10 Songs With Meanings That Are Completely Misunderstood

Some things aren't so open to interpretation...

Madonna Like A Virgin
Epic

One of the greatest things about music as an art form is that it's open to interpretation. This is one of the reasons why many songs become as popular as they do. Songs dealing with the many facets of love, for example €“ happiness, heartbreak, resentment €“ often have very general lyrics, filled with sweeping statements that are applicable to many.

But that doesn't mean that listeners can't be wrong, or that songwriters don't have specific intentions. Once a song is released and the public has collectively decided on its meaning it's practically impossible to correct or change it. And sometimes musicians are purposefully vague, withholding context until many years later.

What this means, then, is that there are a bunch of extremely notable tracks out there with completely misunderstood meanings. From cheery-sounding songs that are actually heart wrenching laments to one of the most famous power ballads in the world actually being about vampires, here are ten incredible examples.

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Commonly found reading, sitting firmly in a seat at the cinema (bottle of water and a Freddo bar, please) or listening to the Mountain Goats.