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17 Songs People Thought Were Catchy But Are Actually Pretty Dark

I'll never listen to "Copacabana" the same way again!

Shelby Heinrich
by Shelby Heinrich

BuzzFeed Staff

Not too long ago, we asked the BuzzFeed Community to share "fun" and "catchy" songs they later realized were actually pretty dark. The first part was such a hit, we decided to see if there are any more songs out there that had us fooled. And it turns out, there are plenty!

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

1. The Weeknd, "In the Night"

"He sang a song when he did it, he was cold and he was so unforgiving. Now she dances to the song on the minute."
Republic Records

"Super catchy, but it's a song about a girl who was abused and now strips to the song she was abused to."

—krystaleburwell

2. Marshmello feat. Bastille, "Happier"

"I want to raise your spirits, I want to see you smile, but know that means I'll have to leave."
Interscope Records

"'Happier' by Marshmello always catches me off guard. I love the beat, but the lyrics, man."

—jaida

3. Blondie, "One Way Or Another"

"And if the lights are all out, I'll follow your bus downtown, see who's hangin' out."
Sony BMG Music Entertainment

"A fun song to dance to that's about a stalker."

—immabanana

4. Hollywood Undead, "Bullet"

"A stomach full of pills didn't work again, I'll put a bullet in my head and I'm gone, gone, gone."
Interscope Records

"One of the happiest songs about suicide I have ever heard."

—amandarpi

5. The 1975, "It's Not Living (If It's Not With You)"

"Collapse my veins wearing beautiful shoes, it's not living if it's not with you."
Interscope Records

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

—roryfae

6. NENA, "99 Red Balloons"

"It's all over and I'm standin' pretty, in this dust that was a city. If I could find a souvenier just to prove the world was here."
Warner Music Group

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

—ajffk6

7. Benny Mardones, "Into the Night"

"She's just 16 years old, leave her alone, they say. Separated by fools who don't know what love is yet."
Polydor Records

"The first line is, 'She’s just 16 years old, leave her alone, they say.' Pretty obvious for an old, bloated pedophile."

—muddler_mike

8. Ed Sheeran, "The A Team"

"Cause in a pipe, she'll fly to the motherland, and sell love to another man."
Atlantic Records

"I couldn't stand when 'The A Team' by Ed Sheeran was popular. Everyone and their mother thought it was such a sweet song with him and his guitar and a nice little melody."

—marija000

9. Tom Jones, "Delilah"

"She stood there laughing, I felt the knife in my hand and she laughed no more."
Columbia Records

"It’s about a guy peeping on his ex while she’s hooking up with someone else, then he confronts her about it, and STABS HER TO DEATH TO STOP HER FROM LAUGHING!"

—g33kdiva

10. Gary Puckett and The Union Gap, "Young Girl"

"Young girl, get out of my mind. My love for you is way out of line. Better run, girl. You're much too young, girl."
Columbia Records

"I mean...'Young girl, get out of my mind. My love for you is way out of line. Better run girl. You're much too young girl.'"

—yofloflo

11. Blue Stahli, "Never Dance Again"

"So I guess you'll never dance again"
FiXT Music

"Maybe you can't tell by the first listen, but it's a song with a good, fun beat about a man running over his ex after she cheated on him."

—a487fb74c2

12. Mike Oldfield feat. Maggie Reilly, "Moonlight Shadow"

"All she saw was the silhouette of a gun, far away on the other side. He was shot..."
Universal Music Group

"'Moonlight Shadow' by Mike Oldfield is about a shooting, possibly that of John Lennon."

—wrongdaybutwhocares

13. Pearl Jam, "Last Kiss"

"I'll never forget the sound that night, the screamin' tires, the bustin' glass. The painful scream that I heard last."
Universal Music Group

"It took me a few years until I really listened to the lyrics of 'Last Kiss,' and when I finally realized it was about a boy’s girlfriend dying in his arms after a car crash, I nearly slammed on my brakes and got full body chills. Really sad and messed up story for a song."

—paigecampbell1

14. The Beatles, "Maxwell's Silver Hammer"

But when she turns her back on the boy, he creeps up from behind. Bang! Bang!"
youtube.com

"It’s such a fun and catchy song, but it’s literally about a guy who murders people with a hammer!"

—elexisgrace

15. Biffy Clyro, "Many of Horror"

"Cause when my back is turned, my bruises shine. Our broken fairytale, so hard to hide."
Warner Music Sweden

"I thought it was about hugging! Not domestic violence! I wanted it as my wedding song until someone pointed out to me how much of a red flag that would be."

—canunotmywaywardson

16. Enrique Iglesias, "I Like It"

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

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

—andyc4787e0ccb

17. And Barry Manilow, "Copacabana (At the Copa)"

"And then the punches flew, and chairs were smashed in two. There was blood and a single gunshot, but just who shot who?"
RCA Records

"'Copacabana (At the Copa)' immediately springs to mind. It always seems so upbeat, but then you listen to the lyrics and it turns out to be about a shooting and a woman driven mad by grief. Not so fun."

—eleanorwarne

Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.

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