23 Super "Fun" Songs That People Didn't Realize Are Actually Really, Really Dark

    I'll never listen to "Come on Eileen" the same way again.

    Lauren Garafano
    by Lauren Garafano

    BuzzFeed Staff

    A while ago we asked the BuzzFeed Community to share which "fun" songs were actually really dark, and they had a LOT to say. Here are a few songs you might want to give another listen:

    Disclaimer: Many songs in this post mention heavy topics like violence, sexual abuse, drug use, and suicide. Reader discretion is advised.

    1. "Lucky" by Britney Spears

    Britney Spears "Lucky" Music video, "She's so lucky, she's a star / But she cry, cry, cries in her lonely heart, thinking / If there's nothing missing in my life/ Then why do these tears come at night"
    Jive

    "I want to say it was her first poignant cry for help, but I was just prancing around in my bedroom singing into a hair brush whenever it came on."

    —zarihelenadelorism

    2. "Ho Hey" by The Lumineers

    The "Ho Hey" music video with the lyrics, "Love, we need it now. Let's hope for some 'cause oh, we're bleedin' out"
    Dualtone Music Group

    "It's about a lonely guy that pines after a girl that’s already with someone else. He dreams about the two of them committing suicide like Romeo and Juliet."

    —zacharyr449cdee0c

    3. "Waterfalls" by TLC

    "Waterfalls" music video with caption, "His health is fading, and he doesn't know why. Three letters took him to his final resting place"
    LaFace

    "One that always gets me is the end of the second verse [where they imply the main character is dying of HIV] in 'Waterfalls' by TLC."

    —brentus86

    4. "Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster the People

    "Pumped Up Kicks" music video with lyrics, "He found a six-shooter gun in his dad's closet with a box of fun things. I don't even know what, but he's coming for you, yeah, he's coming for you"
    Columbia

    "It’s damn catchy, but it’s literally a song about a school shooting — from the shooter's perspective."

    —mangopiltti

    5. "All the Good Girls Go to Hell" by Billie Eilish

    "All the Good Girls Go to Hell" music video with the lyrics, "Man is such a fool, why are we saving him? Poisoning themselves now, begging for our help, wow"
    Interscope

    "The song is about the climate crisis."

    —rayabhuiyan5

    6. "Run for Your Life" by The Beatles

    Beatles performing and lyrics, "Baby I'm determined, that I'd rather see you dead"
    United Archives / FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives via Getty Images

    "This is a WAY worse Beatles' song and has always disturbed me."

    —zashirambo2

    7. "My Sharona" by The Knack

    The "My Sharona" music video with the lyrics, "Never gonna stop, give it up, such a dirty mind. I always get it up for the touch of the younger kind"
    Capitol

    "It seems friendly enough...so friendly, the administration at my elementary school used to blast it during our weekly outdoor lunch days. The most disturbing line is, 'I always get it up from the touch of the younger kind.' The song is essentially this guy begging poor Sharona to sleep with him. And all I want to know is how old is she?"

    —CheliEmma1

    8. "Speechless" by Lady Gaga

    The Fame Monster album cover with lyrics, "I can't believe how you slurred at me with your half wired broken jaw. You popped my heart seams on my bubble dreams"
    Interscope

    "It's about her father not taking care of his health and nearly dying. The song is her begging him to stop and threatening to give up music if he doesn't get help."

    —eell

    9. "Waving Through a Window" from Dear Evan Hansen

    Ben Platt singing at the Tony Awards with lyrics, "When you're falling in a forest and there's nobody around, do you ever really crash, or even make a sound? Did I even make a sound"
    CBS

    "It's literally about Evan's suicide attempt in the musical."

    —rayabhuiyan5

    10. "Little Talks" by Of Monsters and Men

    The "Little Talks" music video with the caption, "There's an old voice in my head that's holding me back. Well, tell her that I miss our little talks"
    Universal Republic

    "It's hard to tell from the lyrics alone, but once you realize it's a conversation between a widow and her dead husband, it's devastating to listen to."

    —marybethk4

    11. "Fernando" by ABBA

    ABBA singing "Fernando" with the lyrics, "We were young and full of life and none of us prepared to die. And I'm not ashamed to say the roar of guns and cannons almost made me cry"
    Polar Music

    "It's actually quite sad. Growing up I thought it was a sweet song, but a couple of years ago I listened to the lyrics closer."

