Stranger in Moscow - Michael Jackson: Full Song Interpretation

Listen to Stranger in Moscow via YouTube

Michael sets the tone of the song with dark and melancholy imagery. He skillfully uses Russian history of Joseph Stalin's memory and the KGB to describe his pain and it's source. Michael sings, "I was wandering in the rain, mask of life, feelin' insane. Swift and sudden fall from grace. Sunny days seem far away, Kremlin's shadow belittlin' me. Stalin's tomb won't let me be. On and on and on it came, wish the rain would just let me be."
Jackson describes his isolation and deep sadness as rain. he doesn't see it getting better anytime soon. He accounts his fall from grace which came as the child molestations surfaced in 1993. He refers to himself as Stalin, a reference to Joseph Stalin, a war criminal in Russian history.

In verse two, Michael sings, "here abandoned in my fame, Armageddon of the brain. KGB was doggin' me, take my name and just let me be. Then a beggar boy called my name, happy days will drown the pain. On and on and on it came, and again, and again, and again... Take my name and just let me be"
 This verse directly speaks to the media, who he calls the KGB, the intelligence and secret police organization of the Soviet Union in the 1800s. Jackson refers to his ridicule and victimization by the media as they spied on his life and manipulated the details to publicly incriminate him. Jackson repeats a line, "take my name and just let me be," It is a desperate plea to take everything he has but to just leave him in peace.

Jackson repeats the lines "how does it feel," "I'm living lonely," stranger in Moscow," and "we're talking danger" throughout the entire song. This enforces his isolation and despair in his life and a cry to the world that he's at the end of his rope.

Stranger in Moscow - Michael Jackson: Background and Muse

 

(image credit to fanpop.com)

Michael Jackson was an American pop singer who reigned in the late 80's and through the 90's decade as the King of Pop. He was a former child star, lead singer of the famous band The Jackson 5. He emerged as a solo artist and became one of the most famous singers of all time. As a global success, chart-topper, and record-breaker, he had received incomparable scrutiny from the public eye. A part of many scandals and such harsh criticism, Michael Jackson seemed to quickly play the villain role in the media despite his immense global influence and incredible production of music.
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"Stranger in Moscow" was one of many songs written that reflected Jackson's pain by the unforgiving hands of the media and his critics. Stranger in Moscow was written in a hotel room in Moscow in 1993, while Jackson was on his Dangerous World Tour. The song was released as off the HIStory album in 1996. It is arguably Jackson's most personal song.

 Despite his indirect cries for mercy through his music and his continued positive outlook, he could never attain the peace he so desperately wanted until his untimely death in 2009.

Hero - Nickelback: Full Song Interpretation

Listen to Hero by Nickelback via YouTube

Chad seems to sing in the voice of the hero, Spider Man "I am so high. I can hear heaven... oh but heaven, no heaven don't hear me." He seems describing flying so high in the air as he swings from building to building. He's so high he thinks he can hear heaven, but heaven doesn't hear him because he's alone saving the town with no help.

The chorus begins with Chad singing, "and they say that a hero can save us, I'm not gonna stand here and wait." This seems to mean that man always believes that there is going to be someone there to save them when something goes wrong but the hero, Spider Man, is not going to stand there and wait for that person to come, he's going to rise to the occasion,
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Chad then sings "someone told me love will all save us. but how can that be, look what love gave us: a world full of killing, and blood-spilling; that world never came." In a perfect world, love will conquer all and everyone would love harmoniously in peace. But that's impossible with a world full of crime and war. That perfect world never came.

Next Chad changes the tone and sings "now that the world isn't ending, its love that I'm sending to you. It isn't the love of a hero and thats why I fear it won't do." He's saying that, now that he's saved the world, he's sending love to his people. But he's afraid that his love won't be enough to keep the peace.

Hero - Nickelback: Background and Muse

(image credit to Wikipedia.com)

Nickelback is a classic/alternative rock band originating from Canada. The members of the group are the guitarist and lead vocalist Chad Kroeger, guitarist and vocalist Ryan Peake, bassist Mike Kroeger, and drummer and percussionist Daniel Adair. The band often sings about love, memories, and struggle. In 2002, Chad Kroeger collaborated with Josey Scott on the Spider-Man theme song, "Hero." The song is inspired by a hero saving his people but the voice behind the song not feeling like there's much hope for him or anyone else.