Despite its title, “The One I Love” by R.E.M. is far from a love song. Actually, R.E.M. almost decided not to record it because they thought it was “too brutal, … really violent and awful,” according to Michael Stipe, the band’s lead singer.
Obviously, the song’s title makes us think it’s another typical love song, but once you listen to the lyrics, you quickly realize this is not a song you would ever dedicate to the love of your life. For one thing, they call a lover “a simple prop to occupy my time.” It’s hard to think that would get you any points with your sweetheart.
"Summer of '69" by Bryan Adams
Contrary to what many people might think, "Summer of '69" is not a nostalgic love tribute to the magical summer of 1969. The famous "Summer of '69" song, which was actually released in 1984, was not based on its writers, Canadian singer Bryan Adams and friend Jim Vallance's experiences as teenagers in '69, which should've been quite obvious to most listeners, since Adams was barely 9 years old in 1969.
Although the song does make some references to the musicians' personal lives, Adams explained that the '69 actually referred to the 69' position.
"Buddy Holly" by Weezer
Despite its title, most people who've heard the 1994 Weezer song, "Buddy Holly," know it has nothing to do with the actual musician. In fact, after listening to the song's lyrics, "You know I’m yours, and I know you’re mine, and that’s for all time," most people assumed it was about an intimate relationship, a dedication of love. However, Weezer's lead singer, Rivers Cuomo, claims that's not the case at all: "It’s very platonic. Not a romantic thing at all."
And to be fair, after carefully listening to the song's lyrics, it becomes quite obvious that they're not explicitly romantic. Actually, they're almost purposely vague. Audiences just quickly assumed the song was romantic since it was about a guy singing a song about a girl. But in reality, that's all it is - simply a guy singing about a girl.
"Slide" by Goo Goo Dolls
The Goo Goo Dolls were a popular 90s band, but it was their 1998 hit single, "Slide," that got them into the big leagues. At first, the upbeat song seems to be a typical story about two young lovers against the world. But apparently, the song was far less romantic than people thought.
As lead singer and songwriter Johnny Rzeznik explained, "The song is actually about these two teenage kids, and the girlfriend gets pregnant and … they’re trying to decide whether she should get an abortion, or they should get married, or what should go on."
"American Girl" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers became a symbol of 1970s American rock, and one of their greatest hits was the song "American Girl." For years, many people believed the song was about a girl who'd taken her own life. Nevertheless, Petty denied the whole thing in his 2005 book, 'Conversations with Tom Petty.'
Petty explains, "It’s become a huge urban myth down in Florida...The song has nothing to do with that. But that story really gets around. …I’ve even seen magazine articles about that story. They could have just called me and found out it wasn’t true.” The rock star then goes on to explain that the song's actual inspiration came from the time when he lived in California: “I was living in an apartment right by the freeway. And the cars sounded like the ocean to me. That was my ocean. My Malibu. Where I heard the waves crash, but it was just the cars going by. I think that must have inspired the lyric.”