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Original poster

Healthiest and Unhealthiest relationships in songs?

388 replies

BernardBlacksMolluscs · 12/09/2026 09:59

As I was cleaning the house this morning I was musing on those songs that come on the radio that you've been singing along with for years where you suddenly actually listen to the lyrics and either think 'well you sound very sensible' or 'intervention. NOW'. Any one got any suggestions? The ones I came up with first were

Healthy - Respect by Aretha Franklin. I know it's a cliche, and the guy she's singing about sounds like borderline not a keeper frankly, but I love the line 'I ain't gonna do you wrong, cause I don't want to'. She's all in, but she's still telling him how she expects to be treated

Red buntingtastic - Never Gonna Give You Up - why wouldn't she get a full commitment from any other guy Rick, you gaslighting bastard?

Anyone else fancy whiling away some weekend time thinking up some examples?

(mumsnet's AI suggested a thread title of 'Songs that sound sensible or alarming once you really hear the lyrics' which I kind of love but decided not to go with!)

OP posts:
Original poster
BernardBlacksMolluscs · 12/09/2026 10:23

KindlySurfiingPlatypus · 12/09/2026 10:21

In the Unhealthy colunn may I submit
"I hold your hand in mine" by Tom Lehrer

I hold your hand in mine, dear
I press it to my lips
I take a healthy bite from
Your dainty fingertips

My joy would be complete, dear
If you were only here
But still I keep your hand
As a precious souvenir

The night you died, I cut it off
I really don't know why
For now each time I kiss it
I get bloodstains on my tie

I'm sorry now I killed you
For our love was something fine
Until they come to get me
I shall hold your hand in mine

Edited

woah

this was a new one to me...jesus Shock

OP posts:
anewstartin2026 · 12/09/2026 10:22

If you want the ultimate in unhealthy lyrics, I give you ‘He Hit Me and It Felt Like A Kiss’ by 60s girl group, The Crystals.

He hit me
And it felt like a kiss
He hit me
But it didn't hurt me
He couldn't stand to hear me say
That I'd been with someone new
And when I told him I had been untrue
He hit me
And it felt like a kiss (It felt like a kiss)
He hit me
And I knew he loved me
If he didn't care for me
I could have never made him mad
But he hit me
And I was glad
Yes, he hit me
And it felt like a kiss (It felt like a kiss)
He hit me
And I knew I loved him
And then he took me in his arms
With all the tenderness there is
And when he kissed me
He made me his

Original poster
BernardBlacksMolluscs · 12/09/2026 10:22

PuppyMonkey · 12/09/2026 10:17

I get a bit angry with that chap who has a wife and kid in Baltimore Jack and goes out for a ride and never came back.

i also worry that Dean Friedman and whoever is singing Lucky Stars with him aren’t going to last much longer with Lisa on the scene.

these two are great examples. what a dick that guy is. If you've got a Hungry Heart get your arse back to your family and do right by them

I've just listened to Lucky Stars, that sounds like a nightmare relationship. You had lunch with your ex girlfriend whose life is a mess but you don't want to talk about it....? erm, OK

OP posts:
KindlySurfiingPlatypus · 12/09/2026 10:21

In the Unhealthy colunn may I submit
"I hold your hand in mine" by Tom Lehrer

I hold your hand in mine, dear
I press it to my lips
I take a healthy bite from
Your dainty fingertips

My joy would be complete, dear
If you were only here
But still I keep your hand
As a precious souvenir

The night you died, I cut it off
I really don't know why
For now each time I kiss it
I get bloodstains on my tie

I'm sorry now I killed you
For our love was something fine
Until they come to get me
I shall hold your hand in mine

DierdreDaphne · 12/09/2026 10:18

PeachyDaisy · 12/09/2026 10:15

Joelene (RIP Dolly)

Aye, I m not sure about 'stand by your man" either tbh. Mumsnet might have been telling you to ltb....

Original poster
BernardBlacksMolluscs · 12/09/2026 10:18

PeachyDaisy · 12/09/2026 10:15

Joelene (RIP Dolly)

oh yes. have some self respect woman! (not Dolly obvs, the song narrator)

OP posts:
PuppyMonkey · 12/09/2026 10:17

I get a bit angry with that chap who has a wife and kid in Baltimore Jack and goes out for a ride and never came back.

i also worry that Dean Friedman and whoever is singing Lucky Stars with him aren’t going to last much longer with Lisa on the scene.

Original poster
BernardBlacksMolluscs · 12/09/2026 10:17

I rather love the relationship in 'I'm so tired' by the Beatles

I'm so tired, I'm feeling so upset
Although I'm so tired, I'll have another cigarette
And curse Sir Walter Raleigh
He was such a stupid git

It's such a clever way of saying she's gone to America.

And then when he rings her up whining she tells him to get over himself

I wonder should I call you?
But I know what you would do
You'd say I'm putting you on

OP posts:
PeachyDaisy · 12/09/2026 10:15

Joelene (RIP Dolly)

DierdreDaphne · 12/09/2026 10:13

There's too many examples! Lots of 'I know you are going to go on shagging around but you can always shag me cos I love you'. Sung by women (Dusty Springfield had several I think)* , but were they written by women?

*'You don't have to say you love me' and 'Some of your loving' for example.

(I know Dusty was gay but I m not sure she was that lucky in love?)

Original poster
BernardBlacksMolluscs · 12/09/2026 10:11

Oh god yes, the whole genre of men in songs trying to persuade women to do things. I love Lay Lady Lady by Bob Dylan, it's beautiful, but

Why wait any longer for the world to begin?
You can have your cake and eat it too
Why wait any longer for the one you love
When he’s standing in front of you?

  1. I presume he means you can have sex and not get pregnant. But if you don't want to have sex, it is not like having or eating your cake
  2. why wait any longer? maybe because I'm not ready...
OP posts:
DierdreDaphne · 12/09/2026 10:09

Well 'Ruby don't take your love to town' and 'Delilah' both attempt to justify femicide so...not healthy, I'd say 😬😬

AlexaAdventuress · 12/09/2026 10:06

I find that Itchycoo park song rather sinister. In it the protagonist is addressing (presumably) a girl whom he is encouraging to play truant from school and come to a park with him and take drugs. I know 1968 is supposed to have been a more innocent time, but this is grooming gang territory!

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