Song Lyric Meanings

I am a big Michael Jackson fan and was lucky enough to see him on his Bad Tour in the UK in 1998. I was also lucky enough to see him perform “Billie Jean.” And, of course, do his iconic moonwalk. That one song alone, I can honestly say, was worth the ticket price.  Most […]

Adele is one of the biggest recording artists of her generation. Her voice is instantly recognizable, and she has quickly risen to the dizzy heights of music royalty. This is all the more remarkable given that she only has four studio albums and 17 singles to her name. It is hard to pick just one

I am a big Bob Dylan fan, and I am more than happy to state that he has both shaped my musical listening and guitar-playing journey. His influence on musicians throughout the generations has been huge. And his continued importance within the musical community cannot be underestimated. He has had a series of hits during

Do you remember the Violent Femmes? They were the premier College Folk Punk trio of the 80s. And, perhaps, the only band of that sort that had any sort of mainstream success. That was the result of being in the right place at the right time, having a truly unique sound, and writing songs that were fun,

Despite being started nearly 100 years ago by brothers Walt and Roy Disney, Alt Disney Animation Studios remains a film powerhouse. Starting in the mid-1900s, they began to produce a series of “princess films,” and that trend continues to this day with a strong focus on female heroes. And the 2021 animation movie Encanto continues that trend.

Unless you’ve been living off the grid out in the woods (power to you if you have), you’ve heard of the song “The Wellerman”. This unlikely hit created a sensation in 2021, first on TikTok, and later across Pop Culture in general. Sure, it’s light-sounding and has a fun rhythm, but a sailor’s song in this day

Billie Eilish has achieved more in her career in the space of six or seven years than most artists manage to achieve over a lifetime. Musically and lyrically, Billie Eilish’s songs are at another level compared to most of her contemporaries. Her phenomenal success is more than warranted. Of all her major chart successes, the most successful

American singer-songwriters Stephen Stills and Dave Crosby formed a new group with British singer-songwriter Graham Nash in 1968. I doubt, at the time, they could have expected the success that would follow. They wrote some great material, one of which is the songs we are looking at today. We will try and unravel the meaning

There are a few songs that define the music of the 90s. And, with its California-style Pop-Rock sound, “Semi-Charmed Life” by Third Eye Blind is one of them. Big time. It came from Third Eye Blind’s debut album and pushed them into the forefront of Rock Music at the time. This is a song that has been debated and misinterpreted

British singer Adele is an icon. Exploding onto the Pop Music scene with her debut album, 19, in 2008, this songstress came out of nowhere and blew everyone’s socks off. She won awards, accolades, and the respect of the music industry. And, of course, a horde of fans. But, at 19 years old, she was only

The Canadian band Nickelback has seen a lot of controversy and critique over the years. Together since 1995, the band broke out in 2001 with their third album Silver Side Up. This gained them massive attention in Canada and the US, too. Later, the song “Photograph” off their fifth album, All the Right Reasons, got them a

The Rolling Stones have been around longer than almost any other Rock band. They continue to perform live and put out records, their latest in 2016. But, the song “Gimme Shelter”, from their 1969 release Let It Bleed is considered one of their finest works of art ever. This song has great energy and an aggressive sound. Something

I loved watching ‘Friends’ the first time around, which now feels like almost a thousand years ago. It was a great comedy TV series and one of the best. In my opinion, it’s up there with other great American TV comedy shows like ‘Frasier’ and ‘Seinfeld.’ I confess that I never gave much thought to

Rihanna is the richest female singer on the planet, so she must have been doing something right. Pretty much all of Rihanna’s songs have been hits. However, none are as important as her breakthrough hit, “Umbrella.” It is a wonderfully catchy tune. Therefore, it’s more than possible that you have never seriously thought about the meaning of “Umbrella” by

Taylor Swift is an amazing songwriter and an amazing artist. I am not a big Country fan, and I am definitely not a ‘Swiftie.’ However, I greatly appreciate Taylor Swift’s music. So much so that I even took the time to learn and play one of her songs. Her songs are highly relatable to so many

I am a huge David Bowie fan. And I was lucky enough to see him live in 1977. I believe that the 70s were his best era. Therefore, I count myself extra fortunate to have seen him at the height of his writing and performing powers.   I consider “The Man Who Sold the World” to

