Top 5 Hits That Sound Deep but Say Nothing
I am a huge proponent of songs that have deep meaningful lyrics. One such album that spoke to me was Delerium’s Poem. If you can remember back when we went out to purchase CDs and within those CDs, they had little booklets and sometimes they would have the lyrics. When I heard one song from Delerium, I begged my mom to go to Borders or Sam Goody to see what CDs they might have had. I picked up that CD and when we were in the car, I started to read the lyrics. I almost started to cry with how poignant they were to me at that time. All that I just said is classified as vintage living. To me, vintage will always be things from the 1950s and earlier. But I digress.
On occasion when I heard a song either on the radio, which was rare as I never really listened to the radio, or secondhand from someone else, I would find music that “sounded” rather good. Later on, I discovered that the lyrics were either non-sensical or had things in there you shouldn’t be singing at the top of your lungs. Here are a few of those songs.
1. Semi-Charmed Life by Third Eye Blind
Admittedly it has a great beat. Whenever it may come up in rotation, which is rare anymore, I will dance around to it. But that is all it has in my opinion. Unfortunately, I can still see myself back in 1997 singing the lyrics loud and proud. Never once looking to see what it was, I was truly saying. Case in point: “Doing crystal meth, will lift you up until you break.” Or “And then I bumped up, I took the hit that I was given, then I bumped again, then I bumped again…”, and so on and so forth.
I understand that the band that wrote it, was older than I. Singing about trying to get through the life they are living. Sometimes you go down not-so-great paths to make it better. But I was younger and life had only just started for me. I still can “bop” about it. I won’t be singing some of the lyrics loud and proud. Besides, there aren’t any other substantial lyrics within the song that speak to me. It is purely for nostalgic purposes and that is all.
Excellent pub song. The band was known as a pub band back in England. I’m not a drinker and at the time it was released I was only 14, so not drinking then either. However, it was purely for drinking and having some fun, which equals pub life. While it doesn’t “speak” to me on other levels, it is a great song to sing with the windows wide open.
2. Tubthumping by Chumbawamba
3. New Moon on Monday by Duran Duran
Hear me out. I love their music and I sing to it all the time. However, before they graduated into the ’90s, their ’80s reign was full of less meaningful songs and more for the showiness and their looks. People were looking for something to dance to and have a good time. I guess anyway. Purely my opinion of course. Simon LeBon, who was and is the main songwriter, was heavily influenced by writers the likes of Voltaire. Perhaps there is a deeper meaning I am not seeing in the earlier songs. Their later work has much more meaning, at least to me, than the older music. Ordinary World is second to none. Go and check out my other blog about songs that inspire here.
Another drinking song. You think a lot of people drink or something. This song holds no real meaning for me. I was 15 when it came out. While some may have been drinking at that age, I did not. I just didn’t go anywhere, had a lack of friends and I was too preoccupied with wallowing in my emotions. Perhaps it is due to that, I have no real attachment to the words. The music is still awesome. One line does stand out, however: “Every new beginning comes from some other beginnings end.” Truth.
4. Closing Time by Semisonic
5. Steal My Sunshine by Len
It doesn’t make any sense. Seriously. I have no idea what they are talking about. They could be speaking another language for all I know. But for whatever reason I like the song. Product of the times, I guess? Nostalgic? Perhaps. I could also be too naïve to figure out what it all means. It could be just as bad as Third Eye Blind’s song. I will remain a little out of the loop on that and I am fine with it. I don’t sing until they say “steal my sunshine” anyway.
So, what do you think? Do you have similar songs that you sing so loud and then wonder if what you just said was something you wanted to belt out? There is a form of innocence when it comes to music. You just go with the flow, sway, dance and just feel it. Perhaps the lyrics don’t mean as much to you as they do to me. That is OK. Music for me has been a source of rescue. It took me away to a better world when the one I was in was throwing so much at me. The words mean a lot to me because, at those particular times, they spoke deeply to me. It was as if someone else felt the same and was singing it for me too. I still feel the same way and I find new songs each year that I can add to my ever-growing playlist. If you have any songs you feel I missed or you just want to share, please do so! I want to read your comments. As always, thank you for reading.
