There are times when songwriters are blatant. There are times when they’ll put certain ideas or language or imagery in their music, unabashedly. They’ll tell you just the way they see it, and they won’t pull any punches. And then there are those who do the opposite.
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It’s the latter group that we wanted to investigate. Below are three songs from three musical acts that subvert. They bury the amorous ideas so as to perhaps go unnoticed by those who might be out to censor. Indeed, these are three one-hit wonders so full of innuendo you’ll blush.
“Afternoon Delight” by Starland Vocal Band from ‘Starland Vocal Band’ (1976)
While Starland Vocal Band doesn’t come out and say exactly what “Afternoon Delight” is all about, once you start to read between the lines, you get it pretty quickly. The funny thing about this acoustic-driven song is that it sounds so sweet, as if they should be singing about blue skies and buttercups. Instead, well, you get the idea.
“Relax” by Frankie Goes To Hollywood from ‘Welcome To The Pleasuredome’ (1983)
While the chorus of this song is what often draws people in—indeed, it’s very catchy—it’s an important time now to ask: Have you ever considered this track’s lyrics? Maybe it shouldn’t be surprising given the name of the album this song was released on, but once you dive into the lyrical content of this song—what with the “suck it” stuff—you get the picture.
“I Touch Myself” by Divinyls from ‘Divinyls’ (1990)
Okay, it’s true. This track isn’t exactly the most subversive. But if you were just listening to the music and heard the lead singer’s voice as melody and not anything particularly verbal, you might think this tune was part of a Disney soundtrack or maybe one for Sleepless In Seattle. Instead, it’s raunchy and, well, self-empowering. Dive in if you dare (and aren’t at work)!
Photo of Starland Vocal Band Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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