21 Love Songs That People Didn't Realize Were Actually Super, Super Dark

    "It always creeped me out. It’s an innocent song about teenage romance...but he was 33 when it was released!"

    Lauren Garafano
    by Lauren Garafano

    BuzzFeed Staff

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

    Some submissions include topics of suicide, drug addiction, and sexual assault. 

    1. "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 / youtube.com

    "I can dissect The 1975’s 'It’s Not Living (If It’s Not With You)' for hours. The song is about drug addiction but makes it seem like it’s a love song. We’re so used to romanticizing being utterly codependent on the other person in a relationship, which is just as toxic as an addiction."

    —rachelmay


    Listen to the full song here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Polydor / youtube.com

    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 / youtube.com

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

    —zacharyr449cdee0c

    Listen to the full song here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Dualtone Music Group / youtube.com

    3. "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 / youtube.com

    "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

    Listen to the full song here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Polar Music / youtube.com

    4. "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

    Listen to the full song here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Decca / youtube.com

    5. "Possession" by Sarah McLachlan

    "I would be the one to hold you down, kiss you so hard; I'll take your breath away"
    Nettwerk Music Group / youtube.com

    "The song lyrics are über romantic until you’re told that the inspiration came from stalkers’ letters to her. Yikes!"

    —surprisedogre42

    Listen to the full song here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Nettwerk Music Group / youtube.com

    6. "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"
    A&M / youtube.com

    "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

    Listen to the full song here:

    View this video on YouTube
    A&M / youtube.com

    7. "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 / youtube.com

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

    —mlward

    Listen to the full song here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Island Records / youtube.com

    8. "Your Love" by Outfield

    "So many things that I want to say; you know I like my girls a little bit older; I just want to use your love tonight"
    Air Studios / youtube.com

    "A classic '80s staple that you'll recognize by the catchy 'I don't wanna lose your love tonight' hook. On a closer listen, you realize it's followed by 'I just wanna use your love tonight.' What's even creepier are the lyrics about how his girlfriend is away, he needs a shoulder to cry on, and even though he 'likes his girls a little bit older,' this girl will do...as long as she doesn't tell anyone about it."

    —saramariem2

    Listen to the full song here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Air Studios / youtube.com

    9. "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."
    Infinity Records 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

    Listen to the full song here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Infinity Records youtube.com

    10. "Crash Into Me" by Dave Matthews Band

    "Oh I watch you there through the window and I stare at you; you were nothing but you wear it so well"
    RCA / youtube.com

    "Lyrics matter, y'all. Friends don't let friends think 'Crash Into Me' is anything other than the creepy stalker anthem it is."

    —andread14

    Listen to the full song here:

    View this video on YouTube
    RCA / youtube.com

    11. "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 / youtube.com

    "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

    Listen to the full song here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Capitol / youtube.com

    12. "Delilah" by Tom Jones

    Parrot / youtube.com

    "It's about him murdering his girlfriend/ex-girlfriend."

    —bethw41d9ffb62

    Listen to the full song here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Parrot / youtube.com

    13. "Lips of an Angel" by Hinder

    "Well, my girl's in the next room; sometimes I wish she was you"
    Universal Republic / youtube.com

    "Back when it came out, all of my friends would gush about what an amazing love song it is, while all I could ever focus on was the fact that some piece of shit is cheating on his girlfriend and wishing she was his ex."

    —adriennec492debdae

    Listen to the full song here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Universal Republic / youtube.com

    14. “You’re Sixteen” by Ringo Starr

    "Peaches and cream, lips like strawberry wine; you're 16, you're beautiful, and you're mine"
    Apple / youtube.com

    "It always creeped me out for some reason. It’s an innocent song about teenage romance, but he was 33 when it was released!!!! Grown men should not be singing about teenage girls unless it’s a father-daughter kind of song!!!"

    —sallysweetheart

    Listen to the full song here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Apple / youtube.com

    15. "Paris" by the Chainsmokers

    "If we go down, then we go down together; they'll say you could do anything; they'll say that I was clever"
    Disruptor / youtube.com

    "It's actually about a suicide pact."

    —heroiceagle93

    Listen to the full song here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Disruptor / youtube.com

    16. "You’re All I Need" by Motley Crüe

    "Now we're both along; but killing you helped me keep you home"
    Eleven Seven Music / youtube.com

    "It’s about a guy who kills his girlfriend because he 'loves' her so much. Nikki Sixx wrote it as a bad joke for his then-girlfriend who had cheated on him with a dude who sang a song with the same name."

    —krystanl

    Listen to the full song here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Eleven Seven Music / youtube.com

    17. "Invisible" by Clay Aiken

    "If I was invisible, then I could just watch you in your room"
    RCA / youtube.com

    "It plays at work all the time and makes me so uncomfortable."

    —deadmonkeyhead13

    Listen to the full song here:

    View this video on YouTube
    RCA / youtube.com

    18. "Fancy" by Reba

    "Askin', 'Mama, what do I do?" She said, "Just be nice to the gentlemen, Fancy — they'll be nice to you"
    MCA / youtube.com

    "I just can't listen to that song. It breaks my heart just thinking about it. And it's so freaking catchy. 'Here's your one chance, Fancy. Don't let me down. Just be nice to the gentlemen, Fancy, and they'll be nice to you.' NO NO NO. Just can't."

    —2mrspiper

    Listen to the full song here:

    View this video on YouTube
    MCA / youtube.com

    19. "Honey I'm Good" by Andy Grammer

    "It's been a long night here and a long night there; and these long, long legs are damn near everywhere"
    S-Curve / youtube.com

    "I've always thought it was a bit fucked up since it's basically saying the only way he can stop himself from cheating on his partner is to stop drinking."

    —leighb4658080f4

    Listen to the full song here:

    View this video on YouTube
    S-Curve / youtube.com

    20. "Fast Car" by Tracy Chapman

    "See, my old man's got a problem; he live with the bottle; that's the way it is"
    Elektra / youtube.com

    "The song starts off as a hopeful plea to her new boyfriend, and you think she'll be able to break the chain her parents created, but their relationship ends in the same way. It makes me cry every time, but it'll always be one of my favorites because of how beautiful it is."

    —proknight81

    Listen to the full song here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Elektra / youtube.com

    21. And finally, "Hey Ya" by OutKast

    "Are we so in denial when we know we're not happy here?"
    Arista / youtube.com

    "The music is so upbeat, but the lyrics are super sad."

    —laurenarevalog

    "Not many people realize it's actually about a failing relationship." —Shelby Heinrich

    Listen to the full song here:

    View this video on YouTube
    Arista / youtube.com

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

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