00:06Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the darkest
00:09and most unconventional songs about romance.
00:25Before we continue, check out this single from SoundMojo's Aria,
00:28songs from Iran, reimagining Persian melodies as modern rock, metal, and pop songs.
00:34Check out the full track and album below.
00:51Number 10. I Wanna Fight Your Father, The Rubber Bandits.
00:55What do you do when you're forbidden from being with the one you love?
00:58Baby, you're so beautiful, I wanna be your man.
01:02While some would suggest simply taking it out with the one standing in your way,
01:06The Rubber Bandits have a much more straightforward solution.
01:08Cause I'm a black belt in karate, and a master of kung fu.
01:16In the aptly named I Wanna Fight Your Father, they explain all they'd do to secure the approval of their
01:21partner's dad.
01:21From promising to knock his teeth out, to claiming they'd steal from him, the lyrics are laced with threats of
01:26violence and crime.
01:32Yet, between the menacing promises are moments of sweetness that show why they wanna fight him in the first place.
01:38Though it seems brash and unapologetically fierce, it showcases some of the more intense emotions that come with falling in
01:44love.
01:44Number 9. Jupiter 4, Sharon Von Etten.
01:47It's easy to think of romantic songs as either traditional ballads or high energy bops.
01:55With its ominous, atmospheric production and eerie instrumental, Sharon Von Etten's Jupiter 4 sounds more like a dirge than it
02:02does a declaration of passion.
02:04The overall message, however, is much deeper.
02:12Over the synth-laden beat, the singer croons about how long she's waited to find someone so perfect, and how
02:18so many would give anything to form such a strong bond with another.
02:21The emotion in her voice and her hopeful lyrics serve as the perfect juxtaposition to the darker sound.
02:30It's a celebration of love, and a desperate plea for it to stay, making it one of the most unconventional,
02:36yet undeniably beautiful pieces in recent memory.
02:42Number 8. Somebody Else, The 1975.
02:46Though some may think romantic love lasts as long as the relationship it's found in, there's something to be said
02:51for those lingering feelings once it ends.
02:53So I heard you found somebody else.
03:01A past lover officially moving on can trigger those emotions all over again.
03:05No song captures that inner conflict better than Somebody Else by The 1975.
03:10This ain't the last time I don't see your face.
03:14Through a perfect blend of artful autotune and melancholic EDM production,
03:18Maddie Healy reflects on his former relationship, and how he's scared to move on the same way she has.
03:31It encapsulates the inner turmoil of hating seeing the one that got away with another person,
03:36while finding some comfort in knowing they found happiness.
03:38Though it's sad and unrequited, it's still about love at its core.
03:49Number 7. Maps, Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
03:52Pleading for a romantic connection with someone you're already dating is a feeling that many can unfortunately relate to.
03:57Maps by The Yeah Yeah Yeahs captures those messy feelings perfectly.
04:04Karen Oh's pleading lyrics are perfectly complemented by the intense, intentionally raw instrumental
04:10as she proclaims her love for her partner and begs for it to be returned.
04:17The wistful track is relatable to anyone vying for a stronger bond,
04:21whether it's due to distance, work, or other factors that prevent them from feeling truly connected with who they're dating.
04:32As the chorus intensifies, a wave of desperate emotion threatens to overwhelm the listener.
04:37It's a reminder of how hard it can be to maintain equal feelings of love.
04:43Number 6. Love Interruption, Jack White
04:46When singing about romance, many artists opt for a softer perspective, highlighting its best aspects.
04:51What often isn't shown are the self-sabotaging emotions that sometimes come with it.
05:00Jack White's Love Interruption is dedicated to showcasing the emotion in that light.
05:05The lyrics are biting and harsh,
05:07with White detailing how he wants love to impact his life so negatively that he avoids it altogether.
05:12I want love to walk right up and fight me.
05:17He viscerally describes how he wants it to cause him physical and emotional pain,
05:21all while insisting that he won't let it take control of his life.
05:24And I want love to change my friends to enemies.
05:28It paints love in a villainous light, while still acknowledging that he wants it on some level.
