I promise this is way less creepy than it sounds. ;^)
I have this pet peeve. (Well, okay, I have many pet peeves, but let's talk about this one now). It's where someone decides to use a song for something in a way that lets me know this person in no way understands what the song is really about. Many times it's not just that the song is irrelevant to the matter, but more likely that the song is just so very, very wrong in a situation. Still, although this is a pet peeve of mine, I also like to collect examples because they can often be funny, or at least head shakers.
Remember the time whenever there was some serious hospital scene or someone was injured and the paramedics were helping, and the song "How to Save a Life" by the Fray played every time, without fail? It still pops up from time to time. Only it really irks me when it's used in this context. This song has absolutely nothing to do with literally saving a life. No one is giving CPR in the song or performing life saving surgery, or whatever. If you listen to the lyrics (OMG, who'd think of doing that? NO!!), it's actually a metaphorical life. The song's all about a relationship that's fallen apart, and it's time to either work it out and become more serious, or break up. Really, if you think about it, it's kind of insensitive to play a moody make-up or break-up song while someone is coding on the ER table.
This example is a little closer to home for me. I used to work retail. At one time the company was using different musical artists to help advertise the store and its brands. I remember once in the break room there was a TV showing a fashion show of the new clothing with some of the music playing in the background. And one of the bands used was the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. You may, but probably don't, remember them. This was a few years ago. Anyway, the fashion show had the band's popular song "Face Down" playing in the background as a number of young girls are going down the runway. Now, for the record, this a great song. And I've seen RJA at warped tour and I really like them. However, I find this song inappropriate. Sure, it's rockin' and peppy. But did anyone happen to listen to the lyrics? If so, they might have noticed this song is about a girl finally saying enough to being beaten by her boyfriend. Really? REALLY?? It really is not the right song to play as young girls are parading down a runway. *shakes head disapprovingly*
Let's talk about weddings!!! A lot of planning goes into weddings, and the songs you chose to dance to on your big day are very important. They will be the soundtrack to your big day forever. So do me a favor, and actually know what a song is about BEFORE you use it for your wedding. For example:
I remember once watching a show on VH1 about the meaning of certain songs. One of the songs featured was "Every Breath You Take" by The Police. I've listened to that song. It's a total stalker song. And guess what, Sting even said, on TV, that it's a stalker song!! He wrote it from the perspective of him stalking his ex-wife. He then said how people would tell him they danced to the song at their wedding, and how he'd wish them good luck with that. Wanna know why? Because it's a stalker song!! Don't play a stalker song at your wedding!!! Well, unless it's an accurate expression of one of the spouse's feelings. But then I'd have to say you've got some problems heading your way. Good luck with that.
The first dance between the bride and groom isn't the only big dance at a wedding. The other is the father/daughter dance between the bride and her daddy. Do me a favor? Don't, I mean please just don't, use the song "Daughters" by John Mayer for this dance. You might be asking yourself, "But why, Dayna? That's such a sweet song with such a sweet chorus." To which I answer: sure, the chorus is sweet, and yes I do agree that fathers (and mothers) should be good to their daughter. Ahh, sweet. But, ummm, did you even bother to listen to the verses? If you don't get the gist, he's basically telling fathers to be good to their daughter because if the fathers screw up as dads, then the daughters will be screwed up when it comes to relationships. He's telling you he loves this girl who is emotionally walled off because her father left her. Ahh, sweet. Not. Is this really the message you want to dance to at your wedding? Maybe, if you have that kind of bad relationship with your father but still care enough to even invite him to your wedding. But do you really want to advertise this kind of drama to all your guests (and any future wedding video viewers)? I don't think so. Oh, and I was pointing this out to my mom one day, who said she actually went to a wedding where this was the father/daughter dance song. *facepalm*
So, basically this is a lesson in people not paying 100% attention to a song. You don't even have to listen; the Internet probably has the song lyrics you need.
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