Topics you shouldn'...
 

  You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more

Topics you shouldn't really write songs about

84 Posts
60 Users
35 Reactions
472 Views
Posts: 2582
Free Member
Topic starter
 

Just heard Hey Joe by Jimi Hendrix who was off to shoot his old lady and the Beatles Run for your life

They got away with more back in the '60's


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 12:24 pm
Posts: 1310
Free Member
 

Maxwell's Silver Hammer, upbeat song about a guy who kills people with a hammer


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 12:27 pm
nickc reacted
Posts: 11961
Full Member
 

Pretty much anything that Nick Cave has written songs about.


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 12:33 pm
gordimhor, bax_burner, hightensionline and 1 people reacted
Posts: 34376
Full Member
 

Pumped Up Kicks - Foster the People.

It's a really catchy ear worm (apologies) about a school shooting. Pretty grim


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 12:35 pm
Posts: 6980
Full Member
 

Pumped Up Kicks – Foster the People.

It’s a really catchy ear worm (apologies) about a school shooting. Pretty grim

See also, Boomtown Rats - I Don't Like Mondays

I'd wager there are a load of others too, not like US artists are short of material on the subject


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 12:37 pm
nickc reacted
Posts: 8835
Free Member
 

Cotton Eye Joe covers the topic of a man having his urethra swabbed with a cotton ball in order to test for STDs.


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 12:38 pm
nickc reacted
Posts: 1070
Full Member
 

Christmas. Because all the christmas songs are shite.


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 12:42 pm
MoreCashThanDash, funkmasterp, kayak23 and 2 people reacted
Posts: 3427
Full Member
 

I ate at an Ed's Easy Diner a few years ago.  The tables had little jukeboxes on them, mostly with songs from the 50s - an alarming proportion of which were about waiting for lasses to turn 16.


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 12:46 pm
Posts: 6513
Full Member
 

RHCP - under the bridge, about heroin addiction which killed band member Hillel Slovak.

Song later covered by AllSaints🤷‍♂️


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 12:50 pm
Posts: 1759
Full Member
 

Plenty of classic rock songs wouldn't get past the PC-police these days

- Eric Clapton - Cocaine

- Black Sabbath -  Sweet Leaf

- Black Sabbath (Again !!) - Snowblind

Even the beloved Queen wouldn't get away with singing about tieing your fat bottomed mother down before going on a bicycle race,  these days.


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 12:53 pm
Posts: 10761
Full Member
 

Turning Japanese by the Vapors. Allegedly about spanking the monkey.


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 12:57 pm
Posts: 6884
Full Member
 

Love.
Whatever you think needs saying in your boring song has already been said a million times.


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 1:05 pm
TedC and alexpalacefan reacted
Posts: 6382
Free Member
 

I'm not sure, aside from anything going near talking about 16 year olds, it still seems pretty much open season on writing to me- the lyrics of a lot of music that my kids listen to fills me with horror, makes a lot of stuff mentioned above seem innocuous.

Odd that they've not turned into vacuous misogynistic racist pricks considering, almost seems as if the words they listen to don't really have much impact.


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 1:06 pm
Posts: 255
Free Member
 

Ever since hearing the rumour that Sweet Caroline was written about JFK's teenage daughter, I can help feeling it's massively distasteful. The rumour may be false, and I don't know the daughter's age, but it just gives me shivers now.


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 1:11 pm
Posts: 10333
Full Member
 

Plenty of classic rock songs wouldn’t get past the PC-police these days

– Eric Clapton – Cocaine

– Black Sabbath –  Sweet Leaf

– Black Sabbath (Again !!) – Snowblind

Hmm are you sure, still loads of songs about drugs kicking about. trying to think of modern poular artists, you got the 1975 with Chocolate, and The Weekend with can't feel my face.

Also as above loads of lyrics about reallyy explicit sex: "Hold your head steady while I milk the cow...."


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 1:16 pm
Posts: 7076
Full Member
 

Probably best to avoid songs about crushing the Scots these days, seems they don't like it much. PC gone mad if you ask me.


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 1:18 pm
robertajobb reacted
Posts: 597
Full Member
 

Azalea Banks. She has some fairly explicit lyrics about adventurous activities between the sheets. And I’m pretty sure she’s one the young people listen to.


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 1:23 pm
Posts: 1759
Full Member
 

@vinnyeah.  True.

My yoof was filled with Iron Maiden, Jusas Priest, Ozzy, and Black Sabbath.  Yet despite what the (im)moral minority in America would have you believe, I've still not had sex with a fruit bat or been to any Satanic Night clubs.

🤘


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 1:26 pm
Posts: 41642
Free Member
 

Azalea Banks. She has some fairly explicit lyrics about adventurous activities between the sheets. And I’m pretty sure she’s one the young people listened to about a decade ago.