05:34It's a side that often isn't heard, but still cuts deep for those experiencing it.
05:44Number 5. In Spite of Ourselves, John Prine featuring Iris Dement
05:48Part of being in a long-term relationship is accepting and even learning to love your partner's quirks.
06:00John Prine and Iris Dement set out to capture that nuance with the duet In Spite of Ourselves.
06:05The verses are filled with what appear to be biting insults about each other's poor habits.
06:09However, each one is capped with a simple promise, that they will never let each other go.
06:20The chorus wraps everything up, saying how, despite all of those seemingly negative traits,
06:24they still appreciate one another.
06:32It's a level of playful banter a couple can only achieve when they feel truly comfortable.
06:36Above all else, it acknowledges that your partner may never be perfect, but that doesn't mean you love them any
06:41less.
06:43There won't be nothing but a big ol' heart if it's been alright.
06:48Number 4. Love Will Tear Us Apart, Joy Division.
06:51One of the most crushing aspects of romance is that it can always come to a bitter end.
07:02Even relationships that start out strong can burn bright and fast, before dwindling away into nothingness.
07:07Joy Division's Love Will Tear Us Apart describes how those negative feelings can fester until both partners are suffering from
07:13the weight of them.
07:21The heart-wrenching lyrics detail the growing resentment between frontman Ian Curtis and his wife,
07:26all while accompanied by a deceptively upbeat instrumental.
07:29It's a stark reminder that love isn't always permanent, and it slowly fading away can be just as painful as
07:34it suddenly ending.
07:42Through it all, however, the listener catches glimpses of regret that imply just how strong their bond used to be.
07:52Number 3. Pictures of You. The Cure.
07:54They're no stranger to an unconventional love song.
08:02While tracks like Friday I'm In Love utilize clever lyricism and a classic alt-rock sound to mask their romantic
08:08vibe,
08:08other Cure songs focus on more tragic aspects.
08:11Pictures of You sounds like a break-up track on the surface, but lurking just beneath lies the true message.
08:21It details the regret that comes after a relationship ends, and how photos become the only lingering reminders of it.
08:28The lyrics are a mix of genuine adoration for a former partner,
08:31and intense sadness that passion alone wasn't enough to keep them from leaving.
08:39It's a reminder that love doesn't always fade just because it ends, and how a simple memento can keep it
08:44burning long afterwards.
08:50Number 2. There is a light that never goes out. The Smiths.
08:53It's hard to imagine a tragic vehicular accident ever being associated with love.
08:57Take me out tonight.
09:02Yet, the Smiths manage to make it sound like the most romantic thing possible.
09:06Over a deceptively cheery instrumental, Morrissey croons about cherishing his partner so much
09:11that they could both die in a fiery crash, and he would be happy knowing their last moments on Earth
09:15were spent together.
09:16Under the double-decker bars, crashes into us.
09:24It's hard not to be swept up by the manic reverence found in the lyrics, or belt along with the
09:28singer,
09:29as he proclaims that dying by his lover's side would be ideal.
09:32To die by your side is such a heavenly way to die.
09:38While it doesn't sound like it, the track is teeming with unbridled joy and adoration.
09:47Number 1. Heart-Shaped Box. Nirvana.
09:50Love has a way of making even the most cutting art appear romantic.
10:01Between the constant pulsing guitar and abrasive lyricism, Nirvana's Heart-Shaped Box appears to be the antithesis of a classic
10:08ballad.
10:09Hey! Wait! I got a rhythm on me!
10:14Yet, beneath the grunge exterior lies a painfully vulnerable core.
10:18I've been locked inside your heart-shaped box for weeks.
10:25Kurt Cobain sings about romance in a way that feels purely visceral rather than truly happy.
10:30The intense, biting chorus comes across as the emotions of a man burned by a toxic relationship that he can't
10:36bring himself to end.
10:37I wish I could eat your cancer when you turn brown.
10:45Yet, despite the anger laced throughout, there are moments that betray how deep his love for her truly is.
10:51You're mine.
10:53What's your favorite unconventional love song? Let us know in the comments below.
10:57What are the cousins?
11:01You are mine.
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