But I thought that . . . .

[Oldfart]

The world is full of misunderstood songs.

The Rainbow Connection, when you read the words without the frog, is a diatribe against hopeful love. "Have you been half asleep, and have you heard voices, I've heard them calling my name. Are these the sweet sounds that called the young sailors, I think they're one and the same." An obvious reference to the sirens drawing sailors to their destruction.


I was watching a conversation about Hey Jude on a different branch of the Cybertree when it struck me that the song made more sense as an ironic comment by Lennon. Jude is, after all, the patron saint of hopeless causes and John was a hopeless cynic.

What's your favourite misunderstood song?

[scotzoidman]

Hey Jude was originally "Hey Jules", McCartney's nick for John's son Julian. At the time the Lennons were going thru a divorce, & Paul intended the song to be a small consolation to his "nephew". He changed the name to avoid offending John, & most of the other words were simply filler until something better came along (a common practice of Paul's; "Yesterday" was famously given the working title of "Scrambled Eggs" until he could come up with lyrics that didn't make people think, "WTF?") In the event, Paul played his 1st draft for John, apologizing that he would come up with better words later. John vetoed the idea, claiming he understood exactly what "the movement you need is on your shoulder" meant. That was pretty much the extent of John's contribution, giving the stamp of approval to the song as finished.

In a way, I guess you could say it matched up as a statement by John, even though he didn't write a single word of it. I doubt he knew or cared what St Jude stood for...in fact, he later claimed to believe that it was his name that Paul had substituted, as if giving a subconscious blessing to John's quest for a new life outside of the Beatles.

[scotzoidman]

The world is full of misunderstood songs.

What's your favourite misunderstood song?
I have a personal love for songs that presented themselves as ordinary romantic love songs, but were really about a deeper love, & often loss. Two great examples: "Sunny" by Bobby Hebb, on the surface just another love song, actually inspired by the death of his brother (& some say also informed by the assassination of JFK: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunny_%28song%29 )

Similarly, Bread's "Everything I own" was inspired by the death of the father of composer David Gates http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everything_I_Own

[Teddy Bear]

Interesting thread. Are there more?


This isn't what you meant when saying 'misunderstood songs', but i think its funny. Not sure when the song came out, late 70's- early 80's sometime. The chorus was 'feelings, ooo ooo ooo feelings......'. A girl I went to school with went on a blind-double date.... (The other girl on the date told us this) 'Feelings' came on the radio and she starts singing, "Felix, ooo ooo ooo Felix......"

I don't think she ever lived that down.

[Oldfart]

That takes us into the murky world of the mondegreen, the misheard and misquoted song. "Gladly the cross-eye bear" is an example. Tread there with care and trepidation.

[Aqua]

Upon first listen of the song "I Will Possess Your Heart" by Death Cab for Cutie, it sounds like a song for lovers getting to know each other...

You gotta spend some time, love
You gotta spend some time with me
And I know that you'll find love
I will possess your heart

However, upon listening to the verses it becomes more of a stalker's anthem...

There are days when outside your window
I see my reflection as I slowly pass
And I long for this mirrored perspective
When we'll be lovers, lovers at last

And if there was any question of the one-sided relationship, it is put to rest in the bridge of the song...

You reject my advances and desperate pleas
I won't let you let me down so easily
So easily

Still.. it's a really good song, IMO. Fantastic in a live setting as well.

If you care to have a listen... I Will Possess Your Heart (http://youtu.be/bVNAljC2kKM) (Be advised... SUPER long intro. :D )