- Joined
- Jul 14, 2018
I really get a kick out of hearing a pop song that I've heard countless times, and then realizing the song lyrics have a far deeper theme/meaning and that most casual listeners will never notice. On occasions when these songs do get played I'll sometimes mention it casually to others and many seem to not realize it. When I pick up clever lyrics that makes the song all the more enjoyable to me. I often develop far greater appreciation for the songs when I find the lyrics to be as memorable as the instrumentals itself. I also get bored of songs that have fairly lame lyrics QUEEN was a great sounding band but jeez Freddy Mercury was a mediocre songwriter Here's a few examples:
Hey Ya - Outkast
Outkast in my humble opinion was the greatest hip-hop act. Their songs were insanely catchy, they made incredible music videos which still meant something back then even if MTV by then had stopped playing them. And splitting lead vocals between Andre 3000's harmonies and Big Boi's rap was just a brilliant move. Hey Ya was their biggest and without a doubt most Bubblegum Pop song. The duo clearly knew they had a earworm hit on their hands which is why they the lyrics about a ill-fated relationship take the background. It makes me laugh that a song little kids were dancing to in the 2000s contained the lyrics "Don't want to meet your Momma, just want to make you cum-a." Andre even says "Ya'll don't want to hear me, you just wanna dance." admitting that the infectious beat of the song overrides any attempt to make a serious statement about relationships where people stay together out of sheer convenience.
Jenny (867-5309) - Tommy Tutone
A jukebox staple, and it's such a happy song I think the majority of people are unaware of what the true hilarious meaning of the song. Why would Jenny's phone number be on a wall? "For a good time call?" Obviously Jenny is a hooker and the song is about a guy getting the confidence he needs to just pay a hooker for sex. The band went on to deny this and I'm certain they only did as to avoid it getting removed from Airplay in more conservative regions of America. I still remember this dumb Cingular commercial 2 decades later as if anyone would want random calls throughout the day of bored people wondering what happens if you call the title of the song.
Pearl of the Quarter - Steely Dan
And here's the real reason I've made this thread, so I have a place to sperg out on Steely Dan songs. The perfectionist duo and their ensemble band of session musicians made the very best of Yacht Rock music. Just the brilliant Jazz-Rock alone would have made the band great but Donald Fagen & Walter Becker (RIP) backed their music up with brilliant lyrics. Growing up my parents played Steely Dan in the car on loop and I've heard these songs all throughout my life. And yet even today I'll hear them again and come to realize the true meaning of the song. For me Pearl of the Quarter was simply a song of a poor sap singing his heart out to a girl who's not interested. Perhaps some French lessons (vous-voulez = you want?) would have helped me to realize that the titular "Pearl" like "Jenny" is a hooker. The visual imagery of the narrator giving candy & trying to woo her with million dollar words is now just insanely hilarious to me and yet the song still maintains a sad beauty behind it.
Hey Ya - Outkast
Jenny (867-5309) - Tommy Tutone
Pearl of the Quarter - Steely Dan
Last edited:
