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Misappropriated Music Throughout The Years

stylo17stylo17 Posts: 1,001
edited March 2008 in Other Music
hey everyone, I'm doing a 20-25 minute presentation in my Honors Music and Human Rights Seminar, and I chose to do it on songs that were misinterpreted in the past.

Right now I've got: The Star Spangled Banner by Jimi Hendrix. NPR played the song after 9/11 as a tribute to the country (they didn't realize it was a protest song)

I also have "Born In the U.S.A." by Bruce Springsteen. Ronald Reagan used the song during his presidential campaign.

Then there's "This Land Is Your Land" by Woody Guthrie. The song is actually a critique of American capitalism, and isn't supposed to be a "cheery" song. but apparently not many people know this.

Are there any songs you can think of that have been misinterpreted like these?? If you know of some, what's the story behind it? And even BETTER, is if you can give a link to a story about that. THANKS everyone. have fun with this.
6/11/08 WPB


♬♪♫ and I will not, grow tired of crayon stars and fire

♬♪♫ cause a soldier's death is so much better than defeat just hanging around
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • waves roll inwaves roll in Posts: 159
    I know this song isn't political but a lot of people misinterpret "Better Man" as a love song. I know a friend who played it at their wedding.
  • tybirdtybird Posts: 17,388
    waves roll in wrote:
    I know this song isn't political but a lot of people misinterpret "Better Man" as a love song. I know a friend who played it at their wedding.
    I have heard that also happens with "One" by U2.
    All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a thousand enemies, and whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, prince with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed.
  • Joe2TheRevengeJoe2TheRevenge Posts: 904
    Billy Idol's "White Wedding" too.

    Always played as a happy song at weddings, when it was actually written as a "what the hell are you doing?" song.
    You can't spell "dumb" without DMB
  • Cropduster84Cropduster84 Posts: 1,283
    'Every Breath You Take' by The Police.......



    not a love song.......
    'The more I studied religions the more I am convinced that man never worshipped anything but himself.' - Sir Richard Francis Burton
  • Joe2TheRevengeJoe2TheRevenge Posts: 904
    Purple Haze by Jimi Hendrix

    people always thought he was singing about being high, when actually he was expressing his fondness for kissing guys.
    You can't spell "dumb" without DMB
  • DOSWDOSW Posts: 2,014
    Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds is a good one.
    It's a town full of losers and I'm pulling out of here to win
  • Jeremy1012Jeremy1012 Posts: 7,170
    Joe2TheRevenge wrote:
    Purple Rain by Jimi Hendrix

    people always thought he was singing about being high, when actually he was expressing his fondness for kissing guys.
    Purple Rain is a Prince song.


    You are thinking of Purple Haze.
    "I remember one night at Muzdalifa with nothing but the sky overhead, I lay awake amid sleeping Muslim brothers and I learned that pilgrims from every land — every colour, and class, and rank; high officials and the beggar alike — all snored in the same language"
  • FinsburyParkCarrotsFinsburyParkCarrots Posts: 12,223
    Jeremy1012 wrote:
    Purple Rain is a Prince song.


    You are thinking of Purple Haze.


    He's being ironic. ;)

    Hehehe, a yank stumped a Brit in the irony stakes.


    Edit: I hope.
  • Jeremy1012Jeremy1012 Posts: 7,170
    FinsburyParkCarrots wrote:
    He's being ironic. ;)

    Hehehe, a yank stumped a Brit in the irony stakes.


    Edit: I hope.
    I really don't think he was. What he said is something I have heard about Purple Haze many times. He just mixed the titles up.
    "I remember one night at Muzdalifa with nothing but the sky overhead, I lay awake amid sleeping Muslim brothers and I learned that pilgrims from every land — every colour, and class, and rank; high officials and the beggar alike — all snored in the same language"
  • FinsburyParkCarrotsFinsburyParkCarrots Posts: 12,223
    Jeremy1012 wrote:
    I really don't think he was. What he said is something I have heard about Purple Haze many times. He just mixed the titles up.

    Well, he certainly mixed up the "'scuse me while I kiss this guy" thing up, which is why I thought he was joking. Jimi thought it was so funny that people thought he was singing that, that he deliberately used to change the lyrics to the guy-kissing alternative, in live performances. For the record, for those who don't know, the original lyrics were "'scuse me while I kiss the sky."
  • Jeremy1012Jeremy1012 Posts: 7,170
    FinsburyParkCarrots wrote:
    Well, he certainly mixed up the "'scuse me while I kiss this guy" thing up, which is why I thought he was joking. Jimi thought it was so funny that people thought he was singing that, that he deliberately used to change the lyrics to the guy-kissing alternative, in live performances. For the record, for those who don't know, the original lyrics were "'scuse me while I kiss the sky."
    I know all that, just not sure if the other poster does :)
    "I remember one night at Muzdalifa with nothing but the sky overhead, I lay awake amid sleeping Muslim brothers and I learned that pilgrims from every land — every colour, and class, and rank; high officials and the beggar alike — all snored in the same language"
  • Joe2TheRevengeJoe2TheRevenge Posts: 904
    that would have been way funnier if i hadn't brain farted on the title
    You can't spell "dumb" without DMB
  • Jeremy1012Jeremy1012 Posts: 7,170
    Joe2TheRevenge wrote:
    that would have been way funnier if i hadn't brain farted on the title
    :) so I wasn't outdone in the irony stakes by an american? awesome :D

    Screw you Fins.
    "I remember one night at Muzdalifa with nothing but the sky overhead, I lay awake amid sleeping Muslim brothers and I learned that pilgrims from every land — every colour, and class, and rank; high officials and the beggar alike — all snored in the same language"
  • FinsburyParkCarrotsFinsburyParkCarrots Posts: 12,223
    Jeremy1012 wrote:
    :) so I wasn't outdone in the irony stakes by an american? awesome :D

    Screw you Fins.


