is any better. Then one day, he gets so depressed at work he decides to take a day off. On his way home he starts feeling a bit better, so decides to go for a wander round town. He passes his old school, and it wakes up the good memories of being a kid. Next thing he knows, it’s getting dark and everyone’s either going home or hitting the town. Instead of going home for his tea, he starts flirting with other women and as the song ends, is seriously hoping to pick up a bit of extra-marital. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Death](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecccb3/32.png) [@Evil\_Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Death)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ordinary-songs-that-no-one-notices-are-actually-creepy/233639/32 "2004-03-11T10:32:25Z")
Nuts, hit reply too soon. I meant to add: If you want a really creepy Beatles song, try She’s Leaving Home (spoilt rich girl runs away with a used car salesman because her home life is so unloving) or Eleanor Rigby (no explanation necessary, I trust). ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ordinary-songs-that-no-one-notices-are-actually-creepy/233639/33 "2004-03-11T11:21:58Z")
I had a conversation with a woman at work recently about the song _Angie Baby_ by Helen Ready. When I asked her if it creeped her out, she didn’t understand. I explained to her about the kid going into the girl’s room intending to rape her but instead gets shrunk down and sucked into a radio, never to be seen again. We had to go online and get the lyrics for me to prove to her that something really wierd was going on in the song. I’ve always wondered if it was supposed to be a drug song. ---
**Author:** ![substanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@substanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/substanz)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ordinary-songs-that-no-one-notices-are-actually-creepy/233639/34 "2004-03-11T11:28:45Z")
> [@Murcielago](#): > > I remember speculation that Pearl Jam’s seemingly strong and defiant song “Alive” was actually a twisted reflection on incest. Eddie never talks about lyrics, so I guess you could throw anything on their songs without fear of refutation by the author. That song is surely about incest. While it’s true that Pearl Jam members have usually abstained from explaining their lyrics, they explained ‘Alive’ on at least one occasion. For the details, I’ll recommend a visit to ‘Five Horizons’, specifically [Five Horizons: December 1999 Song X - Mamasan Trilogy](http://www.fivehorizons.com/songs/dec99/) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Griffin)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ordinary-songs-that-no-one-notices-are-actually-creepy/233639/35 "2004-03-11T11:39:39Z")
> [@Murcielago](#): > > I remember speculation that Pearl Jam’s seemingly strong and defiant song “Alive” was actually a twisted reflection on incest. Eddie never talks about lyrics, so I guess you could throw anything on their songs without fear of refutation by the author. I remember reading Eddie comment on this once: > [@](#): > > oh she walk slowly, across the young man’s room, she said “I’m ready, for you”, I cant remember anything to this very day, 'cept the look…the look, oh **you know where** He said most people though he mean the look on her face. he didnt say explicitly what he meant but you can guess. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ordinary-songs-that-no-one-notices-are-actually-creepy/233639/36 "2004-03-11T11:56:18Z")
Then there’s always My Sharona, which seems to me to be about pedophilia. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Griffin)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ordinary-songs-that-no-one-notices-are-actually-creepy/233639/37 "2004-03-11T11:57:30Z")
Smashing Pumpkins - **Today** Amazing how many people think this is a happy song, but it’s obvious from the verses that it’s about suicide. “Pink ribbon scars, that never forget, I tried so hard, to cleanse these regrets” - refers to a failed suicide attempt - slitting your wrists in a bath of warm water. “Today is the greatest day I’ve ever know, cant wait for tomorrow, tomorrow’s much too long” I think greatest doesnt mean happy/good but “important”, things have come to a head. If anyone knows what the bit near the end means when Billy sings “I want to turn you on” a few times I dont have a clue. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ordinary-songs-that-no-one-notices-are-actually-creepy/233639/38 "2004-03-11T11:57:55Z")
“Daddy’s Hands” by Patti Loveless. My sister, a folk musician, sees it as a kind of celebration/legitimization of child abuse. I think that’s digging pretty deep for it, though. “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” was mentioned earlier. Yeah, it’s creepy, but I always took it as the Beatles’ nod to their Music Hall roots, where gory lyrics pleasantly delivered are pretty commonplace. ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ordinary-songs-that-no-one-notices-are-actually-creepy/233639/39 "2004-03-11T11:59:02Z")
> [@](#): > > _originally posted by DevilDan_ > My nomination for a creepy song is pretty much any gratuitously violent rap song. What about _Live From The Plantation_ by Mr Lif? _Dead boss, somebody call Red Cross I guess he got caught up in my mental holocaust How much did it cost? Just a little piece of my mind for peace of mind “But he’s bleeding!” Oh no, leave him. He’ll be fine He’ll heal on his own if you just give him some time Considering the fact that his face is misaligned His legs are over there lying right next to his spine “Lunchtime!” Huh? Oh, Jesus, must have been daydreaming_ That’s not creepy! That’s funny! ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ordinary-songs-that-no-one-notices-are-actually-creepy/233639/40 "2004-03-11T12:15:56Z")
Evanessence’s current hit “Wake Me Up Inside” has far too much of what I don’t want my next relationship to be: > [@](#): > > Wake me up inside. > Wake me up inside. > Wake me up and save me > From the nothing I’ve become (The lyrics are from memory, so they may not be accurate.) No. I came close to the whole “my life is utterly dependent on you” schtick and it’s not fair to the person depended on. Been there, done that, and the t-shirt wasn’t worth it! John Cougar Mellencamp or whatever he’s calling himself these days also has a couple of songs which, while they’re not exactly creepy, they do bother me. Specifically, “Hurt So Good” and “I Want a Lover Who Won’t Drive Me Crazy”, a case of a good instrumental ruined by obnoxious lyrics. Tell you what, Johnny boy. I’ll cut to the chase and “just go away.” CJ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ordinary-songs-that-no-one-notices-are-actually-creepy/233639.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ordinary-songs-that-no-one-notices-are-actually-creepy/233639.md?page=3)