ILLUSTRATES: Pedro Corrêa
You’ve already heard this story: a supposed musician made a supposed pact with the devil and, as a way of signaling this to the public, hid secret messages in his songs – to hear them, just play in reverse. Most of these stories are pure urban legend. But there really are songs with secret messages. Discover some of the most notable examples.
“665” – Soundgarden
In English, the words «Satan» (Satan) and «Santa» (Santa Claus) are similar, so the band decided to make fun and put a subliminal message of adoration for Noel. She says: “Santa, I love you baby / My Christmas king / Santa, you’re my king / I love you, Santa baby / Got what I need”. Translation: “Santa Claus, I love you baby / My Christmas king / Santa Claus, you are my king / I love you / Got what I need”
“Optical Illusion” – Hawaii Engineers
It is possible to hear vocalist Humberto Gessinger questioning: “Why are you listening to this backwards? What are you looking for, huh?”. In the sequence, a series of apparently disconnected expressions can be clearly heard, left on purpose to be discovered
“Full Throttle” – The Prodigy
Listening in reverse, you hear “we’re going in full throttle”. The phrase was sampled from the film Star Wars Episode IV– a line by Luke Skywalker
Various – Electric Light Orchestra
The band was accused of putting satanic messages on the album Eldorado (1974). To make fun of them, they hid several phrases in the songs on the Secret Messages album (1983), such as “welcome to the show” (“welcome to the show”) and “you’re playing me backwards” (“you’re playing me backwards ”)
“Michael” – Franz Ferdinand
In reference to a disease caught by the bassist, the band hid the message “she’s worried about you, call your mother”. They wanted to do the opposite of a satanic message, putting a super positive message
“Boys In Black” – L7
It can even be seen as “evil”: the members put the recipe for the Big Mac snack (enshrined in McDonald’s TV commercials from the last century) in the song, perceptible only by listening in reverse. In English: “All beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun”. In English: “Two hamburgers, lettuce, cheese, special sauce, onion, pickles and a sesame seed bun”
“Announcement Service Public” – Linkin Park
This song has no intelligible lyrics – it sounds like the vocalist is singing in another language. Listening to it backwards, however, you can understand that he keeps repeating “you should brush your teeth and you should wash your hands”. The title of the song is reversed (Public Service Announcement would be correct) in reference to this joke.
“Free As A Bird” – The Beatles
The single was recorded in 1995 by the remaining members after the death of John Lennon. At the end, it is possible to hear Lennon’s voice saying «turned out nice again». Paul McCartney said the subliminal message was put in as a joke, «to give those Beatles freaks something to do»
Curiosity: Other artists who hid backwards messages: Beck, Cake, Deep Purple, Incubus, Iron Maiden, The Mars Volta and Slayer
AND THE SONGS OF XUXA?
We interviewed Michael Sullivan, co-author of over 60 songs on Queen of the Shorts
ME: Fans found “subliminal messages” in tracks like “Marquei Um X” and “Lua de Cristal”. Is there a basis?
Michael Sullivan: All my work with Xuxa was to create original, constructive and didactic content for children. All messages were and are passed on explicitly. Our [meu e da Xuxa] dom is and was shared clearly and in good Portuguese. Any disc you spin backwards will bring out distorted words and sounds.
ME: Have any of your songs ever had that?
MS: No. I believe in being legible, in creation and in the universal language that music is. I believe in the power of communication that music has. The subliminal, in my view, belongs to silence. And everything I’ve done in life has not been silent.
ME: What is people’s interest in looking for subliminal messages, especially in children’s content?
MS: Simple child’s play.
LISTENING TOO MUCH
Three examples of what the Internet says it has found in Xuxa’s songs
My little dog Xuxo (1986, composed by Rogério Enoé Messias Corrêa) -“My angel is the devil and the world deserves this love”
crystal moon (1990, composed by Michael Sullivan and Paulo Massadas) -“Devil of love / Beautiful angel of light / He does me good”
I marked an X (1992, composed by Sarah Benchimol and Fafy Siqueira) -“Look, I confess, I am from Exu and Exu reigns”