- 1 year ago
Think you know what your favorite 80s hits are really about? Think again! Join us as we reveal the surprising true meanings behind iconic songs you've been misinterpreting for decades. From seemingly innocent love songs that are actually about stalkers to patriotic anthems that criticize America, these classics aren't what they seem at first listen!
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00:00Me and some guys from school
00:02Had a band and we tried real hard
00:06Welcome to WatchMojo
00:08And today we're counting down our picks for the tunes with the most misunderstood lyrical messages
00:12My ears fightin' by last
00:16Number 20, Physical, Olivia Newton-John
00:21You know how those Kidz Bop albums often make even the raunchiest tunes fun for the whole family?
00:25I'm sayin' all the things that I know you're a lie
00:28Make a good conversation
00:31Physical by Olivia Newton-John is somewhat similar
00:35In that the tune used to be associated just as often with fitness as it was with, well, you know, what it's actually about
00:41I've been patient, I've been good
00:44Tried to keep my hands on the table
00:47It's not as if Physical doesn't utilize every double entendre in the book
00:51While also possessing a fairly obvious music video
00:54Still, that didn't stop some outlets from selling Olivia Newton-John's song
00:58As some sort of ode to feeling great and looking great
01:01Let's get physical, physical
01:04The singer herself even revealed to Woman's Day how she didn't even make the connection back in the day
01:10Let me find out
01:12Number 19, Don't You Forget About Me, Simple Minds
01:16It's one of the most poignantly beautiful songs from the 1980s
01:19But Don't You Forget About Me isn't about a romantic breakup
01:28Heck, Simple Minds didn't even want to record this song for the Breakfast Club soundtrack
01:32And actively distanced themselves from it after the studio sessions were finished
01:36Simple Minds vocalist Jim Kerr told The Guardian about how they, quote,
01:43Couldn't give a toss about teenage American school kids
01:45And also how the song's power chords were conceived to parody, quote,
01:48Typical American AOR rock
01:50Yet to this day, Don't You Forget About Me strikes a melancholic chord within most listeners
02:00Despite its lyrical origins originating from schoolyard subdivisions rather than romantic love
02:05Number 18, Everybody Wants To Rule The World, Tears For Fears
02:16You just have to respect a song that continues to receive reappraisal and discussion 40 years after its initial release
02:22Everybody Wants To Rule The World has been called everything from a Cold War anthem by The Economist
02:35To national reviews claim that the song was a conservative one
02:38Band members Kurt Smith and Roland Orzabal have gone on record stating how
02:45Everybody Wants To Rule The World comments about corruption, desire and control
02:49Meanwhile, some fans still feel the tune is discussing world domination on a literal level
02:58Ultimately, this is yet another reason why the song and Tears For Fears are so freaking good
03:04Number 17, Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This, Eurythmics
03:14A lot of things probably come to mind when most music fans hear Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This by Eurythmics
03:19The iconic Marilyn Manson cover version is probably up there, but the lyrical content isn't likely far behind
03:32There isn't really anything particularly sweet about this song's subject matter, which warns against idealism in a world where those dreams can easily be dashed
03:43Sweet dreams are made of this knows that people will be people
03:51And chasing those dreams can only take you so far should human nature get in the way
03:55Everybody is looking for something
03:58Number 16, Don't Stop Believin'
04:01Journey, it's a tale as old as time
04:04A young person from the country moves to the big city with big dreams and aspirations
04:15Then reality comes crashing down
04:17And that initial optimism is replaced by cynicism about how the world works
04:21And why we dream about anything in the first place
04:23Don't Stop Believin' by Journey actually does include some of this sentiment within its lyrics
04:34Although the tune's melodicism tends to overshadow this fact
04:37Don't Stop Believin' isn't a hopeless song
04:47But its story of small-town boys and girls doesn't omit the struggles and heartbreak that can occur along the way
04:53Don't Stop Believin'
04:57Number 15, Billie Jean, Michael Jackson
04:59We can't fault the average pop radio fan for hearing a song with a person's name in the title
05:04And automatically connecting a few thematic lines
05:06She was more like the vividly queen from a movie scene
05:10That said, Billie Jean is most definitely not a love song or an ode to the titular character
05:15Instead, this Michael Jackson classic comments about how sex can often come easy to famous people
05:27And about how there will always be those out there seeking to capitalize upon this fact
05:31The Billie Jean in Jackson's song has brought a child into the world
05:35And is seeking paternity support from the singer