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 1:29 pm
milan b. reacted
 DrP
Posts: 12041
Full Member
 

Most songs by the bloodhoundgang....

I can't even bring myself to name them here (though, I do love that band!!)

DrP


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 1:31 pm
welshfarmer reacted
Posts: 91000
Free Member
 

Delilah by Tom Jones?


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 1:32 pm
Posts: 8750
Full Member
 

I've just opened this thread while watching YouTube documentaries about Seth Putnam. No one else gets close really.


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 1:34 pm
debaser reacted
Posts: 34376
Full Member
 

Plenty of classic rock songs wouldn’t get past the PC-police these days

There's plenty of artists giving Boomers a run for their money. Writing songs about drugs and sex didn't come to an end in the 70's 🙄


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 1:35 pm
Posts: 15068
Full Member
 

The entire back catalog of Deicide! 😀


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 1:35 pm
Posts: 4166
Free Member
 

Plenty of classic rock songs wouldn’t get past the PC-police these days

I mean I'd post the lyrics to Wet Ass Pussy (bring a mop and bucket) but the swears filter might melt.

What was Little Red Rooster about?


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 1:41 pm
Posts: 6884
Full Member
 

Mild mannered Scots Travis... well, I dunno what the lyrics are, but the title is... ahem best stick to songs about wet weather I reckon.


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 1:45 pm
Posts: 6312
Free Member
 

Almost everything by the bloodhound gang.

So what or green hell by diamond head...


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 1:47 pm
Posts: 23107
Full Member
 

There are a few Rod Stewart and Tom Jones ones that border on being a bit "rapey".


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 1:49 pm
Posts: 4381
Full Member
 

A fair section of music has always been reasonably horny and off its face and so long as there's a party to be had it always will be, the boomers didn't invent it, the Blues was full of it.

Big Legs Tight Skirt by Jon Lee Hooker anyone?

And before that there were bawdy folk songs about the Mayor of Bayswater's daughter and all that.


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 1:51 pm
Posts: 4166
Free Member
 

There are a few Rod Stewart

Christ yes! Bawdy is one thing, creepy af is another. "Tonight's the night", sample lyrics: just bite down on on this, it'll be over before you know it..."


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 1:53 pm
Posts: 4143
Free Member
 

Art innit ...

You can have any subject matter you like.

It's society that decides whether it's popular and a hit or not.


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 1:55 pm
Posts: 13617
Full Member
 

I wish Miley Cyrus would get a nice steady relationship so she stops writing dreary and tedious break-up songs!


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 1:56 pm
Posts: 4954
Free Member
 

Nothing. You are banning discussion on a subject if you are banning music on a subject.


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 1:56 pm
Posts: 4954
Free Member
 

I would ban Coldplay though


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 1:58 pm
wooobob, ads678 and appltn reacted
Posts: 17779
Full Member
 

Just heard Hey Joe by Jimi Hendrix who was off to shoot his old lady

Pretty standard blues material.


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 2:00 pm
Posts: 11961
Full Member
 

People totally get the wrong idea about Sex and Agriculture.

And Are You Old Enough would probably upset people too.


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 2:09 pm
Posts: 8819
Full Member
 

Wasn't The Stranglers' "Golden Brown" a tribute to heroin? That might complete the "Class A drugs list playlist".

Doesn't matter really, it's still a decent song.


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 2:18 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

So what or green hell by diamond head…

So What by the Anti nowhere League and Green Hell by the Mistifs you mean? As covered by Metallica not Diamond Head 😁

But say what you like Nick Cave makes the macabre and twisted beautiful.


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 2:28 pm
Posts: 56564
Full Member
 

I wish Miley Cyrus would get a nice steady relationship so she stops writing dreary and tedious break-up songs!

To be fair, Adele’s not done too bad out of it.


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 2:39 pm
Posts: 17915
Full Member
 

Some probably don't see it as satire


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 2:44 pm
Posts: 2582
Free Member
Topic starter
 

The Jack by ACDC or poison ivy by the Coasters amongst many maybe not best to sing along to with grandkids


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 2:57 pm
Posts: 918
Free Member
 

Isn't there a Rolling Stones song about bedding underage girls? Can't remember the name right now, might have been 'Stray Cat Blues'.

Yeuchhh.


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 2:59 pm
Posts: 6884
Full Member
 

There was a Rolling Stones song about black women, the devil, fighting, testicles, drugs, boobies & bottoms, a dead man coming... I mean if you really want to be offended I'm sure they've written something to accommodate.


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 3:19 pm
Posts: 77347
Free Member
 

I don't know for certain, but Epic by Faith No more sounds an awful lot like a song about how 'epic' rape is for at least one of the participants.

I always thought Baby Bird's "You're Gorgeous" was weird AF because it's clearly supposed to be sung from the point of view of a woman who's been taken advantage of rather than a middle-aged bloke who looks like Jedward after a Star Trek transporter accident.

