1. Harder To Breathe- Maroon 5

Just another song about Jane, right? Wrong. This song was a response to the record label putting pressure on the band to write more. The band was frustrated. I would be too if I just came out with an album as amazing as Songs About Jane, and then was asked to do more. Adam Levine explained that, “That song comes sheerly from wanting to throw something. It was the 11th hour, and the label wanted more songs. It was the last crack. I was pissed. I wanted to make a record and the label was applying a lot of pressure, but I’m glad they did.”

“ How dare you say that my behavior is unacceptable/ So condescending, unnecessarily critical”

2. Hotel California- The Eagles

While many believe that the lyrics to this song describe the tale of travelers who are tired and checking into a luxury hotel, the song actually depicts the self destruction and greed that is abundant in the music industry. Lead singer of the Eagles, Don Henley, says that the song describes the darker, less talked about side of the American Dream.

“You can check out any time you like,/ But you can never leave.”

“And she said, ‘we are all just prisoners here, of our device’”

3. Poker Face- Lady Gaga

When it comes to Lady Gaga, nothing is ever that clear. Whether it’s her latest outfit or the lyrics to her songs, it seems like everyone’s always a little confused. Lady Gaga admitted that Poker Face was a song written about her own experience regarding bisexuality. The song is about being with a man but thinking about being with a woman; therefore, having a poker face.

“No he can’t read my poker face”

4. Waterfalls- TLC

If you thought this song was actually about chasing waterfalls you should probably sit down and think about that… Although it is clear that the song isn’t literally about waterfalls, it is not so clear that the song is about issues such as promiscuity, HIV/AIDS, and illegal drug trade.

“One day he goes and takes a glimpse in the mirror/ But he doesn’t recognize his own face/ His health is fading and he doesn’t know why/ Three letters took him to his final resting place.”

5. Wake Me Up When September Ends- Greenday

Most people believe that this song is low key about the war because of the implementations of the music video; however the song was written in memory of Billie Joe Armstrong’s father, who died when the lead singer was a child.

“Like my father’s come to pass/ Twenty years has gone so fast/ Wake me up when September ends.”

6. Slide- The Goo Goo Dolls

This one’s easy! It’s another love song, right? Wrong again. The song is about a teenage girl who was raised in a very Catholic environment. She became pregnant and debates with her boyfriend about having an abortion or getting married.

“Don’t you love the life you killed?/ The priest is on the phone/ Your father hit the wall/ Your ma disowned you.”

7. Semi-Charmed Life- Third Eye Blind

This tends to be one of those songs that everyone always sings really loud, but no one ever really knows what it’s about. This could be because of the upbeat nature of the song. Either way, the song is loaded with drug references that relate to a crystal meth addiction; however, when played on the radio, the song is edited to not mention crystal meth directly. The band noted that the upbeat music reflects “the bright, shiny feeling you get on speed.”

“The sky was gold, it was rose/ I was taking sips of it through my nose/ And I wish I could get back there, someplace back there/ Smiling in the pictures you would take/ Doing crystal meth, will lift you up until you break.”

8. Blackbird- The Beatles

This one’s not about a blackbird who has broken wings. Instead, it’s about the American Civil Rights Movement. Inspiration was taken from the racial desegregation of Little Rock.

“Blackbird singing in the dead of night/ Take these broken wings and learn to fly/ All your life/ You were only waiting for this moment to arise”

9. Summer of ‘69- Bryan Adams

Bryan Adams was born in 1959, which means that in the summer of 1969, he was only 10, making it safe to assume these were not necessarily the best days of his life. This song is actually just about the sexual position of 69 and making love in the summer, even though a lot of people think it’s about the year.

“Man we were killin' time/ We were young and restless/ We needed to unwind/ I guess nothin’ can last forever”

10. Ticket To Ride- The Beatles

Sorry folks, it’s not about a train. The ticket that is talked about in the song is in reference to health cards that were carried by Hamburg prostitutes to prove they were STD free. So, yeah, just another song you didn’t realize was about sex.

“She's got a ticket to ride,/ But she don't care.”

11. Paper Planes- M.I.A.

This song is usually thought to be about a drug dealer, but is actually a satire of immigrant stereotypes. Very few people know that M.I.A. is a refugee from Sri Lanka. She wants the meaning of her song to be open to interpretation but hints that the song is in fact a political satire about big businesses and immigrant stereotypes.

“If you catch me at the border I got visas in my name/ If you come around here, I make 'em all day/ I get one down in a second if you wait”

12. Born in the U.S.A- Bruce Springsteen

This song is often played at BBQ’s or 4th of July parties as a patriotic anthem; yet, this song was written to criticize the way America treated its own citizens during the Vietnam War.

“Born down in a dead man's town/ The first kick I took was when I hit the ground/ End up like a dog that's been beat too much/ Till you spend half your life just covering up”