Discussion»Questions»Music» Sometimes we find out songs have a very different meaning than we all perceived. Will you please name a few you're aware of?
Not too sure about this ... songs as art should be treated as art.. n'est pas? Isn't the role of art to elicit a response in your emotions? As such does your response have to mirror the creator?
A happy song heard at times of a relationship breakup will not elicit the response the artist meant... but does it matter... ?
Hi Ozgirl and thank you for looking into my question. Yes. I agree with you about how we individually perceive them. We can take any group of words and rhythm and make them pleasing or disturbing based on our personal experiences. Sometimes, however, the grand majority of people who hear the words interrupt them entirely differently than why they were actually written. For example: "Sussidio", by Phil Collins, was not written for any specific women in his life, but rather, for a made up word that rhymed. "Every Breathe You Take" By The Police is about a stalker but hit top 10 on the charts for weeks. Sting was angry about the fact it was the furthest thing from a love song than he could written... Yes. You are right. It is all in how we, personally, perceive the artists art. Was it the meaning the artist was choosing to project? That would have been a better way to word the question. It was my first shot. See? I didn't communicate my question well. And it has led to clarifying. It's all very cool.
Nothing wrong with your question :)... it's just me being obtuse lol One of my favorites for getting the passion meter hitting the stops is Nesse Dorma from whatever opera its from ... but my understanding is is basically saying bring out you dead... or slaves...i forget which...
I can't think of songs off the top of my head, but there are songs I grew up with that sounded like a love story and it turns out it was a song about drugs. Then there were songs that everyone said it had to be about drugs and the artist would totally deny it. Go figure.
I hear ya PeaPod~ My husband and I look back and think about some songs that we absolutely loved and sung at the top of our lungs, proudly.... only to find out later they were about people getting high on drugs. I'm glad we aren't the only ones! Thanks PeaPod! You're not alone!! Big smiles!
This post was edited by Merlin at February 2, 2017 2:53 PM MST
I remember partying to Matchbox 20 songs back in the 90s and then later finding out that some of them were actually about Rob Thomas taking care of his mother while she had cancer. I still love those songs one's like 3am and Push, but I think of that album dfferently now.
Hi Workinprogress~ You have a great name... and especially for this question. You answered perfectly for how we perceive them and why they were written. It is a different journey through the songs we all love or loved as we grow and find out a little more about them. We are all a workinprogress, just like you! Thank you for your insight and thoughts!
This post was edited by Merlin at February 2, 2017 4:01 PM MST
There's a song.. it has rude lyrics.. and yes I knew that.. but being a little deaf I misheard some of the lyrics and kinda put a nicer spin on one of the characters motives within the song...that's cos I am clearly full love love and kindness :P
To back you up Dear DaydreambelieverTrumpDisbeliever~ you were my first friend here! I do believe you. It is always a kick in the teeth when a song you've been bellowing out for years, fully proud you knew all the words and could sing ON KEY turns out to be a disaster of a song that you would never have agreed with!!! You're awesome! Thank you for answering and being truthful! Big hugs!!
One thing is for sure, I am as Tone Deaf as they come. I can't carry a tune to save my soul!! I sound more like Janis Joplin than even she does and she CAN sing on Key! I do think it builds character Didge and a sense of humor, for sure! :) :)
One that comes to mind is Puff the Magic Dragon which many people believed was about the drug culture. The songwriter refuted that and said it was never his intention. I'm inclined to believe him.
Peter, Paul, and Mary were a group that I grew up with. I also heard it was about the drug circle and culture. When I was a kid and my parents played the album I'm sure that is not what I thought nor my parents. It's interesting to see how rumors are started and how it can change the whole meaning of an innocent song into a generation of misunderstandings. I wonder if it would have been as popular had it not had the drug enticement behind it? Personally, I like it both ways. But, I remember it as a children's bedtime song. :) :)
The song had been doing the rounds for a few years before anybody suggested the drug connection. There's always somebody who will look for the worst in anything.
Isn't that (for lack of a better word,) sick?? A lot of the Nursery Rhymes have really horrid backgrounds. The Grimm Brother stories are pretty Grim also. I've always wondered if their last name is why grim has the definition we gave it. Seems to make sense. What do you think?
Benedict Arnold 