3 Catchy Hit Songs With Lyrics That Make Absolutely No Sense

Many songwriters pride themselves on their lyrics. While every aspect of a song is important to the final product, listeners immediately grab onto the lyrics, putting a stressed importance on them. But, writing memorable lyrics doesn’t mean they have to make sense. The songs below feature nonsensical lyrics, which ultimately didn’t hurt their popularity. Revisit three catchy hit songs with lyrics that make no sense, below.

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“Heart-Shaped Box” (Nirvana)

While we’re sure Kurt Cobain was striving for some deep, metaphoric message in “Heart Shaped Box,” for those of us not privy to his internal diatribe, the meaning is a little muddy. Like many great grunge songs, the lyrics to this Nirvana hit seem to be skewed towards earning a stunned reaction from listeners. It’s less about relaying a well-told story and more about cramming in as many dark, brooding sentences as possible. Wherever you stand on that affinity, no one can deny it worked wonders for Nirvana in the ’90s.

She eyes me like a Pisces when I am weak
I’ve been locked inside your heart-shaped box for weeks
I’ve been drawn into your magnet tar pit trap
I wish I could eat your cancer when you turn black

Hey
Wait
I got a new complaint

 “I Am The Walrus” (The Beatles)

“I Am The Walrus” is one of the most famous examples of a song with lyrics that seem to make little to no sense–but don’t hurt the overall production of the track. Lennon penned this song as a response to fans that tended to overanalyze the Beatles’ lyrics. In the end, he created a song that has been analyzed to no end by confused Beatles fans.

I am he as you are he, as you are me and we are all together
See how they run like pigs from a gun, see how they fly
I’m crying

Sitting on a cornflake, waiting for the van to come
Corporation tee-shirt, stupid bloody Tuesday
Man, you been a naughty boy, you let your face grow long

“Give It Away” (Red Hot Chili Peppers)

Though there is a story behind the Red Hot Chili Peppers‘ “Give It Away,” if you didn’t know it, you’d be forgiven for thinking the lyrics made no sense. On paper, it seems like the band focused more on the rhyme scheme than the meaning behind each line. Though we’re sure the band would have objections to that, it hasn’t stopped fans from being confused about this Chili Peppers hit.

I realize, I don’t want to be a miser
Confide with sly, you’ll be the wiser
Young blood is the lovin’ upriser
How come everybody wanna keep it like the Kaiser?

Give it away, give it away, give it away now
Give it away, give it away, give it away now

(Photo by Brian Rasic/Getty Images)