Everybody knows this 80s classic by The Police. “Every Breath You Take” practically became an anthem at weddings, proms, and other important rites of passage. The funny thing is, contrary to what most people believe; the tune is far from a love song.
For anyone who pays close attention, the lyrics make reference to someone who is so obsessed they have become a stalker. Sting even said of the song, “I think the song is very, very sinister and ugly, and people have actually misinterpreted it as being a gentle little love song when it’s quite the opposite.”
"Imagine" by John Lennon
John Lennon's "Imagine" has become a hymn of peace and love throughout generations. And although the former Beatle's song is an obvious plea for world peace, it deals with many other issues that a lot of people might have overlooked. In a 1980's interview, Lennon talked a lot about the song's mention of religion: “The concept of positive prayer … If you can imagine a world at peace, with no denominations of religion – not without religion but without this my God-is-bigger-than-your-God thing – then it can be true..."
In another interview, Lennon said, “Imagine that there was no more religion, no more country, no more politics,’ is virtually the Communist Manifesto, even though I’m not, particularly a Communist and I do not belong to any movement… There is no real Communist state in the world; you must realize that. The Socialism I speak about … is not the way some daft Russian might do it, or the Chinese might do it. That might suit them. Us, we should have a nice … British Socialism.”
"I Will Always Love You" by Dolly Parton
Country music queen, Dolly Parton, has topped the music charts many times over the years. She is recognized nationwide for her sweet and simple songs and her constant big smile. Best known for songs like "9 to 5", "Jolene," and others, there is one song that remains a timeless favorite: "I Will Always Love You." In fact, the song became so popular that legendary diva Whitney Houston recorded a version of it back in 1992.
But contrary to what most people believe (and logically so), which is that the song is clearly a love song that Dolly wrote for a romantic interest, this isn't exactly the case. Parton actually wrote the song for her mentor, the famous American country singer Porter Wagoner. She said the song was about moving on professionally, and she had written it for Wagoner to make sure he understood how thankful she was and how much she appreciated him. After all, they did work together for seven years.
"Mr. Tambourine Man" by Bob Dylan
"Mr. Tambourine Man" has become one of the most famous songs in the history of music and one of Bob Dylan's undisputed masterpieces. However, this 1965 classic, which has been covered by many musicians since, has been misunderstood by many.
Most people believed the song to be an autobiographical song about Dylan finding artistic inspiration through substance use. Nonetheless, "Mr. Tambourine Man" was actually an ode to Bruce Langhorne, a touring musician who performed with Dylan and played a large Turkish frame drum that looked a lot like a tambourine.
"Waterfalls" by TLC
Anybody that grew up in the 90s will remember the famous, all-girl pop trio, TLC. In 1995, the trio broke records with their smash hit "Waterfalls," even though this was one of the most misunderstood songs of all time. Most people thought it was about slowing down and appreciating life, not rushing into things. But in reality, the song dealt with far more complex issues.
If you listen carefully to the song's lyrics and watch its music video, you will quickly realize that "Waterfalls" was actually about the severe social issues of the mid-90s, such as poverty, crime, and many other issues that made headlines back then.