# What are some songs written from the cheating, scumbags viewpoint? Romantic infidelity at its best. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 29, 2014, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-songs-written-from-the-cheating-scumbags-viewpoint-romantic-infidelity-at-its-best/689543 "2014-05-29T05:23:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-songs-written-from-the-cheating-scumbags-viewpoint-romantic-infidelity-at-its-best/689543/81 "2014-05-30T00:20:43Z")
> [@Octarine](#): > > My favorite disguised break-up song is “It Ain’t Me, Babe,” by Bob Dylan. He spends the whole time talking about how he’s never going to be around for her if she needs him, then, slipped in so innocently you could miss it, is: Except that there is nothing at all in the song to say that they were together, either at the time the song is sung or ever. They might have been, but the lyrics leave the issue open. The lyrics are entirely compatible with the singer being stalked by someone he has never been interested in, or been with. They are also compatible with the singer having broken up with someone who refuses to let go. > [@astorian](#): > > REM’s “The One I Love” is a song notifying the singer’s wife or girlfriend that he’s been cheating on her. How so? ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-songs-written-from-the-cheating-scumbags-viewpoint-romantic-infidelity-at-its-best/689543/82 "2014-05-30T00:51:40Z")
> [@zombywoof](#): > > Robert Cray’s “[Strong Persuader](http://www.oldielyrics.com/lyrics/robert_cray/right_next_door_because_of_me.html)” is told from the point of view of the “other man”. Pretty much \*\*\*all \*\*\*of Robert Cray’s songs are about being a cheater! ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-songs-written-from-the-cheating-scumbags-viewpoint-romantic-infidelity-at-its-best/689543/83 "2014-05-30T01:17:09Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > Pretty much \*\*\*all \*\*\*of Robert Cray’s songs are about being a cheater! Well, they are about women cheating because they are unable to resist his irresistable studliness that cannot be resisted… I enjoy his guitar but his lyrics are monotone and tastless and make him sound a complete jerk. ---
**Author:** ![fuchsiagroan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9de0a6/32.png) [@fuchsiagroan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fuchsiagroan)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-songs-written-from-the-cheating-scumbags-viewpoint-romantic-infidelity-at-its-best/689543/84 "2014-05-30T01:21:20Z")
Tegan and Sara’s The Con (they have several like this). Sunset Rubdown the men are called horsemen there ---
**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-songs-written-from-the-cheating-scumbags-viewpoint-romantic-infidelity-at-its-best/689543/85 "2014-05-30T02:05:48Z")
I’m not sure about _If I Fell_ but there’s always _Norwegian Wood._ ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-songs-written-from-the-cheating-scumbags-viewpoint-romantic-infidelity-at-its-best/689543/86 "2014-05-30T02:10:45Z")
> [@Weedy](#): > > I’m not sure about _If I Fell_ but there’s always _Norwegian Wood._ Huh? Who is cheating on whom in “Norwegian Wood?” I just sang the lyrics in my head and don’t see any indication of infidelity on either party’s behalf. “If I fell” is clearly at least someone contemplating cheating on, or at least leaving a current lover for perceived greener pastures. ---
**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 30, 2014, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-songs-written-from-the-cheating-scumbags-viewpoint-romantic-infidelity-at-its-best/689543/87 "2014-05-30T02:20:28Z")
It’s not explicit in the lyrics, but in “Norwegian Wood” Lennon (then married) is singing in an oblique way about his real life affairs with exotic women he would meet. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-songs-written-from-the-cheating-scumbags-viewpoint-romantic-infidelity-at-its-best/689543/88 "2014-05-30T02:28:00Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > It’s not explicit in the lyrics, but in “Norwegian Wood” Lennon (then married) is singing in an oblique way about his real life affairs with exotic women he would meet. Yeah, but he crawled off to sleep in the bath. ---
**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 30, 2014, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-songs-written-from-the-cheating-scumbags-viewpoint-romantic-infidelity-at-its-best/689543/89 "2014-05-30T02:31:15Z")
You don’t know everything that might have happened before that. She said that she worked in the morning – my guess is that she didn’t allow him to sleep in her bed after sex because she wanted some restful sleep. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-songs-written-from-the-cheating-scumbags-viewpoint-romantic-infidelity-at-its-best/689543/90 "2014-05-30T02:31:26Z")
Rihanna - Unfaithful “I don’t wanna do this anymore I don’t wanna be the reason why Every time I walk out the door I see him die a little more inside I don’t wanna hurt him anymore I don’t wanna take away his life I don’t wanna be A murderer” ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-songs-written-from-the-cheating-scumbags-viewpoint-romantic-infidelity-at-its-best/689543/91 "2014-05-30T02:33:17Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > You don’t know everything that might have happened before that. She said that she worked in the morning – my guess is that she didn’t allow him to sleep in her bed after sex because she wanted some restful sleep. “We talked until 2:00 and then she said, it’s time for bed.” How else can you interpret this? ---
