14 Songs From Your Teen Years That Were Actually Straight-Up Problematic
We’re living in a time when people are more culturally and socially aware than ever, which means it can be slightly soul-crushing to learn that some of the music we consumed in our youth was actually not OK.
If you grew up in the ’00s then you probably listened to a lot of music that wouldn’t fly in today’s climate. We’re not just talking about songs that were a lot hornier than what our young ears could have comprehended, but tunes that contained harmful messages. The kinds of songs that subtlety slipped in references to teen sex, slut-shaming, dismissing consent, and even romanticising domestic violence.
We’ve rounded up some songs from your teen years that turned out to be rather problematic in hindsight. These are songs that mostly escaped mainstream controversy when they came out, despite containing some pretty cooked lyrics.
(FYI: This list won’t be filled with songs like Robin Thicke’s ‘Blurred Lines’, which was rightly called out upon its release for seemingly encouraging men to cross consent boundaries.)
14 songs from your teen years that were actually straight-up problematic:
1. ‘Don’t Trust Me’, 3OH!3
Most problematic lyrics: “Don’t trust a ho, never trust a ho,” and err… “Shush girl, shut your lips. Do the Helen Keller and talk with your hips.”
Oh boy. This song is rather cooked. Sure, it slaps hard but it’s also glorifying telling women to shut up, while slut-shaming them at the same time. (For what it’s worth, it should be noted that the line “tell your boyfriend if he says he got beef that I’m a vegetarian and I ain’t f**king scared of him,” is still ALL TIME.)
2. ‘Run It!’, Chris Brown
Most problematic lyrics: “Girl I can set you off, I don’t believe my age gonna slow us down. I can definitely show you things, to have you saying I can’t be 16.”
Chris Brown’s criminal history aside, this song’s lyrics seem to encourage women to have sex with a 16-year-old Chris. Umm, no thanks!
3. ’17 Forever’, Metro Station
Most problematic lyrics: “You are young and so am I. And this is wrong, but who am I to judge. We’re one mistake from being together, but let’s not ask why it’s not right. You won’t be seventeen forever and we can get away with this tonight.”
Once again, romanticising and condoning hooking up with a literal teen. Absolutely not.
4. ‘All About That Bass’, Meghan Trainor
Most problematic lyrics: “Boys like a little more booty to hold at night, and no I won’t be no stick-figure, silicone Barbie doll.”
Only Meghan Trainer could release a body-positive anthem based on defining a woman’s worth according to the tastes of men. This ain’t it, sis.
5. ‘You’re Beautiful’, James Blunt
Most problematic lyrics: “She smiled at me on the subway, she was with another man. But I won’t lose no sleep on that, ’cause I’ve got a plan,” (bit sinister!) and “Yes, she caught my eye, as we walked on by. She could see from my face that I was f**king high. And I don’t think that I’ll see her again, but we shared a moment that will last ’til the end.”
This is not a love song. ‘You’re Beautiful’ is about a man high as a goddamn kite stalking a random woman he saw on the train. Even James Blunt knows it, as he revealed to a radio station earlier this year the song follows Blunt “stalking somebody else’s girlfriend on the underground while I’m high,” joking to the hosts “but people play it at their weddings, which is nice.”
6. ‘Better Than Revenge’, Taylor Swift
Most problematic lyrics: “She’s an actress, whoa. She’s better known for the things that she does on the mattress.”
Released off the back of Taylor Swift’s Speak Now album, this song is a far cry from what we’ve come to expect from Taylor’s typically feminist lyrics. The song was rumoured to be about actress Camilla Belle, who started dating Taylor’s ex Joe Jonas after they split, with Taylor seemingly degrading this poor woman for simply dating her ex. ‘Better Than Revenge’ is controversial among Swifties, and Swift herself rarely speaks of it or plays it at shows.
7. ‘Beautiful Girls’, Sean Kingston
Most problematic lyrics: “You’re way too beautiful girl, that’s why it’ll never work. You’ll have me suicidal, suicidal when you say it’s over.”
These lyrics might not ring a bell, as the version often heard on the radio had Sean Kingston singing “You’ll have me in denial,” rather than the grim alternative. But the original can still be heard played at the odd club night and it’s a dark reminder that a song about a boy threatening suicide if a beautiful girl dumped him was considered a verified bop back in 2007.
