They used
The ides of March by Vehicle
to sell cars. :eek:
I’m a friendly stranger in the black Sedan
Won’t you hop inside my car?
I got pictures, got candy
I’m a lovable man
And I can take you to the nearest star
And it’s definitely not a Christmas song! It’s more appropriate for Easter.
“There She Goes” by the La’s, and later Sixpence None The Richer, is also about heroin.
And y’all knew I was gonna say it:
“More Than Words” by Extreme
Don’t you mean “Vehicle” by the Ides of March?
Kinda surprised Extreme’s “More Than Words” hasn’t been brought up yet. The lyrics are clearly saying “you are so emotionally distant, I don’t think I can be with you anymore, this is your last chance.” But people think it’s a sweet love song.
Yes but the tone of the song matters. It’s written and sung like an anthem. It’s probably supposed to be ironic but you can’t really be surprised when it gets misinterpreted. imagine hearing the song for the first time on the radio. What’s going to stick with you? The verses which you have to really listen to or the catchy chorus repeated over and over.
Born in the USA and Vehicle have both been mentioned, but we can add “Fortunate Son” as an unfortunate choice for a commercial. These were all only misinterpreted by the advertiser, hence generations of fun. I suspect the ad folk of the day were laughing up their sleeves.
As for the Prine controversy, trust the tale, not the teller.
“Being misinterpreted” is not the same as “bullshit,” which is what you called. Like Revolution #9, a song that needs to be listened to rather than just bopped along to is a cut above the rest.
I do remember a local radio station advertising an “I Don’t Like Mondays” contest. But it was never run and I suspect they finally figured out what the song was about.
A school shooting.
No word on whether a stapler is involved (damn autocorrect!)
In other words, you’re admitting now that it was MISINTERPRETED. Springsteen intended the meaning of the song to be what he wrote, not how it was MISINTERPRETED.
When I read his autobiography I was a bit surprised at just how hard an early life he had. I figured he was probably lower middle class, but he often had no heat in his house in a NJ winter, and other hardships I’m not remembering now.
Another classic - “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”. Sort of misunderstood. Anyway you slice it the song is a drug trip, but Lennon maintained until his dying day that he didn’t title it to spell out LSD. I think he was bullshitting about that.
And then there’s “Hey Man Nice Shot” by Filter which most people - myself included - interpreted as a dark tribute to Kurt Kobain when it was actually about Philadelphia State Treasurer R. Budd Dwyer who committed suicide on live TV in 1987.
In case you never heard it before, here’s the original version. It was seriously considered for Springsteen’s folkish album “Nebraska”, but shelved until the much more bombastic version on “Born in the USA”.
I remember a clip of Dubya at a campaign rally entering to Fortunate Son.
What’s all this about “Every Breath You Take” being about a stapler? Good Christ, I’ve been misinterpreting that song for decades!
:smack::smack::smack::smack::smack::smack::smack:
You’d be shocked by how many innocent-sounding songs are really about stapling. I used to think “Happy Together” by The Turtles was a love song. I was so naive…
Jesus…and “Come Together.” Lennon was more into office supplies than I ever thought.
Was “American Woman” by The Guess Who about staplers?
As an American, I recall it was covered by Lenny Kravitz, and used to sell jeans, even though it is pretty clearly disdainful of its title subject.
I did, spoilered in post #43.
I’ve always interpreted it, as have a lot of other people, as a guy telling his SO that she’s history if she doesn’t have sex with him.