A good songwriter’s talent always lies in their ability to communicate complex emotions and themes in a way that doesn’t get buried in their musicality. Sometimes, though, the vibe and instrumentation of a song are so good that the true, deeper meaning of that song’s lyrics is lost on casual listeners. In my opinion, that is the case for the following three classic rock songs with secretly devastating lyrics.
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The following classic rock songs from back in the day might just be more heartbreaking than casual listeners realize. Let’s take a look!
“Nowhere Man” by The Beatles
I couldn’t leave this gem from Rubber Soul off of this list of classic rock songs with secretly heartbreaking lyrics. The whole of this album is a pretty complex web of songwriting, but I always felt drawn to the ever-introspective “Nowhere Man”.
This song was written in major chords and features pretty upbeat harmonies, but the lyrics explore the feelings of a man dealing with incredible isolation from those around him. That man, of course, was John Lennon himself, who wrote about his loneliness and isolation quite often, even throughout his solo career. When you read between the lines on “Nowhere Man”, it’s clear that Lennon felt this way for quite a while. Maybe even before The Beatles.
“Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman
Even on the surface, most listeners can gather that “Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman is sad. Specifically, the parts about her father being an alcoholic and having to take care of him are heartbreaking. However, when you really examine the whole of this song’s lyrics, it’s actually a pretty heartbreaking song from start to finish.
Chapman croons about finding a home and making it out of her bad situation. On the surface, it seems like that would certainly solve her problems. However, this song isn’t really about making it out of poverty. It’s about the fear of repeating the cycle of generational trauma. Chapman’s dream is somewhat hopeful, but the song doesn’t end with that dream coming true.
“Big Yellow Taxi” by Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell is a wordsmith unlike any other, both in her underrated songs as well as her bigger hits like “Big Yellow Taxi”. This signature hit is one of the most upbeat classic rock songs out there, but its lyrics are surprisingly sad. “Big Yellow Taxi” is about the devastation that massive corporations have on the world. Really, Mitchell is crooning about how big businesses tend to be destructive, both environmentally and in a general sense.
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