**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-songs-written-from-the-cheating-scumbags-viewpoint-romantic-infidelity-at-its-best/689543/92 "2014-05-30T02:36:46Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Huh? Who is cheating on whom in “Norwegian Wood?” I just sang the lyrics in my head and don’t see any indication of infidelity on either party’s behalf. > > “If I fell” is clearly at least someone contemplating cheating on, or at least leaving a current lover for perceived greener pastures. Lennon said he was being deliberately obscure with the lyrics so that his wife wouldn’t realise what he was talking about, but that the song was about his having an affair. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-songs-written-from-the-cheating-scumbags-viewpoint-romantic-infidelity-at-its-best/689543/93 "2014-05-30T02:49:01Z")
I know the story of the song; I’m a huge Beatles fan. There’s nothing in the song itself that alludes to infidelity though: the singer doesn’t mention that he has a wife or girlfriend; the girl doesn’t appear to have a boyfriend or husband; and they don’t even sleep together after drinking some wine. ---
**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 30, 2014, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-songs-written-from-the-cheating-scumbags-viewpoint-romantic-infidelity-at-its-best/689543/94 "2014-05-30T02:50:25Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > “We talked until 2:00 and then she said, it’s time for bed.” > > How else can you interpret this? They “Talked” until two. The type of talking that happens while you fuck. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-songs-written-from-the-cheating-scumbags-viewpoint-romantic-infidelity-at-its-best/689543/95 "2014-05-30T03:06:14Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > They “Talked” until two. The type of talking that happens while you fuck. See above. ---
**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-songs-written-from-the-cheating-scumbags-viewpoint-romantic-infidelity-at-its-best/689543/96 "2014-05-30T03:07:56Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > “If I Fell” - Beatles I once heard that played at a wedding. Everyone else was talking about what a beautiful song it was, while I gave a giant mental :smack:. > [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > Eh…taking the whole song rather than just the last verse, it’s more like he’s planning to leave his current (apparently cheating) girlfriend for a girl he thinks might treat him better. Vis: ‘If I fell in love with you, would you promise to be true?’, ‘I must be sure from the very start that you would love me more than her’, ‘don’t hurt my pride like her’. True, but he’s also treating the girl he’s singing to as a pawn in his game of trying to make the original girlfriend feel bad. The “and that she will cry/when she learns we are two” part makes it clear that his thought process is, “HA! She’s SO going to cry when she finds out I’ve moved on! I can’t wait to see her stupid face when she sees me with . . . with . . . sorry, what was your name again?” > [@Princhester](#): > > Except that there is nothing at all in the song to say that they were together, either at the time the song is sung or ever. They might have been, but the lyrics leave the issue open. The lyrics are entirely compatible with the singer being stalked by someone he has never been interested in, or been with. They are also compatible with the singer having broken up with someone who refuses to let go. This is a good point - it’s not really clear that he’s the one in the wrong. But something about the way he phrases why he’s not “the one” makes it sound to me like he’s breaking a long list of promises he once made. Or maybe I just prefer the scumbag interpretation. 😃 One more song - [“South of the Border”](http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/franksinatra/southoftheborder.html). I’m thinking of the Sinatra version; the one you listen to really changes the tone of the song, as some sing it in third person, while others take the role of the cheater (I feel as though a while ago I heard a female singer do it from the role of the deserted, but I could be imagining that). In terms of the awfulness of the singer, it scores pretty high - he goes into detail about how he left his girlfriend waiting at the altar, praying for him to show up in her wedding dress. As an explanation - “Hey, it was Mexico!” :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-songs-written-from-the-cheating-scumbags-viewpoint-romantic-infidelity-at-its-best/689543/97 "2014-05-30T03:21:35Z")
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW2EZ0Fvdpc](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW2EZ0Fvdpc) _Sneakin Sally Thru the Alley_ ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-songs-written-from-the-cheating-scumbags-viewpoint-romantic-infidelity-at-its-best/689543/98 "2014-05-30T03:53:04Z")
The Minus 5’s “[Aw Shit Man](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDhfmzIr3go).” _I’m gonna be an asshole for the rest of my life, aw shit man. I’ll never be forgiven by my daughter and wife, aw shit man._ ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-songs-written-from-the-cheating-scumbags-viewpoint-romantic-infidelity-at-its-best/689543/99 "2014-05-30T04:01:14Z")
Stone Temple Pilots’ “Sex Type Thing” is sung from the point of view of a date rapist. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-songs-written-from-the-cheating-scumbags-viewpoint-romantic-infidelity-at-its-best/689543/100 "2014-05-30T04:16:19Z")
> [@Octarine](#): > > This is a good point - it’s not really clear that he’s the one in the wrong. But something about the way he phrases why he’s not “the one” makes it sound to me like he’s breaking a long list of promises he once made. Or maybe I just prefer the scumbag interpretation. This may or may not be a reflection on me and my life experiences but I’d always taken it as her putting her expectations upon him. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-songs-written-from-the-cheating-scumbags-viewpoint-romantic-infidelity-at-its-best/689543.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-songs-written-from-the-cheating-scumbags-viewpoint-romantic-infidelity-at-its-best/689543.md?page=6)