Nothing. You are banning discussion on a subject if you are banning music on a subject.

Funny isn't it. It's always the same usual suspects wailing about censorship when a) nothing is actually being censored and b) they probably should be.


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 6:03 pm
Posts: 7100
Free Member
 

Irony


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 6:12 pm
Posts: 77347
Free Member
 

That was Alanis Morissette.


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 6:14 pm
burntembers reacted
Posts: 13554
Free Member
 

I don’t know for certain, but Epic by Faith No more sounds an awful lot like a song about how ‘epic’ rape is for at least one of the participants.

Mike Patton says it’s whatever you want it to be about or chronic masturbation. Depending on when the interview was conducted.

I have a playlist of murder ballads that includes Hey Joe. It is an American music tradition. Little Sadie (Lanegan’s version) and Kate Macannon by Colter Wall are good ones.

Most songs my parents got offended by me listening to are the ones that I hope my kids do listen to at some point. Bad Religion, Dead Kennedys, The Coup and RATM.

I can’t think of many topics that haven’t been tackled in song at some point. From the creepy, to the absurd to the downright disturbing. It’s all out there somewhere.


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 6:15 pm
Posts: 7100
Free Member
 

Yeah it should never have been written 😁


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 6:15 pm
Posts: 10567
Full Member
 

Copperhead Road is a pleasant song about moonshiners murdering a policeman.


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 6:16 pm
Posts: 459
Full Member
 

I was pleased recently to discover the dirty blues tradition being maintained by Bob Log III - highlights include the tremendously-titled 'Boob Scotch'. Spotify even provides the lyrics for maximum family singalong fun.


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 6:19 pm
Posts: 2324
Full Member
 

I worked a summer in a bar in a Bavarian holiday village in the 80s. The Germans seem to have a strange relationship with US music, and this was on their loop, which I found very strange as a 19 year old, in a rather sedate restaurant/bar


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 6:33 pm
Posts: 14711
Full Member
 

Pretty much everything recorded by Seth Putnam and the lads. IYKYK


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 6:36 pm
Posts: 2582
Free Member
Topic starter
 

Almost forgot off Next by SAHB

Gangbang , I'd be cranking the National Panasonic music centre volume control up to 12 and singing along with Alex ain't nothing like a gangbang to blow away the blues

Just hope my mum didn't hear me


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 6:36 pm
Posts: 6382
Free Member
 

Never could put my finger on the reason why, but I've always felt Shriekback's Nemesis was a particularly disturbing song, I'm sure there's some profound evil lurking in the lyrics somewhere.

But more seriously, Metallica's cover and video of Turn the Page totally ****ed up my feelings for a song I really used to like. Totally unnecessary.


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 6:43 pm
Posts: 1070
Full Member
 

I touch myself by the Divinyls.

I remember being at a party when I was about 10 and the girls belting that out at karaoke. That seems a bit inappropriate now.


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 6:51 pm
kayak23 reacted
Posts: 6884
Full Member
 

Next by SAHB

Jacques Brel. Some pretty out there song subjects for the early 60s.


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 7:39 pm
Posts: 32265
Full Member
 

Most of Whitesnakes back catalogue..


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 7:42 pm
Posts: 855
Free Member
 

 
Posted : 12/09/2023 8:08 pm
Posts: 1794
Free Member
 

Tattooed Love Boys - The Pretenders - Gang Rape

Guns of Brixton - The Clash - shooting Policemen


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 8:17 pm
 jca
Posts: 737
Full Member
 

Richard Thompson writes some really dark and also awesome songs...

Sydney Wells:

Guns are the tongues:

Auldie Riggs: https://genius.com/Richard-thompson-auldie-riggs-lyrics


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 8:34 pm
Posts: 17779
Full Member
 

@susepic Yes Frank wrote some pretty colourful songs - see also Dinah-Moe Humm, Broken Hearts Are For Assholes, Jewish Princess. I Have Been In You, Baby Take Your Teeth Out, Dirty Love to name just a few.

Great music though.


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 9:59 pm
Posts: 8771
Full Member
 

There's a few here https://singletrackmag.com/forum

The classic "Help me with a problem with an out of warranty sofa, please”

The club favourite "Why aren’t Digestives and Chocolate Digestives the same size?"


 
Posted : 12/09/2023 10:27 pm
cheese@4p reacted
Posts: 7618
Free Member
 

Copperhead Road is a pleasant song about moonshiners murdering a policeman

(revenue man)

And then the death of a father in a car cash and the next generation growing cannabis.