    —georgeroyde

    12. "Chandelier" by Sia

    Maddie Ziegler dancing in the "Chandelier" music video with the lyrics, "One, two, three, one, two, three, drink! Throw 'em back till I lose count"
    RCA

    "Everyone is belting out the chorus thinking it’s about living life to the fullest when it’s actually about alcoholism!"

    —tomb4adc7727a

    13. "It's Not Living (If It's Not With You)" by The 1975

    Matty Healy singing in the music video with lyrics, "Collapse my veins, wearing beautiful shoes. It's not living if it's not with you"
    Polydor

    "I used to think it was this really fun romance song, but it's actually about heroin."

    —roryfae

    14. "Under My Thumb" by The Rolling Stones

    Mick Jagger singing lyrics "Under my thumb the girl who once had me down. Under my thumb the girl who once pushed me around"
    The Rolling Stones / youtube.com

    "It's about a girl he basically controls and abuses as revenge. I bop my head and sing along..."

    —catnelsonl

    15. "Every Breath You Take" by The Police

    Sting singing, "Every move you make. And every vow you break. Every smile you fake, every claim you stake, I'll be watching you"
    AM

    "It inexplicably became a go-to wedding song for years. Finally, Sting had to say it's about an obsessed stalker ex. At first blush, I admit it seemed pretty romantic in the late '80s when it came out, but listen even just a little bit closer, and yikes. I hope people don’t still play this at weddings."

    —chrisa443ec9017

    16. "Cherry Wine" by Hozier

    Saoirse Ronan wiping her face and the lyrics, "The way she shows me I'm hers and she is mine, open hand or closed fist would be fine"
    Island Records

    "It's about being in an abusive relationship and being blinded by love."

    —mlward

    17. "99 Red Balloons" by Nena

    "99 Red Balloons" music video with caption, "Ninety-nine knights of the air, ride super high-tech jet fighters. Everyone's a superhero. Everyone's a 'Captain Kirk'"
    Epic

    "The song is about nuclear war and the death of pretty much everyone."

    —ajffk6

    18. "Semi-Charmed Life" by Third Eye Blind

    "Semi-Charmed Life" music video with lyrics, "Doing crystal meth will lift you up until you break. It won't stop, I won't come down, I keep stock"
    Elektra

    "This song came out in 1997, right when my addiction was about to really rear its ugly head. Obviously, it’s about meth. I hated how much people liked that song and sang along to it happily while I was struggling with my trauma and addiction. I started to listen to it ironically when I’d use."

    —lenar45ff56517

    19. "One Way or Another" by Blondie

    Blondie singing, "I will drive past your house and if the lights are all down, I'll see who's around"
    Chrysalis / youtube.com

    "The song is literally from the POV of a stalker!"

    —diyamahe33

    20. "I Like It" by Enrique Iglesias

    Enrique Iglesias singing "My girlfriend's out of town and I'm all alone. Your boyfriend's on vacation and he doesn't have to know"
    Universal Republic

    "It's about him trying to convince a girl they should hook up and cheat on their significant others at a nightclub."

    —andyc4787e0ccb

    21. "We Are Young" by Fun. feat. Janelle Monáe

    "We Are Young" music video with lyrics, "My friends are in the bathroom, getting higher than the Empire State"
    Fueled by Ramen

    "There are lots of drug references, but then there’s also a line that references domestic abuse."

    —betsym41875ce0f

    22. "Come on Eileen" by Dexys Midnight Runners

    The "Come on Eileen" music video with lyrics, "At this moment you mean everything. You in that dress, my thoughts I confess verge on dirty. Aah, come on Eileen"
    Mercury

    "I loved the song when I was young, but then I grew up and listened to the lyrics. It's basically about a guy trying to talk a woman into sleeping with him by saying creepy things thinly veiled by nice words. Maybe even an older dude trying to trick a newly legal woman. Super catchy, and maybe I read into it wrong, but it seems so skeevy."

    —hallamichellem

    23. "Escape (The Piña Colada Song)" by Rupert Holmes

    Rupert Holmes singing "I was tired of my lady, we'd been together too long. Like a worn out recording of a favorite song."
    youtube.com

    "Basically the whole song is about how both parties are super bored and unhappy in their relationship, so they BOTH attempt to cheat, and when their date ends up being the person they were trying to cheat on, they think it's funny and stay together."

    —Tcoker2605

    Note: Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.

    Are there any we missed? Tell us in the comments below.