Misunderstood songs

[PaulWarning]

I was listening to 5 live last night and they were on about misunderstood songs, they were talking about politicians using songs without actually understanding the lyrics, Ronald Regan used Springsteen's born in the USA without realising it's an anti American song.
Another one I know is Rocking in the Free World, it was used a lot when the Berlin Wall came down but it's actually an anti western culture song.
Anybody got any more?

[mikel]

"Please don't let me be misunderstood" by The Animals. I never understood that one.

[Daz39]

Every Breath You Take by The Police

[mikel]

[quote name='Daz39' timestamp='1505299856' post='3370808']
Every Breath You Take by The Police
[/quote]

Not sure how true, but I heard it was all related to the break up of his first marriage, and nothing to do with stalking, as some have implied.

[chris_b]

[quote name='Daz39' timestamp='1505299856' post='3370808']
Every Breath You Take by The Police
[/quote]

Sting said once he wrote that about all the bad things he did that caused the end of his first marriage. I've seen him give a different story since.

[Stylon Pilson]

The Birdie Song is actually a lot more deep than most people give it credit for.

S.P.

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

band of gold - especially when played at a wedding

[PaulWarning]

[quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' timestamp='1505300980' post='3370823']
band of gold - especially when played at a wedding
[/quote]yeah I've always understood that one, I heard it played at a wedding too, sat there with a smug grin on my face

[Japhet]

I think the BBC misunderstood Squeeze - Cool for Cats. After some of the stuff they banned I'm pretty sure they didn't get the connotations of the lyrics 'I'm invited in for coffee and I give the dog a bone'.

[squire5]

'3 Times a Lady'.A popular '1st waltz' request at weddings.Surely its a break-up song? "But now that we've come to the end of our rainbow" and "Thanks for the times that you gave to me,the memories are all in my mind"
Likewise ""Best of my Love" by the Eagles.Strange choices.Just goes to show,people dont listen to song lyrics often enough.They just hear one line and think 'Ah that'll do for my wedding'

[lowdown]

[quote name='squire5' timestamp='1505301985' post='3370837']
'3 Times a Lady'.A popular '1st waltz' request at weddings.Surely its a break-up song? "But now that we've come to the end of our rainbow" and "Thanks for the times that you gave to me,the memories are all in my mind"
Likewise ""Best of my Love" by the Eagles.Strange choices.Just goes to show,people dont listen to song lyrics often enough.They just hear one line and think 'Ah that'll do for my wedding'
[/quote]

'Three Times A Lady', explained by Lionel Richie.

http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7400313/lionel-richie-three-times-a-lady-songwriters-hall-fame-interview

Edited September 13, 2017 by lowdown

[Ashweb]

I've recently had to explain what Turning Japanese by The Vapours (I think) is really about. Entirely worth it just to see the shocked look on their face :-)

[fleabag]

Sex Type Thing - Stone Temple Pilots

It was anti macho man's view of women. Scott even had to explain it at a live gig to all those men he was singing about

[mikel]

[quote name='Ashweb' timestamp='1505306091' post='3370889']
I've recently had to explain what Turning Japanese by The Vapours (I think) is really about. Entirely worth it just to see the shocked look on their face :-)
[/quote]

Top notch. Almost forgot that one.

[mikel]

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1505301107' post='3370824']
yeah I've always understood that one, I heard it played at a wedding too, sat there with a smug grin on my face
[/quote]

You would think people would grasp it after the line "Since you've been gone, all that's left is a band of gold". But I realised quite early on how few people listen to the words of songs they claim to love.

[chris_b]

That's the power of a good tune.

[PaulWarning]

there's a few songs about w***ing that people don't get, Teenage Kicks is another

[Stylon Pilson]

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1505314688' post='3370974']
there's a few songs about w***ing that people don't get, Teenage Kicks is another
[/quote]

Yep, and [i]Gelatinous Ropes Of Curious Yogurt Splashing On My Stomach [/i]is another one. I've never understood why people so commonly use that for their first dance.

S.P.

[PaulWarning]

[quote name='Stylon Pilson' timestamp='1505315111' post='3370979']
Yep, and [i]Gelatinous Ropes Of Curious Yogurt Splashing On My Stomach [/i]is another one. I've never understood why people so commonly use that for their first dance.

S.P.
[/quote]oh yeah, Dancing with Myself is another

[ZilchWoolham]

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1505314688' post='3370974']
there's a few songs about w***ing that people don't get, Teenage Kicks is another
[/quote]
As a contrast, Whip It is popularly believed to be about masturbation, but is in fact not. There's a [i]handful[/i] of other Devo tracks which definitely are, though.

[Spoombung]

Robert Wyatt's gorgeous, romantic and beautiful 'Muddy Mouth' is all about masturbation... by his own admission.

[bonzodog]

When i used to do a neil diamond tribute many moons ago i was always surprised how many couples would get up and do a slow dance together when i sang love on the rocks!

Edited September 13, 2017 by bonzodog

[timmo]

You're Gorgeous - Babybird. Not the best wedding song

[squire5]

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1505314688' post='3370974']
there's a few songs about w***ing that people don't get, Teenage Kicks is another
[/quote]

The first was 'Pictures of Lily' by the Who.

[PaulWarning]

talking of the Who, Squeezebox, how the hell did/do they get with that one, did the BBC actually think it was about a musical instrument? they were probably the only ones that misunderstood those lyrics

Edited September 13, 2017 by PaulWarning