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- 18 and Life by Skid Row. This iconic song tells the story of a young man who is sentenced to 18 years in prison for accidentally killing his best friend.
- 7 Years by Lukas Graham. 7 Years is a song by Lukas Graham, released in 2015. It tells the story of growing up, going through life’s trials and tribulations, and ultimately finding peace with who you have become.
- A Boy Named Sue by Johnny Cash. This iconic song tells the story of a young boy who was given an unusual name by his father. The story follows Sue’s journey as he embarks on a quest to find his father and confront him about why he gave him such an odd name.
- A Day In the Life by The Beatles. This classic 1967 tune is the sound of a day in the life. The song’s lyrics capture the hustle and bustle of everyday life, with references to news headlines, people rushing about their business, and all sorts of other mundane activities that make up a typical day.
- “Closing Time” by Semisonic
- “The A Team” by Ed Sheeran
- “As It Was” by Harry Styles
- “Heart-Shaped Box” by Nirvana
- “Mirrorball” by Taylor Swift
- “It’s Not Living (If It’S Not with You)” by The 1975
- “Pokerface” by Lady Gaga
- “Chandelier” by Sia
- “Pumped Up Kicks” by Foster The People
- “Kids” by Mgmt
Semisonic is an American rock bandfrom Minneapolis, Minnesota. They released the song “Closing Time” as a single in 1998 and it remains their most well-known song. Ostensibly, the song is about kicking people out of a bar at ‘closing time’, the sense of finality it brings while also excitement about what is coming next. However, it has been hinted ...
Ed Sheeran is a household name today, but it was his debut single “The A Team” that took him from obscurity into worldwide fame. The song is a folk ballad about a homeless sex worker that is addicted to crack cocaine. Sheeran wrote the song after visiting a homeless shelter and hearing about some of the stories of the people staying there. The song...
Harry Styles has been the center of attention since the release of his album earlier this year. Styles was catapulted into stardom at sixteen after coming in third place on the X Factor alongside his fellow One Direction bandmates. “As It Was” was released as the lead single for his third album, and the lyrics discuss life not being ‘the same as it...
“Heart-Shaped Box” was written by Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, and was the last song he performed live in 1994. The lyrics are very powerful, and many interpretations have been speculated. Cobain claimed that the lyrics are about children suffering from cancer, but Courtney Love claimed that the song was about her and, specifically, about her vagi...
Taylor Swift created a storm amongst her fans with the release of her Folklorealbum in 2020. The album marked a change in style for Swift, moving away from her established pop sound and into something more acoustic and folky. Swift also explored new ground lyrically, experimenting with fictional storylines and different points of view. “Mirrorball”...
English pop rock band The 1975 rose to fame after the release of their 2012 self-titled debut album. “It’s Not Living (If It’s Not With You)” is from their third album, A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships. It is gospel-influenced, incorporating synthpop and power pop. The lyrics are about Healy’s former heroin addiction, comparing drug addict...
“Poker Face” is one of Lady Gaga’s signature songs, bringing her worldwide fame after its release in 2008 for her debut album, The Fame. The song is about Lady Gaga’s bisexuality and is a tribute to her rock and roll boyfriends. There are many sexual innuendos throughout the song. The song remains one of the best-selling singles of all time, having...
“Chandelier” is a song by Australian singerSia. The lyrics are about the difficulties of struggling with drinking problems, and the feeling of reckless abandon that alcohol brings before being followed quickly by regret and self-hatred. It is an electro-pop song with reggae and R&B influences. It was Sia’s first single as a lead artist to appear on...
“Pumped Up Kicks” is a song from American indie pop band Foster the People, released in 2010. The song was the group’s breakout and remains their signature song. The lyrics describe a boy called Robert and his homicidal thoughts, as he is planning on going on a shooting spree. The band said that the song was their comment on the mental illness epid...
MGMT is an American indie rock band, and they released their debut album Oracular Spectacular in 2007. “Kids” was the third and final single for the album. The lyrics can be interpreted as being about the experience of growing up, transitioning from a period of innocence and freedom to a period of responsibility and reality. The song also alludes t...
- So Long, Marianne (Leonard Cohen) Leonard Cohen’s song “So Long, Marianne” referred to his long-time lover Marianne Christine Stang Ihlen, who shared a passionate romance with Cohen on the Greek island of Hydra in the 1960s.
- Jolene (Dolly Parton) Jolene tells a tale of a woman begging her husband’s potential mistress not to take her man. Dolly claims that the song was inspired by a redheaded bank clerk who flirted with Dolly’s husband when they were first married.
- These Boots Are Made for Walking (Nancy Sinatra) This song is about a scorned woman’s fury at her two-timing spouse, who she plans to leave. Funnily enough, the song was written by a man, Lee Hazlewood, who was planning to sing himself about a cheating woman!
- You’re So Vain (Carol King) Carol King’s iconic song tells of a younger woman being seduced by a rich, jet-setting womanizer who he then jilted. King finally confessed that the song was about her affair with Warren Beatty long after the world had already suspected that since the 70s.
- Allison Rapp
- Bob Dylan, "Hurricane" From: Desire (1976) "Here comes the story of the Hurricane," Bob Dylan sings near the top of this 1976 track co-written with Jacques Levy.
- The Kinks, "Come Dancing" From: State of Confusion(1983) The inspiration behind the Kinks' "Come Dancing" is as tragic as it is personal. In 1957, Ray and Dave Davies' older sister Rene died of a heart attack she suffered while out dancing at the Lyceum Ballroom in London.
- Elton John, "Ticking" From: Caribou (1974) In 1974, when Elton John released "Ticking," mass shootings weren't exactly as mainstream as they've since become, but that was the premise of the fictional song.
- Harry Chapin, "Cat's in the Cradle" From: Verities & Balderdash (1974) Harry Chapin's "Cat's in the Cradle" is a short story in the sense that it fits into a song, but it actually spans an entire lifetime.
Mar 24, 2022 · But what about those times where you want to be immersed in a song that not only sounds good but that challenges you emotionally and profoundly through a story. The best songs while conveying deep meaning and lessons at the same time.
Nov 13, 2019 · BuzzFeed Staff. We recently asked members of our BuzzFeed Community to name a song lyric that was so powerful, it literally changed their lives in some way. They really came through with some...
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Feb 3, 2021 · Swift’s early songs encapsulate the universal teen experience: fantasizing about love, daydreaming about taking revenge upon those who have wronged you; pondering what it would have felt like to fit in with your peers, how life could have been different had others only let you in.