“Californication” was a huge song for the band in many ways. It was Red Hot Chili Peppers’ most successful single and also came from their best-selling album. However, more than the commercial success, it marked the pinnacle of their songwriting as a band. The meaning behind “Californication” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers is a fascinating look

I am a big fan of John Travolta and have loved watching him sing, dance, and act over the years. Grease is one of my all-time favorite movies. It was in this specific movie that we first heard, “Greased Lightnin‘.” If you haven’t seen the movie, the meaning behind “Greased Lightnin” by John Travolta might not be

1820 This is one of my all-time favorite songs. I bought a special extended edition back in the 80s. And, frankly, I just about wore it out playing it. It is also one of my favorite songs to hear played live, and I never tire of hearing a guitarist take on the long solo at

Tom Petty had a highly successful career spread over 40 years and involved him selling over 80 million records. He is most well-known for recording with the band Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers. However, he also recorded as a solo artist and still found time to be an integral part of the incredibly talented group

When fans decide to choose their favorite Garth Brooks song from his extensive Country Music catalog, quite often, one track is mentioned. It is a tune that has become Garth Brooks’ signature song and one that is instantly recognizable. But the lyrics can be confusing if you consider what they are all about. So, let’s take a closer look

If you were to ask most people what is the best track The Who ever recorded, “Baba O’Riley“ might not be the first they come up with. However, it is a track that is one of the most popular amongst the Who fans, and, interestingly, appreciated by the band themselves. So, I decided to take a look at

Leonard Cohen is a highly talented lyricist and songwriter. He has released 41 singles and 46 albums. And he has sold over 20 million albums and has one of the most recognizable voices in music. However, despite his big music back catalog, he will always be remembered for “Hallelujah” more than any of his other work.

When The Lion King hit the screens in 1994, it caused quite a sensation. It was Disney’s 32nd animated film, and with all the special effects, their best yet. But it wasn’t only what you were watching that was so impressive. It was what you were hearing as well. Some Of The Best Elton John wrote

Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor is a household name, or at least was back in the 1990s, thanks to the 1994 album The Downward Spiral. This was a concept album about the self-destruction and eventual end of a troubled character. It combined dark, angst-driven lyrical content with heavy industrial sounds. As a result, it created something

It’s better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all. This well-known platitude perfectly sums up lost loves, departed family members, and faded relationships that were once larger than life. Honestly, I wasn’t on the Justin Bieber bandwagon when he released his debut single, “One Time” back in 2009. But, he grew on

There are not enough positive-sounding songs in this miserable world. The harsh reality is that life is a struggle for most, and even the happy and successful ones have to deal with the negative aspects of life.  Most songs and art are born out of struggle and hardship, and oppression. If everything in life was

To some, Bob Seger is a name that conjures up the sounds of some great Rock and Roll. To others, he can be a bit of an unknown quantity. Whether you are familiar or not with his work, he has been around for more years than he probably cares to remember. He was involved with

Paul Simon is very protective of the songs that he writes. Especially when he isn’t performing or recording them. It is an unusual situation to say that one of Paul Simon’s songs has become the anthem for an extramarital affair. And especially one within the setting of the film with which it is inextricably linked. It is almost

Sometimes, a song can just leave you stunned, not only with its creativity but with its meaning and how it is presented. “Blackbird“ is one of those. It is a song worthy of some consideration, so let’s take a look at the meaning behind “Blackbird” by The Beatles. If Sergeant Pepper was special, we all waited in anticipation for

I was surprised that we didn’t hear a lot more from Bobbie Gentry in the early 70s. After “Ode To Billie Joe,” the success of her singles in America never really happened for her. She was a very talented songwriter, better than she is given credit for. So, I decided to take a closer look at

“Sympathy For The Devil” was an important song for The Rolling Stones. It marked a defining moment in the band’s long and illustrious history. The song has since proved to be one of The Rolling Stones’ signature songs and is a firm fan favorite. There is no doubt that it has been misunderstood by many. And it is

Prince was an incredible artist. He wrote and recorded some of the most beautiful songs I have ever listened to. I believe some of the greatest music by Prince was written around the same time as he released “Purple Rain.” It was a special era for Prince musically…  He wrote some of the most profound material, which

I am a huge Elton John fan. And I also have the greatest respect for Bernie Taupin and his not-inconsiderable contribution to this writing duo. For more than 50 years, this pair has become one of the most successful songwriting pairs in music history. And their success is very much deserved. I love most Elton and Bernie