 
Posted : 13/09/2023 7:17 am
Posts: 4599
Free Member
 

At least Gary Puckett stopped himself on Young Girl , when I think that song is supposedly taboo yet compared to some of the eye watering subject matter and lyrics on offer since 🙄

The song that censors really missed the point on though was Melting Pot by Blue Mink . It was about racial harmony by a multi cultural group 🙄


 
Posted : 13/09/2023 7:30 am
Posts: 4599
Free Member
 

<p style="text-align: center;">Just remembered talking about Little Red Rooster , I was 8 at the time and wanted the single for Xmas .My mum made sure I had a Woolies K Tell knock off instead. Mick and the boys were going to corrupt my little head unlike those boys next door Beatles 😁😁😁</p>
In that age old tradition of railing against your parents I then started enjoying The Pretty Things as well ! 😁 69/70 Skinhead phase we had plenty to choose from Max Romeo reckoned Wet Dream was about sleeping in a shack with a leaky roof and he had to keep pushing it up 🤔😁

If you haven't heard Prince Buster Big Five it's a very rude version of Rainy Night In Georgia oh and Barbwire by Nora Dean . " Oh mama I met a man today he got barbwire in his underpants" 😁😁😁😁


 
Posted : 13/09/2023 7:42 am
Posts: 6884
Full Member
 

Ever since this thread started I've had Nirvana's "Polly" going through my head for some reason.
PiL "Poptones" for a similar subject


 
Posted : 13/09/2023 9:13 am
Posts: 9135
Full Member
 

Jewish princesses or Catholic girls.

It gives a kind of false hope.


 
Posted : 13/09/2023 10:35 am
gordimhor reacted
 dazh
Posts: 13182
Full Member
 

 
Posted : 13/09/2023 10:52 am
Posts: 13617
Full Member
 

Odd - I've not heard that Stones track on Pick of the Pops!!


 
Posted : 13/09/2023 11:00 am
Posts: 4954
Free Member
 

Funny isn’t it. It’s always the same usual suspects wailing about censorship when a) nothing is actually being censored and b) they probably should be.

Is that a dig at me. Hard to tell within the form of communication. If it isn't not worries. If it is I don't get how it refers to me:)


 
Posted : 13/09/2023 11:05 am
Posts: 3985
Full Member
 

If you are a bit squeamish you probably want to give the Cannibal Corpse discography a swerve...


 
Posted : 13/09/2023 11:12 am
Posts: 6884
Full Member
 

Red Hot Chilli Peppers might want to explain
"But who cares what the good books says
'Cause now she's taking off her dress"
from (ahem) Catholic School Girls Rule.


 
Posted : 13/09/2023 11:31 am
Posts: 77347
Free Member
 

Is that a dig at me. Hard to tell within the form of communication. If it isn’t not worries. If it is I don’t get how it refers to me:)

It was a generalisation. IME those who scream the loudest, "you can't say anything anymore [something something woke snowflakes something]" are a) outright lying and b) probably the ones most in need of reining in.

If you saw yourself in that post then, well, that's up to you to contemplate I suppose.


 
Posted : 13/09/2023 11:57 am
Posts: 4166
Free Member
 

There’s a few here https://singletrackmag.com/forum

The classic “Help me with a problem with an out of warranty sofa, please”

Ah that old country and western number....

Been a year and hey-urf since we bought our settee,
And it’s been a good friend to my wife, dawg and me,
But after red wine and white wine and bodily emissions
The staining is shameful however cushions are positioned,
So I’m begging you begging you down on my knees,
Won’t you help me with, a problem with, an out of warranty sofa please!

The club favourite “Why aren’t Digestives and Chocolate Digestives the same size?”

That's a gabba gabber release I think, by some berlin hardcore techno nasenbluten outfit?


 
Posted : 13/09/2023 1:46 pm
sirromj and Cougar reacted
Posts: 8035
Free Member
 

Brown sugar hasn’t aged very well..


 
Posted : 13/09/2023 2:26 pm
Posts: 2159
Free Member
 

Songs have been written about tabboo/dirty/disgusting etc... subjects since forever and will continue

One of my faves is Steel Panther, they are very tongue in cheek

Lyrics like 50 cent's a fag, so is Kanye West, shooting hot sperm on each other's chest

They have plenty of very rude and funny songs like Girl from Oklahoma


 
Posted : 13/09/2023 2:43 pm
Posts: 4397
Full Member
 

 
Posted : 13/09/2023 2:56 pm
Posts: 17779
Full Member
 

Jewish princesses

"Vapor Lock".

Oh and another one from Frank - "Honey Don't You Want A Man Like Me"?


 
Posted : 14/09/2023 11:57 am
Posts: 4899
Full Member
 

You should never write a song about any thing that is on an approved list of subjects


 
Posted : 14/09/2023 4:51 pm
chevychase reacted
Posts: 0
Full Member
 

/thread


 
Posted : 14/09/2023 5:47 pm
Page 1 / 2

6 DAYS LEFT
We are currently at 95% of our target!