Two things we all love are music and food, but there don’t seem to be too many songs exalting pizza and tacos in the same way they praise partying and mourn heartbreak. But, if you listen carefully, you’ll find that many of your favorite songs are actually about situations involving food. So lets skip the obvious ones like “I Want Candy” and “Cake by the Ocean” and take a closer look at some beloved tunes to see what we can find.
1. “Where Are Ü Now” by Skrillex, Diplo and Justin Bieber
Photo by Sarah Strong
Sample Lyric: Where are you now that I need you?
Real Meaning: The feeling you have when you finish all the food on your plate and it was so good and all you want is some more. Or any time you’re hungry and craving something you don’t have. Basically all the time when you want food. JBiebs knows we get hangry.
2. “…Baby One More Time” by Britney Spears
Photo by Renée Wool
Sample Lyric: When I’m not with you I lose my mind, give me a sign, hit me baby one more time.
Real Meaning: The words you tell the bartender when you want another shot. Once you’ve had a few, you can move on to the second verse, sung directly to the tequila: The reason I breathe is you…there’s nothing I wouldn’t do…for another shot.
3. “I’m With You” by Avril Lavigne
Photo courtesy of grubHub
Sample Lyric: It’s a damn cold night, trying to figure out this life, won’t you take me by the hand, take me somewhere new? I don’t know who you are but I, I’m with you.
Real Meaning: When it’s late, and you’re so hungry you can’t think of anything but getting something to eat and you go to order food, but the delivery minimum is super high, and then one of your friends sends you the most glorious text ever: “u hungry?” Yes, friend with questionable texting grammar. I’m starving and I would love nothing more than to share greasy Chinese food with you at 1 am.
4. “All of Me” by John Legend
Photo by Smita Jain
Sample Lyric: Love your curves and all your edges, all your perfect imperfections.
Real Meaning: Pears, pineapples and pomegranates must all be beloved by John Legend as this song is clearly an ode to “imperfect” produce, which you should really be buying.
5. “Africa” by Toto
GIF courtesy of giphy.com
Sample Lyric: It’s gonna take a lot to drag me away from you, there’s nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do.
Real Meaning: This is how your food feels when other people ask for a bite. Some things are just too good to share. Toto gets it, and when they come to share your food, they bring two hundred men.
6. “I Want It That Way” by Backstreet Boys
GIF courtesy of giphy.com
Sample Lyric: Believe when I say, I want it that way.
Real Meaning: When you order something a certain way, you expect it that way. When Nick asks Howie to leave the cilantro out of the guacamole and he doesn’t, it’s way more than a heartache. When AJ asks Brian for his steak to be cooked medium rare and it turns out medium well, it ain’t nothing but a mistake isn’t an acceptable explanation.
7. “Beautiful” by Christina Aguilera
GIF courtesy of afterld.com
Sample Lyric: You are beautiful no matter what they say, words can’t bring you down.
Real Meaning: Sometimes people combine foods that you wouldn’t think go together. I put ketchup on my mashed potatoes. Nothing you can say will stop me from doing this because it tastes delicious. Check out some weird food combinations that work and some others that do not.
8. “Toxic” by Britney Spears
Photo by Becca Buchanan
Sample Lyric: With a taste of a poison paradise, I’m addicted to you, don’t you know that you’re toxic?
Real Meaning: There have been some conflicting articles in the past week or so, some say Cheese Is as Addictive as Drugs while others say Cheese is Nothing Like Smoking Crack. No matter the scientific evidence, cheese has the same kind of power of us that Britney sings about in “Toxic,” and we love it.
9. “MMMBop” by Hanson
GIF courtesy of giphy.com
Sample Lyric: Mmmbop, ba duba dop, ba du bop, ba duba dop, ba du dop, ba du, yeah.
Real Meaning: Sometimes you go to a restaurant and they’ll have something on the menu like guanciale, huitlacoche or Vichyssoise and not only do you not know what any of these are, you have no idea how to say them. That’s exactly what the lyrics to “Mmmbop” sound like.
10. “Thanks fr th Mmrs” by Fall Out Boy
Photo by Becky Hughes
Sample Lyric: Thanks for the memories, “see, he tastes like you only sweeter.”
Real Meaning: When you find a new favorite flavor of Ben & Jerry’s, you sing this song to your old favorite. Cookie Core, you might be on your way out now that we’ve tasted Salted Caramel Brown-ie Ale.
11. “Can’t Feel My Face” by The Weeknd
Photo by Sarah Strong
Sample Lyric: I can’t feel my face when I’m with you, but I love it.
Real Meaning: The only thing this song can be about is eating spicy food. There is no other explanation for why not being able to feel your face would be a good thing.