If you’ve ever heard a particular line in a classic rock song and thought, “What the heck does that mean?”, you’re not alone. Plenty of rock bands through the years have tossed a few curveballs into their music. We’re going to break down what a few of those lyrics actually mean. Let’s take a look at four rock song lyrics and the true stories behind them!
1. “The Way” by Fastball
Remember this one-hit wonder from the 1990s? “The Way” by Fastball is a great alt-rock hit, but there is one particular lyric that has been the subject of intrigue among fans.
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“Anyone can see the road that they walk on is paved in gold / It’s always summer, they’ll never get cold / They won’t make it home, but they really don’t care.”
Tony Scalzo read a report about a senior couple, both of which were suffering from health issues, who went missing in Texas years ago. It was eventually discovered that the couple had driven over the side of a canyon to their deaths. Scalzo wanted to write a song about their story but wanted to give it a happy ending. And thus, the above line is about a happy couple enjoying each other’s company in the afterlife.
2. “Werewolves Of London” by Warren Zevon
“I saw a werewolf drinking a piña colada at Trader Vic’s and his hair was perfect.”
Alright, that’s a pretty hilarious line. This lyric from “Werewolves Of London” by Warren Zevon was inspired by the 1935 movie Werewolf Of London. The above line was likely him poking fun at his rock contemporaries. It is a comedy song, after all.
3. “Unskinny Bop” by Poison
“Like gasoline you wanna pump me and then leave me when you get your fill, yeah / Unskinny bop bop bop bop, she just loves to play / Unskinny bop, nothin’ more to say.”
I think there’s actually a lot more to say, because that bit made no sense. We know there’s a sexual innuendo in there, but the whole of that line doesn’t make much sense. However, when it comes to rock lyrics with stories behind them, there isn’t much of a story behind this one. Any fan of Poison knows that the band (especially Bret Michaels) had a tendency to get lazy with their lyrics. There’s no deeper meaning behind this one, folks.
4. “Bad Moon Rising” by Creedence Clearwater Revival
“Bad Moon Rising” by Creedence Clearwater Revival is one of those songs that features pretty dark lyrics that listeners tend to overlook, simply because the melody and overall musicality of the song are so addictive. However, “Bad Moon Rising” is more or less a song about the apocalypse; and one particular lyric had a few fans scratching their heads back in the day.
“I hear hurricanes a-blowing / I know the end is coming soon / Looks like we’re in for nasty weather.”
Is “Bad Moon Rising” about the end of times? Is it a prediction of a world-ending weather event? According to John Fogerty, those lyrics (and the song as a whole) were based on a scene from The Devil And Daniel Webster, where a hurricane strikes and absolutely demolishes homes, trees, buildings, and more. He also said that the song was inspired by the murders of Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr.
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