Why Some Popular Songs Are Disliked by Their Creators
In the world of music, not all popular songs are beloved by their creators. Sometimes, artists in the heat of their careers can develop a strong distaste for their own work, whether it's due to creative evolution, regret, or even the dark undercurrents that can manifest in lyrics. This article explores three such cases where popular songs came to be disliked by their creators.
Radiohead: “Creep”
Radiohead, a British rock band known for their sophisticated and often complex musicianship, have a strong disdain for one of their most famous songs: “Creep.” According to Thom Yorke, the frontman of the band, the track is so despised by him that he often refers to it as “Crap.” In a fan-fueled incident at a concert in Montreal, Yorke even went to the stage and said, “Fuck off we’re tired of it,” to a fan who requested the song. This distaste is further emphasized in interviews and public statements where they express their hopes to move past the early album Pablo Honey. They hadn’t performed “Creep” live since 2009, until they decided to reintroduce it as an encore during the A Moon Shaped Pool tour, indicating a split in their emotional attachment to the song. Despite their frustration, Radiohead’s commitment to their fans is exemplary, as evident by their willingness to play the song again after a long hiatus.
The Police: “Every Breath You Take”
For the British new wave band, The Police, their hit song “Every Breath You Take” was their only number one hit in the United States. However, the song became a personal burden for the band's bassist and primary songwriter, Sting. This song, which can be interpreted as an intense, stalker-ish love song about his ex-wife, evolved into something Sting grew to despise. He disavowed the song, calling it an “evil song” about surveillance and control. Sting’s perspective, rooted in his involvement with Amnesty International and his opposition to repressive governments, added a dark layer to the lyrics that he did not anticipate. When Sting embarked on a solo career, he released “If You Love Somebody Set Them Free” as one of his first singles, marking a clear departure from the introspective and often dark themes of his earlier work with The Police.
R.E.M.: “Shiny Happy People”
The process of songwriting can sometimes lead to the creation of tracks that are so unexpected that they are rejected by artists themselves. This is the case with R.E.M.’s “Shiny Happy People.” When R.E.M. submitted their album Out of Time to Warner Bros., the label requested that the band add an “extra happy upbeat song for radio.” Out of this demand, the song “Shiny Happy People” was created. Interestingly, the songwriters behind the track, Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Michael Stipe, wrote the song with the expectation that it would be rejected. However, to their surprise, Warner Bros. loved it. “Shiny Happy People” became R.E.M.’s only hit to reach the top 10 on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart, and it even earned the title “Song of the Summer” from CBC Radio's Freestyle in 1991.
Ironically, the band excluded “Shiny Happy People” from their 2003 greatest hits album, In Time. It is a testament to the unexpected nature of song creation that even when a song gains immense popularity, it can also represent a turning point or a phase that an artist wishes to leave behind.
In conclusion, the history of popular music is rich with examples where songs have become deeply disliked by their creators, reflecting the complex and often unexpected nature of artistic evolution and personal growth.