05:37Jackson's protagonist, in the meantime, maintains that the kid is not my son
05:44It's about lies and deception, not romance
05:47Number 14, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, Cyndi Lauper
05:55It's wild how much Girls Just Wanna Have Fun has changed over the years
05:59The original tune by Robert Hazard was initially written without much in mind other than sex
06:11Fast forward to Cyndi Lauper's cover of the tune
06:13And you have an entirely different kettle of fish
06:16The lyrics to Lauper's version have largely been seen as a forward-thinking commentary
06:27About feminism and the unfair patriarchal constraints upon women
06:31This is a modern interpretation, however, with some back in 83 associating it more with Lauper's connection
06:43With the WWF's rock and wrestling connection
06:46In other words, it was seen more as a lightweight pop song performed by an unusual singer
06:51Rather than the anthem it is today
06:52Number 13, Dancing With Myself
06:58Billy Idol with Generation X
07:00The medium of music video can often influence how we analyze a song and its lyrical content
07:05Texas Chainsaw Massacre director Toby Hooper's clip for Billy Idol's Dancing With Myself
07:15Feels ripped out of a post-apocalyptic hellscape from the Mad Max universe
07:18This feels more in line with the tune's actual lyrical intent from Idol
07:28Who told Rolling Stone Dancing With Myself was about disenfranchised 80s youth
07:32Conversely, many music fans at the time and today instead see the song in a more prurient light
07:43Taking the Dancing With Myself line to be something more akin to a solo sexual act
07:47Number 12, Luca, Suzanne Vega
07:56Sometimes a song's beauty can work against it
08:04The production and arrangement of Luca by Suzanne Vega practically sparkle with life
08:09Making it a highly melodic piece that sounds like a million bucks
08:12This perhaps has influenced why the darkness within the song's actual lyrics falls by the wayside
08:20Luca is actually about the harrowing and violent family life endured by the title protagonist
08:24Listeners are required to focus intently upon Vega's powerful lyrics in order to wean this information out
08:38Which can admittedly be tough to do when the musicality is this engaging
08:42That said, doing so blends the beauty of Luca with a sour flavor that's challenging to swallow
08:47But ultimately necessary
08:48Number 11, Total Eclipse of the Heart, Turn Around, Bonnie Tyler
08:56To quote Maxwell Smart, Bonnie Tyler fans
09:06Missed it by that much
09:08Or at least they missed the mark when it came to analyzing lyrics from Tyler's smash hit Total Eclipse of the Heart
09:15Because the tune is a love song, just not in a traditional sense
09:19Total Eclipse of the Heart was actually intended by its songwriter Jim Steinman
09:30To be used in a musical about Nosferatu
09:32This is why lyrics like
09:33Forever's Gonna Start Tonight and
09:35Your Love is Like a Shadow feel tailor-made for a gothic undead romance
09:39Yet most of us completely ignore these little details
09:48Well, at least prior to today
09:50Now we can't unhear them
09:51And you won't be able to either
09:53You're welcome
09:53Number 10, Don't You Want Me, The Human League
10:03We all like catchy songs, right?
10:05Driving around and singing along without a care in the world
10:07You were working as a waitress in a cocktail bar
10:11When I met you
10:14Don't You Want Me by The Human League
10:16Definitely feels like one of those songs where the chorus is just so big and memorable
10:20That the lyrics admittedly kind of fall by the wayside
10:22Don't, don't you want me
10:25You know I can't believe it
10:28When I hear that you won't see me
10:30This is a shame because closer analysis reveals that this otherwise simple song
10:35About a character wanting another to reciprocate his desires for romantic reconciliation
10:39Is actually much more sinister
10:40You think you've changed your mind?
10:43You'd better change it back or we will both be sorry
10:47The verses act as not-so-thinly-veiled threats from the protagonist
10:50Against a woman who is now successful and out of his control
10:54This makes Don't You Want Me feel more like a gaslighter or stalker anthem
10:58Than anything remotely sympathetic
10:59Number 9
11:04Turning Japanese, The Vapors
11:06Get your collective minds out of the gutter, people
11:08And also out of the cultural appropriation while we're at it
11:15Although that is admittedly a pretty tall order when it comes to turning Japanese by The Vapors
11:19The accompanying video utilizes every Asian stereotype in the book
11:23While lyrical analysis of turning Japanese has historically been a very lazy
11:27It's about self-gratification and that's it sort of deal
11:35Instead, The Vapors David Fenton has admitted in outlets such as The Guardian and Songwriting Magazine
11:40That the chorus really doesn't mean anything
11:42Other than being catchy
11:48Instead, Turning Japanese is a breakup song
11:50About pining and obsessing over pictures or memories about an ex during those earliest days of pain
11:55Number 8
12:00The song is called The One I Love
12:05How can this one not be a love song, right?
