# please explain this song to me
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-this-song-to-me/522301
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [December 23, 2009, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-this-song-to-me/522301 "2009-12-23T06:18:03Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@trapezoidal\_jellyfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trapezoidal_jellyfish)
#### Post date: [December 23, 2009, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-this-song-to-me/522301/1 "2009-12-23T06:18:03Z")
the song is “Bad Day” by Daniel Powter. Lyrics are below. I can tell from the music that it’s supposed to be somewhat melancholic, but what’s the message? is it “yeah, life stinks sometimes, deal with it and stop whining” or is it more like “yeah, life stinks sometimes, let me give you a hug?”
link to song on [youtube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmNTAvnSais)
lyrics:
Where is the moment we needed the most
You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost
They tell me your blue skies fade to gray
They tell me your passion’s gone away
And I don’t need no carryin’ on
[snip]
Cause you had a bad day
You’re taking one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around
You say you don’t know
You tell me don’t lie
You work at a smile and you go for a ride
You had a bad day
You’ve seen what you like
And how does it feel for one more time
You had a bad day
You had a bad day
---
### Author:  [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)
#### Post date: [December 23, 2009, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-this-song-to-me/522301/2 "2009-12-23T06:47:28Z")
I cannot explain it, because I cannot _stand_ it. The singer’s voice rubs my nerves worse than nails on a chalkboard. If I hear it on the radio, I jab the button for another station as quickly as I possibly can.
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### Author:  [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)
#### Post date: [December 23, 2009, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-this-song-to-me/522301/3 "2009-12-23T13:29:40Z")
**trapezoidal jellyfish** , please don’t post the entire lyrics to a song. From our rules:
> [@\*\*\*\* Forum Rules: PLEASE READ! \*\*\*\*](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forum-rules-please-read/329913/2):
>
> Our sponsor, the Chicago READER, has a strict policy on respecting copyrights and copyrighted material. They don’t want their stuff used by others without permission, and so we don’t use stuff created by others without permission. Basically, The policy is : don’t do it.
>
> It is okay to post a small snippet of song lyrics or poems or whatever, and include a link to another site which contains the complete text. But posting any material completely and verbatim is a violation of our rules and a potential violation of copyright laws.
I have left the first verse and the last chorus of the lyrics you posted. If you’d like to link to the full lyrics elsewhere, feel free to do so.
Thanks for your cooperation.
twickster, Cafe Society moderator
---
### Author:  [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)
#### Post date: [December 23, 2009, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-this-song-to-me/522301/4 "2009-12-23T13:41:36Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#):
>
> I cannot explain it, because I cannot _stand_ it. The singer’s voice rubs my nerves worse than nails on a chalkboard. If I hear it on the radio, I jab the button for another station as quickly as I possibly can.
Glad I’m not the only one. I don’t know why, perhaps the repetition of a facile and uninteresting phrase in the chorus, but I find it to be absolutely the most annoying song I’ve ever heard. I hate hate hate the damn thing. I’d rather listen to James Blunt.
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### Author:  [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)
#### Post date: [December 23, 2009, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-this-song-to-me/522301/5 "2009-12-23T13:54:42Z")
Here’s my informal theory, based on “what my Mom hears.” My Mom tends to only hear the the chorus of songs, and even then when she hears them she tends to think that they’re either sad or uplifting based on the melody. So when she hears this song (or others like it) her thought process probably goes something like this; “Yes! i DID have a bad day, but I’m gonna turn it around!” and honestly that’s all she ever gets from the song. I know because I asked her.
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### Author:  [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)
#### Post date: [December 23, 2009, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-this-song-to-me/522301/6 "2009-12-23T14:34:10Z")
> [@Cuckoorex](#):
>
> Here’s my informal theory, based on “what my Mom hears.” My Mom tends to only hear the the chorus of songs, and even then when she hears them she tends to think that they’re either sad or uplifting based on the melody. So when she hears this song (or others like it) her thought process probably goes something like this; “Yes! i DID have a bad day, but I’m gonna turn it around!” and honestly that’s all she ever gets from the song. I know because I asked her.
Speaking as one who’s never heard this song before, the lyrics don’t seem to make any sense. But sort of vaguely-generically-uncritically I think your informal theory is what we’re supposed to get from it.