8. ‘Love The Way You Lie’, Eminem and Rihanna
Most problematic lyrics: “You push, pull each other’s hair, scratch, claw, bit ’em, throw ’em down, pin ’em, so lost in the moments when you’re in ’em,” and “If she ever tries to fucking leave again, I’m a tie her to the bed and set this house on fire.”
It’s hard to imagine in today’s climate having two of the biggest names in the music biz releasing a love song that glorifies domestic violence. Baffling areas. (And Eminem’s lyric “Guess that’s why they call it window pane,” isn’t problematic, it’s just really bad.)
9. ‘Daughters’, John Mayer
Most problematic lyrics: “Fathers be good to your daughters, daughters will love like you do. Girls become lovers who turn into mothers, so mothers be good to your daughters too,” and “On behalf of every man, looking out for every girl. You are the guide and the weight of her world.”
This song might have been acceptable in 2003 but there’s something deeply condescending and troubling about reading these lyrics with a modern lens. Firstly, why do all girls have to turn into mothers? And is the only reason men have to be good to their daughters, as they might become their mothers? That’s a deeply self-serving way to view the world. Then there are the lyrics saying that “every man” is “looking out for every girl”, and they are “the weight” of a woman’s world.
You sure about that, John Mayer? Women are doing just fine on our own, sweetie.
10. ‘What Makes You Beautiful’, One Direction
Most problematic lyrics: “You don”t know you’re beautiful oh-oh, and that’s what makes you beautiful.”
You don’t get much more innocent than teen era One Direction, but there’s one part of their debut single that’s always struck a nerve. The lads sing that the song’s subject doesn’t know she’s beautiful (all good so far) but then say this is “what makes” her beautiful — essentially only valuing a women’s beauty based on her lack of confidence. The song is still a bop but this is probably not the message of self-love the boy band were trying to send young women.
11. ‘Nasty’, Destiny’s Child
Most problematic lyrics: Where to begin! “You classless, girl, you sleazy, you freaky. I never met a girl that does the things that you do. Change don’t come your way, it will come back to you, put some clothes on,” and “Her pants hangin’ low, she never say no. Everyone knows she’s easy,” and then there’s “You make it hard for women like me, who try to have some integrity. You make it hard for girls like myself, who respect themselves and have dignity.”
Destiny’s Child are known for feminist anthems like ‘Independent Woman’ and ‘Survivor’, but not as many fans remember this truly tone-deaf song. There’s too many offensive lyrics in this tune to even mention. ‘Nasty Girl’ is basically a slut-shaming anthem rife with ‘pick me’ energy. Huge yikes.
12. ‘Follow Me’, Uncle Kracker
Most problematic lyrics: “I’m not worried ’bout the ring you wear, ’cause as long as no one knows then nobody can care. You’re feelin’ guilty and I’m well aware, but you don’t look ashamed and baby I’m not scared.”
Where were you when you found out Uncle Kracker’s earworm ‘Follow Me’ was about infidelity? This isn’t some innocent love tune, Uncle Kracker is pursuing a married woman who feels “guilty” but don’t worry because, baby he’s “not scared.” Must be nice!
13. ‘Timber’, Pitbull & Kesha
Most problematic lyrics: “I have ’em like Miley Cyrus, clothes off. Twerking in their bras and thongs, timber. Face down, booty up, timber. That’s the way we like the what, timber. I’m slicker than an oil spill. She say she won’t, but I bet she will.”
Between Pitbull slut-shaming Miley Cyrus to the creepy lyrics dismissing a woman’s consent, this song is not the barnyard bop we all remembered.
14. ‘Stupid Girls’, Pink
Most problematic lyrics: “Where, oh where, have the smart people gone? Oh where, oh where could they be? Maybe if I act like that, that guy will call me back. Porno paparazzi girls, I don’t wanna be a stupid girl,” and “Pretty, will you f**k me, girl? (Silly, I’m so lucky girl). Pull my hair, I’ll suck it, girl (stupid girl).”
Yiiiiiiikes. Girls are so stupid, right! Seriously, what was Pink thinking with this song? The tune and accompanying music video basically ridiculed every famous ’00s blonde celebrity from Jessica Simpson to Paris Hilton, while positioning Pink as superior to the other women. Big mistake, huge!