10 Rock Music Songs That Aren't About What You Think
9. Semi-Charmed Life - Third Eye Blind
For alternative rock band Third Eye Blind, life never got much better after the release of their debut single.
Semi-Charmed Life came out in 1997 and introduced the world to this promising new group. Its catchy riff and semi-rap verses made it an instant hit on both mainstream radio and amongst the youth of the day.
Sadly, they were never able to replicate its success, and it remains their best known song.
The song was written by lead singer Stephan Jenkins with the intention of paying homage to Lou Reed's Walk on the Wild Side. That would explain the "Doot Doot Doot" part, then.
Its sunny sound might make you think Semi-Charmed Life is about love or human connection, but it is instead about that classic rock 'n' roll subject: drugs.
Inspired by his friends' crystal meth habit, Jenkins wrote the song to be misleadingly happy in order to show the contrast between the drug's high and its impact on a person and their loved ones.
All of a sudden, lines like "I want something else to get me through this semi-charmed kinda life" take on a much darker meaning.