Pumped Up Kicks
In the previous 10 years, you’ve probably danced to the Pumped Up Kicks song. The song is about an alienated adolescent who fantasizes about shooting down his school as a form of retaliation. The artist claims he intended to write from the perspective of a victim, but instead chose to enter the mind of the perpetrator. It’s supposed to be an anti-gun song, he claims. Some detractors, though, believed he was taking advantage of the situation.
Let It Be
You can probably guess what the song is about if you know Paul McCartney. The song was inspired by Paul’s late mother, though the lyrics don’t mention so explicitly. He created this song after his mother died of cancer while he was only 14 years old. His mother’s name was likewise Mary. When questioned if the song alluded to the Virgin Mary, the Beatles responded it was up to the listener to decide.