We’ve all been there. You hear that spunky new top 40 hit on the car radio and think – “This is going on my iPod when I get home.” A few clicks will take that song from the airwaves to your fingertips. Maybe you will play it on repeat a couple times until you get sick of it, or maybe it will land a spot on your Top 25 Most Played list. Whatever the case, these songs have dangerously catchy energy and the lyrics are obnoxiously fun to belt, but if you really listen to what you’re hearing, you won’t believe what you’re singing along to! Here are five songs whose messages will make you think twice about their awesomeness factor, followed by a song from the same artist that you can swap in the next time you’re in that New Boyz or Rihanna mood.
Maroon 5 – Moves Like Jagger:
Okay. So the whistling at the beginning is appealing. And heck, maybe we want to channel Mick Jagger’s onstage energy. But do we really want “moves like Jagger?” Adam Levine boasts his ability to dance and sway like the Rolling Stones legend, but only after you “kiss [him] ‘til you’re drunk.” Doesn’t sound like a fantastic deal to me.
Swap it out for…
Maroon 5 – Sunday Morning: Adam Levine redeems his musical capabilities with this classic song. This is a cheerful ditty with a light melody, praising the simple joys of loving someone and cuddling up on a Sunday morning when you “steal some covers, share some skin.” Nice.
New Boyz – Better With The Lights Off:
This one is self-explanatory. NO guy should ever tell you that you “look better with the lights off,” no matter whether he prefaces it with, “I hope you don’t take this the wrong way.” There is no right way to take that. If a boy is really “so happy you’re [his],” he can demonstrate his affection by studying with you at the library or feeding your dog while you’re on vacation – not by turning the lights off on you.
Swap it out for…
New Boyz – Magazine Girl:
Instead of claiming a girl would look better when he can’t see her, Legacy takes new directions by telling us his girl is so beautiful she belongs on the covers of high-profile magazines. A guy should appreciate your beauty by night or day. Legacy does this here when he so eloquently says, “without makeup, she look like she been photoshopped.”
Rihanna – Man Down:
You’d think Rihanna would steer clear of controversy after her altercation with fellow artist Chris Brown, but the Barbadian singer ran into hefty criticism for her single “Man Down.” While there is debate about the song’s true meaning, one interpretation of the lyrics shows a female killing a man for sexually assaulting her. In the words of Gandhi, Rihanna, an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.
Swap it out for…
Rihanna – Only Girl (In The World):
While this song still carries the sexual undertones that characterize Rihanna’s music, these lyrics are far removed from the violence depicted in “Man Down.” Instead, blasting this club jam could give you a mini confidence boost, reminding you that a truly worthwhile guy can make you feel like “the only girl in the world.”
Enrique Iglesias – Tonight (I’m Lovin’ You):
Yeah, this song has a dirtier alternate version and yeah, in that case it transmits an even more preposterous message. The last time I checked, you had to get consent to make such bold claims as “Tonight, I’m lovin’ you” (or whatever you would like to replace the word “lovin” with).
Swap it out for…
Enrique Iglesias – Heartbeat:
This song, off Enrique’s most recent album Euphoria, features Nicole Scherzinger. Who doesn’t love a Pussycat Doll with power vocals? Enrique also recorded a version featuring popular Indian playback artist Sunidhi Chauhan with a more Bollywood-style beat.
Katy Perry – Peacock:
Okay, Katy Perry, you can’t hide a dirty message behind a bunch of ruffled feathers and metaphors for exotic birds. We all know what this song is about. Need I explain? Why did we ever bump this up on the Billboard Charts?
Swap it out for…
Katy Perry – Who Am I Living For?:
If you really think you’ll miss the bird innuendos by saying adieu to “Peacock,” try listening to the song “Who Am I Living For?” off the same album in which Katy Perry compares herself to a phoenix. Here, she croons about self-exploration and the difficulty in choosing one’s own path when she sings, “I can feel a phoenix inside me as I march alone to a different beat.”
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