What is your "deep" reading of a song with "dumb" lyrics?

[MoonSong]

For example, "Sealed with a Kiss." I like the music, and I think it sounds very nostalgic and sad. Then I see the lyrics and they kind of don't fit. They are a mountain out of a molehill, first world problems. Boo hoo, you're sad because you can't see your girlfriend while on vacation. Instead of being a stick in the mud you gotta be thankful for the privilege! More so since she is so obviously still at home. Heck, if you're so so sad to be apart why can't you stay home too?

Why can't you stay home too?...

Spoiler: The deep reading.

He can't. He isn't going away for vacation. He is being recruited and deployed to somewhere.(Korea? Vietnam? I don't know when ) Why the emphasis on the summer? It is an empty promise made by the people in charge (as in "you'll be back home for Christmas"). Suddenly the whole sadness feels more fitting.

What is it for you? Which is your deep reading of a song that sounds dumb or silly on the surface?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

It’s not original to me, but I have always loved the interpretation of Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” in which the (seemingly clueless) piano player is the only straight dude in a gay bar.

The interpretation of Toto’s “Africa” as being about werewolves is amusing, but it’s not as tight.

 

[Thourne]

It’s not original to me, but I have always loved the interpretation of Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” in which the (seemingly clueless) piano player is the only straight dude in a gay bar.

The interpretation of Toto’s “Africa” as being about werewolves is amusing, but it’s not as tight.

I had never heard that one before... and now I will never listen to the song and not think of that. (The Piano Man one)

 

[Morrus]

Not so much deep as incomprehensible.

Seal's Kiss from a Rose. I spent decades thinking it was "kiss from a rose on a grave" and while I thought kissing roses on graves was weird, at least the concept of kissing a rose on a grave was grammatically viable. But then I found out it was "kiss from a rose on the grey" which makes no sense whatsoever. What is a grey, and how does one kiss a rose on it?

 

[soviet]

Not so much deep as incomprehensible.

Seal's Kiss from a Rose. I spent decades thinking it was "kiss from a rose on a grave" and while I thought kissing roses on graves was weird, at least the concept of kissing a rose on a grave was grammatically viable. But then I found out it was "kiss from a rose on the grey" which makes no sense whatsoever. What is a grey, and how does one kiss a rose on it?

The aliens

 

[Morrus]

The aliens

He's kissing roses while standing on aliens?

Now that's even weirder than kissing roses on graves.

 

[soviet]

He's kissing roses while standing on aliens?

Now that's even weirder than kissing roses on graves.

Where do you think he went to after that smash hit song? Beamed right up.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Not so much deep as incomprehensible.

Seal's Kiss from a Rose. I spent decades thinking it was "kiss from a rose on a grave" and while I thought kissing roses on graves was weird, at least the concept of kissing a rose on a grave was grammatically viable. But then I found out it was "kiss from a rose on the grey" which makes no sense whatsoever. What is a grey, and how does one kiss a rose on it?

Your ears may not be mistaken- it may not be “grey”.

There is considerable debate over what the words to this line even are, let alone what they mean. Is it “grey” or “grave”?

Seal has been asked to clarify, but he refuses:

Source: annotations from Genius Lyrics.

(Personally, I’ve always heard it as “grave”. )

 

[Benjamin Olson]

Not so much deep as incomprehensible.

Seal's Kiss from a Rose. I spent decades thinking it was "kiss from a rose on a grave" and while I thought kissing roses on graves was weird, at least the concept of kissing a rose on a grave was grammatically viable. But then I found out it was "kiss from a rose on the grey" which makes no sense whatsoever. What is a grey, and how does one kiss a rose on it?

Kiss from a Rose overall as an oddly medieval or Renaissance vibe, both in the intro choral bit and all the talk about flowers and towers and such, so I assumed it was "grave" because throwing in a momento mori into a love song would very much fit that vibe.

 

[MoonSong]

It’s not original to me, but I have always loved the interpretation of Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” in which the (seemingly clueless) piano player is the only straight dude in a gay bar.

Kind of makes sense. O_O