# Real Meanings Behind Pop Songs

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-meanings-behind-pop-songs/57689>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [March 12, 2001, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-meanings-behind-pop-songs/57689 "2001-03-12T19:06:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 9

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**Author:** ![ThisYearsGirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@ThisYearsGirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisYearsGirl)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2001, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-meanings-behind-pop-songs/57689/161 "2001-05-12T18:52:55Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Katisha \*  
> \*\*Actually, I thought of another one – what is it that Meat Loaf won’t do for love, anyway? \*\*

This one’s actually quite easy. Look at the pattern of the lyrics [http://www.thewolflair.com/misc/lyrics/meatloaf/i’d\_do\_anything\_for\_love.html](http://www.thewolflair.com/misc/lyrics/meatloaf/i'd_do_anything_for_love.html) Meatloaf lists things he would do for love (“I’d run right into hell and back”), but than adds something else, such as “But I’ll never forget the way you feel right now, oh no, no way,” as the thing he will never do.

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**Author:** ![domina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/96bed5/32.png) [@domina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/domina)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2001, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-meanings-behind-pop-songs/57689/162 "2001-05-12T19:55:10Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by katiekilldare \*  
> \*\*Is U2’s **The Unforgettable Fire** supposed to be about Nuclear Holocaust? I suppose the phrase “Unforgettable Fire” certainly fits with that idea… I’d just heard this on MTV, but it never ever occurred to me all the dozens of times I’ve sung this song at the top of my lungs in the car. \*\*

Apparently the idea (and the name) came from an exhibit on Hiroshima. So it has something to do with an atomic attack, but I don’t know about an entire holocaust.

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**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2001, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-meanings-behind-pop-songs/57689/163 "2001-05-12T23:17:34Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by bdgr \*  
> \*\*
> 
> > [@](#):
> >
> > \*Originally posted by DKW \*  
> > **Turning Japanese - Well, there’s this guy. And he sees a picture of a beautiful woman. And he’s so enchanted by her that he’d do anything to meet her. That’s pretty much it. I have no reason to believe that “Turning Japanese” refers to any specific act (and even then, _must_ you assume that it’s LITERAL??).**
> 
> The phrase “Turning Japanese” is slang for for having an orgasm, even before the song came out. It referes to the facial expression(somewhat racist, but that’s what it means).
> 
> \*\*

Interesting. The widely accepted interpretation I’ve heard is that “Turning Japanese” is about masturbation.

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**Author:** ![Katisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bcef8e/32.png) [@Katisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katisha)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2001, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-meanings-behind-pop-songs/57689/164 "2001-05-12T23:30:02Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by ThisYearsGirl \*  
> \*\*This one’s actually quite easy. Look at the pattern of the lyrics [http://www.thewolflair.com/misc/lyrics/meatloaf/i’d\_do\_anything\_for\_love.html](http://www.thewolflair.com/misc/lyrics/meatloaf/i'd_do_anything_for_love.html) Meatloaf lists things he would do for love (“I’d run right into hell and back”), but than adds something else, such as “But I’ll never forget the way you feel right now, oh no, no way,” as the thing he will never do. \*\*

_light bulb goes on_

Of course! Thanks, ThisYearsGirl. 🙂

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**Author:** ![eunoia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eunoia/32/97_2.png) [@eunoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eunoia)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2001, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-meanings-behind-pop-songs/57689/165 "2001-05-13T21:59:59Z")

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Great thread! It’s always interesting to see people discuss the ambiguities in art, whether Beaudelaire, Hal Hartley films or the _metafora di decettione_ of Baroque theoricians.  
This being said, I crack up laughing every time I see Texas republicans at a football game bopping to YMCA by The Village People.

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