The Message Behind the Music: Understanding the lyrics of Dexy’s Midnight Runners – “Come on, Eileen”
This song is about a male high-school student who wants to convince his Catholic girlfriend to have sex with him. In the world of "one-hit wonders," Dexy's Midnight Runners nearly always top the list. It's not because the group was horrible and only got lucky with...
Digging Deeper Into the Lyrics of Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen
It's difficult to know where to start when it comes to the lyrics of "Hallelujah." Cohen himself famously said that he wrote hundreds of verses for the song and that he was reduced to bashing his head against the floor while writing them. Even more confusing is that...
A Closer Look at the Lyrics & Meaning Behind Kyrie Eleison by Mr. Mister
In the ordinary of the Mass, "Kyrie Eleison" means, "Lord, have mercy upon us." Mr.Mister blazed a trail of hits for about two or three years in the mid-1980s and then flamed out just as spectacularly. They weren't a one-hit wonder, but as popular as they were, it's...
The Meaning Behind Landslide by Fleetwood Mac
This meaning and the lyrics of Landslide are an introspective, intensely personal expression of both frustration and longing for Stevie Nicks. Music Has the Power to Ease Frustration Polydor Records had just released Nicks and her boyfriend, Lindsey Buckingham, and...
Uncovering The Deeper Significance of Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne
It didn't take long for the band's debut album, 1980's Blizzard of Ozz, to become a hit. The Crazy Train's unexpected success as the most shared video from World Detour is discussed at Ozzy Osbourne on 'Crazy Train.' It went viral, receiving countless views, since by...
Digging Deeper Into the Lyrics of “Lux Aeterna,” Metallica
Lux aeterna is Latin for "the eternal light." In religious contexts, it's the "light perpetual" that shines upon us after we die. The song is about being in the darkness in certain times in your life but then also having this ever-present light shine upon you both to...
A Closer Look at the Lyrics & Meaning Behind A-ha’s ‘Take On Me’
Take on Me is an upbeat synth-pop tune that features a variety of instrumentation, including acoustic guitar, piano, and percussion. After being released as A-ha's first promotional single in September 1984, the Norwegian band experienced huge success in their native...
The Meaning Behind Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young – “Southern Cross”
Stephen Stills's divorce from Veronique Sanson in 1979 was particularly hard on him. In the past, both he and Nash had had relationships with the same women, notable among them Rita Coolidge, which had caused friction within the band and even a breakup of the group in...
Uncovering the Deeper Significance of Purple Rain by Prince
"Purple Rain" is a song about the end of the world. Prince himself said that the purple rain comes from the blue of the sky mixing with blood to form purple rain. The deeper meaning behind the song is that the listener is supposed to be with the person he loves during...
A Closer Look at the Lyrics & Meaning Behind Billie Jean by Michael Jackson
The song "Billie Jean" is a story of a woman who accuses Michael Jackson of being the father of at least one of her children. Unfounded Accusation or Real Paternity? There is some evidence that there really was a Billie Jean in the person calling herself Billie Jean...
Uncovering The Deeper Significance of House of the Rising Sun by The Animals
After a song is written, if it's particularly noteworthy, it waits for an artist to claim it, putting their imprint on it so that from then on, every other rendition of the song will be judged against that one. House of the Rising Sun's authorship remains a mystery....
The Message Behind the Music: Understanding the Lyrics of Love Shack by B-52’s
The B-52s have a song called "Love Shack" that's popular. In 1989, it was produced as the first track from their record Cosmic Thing. Theb52s bio confirmed that Fred Schneider and Cindy Wilson, two of the band's vocalists, wrote the lyrics with help from Keith...