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The true meaning (often misunderstood) of ten very famous songs

Many songs are full of symbolic references, allusions, lyrics that seem on the surface to be about love, for example, when this is not the case. 

Very often the authors pour their personal experiences into the songs they write, but the general public does not know this and therefore ends up giving a different interpretation to the meaning of a song. 

Frequently, it is the musicians themselves who clarify the true meaning of their lyrics. Here are some of the most famous examples of songs whose meaning is often misunderstood by listeners.

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The real meaning of 10 very famous songs
Many songs are full of symbolic references, allusions, lyrics that seem on the surface to be about love, for example, when this is not the case. Very often the authors pour their personal experiences into the songs they write, but the general public does not know this and therefore ends up giving a different interpretation to the meaning of a song. Frequently, it is the musicians themselves who clarify the true meaning of their lyrics. Here are some of the most famous examples of songs whose real meaning is often misunderstood by listeners.
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Every Breath You Take - The Police
'Every Breath You Take' is one of The Police's most famous and best-loved songs, perhaps because many people believe it to be a love song: nothing could be more untrue. The lyrics, in fact, were strongly influenced by the divorce Sting was going through at the time. As stated by Sting himself, the song is not about love, but about control, jealousy and surveillance, thus describing a distressing character who obsessively observes all the movements of the person he is addressing.
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Aqua - Barbie Girl
The melody and lyrics of Aqua's most famous song make one think of a carefree, sometimes even futile song, given the title. Instead, the meaning is much deeper: the lyrics are strongly satirical and aim to be a hymn to the freedom in love of women, who should not be used as 'dolls'.
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Born in the U.S.A. - Bruce Springsteen 
Despite its title, 'Born in the U.S.A.' is not a patriotic anthem: many believed it was, including President Ronald Reagan, who quoted Springsteen at a re-election rally as saying that America's future lay in the song's message. The Boss distanced himself from these statements and clarified the true meaning of the song: the song is about the effects of the Vietnam War on veterans after they return home.
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Shiny Happy People - R.E.M.
In 'Shiny Happy People', R.E.M. wanted to denounce a massacre that took place in China in 1989 and the lyrics were written with a goliardic and satirical purpose. However, the public did not understand Michael Stipe's real intentions and also for this reason, the band only played the song live on two occasions and never played it again in subsequent live performances.
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The Show Must Go On - Queen
"The Show Must Go On" was released as a single six weeks before Freddie Mercury died and therefore many have interpreted the song as a testament that the singer wanted to leave to his fans. In reality, the lyrics were written by Brian May, so the song does not represent a message from Mercury to the public. It is true, however, that in writing the lyrics Brian May was influenced by Freddie Mercury's difficulties and struggles during the last months of his life, in which his illness worsened.
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One - U2
Reading and listening to the lyrics of "One," one immediately thinks of the description of a difficult love relationship between two people who are unable to keep their relationship stable due to constant fighting. However, the real theme is the difficulty in life to overcome losses beyond love.Most likely, in "One" Bono described his childhood and his complicated relationship with his father, his only point of reference after the death of his mom when the U2 frontman was only 14 years old.
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Macarena - Los del Rio
The song is about a revenge betrayal: "Macarena" is in fact about a woman whose boyfriend joins the army and she, in rebellion, sleeps with two of his friends, dreaming of a new life in New York. Few dwell on the real meaning of this song, which is often interpreted as a simple song to sing and dance to thanks to its memorable choreography.
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Losing My Religion - R.E.M.
Despite the title, the song does not describe the mystical and religious crisis of a man who is losing his faith. On the contrary, as Michael Stipe explained, the lyrics exclusively symbolize a generic, inner crisis that has nothing to do with religion.
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Wake Me Up When September Ends - Green Day
No, this song is not a kind of lament and sad take on the end of summer and the beginning of the fall season. Billie Joe Armstrong wrote the song with the death of his father, who passed away in September 1982, in mind. In fact, the title of the song is a phrase Armstrong uttered to his mother on the day of his father's funeral. In any case, "Wake Me Up When September Ends" took on a strong symbolic value after the Hurricane Katrina catastrophe, while also representing for many a dedication to the victims of 9/11.
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Romeo and Juliet - Dire Straits
In the latter case, it is very easy to fall into the trap, given the title of the song, which, despite quoting the protagonists of Shakespeare's tragedy, does not describe the story of the two ill-fated lovers at all. On the contrary, the title is purely symbolic: the story of the song is based on an unrequited feeling, as confirmed by the author Mark Knopfler, according to whom the figure of Romeo was meant in an ironic sense, since the girl to whom he turns wants nothing to do with him. In short, a totally different story from Shakespeare's tragedy.
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