Steely Dan
A slick, self-satisfied loser moves onto his aunt's couch and develops a leering fixation on his younger cousin, pitching his…
arrested development delusional self-regard taboo desire treated as comedy
Queen
A piano ballad structured as a direct plea to a departing lover, built almost entirely on repetition rather than narrative…
romantic loss supplication and pleading possessiveness in love
Pink Floyd
This short piece establishes the loss of Pink's father as the first foundational trauma in the album's central metaphor, framing…
absence and abandonment childhood trauma war's domestic aftermath
Ethan Whitney
This is a straightforward pop declaration of devotion that borrows superhero mythology to dress up a fairly conventional promise…
devotion and support escapism fantasy of destiny
Radiohead
A petulant office-worker fantasy in which the speaker summons an imaginary cosmic police force to arrest people who irritate him…
petty vindictiveness bureaucratic and corporate servitude dehumanisation