If you love the type of tunes the 90s were dishing out, chances are you’ve heard the following three songs before. But did you know that these hits from the 1990s feature some pretty shocking lyrics? If you weren’t listening closely, you might have missed the real (and devastating) stories behind them.
“Jeremy” by Pearl Jam (1992)
“Daddy didn’t give affection, no / And the boy was something that mommy.”
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This song is one of the biggest bummers of the 90s in the best way possible. And casual Pearl Jam fans (or non-fans) might have missed the story that this song is actually telling. The truth is, “Jeremy” was based on a real-life tragedy, one that Eddie Vedder poetically explores without getting too explicit, as a top-notch songwriter does.
“Jeremy” was written about a real-life 15-year-old boy who tragically committed suicide in front of his classmates in 1991. Vedder, who read about the tragedy in the news, decided to write a song about the tragedy to “give it more importance.”
“Semi-Charmed Life” by Third Eye Blind (1997)
“And I speak to you like the chorus to the verse / Chop another line like a coda with a curse / Come on like a freak show takes the stage / We give ’em the games she play, she say.”
That upbeat pop-rock melody, that overall sunny 90s rock vibe… If you weren’t listening to the words closely, you could have easily missed that this delightful song is actually about m*th addiction. It was definitely a trend in the 1990s to produce songs that had a positive edge musically, but a negative or heartbreaking edge lyrically. “Semi-Charmed Life” by Third Eye Blind definitely has that element, and it remains an excellent song because of it.
“Fade Into You” by Mazzy Star (1993)
“A stranger light comes on slowly / A stranger’s heart without a home / You put your hands into your head / And then its smiles cover your heart.”
This dreamy song soothed many listeners back in the 1990s, but its lyrics hide a pretty shocking meaning that you might have missed. This Mazzy Star classic is actually all about being emotionally detached, a lack of connection, and unrequited love. On the surface, “Fade Into You” might sound like a typical love song. But it’s really about something much deeper, and it might just give you an existential crisis.
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British guitarist, singer and songwriter Mark Knopfler (left) plays a Schecter Stratocaster as his band, Dire Straits, including Hal Lindes (right), performs live in concert at Wembley Arena in London, England, July 1985. Dire Straits played twelve dates (between 4th July and 16th July) at the venue as part of their 'Brothers in Arms' Tour. (Photo by Fin Costello/Redferns/Getty Images) -
1990 MTV Video Music Awards (L-R) American musicians Brad Whitford, Tom Hamilton, Joe Perry, Steven Tyler and Joey Kramer, of the American rock band Aerosmith, pose with their Moonman award backstage during the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles, California, September 6, 1990. (Photo by Lester Cohen/Getty Images) -
Richie Blackmore of Deep Purple, who recorded a classic rock album any dad would love to have. -
Queen – Freddie Mercury, Queen – Freddie Mercury (Photo by Brian Rasic/Getty Images) -
(Photo by John Lynn Kirk/Redferns/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) -
Phil Collins (born in 1951), British actor and singer-songwriter, during a concert at Bercy. Paris (12th arrondissement), March 5, 1985. (Photo by Christian Rose/Roger Viollet via Getty Images)