    I'm not sure. I think he's working irony at multiple levels, and just fucking with our heads. ;)
  • Jeremy1012Jeremy1012 Posts: 7,170
    FinsburyParkCarrots wrote:
    I'm not sure. I think he's working irony at multiple levels, and just fucking with our heads. ;)
    Of course you do. You'd hate to be wrong, wouldn't you? :p
    "I remember one night at Muzdalifa with nothing but the sky overhead, I lay awake amid sleeping Muslim brothers and I learned that pilgrims from every land — every colour, and class, and rank; high officials and the beggar alike — all snored in the same language"
  • FinsburyParkCarrotsFinsburyParkCarrots Posts: 12,223
    Jeremy1012 wrote:
    Of course you do. You'd hate to be wrong, wouldn't you? :p


    I'm never wrong. Life's too relative for a McGuire absolute wrong. ;)
  • ByrnzieByrnzie Posts: 21,037
    Last of the famous international playboys - Morrissey

    I remember lots of 'lads' liking this song merely for the chorus. It's actually about a murderer, as was 'This Charming man'.
  • stylo17stylo17 Posts: 1,001
    ummm so before this thread keeps going away from it's original intention does anyone have any other songs??
    6/11/08 WPB


    ♬♪♫ and I will not, grow tired of crayon stars and fire

    ♬♪♫ cause a soldier's death is so much better than defeat just hanging around
  • libragirllibragirl Posts: 4,632
    Byrnzie wrote:
    Last of the famous international playboys - Morrissey

    I remember lots of 'lads' liking this song merely for the chorus. It's actually about a murderer, as was 'This Charming man'.

    Well yeah it's kind of obvious to me what it's about by the lyrics. At least I think so.
    These cuts are leaving creases. Trace the scars to fit the pieces, to tell the story, you don't need to say a word.
  • clutching_benjaminclutching_benjamin Posts: 95
    I'm not sure if this is exactly what you're after, but Nike using The Beatles "Revolution" comes to mind, as the Beatles themselves did not have the rights to the song, thus allowing the song to be put to a wrong use.
  • DriftingByTheStormDriftingByTheStorm Posts: 8,684
    FinsburyParkCarrots wrote:
    For the record, for those who don't know, the original lyrics were "'scuse me while I kiss the sky."

    Goddamnit!
    Are you fucking serious!?!

    Man, that blows my ENTIRE perspective about Purple Haze.

    I used to listen to that everyday as a teenager, back when i was a confused bi-curious weirdo.

    Son of a bitch.

    Kiss the SKY?

    THAT DOESNT EVEN MAKE SENSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    :eek:
    :eek:
    :eek:
    If I was to smile and I held out my hand
    If I opened it now would you not understand?
  • JOEJOEJOEJOEJOEJOE Posts: 10,483
    Joe2TheRevenge wrote:
    Purple Haze by Jimi Hendrix

    people always thought he was singing about being high, when actually he was expressing his fondness for kissing guys.

    Don't you mean "Purple People Eater"...wasn't that about kissing guys?
  • searchlightsoulsearchlightsoul Posts: 583
    edit
  • nothingheadnothinghead Posts: 270
    pretty sure there was a commercial jeans, maybe for Levi's or something, that used "Fortunate Son." If I remember, there was a big American flag and they used "Some folks are born to wave the flag/Oh they're red white and blue/And when the band plays "Hail to the chief"..."

    well, they never made it to the next line.


    edit:here, this video deals it, it's in the first 30 seconds...it shows the clip and you can see where they cut it off"

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=woyvGwGNGSo
  • libragirllibragirl Posts: 4,632
    The Police's Roxanne is about a prostitute. I didn't realize that for the longest time.
    These cuts are leaving creases. Trace the scars to fit the pieces, to tell the story, you don't need to say a word.
  • godpt3godpt3 Posts: 1,020
    years ago, one of the credit card companies had the balls to use John Lennon's Imagine in an ad during the Christmas season. Of course they left out the whole "Imagine there's no heaven" and "no religion, too" parts.


    Advertising and marketing drones should all have pimps for brothers. At least then they'd have someone to look up to.
    "If all those sweet, young things were laid end to end, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised."
    —Dorothy Parker

    http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/6902/conspiracytheoriesxt6qt8.jpg
  • PearlJamaholicPearlJamaholic Posts: 2,018
    isnt rockin in the free world right up this alley? and i think spin the black circle falls into this too. how many people hear this song and think its about something other than vinyl? sex type thing by stp is about rape or something i think scott commented on it somewhere. something about a girl that was at like a hs football party or something.
    http://db.etree.org/PearlJamaholic
  • muppetmuppet Posts: 980
    Here's a tip, play "Born In The USA" and then play the acostic version from "Tracks" straight after. The difference is pretty amazing.
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