Don McLean’s 1971 iconic song, “American Pie,” became a symbol of the times, and even though almost 50 years have passed since its release, you can still hear it today at friendly music jams, bonfires, karaoke parties, and more, all across the U.S. However, anybody who’s ever listened carefully to the lyrics can quickly feel their nostalgic and depressing nature. Since its release, the song has been covered by countless artists, including Madonna’s popular cover in the year 2000. But people just chant the famous “Bye, Bye Miss American Pie” and often forget what the original song was actually about.
The lyrically deep song is actually about the infamous 1959 plane crash that claimed the lives of Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holly, and J.P. Richardson, and which is widely known as “the day the music died.” McLean auctioned the original manuscript in 2015, saying, “Basically, in ‘American Pie, things are heading in the wrong direction. It is becoming less ideal, less idyllic. I was around in 1970, and now I am around in 2015. There is no poetry and very little romance in anything anymore, so it is really like the last phase of ‘American Pie.'”
"Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" by Green Day
This famous ballad by Green Day became a massive hit back in the day, in part due to the fact that the popular TV show 'Seinfeld' used it in its season finale in 1998. The song has become a permanent fixture in important events - graduations, proms, weddings - thanks to its nostalgic tune.
Funnily enough, it seems nobody ever stopped to properly research the song's lyrics, or its title, for that matter. The song is not about a nostalgic goodbye to unforgettable times but rather a resentful scolding towards a girlfriend who will regret leaving the "time of her life" one day.
"Always" by Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi was one of the hottest bands of the 90s, topping music charts with hits like "It's My Life," "Bed of Roses," and "I'll Be There for You." But one of their biggest hits was 1994's "Always." As most previous Bon Jovi songs usually had a romantic undertone and were always about a declaration of love, in some way or other, people assumed that "Always" was another love ballad.
However, most of these people seemed to look over the fact that this song had a much darker backstory, which could be heard in its lyrics. As Jon Bon Jovi himself explained of the song, “It’s a sick little twisted lyric. So many people feel it’s so romantic and so wonderful, but truthfully, this guy is practically a stalker. He’s a sick human being.”
"Perfect Day" by Lou Reed
Lou Reed will forever remain one of history's most talented musicians. His legendary career spanned over five decades, producing many masterpieces. One of those masterpieces was the 1972 hit, "Perfect Day." The song has been used over the years in countless upbeat and cheerful commercials for products like Playstation 4, cellphone company services, etc. This is quite ironic, considering that the song is actually about substances and how they make for the "perfect day."
For years, many thought the song was about love and how it had the power of making someone's day perfect. But it wasn't love that Lou was thinking about when he sang, "Oh, it's such a perfect day, I'm glad I spent it with you."
"In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins
"In the Air Tonight" was a huge hit when it was first released in 1981, despite its rather disturbing (alleged) backstory. It became a sort of urban legend that the song was about a man that watched another man drown and did nothing to help him. And apparently, Phil Collins witnessed the whole thing and decided to write a song about it. What's more, Collins supposedly found the man and invited him to a concert, and sang the tune right in his face.
The story became so viral on the internet that even famous rapper Eminem wrote a few sentences about it in his hit song, "Stan." However, as it turns out, the whole story was fake, and Collins later explained there was no particular backstory to the song but rather a general reference to the sadness he felt after his divorce.