12:07This one goes out to the one I love
12:11And in 1987, Michael Stipe told Rolling Stone that
12:16It's probably better that they just think it's a love song at this point
12:19However, while the song is relatively light on lyrics, most of them are anything but loving
12:25This one goes out to the one I've left behind
12:31In reference to the titular One I Love, Stipe refers to, quote,
12:36A simple prop to occupy my time
12:38As he said in a different interview at the time, quote,
12:41It's very clear that it's about using people over and over again
12:45So basically, you might want to think twice before you add this to your Spotify romantic playlist
12:50Number 7
12:56There She Goes, The Laws
12:58With lyrics referencing the she in the song's title as
13:01Racing through my brain, pulsing through my vein, and no one else could heal my pain
13:06It's no surprise that many have interpreted the song to be about struggles with substance use
13:11And given the reputation of the prime mover of The Laws, Lee Mavers
13:18All the pieces seemed to fit together perfectly
13:21And that assumption was incredibly widespread when the song became a hit
13:24But here's the thing
13:29Mavers and other members of the band have consistently denied that the song has anything to do with that
13:34Nor does Mavers' personal history at the time of its recording
13:37So we'll take him at his word
13:39Number 6
13:44Hallelujah, Leonard Cohen
13:46Hallelujah is overflowing with religious reference from King David to Samson
13:58Despite the divine nature of the song, the oft-repeated hallelujah is not intended to express worship
14:04But rather deep pain from a man who has experienced love turned sour
14:08Every single breath that we drew was hallelujah
14:14Each hallelujah is spoken a little more tongue-in-cheek with tragic love stories
14:20Such as David's romantic encounter with Bathsheba interwoven throughout
14:24There's a reason the song remains so relevant today
14:27As it embodies the sensation of great sorrow so profoundly
14:31Despite lyrics suggesting adoration and exaltation upon first impression
14:35Number 5
14:43Summer of 69
14:45Bryan Adams
14:46Boy, that's a five and done
14:49We all know that guy in high school who couldn't go without making a low-hanging sexual joke
14:54Anytime someone mentioned the number 69
14:56It turns out that Bryan Adams' nostalgic rock classic
14:59Was never reminiscent of that final summer of the 60s
15:02As Adams would have only been 10 at the time
15:05Bryan has gone on to admit that the musical experiences are merely filler
15:15And that the intended meaning is to detail a summer full of lots and lots of sex
15:20A lot of people think it's about a year but actually it's more about making love in the summertime
15:24It turns out this time around, immature high school guy was right
15:28And the most obvious of innuendos slipped right under our noses
15:32Number 4
15:40In the air tonight
15:41Phil Collins
15:42Allegedly, Phil Collins wrote this song after witnessing someone drown while another man refused to help
15:54While this would certainly add layers to Collins' character
15:56It begs several questions
15:58Namely, if Collins saw this all happen
16:09Why couldn't he just jump in and save his friend?
16:11It turns out he was actually expressing his emotions during a devastating divorce
16:15He intended to vent his sporadic anger towards the situation
16:28Without really giving the song an exact direction
16:31It's now considered one of the greatest songs of all time
16:34And likely one of the few examples of divorce leading to a financial gain
16:38Number 3
16:46Like a Virgin
16:47Madonna
16:47If the guys in Reservoir Dogs are any indication as to public perception of this song
16:58It's safe to say most people think it's about, well, sex
17:01She's feeling something she feels this fast
17:03But Madonna cleared this up in the most remarkable fashion
17:07Sending director Quentin Tarantino an autograph
17:09Exclaiming that the song is, quote,
17:11About love
17:12Written by songwriter Billy Steinberg
17:21It compares the feeling of emotional destruction after a relationship
17:25With the shiny new feeling of falling in love again
17:27At this point, we're at a loss whether our minds are in the gutter
17:36Or we're painfully naive
17:38Either way, the double meaning of this song has surely helped it become one of her biggest hits ever
17:43With seemingly loving lyrics and a catchy guitar hook
17:58This song sounds like it belongs at a wedding reception or a school dance
18:01However, the song is actually about a stalker
18:10And the lyrics make no mistakes about this
18:12Every move you make
18:15They actually say the words
18:17Every bone you break, I'll be watching you
18:20And that's not even the creepy bit
18:21It's best not to analyze this one too much
18:24Every smile you fake
18:26Every claim you speak
18:28I'll be watching you
18:30The focal image of the music video is a window washer
18:33While the girl in question never once even makes an appearance
18:37What may have started as a pleasant toe-tapper kind of makes you want to take a shower
18:41When you realize what it's all about
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19:01This essential 4th of July power ballad likely conjures up images of fireworks, American flags and freedom
19:21It's truly an iconic song of patriotism
19:24Until you realize that Bruce Springsteen basically spends the entire song criticizing America
19:33With respect to how working class veterans of the Vietnam War were treated
19:37Starting out, the song recounts the story of a man born dirt poor and constantly in trouble
19:50He then goes off to war, and things just get worse from there
19:53I'm a mom, gone daddy, I'm a USA
19:57And I'm born in a USA
20:01All the while, the ever-popular chorus is repeated again and again
20:05It's hard to believe that this song is played right next to the likes of God Bless the USA
20:10When its message could not be any more different
20:13Which era of music do you feel had the most amount of misunderstood songs?
20:25Let us know in the comments
20:26Hey, I just said I like to listen to it
20:28No, no, no, no, there's a difference between hearing and listening
20:31Did you enjoy this video?
20:33Check out these other clips from WatchMojo
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20:43I'll see you next time
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