‘Hotel California’ – Eagle

Its commonly believed that the song is about purgatory, referring to the line “this could be heaven, or this could be hell.” In a 2002 interview, Don Henley stated, “It’s basically a song about the dark underbelly of the American dream and about excess in America, which is something we knew a lot about.

We were all middle-class kids from the Midwest. Hotel California’ was our interpretation of the high life in L.A.”

‘Waterfalls’ – TLC

The popular conception is that TLC’s 1995 smash “Waterfalls” is about slowing down, appreciating what one has, and not rushing into life or relationships.

While there’s some truth to that, at least in the chorus, it ignores the fact that the song is about social issues of the mid-90s, including explicit references to HIV and AIDS in the lyrics.

‘Puff the Magic Dragon’ – Peter, Paul and Mary

“Puff the Magic Dragon” was obviously about drugs, right? Wrong. Peter, Paul and Mary’s 1963 hit – with lyrics based on a poem by a friend of band member Peter Yarrow, named Leonard Lipton.

It actually revolved around a child who played with an imaginary dragon named Puff, before getting too old for his imaginary friend.

‘Perfect Day’ – Lou Reed

Lou Reed’s “Perfect Day” has been used in numerous chipper, upbeat commercials for products, including Sony’s Playstation 4 and AT&T’s cellular service … which is quite strange, since it’s a song about heroin.

The track, often thought to be about the power of love, is actually about the high one feels after using narcotics.

‘Like a Virgin’ – Madonna

Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” might sound like it’s about a young woman’s first time having sex, especially with her wearing a wedding dress in the ’80s. However, it was actually written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly about the vulnerability of starting a new relationship.

Steinberg explained that he felt like he had been through emotional hardships, but this new love made him feel like a “virgin” again, experiencing something deep and profound.

‘Harder to Breath’ – Maroon 5

Maroon 5’s chart-topping debut album Songs About Jane was essentially a concept album about one of singer Adam Levine’s ex-girlfriends, so it would make sense to think the album’s hit single, “Harder to Breathe,” was inspired by said relationship. However, according to Levine, the song actually came about due to pressure from the band’s record company.

In a 2002 interview, Levine said, “That song comes sheerly from wanting to throw something. It was the 11th hour, and the label wanted more songs. It was the last crack. I was just pissed. I wanted to make a record and the label was applying a lot of pressure, but I’m glad they did.”