this post was submitted on 21 Dec 2023
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xkcd

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Alt text:

The Piña Colada song carves a trajectory across the chart over the course of the song.

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[–] Lamedonyx 39 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Every Step You Take is so far on the right that it doesn't show on the chart.

[–] aaaa 35 points 1 year ago (2 children)

"I Will Always Love You" is further left than I would have expected it to be

[–] cybervseas 21 points 1 year ago

Bittersweet memories, and not being what you need right now clouds the message compared to other songs on here.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Agreed, it should be at least "yes" for both "do I like you" and "do you like me" but "no!!" for "do I like me"

[–] frickineh 21 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Creep by Radiohead and Creep by TLC both kind of work here. Huh.

[–] OlinOfTheHillPeople 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Creep by Stone Temple Pilots.

[–] TexasDrunk 2 points 1 year ago

Think you're kind of neat, then she tells me I'm a creep.

Yeah, I think all three could fit there. Or close enough, anyway.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Fairytale of New York starts top right and ends bottom left

[–] grue 10 points 1 year ago

I'd like to see a sequel to this comic that actually does plot the trajectories of songs that have story development:

  • The Pina Colada Song
  • Fairytale of New York
  • Scenes from an Italian Restaurant
  • Paradise by the Dashboard Light

etc.

[–] randomaccount43543 11 points 1 year ago
[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Isn't Call me Maybe the one with the twist at the end of the music video where the guy turns out to be gay?

[–] Psythik 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yeah seriously why is it in the unclear/neutral category for "you like me" instead of "No!"

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Because that twist is in the video, not the song.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

That's the music video not the song itself I think.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Whose POV does this describe for Somebody I Used To Know?

[–] grue 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The independent variable (horizontal axis) represents the singer's sentiment, so the chart is from the singer's POV.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

There are two singers with opposing POVs

[–] themeatbridge 11 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

But they both think the other is to blame for their breakup and feel ambivalence towards the other.

He doesn't need her love, but she's cut all contact and wants nothing to do with him. That makes him feel like she never cared for him.

She feels neglected and gaslighted, realizing that he was hung up on an ex before her, and just doesn't want to put up with any more of his bullshit.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

What does it say about a person who can hum or pick out almost any of these songs but never could have plotted a single one?

[–] Treczoks 4 points 1 year ago

I would have placed "That don't impress me much" further left, actually.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

I wanna see where Stan is on this graph

[–] sagrotan 2 points 1 year ago

He forgot far down left "Warriors of the World" from Manowar

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I kinda love this. I think this could become an organizational system for all relationship songs, sort of like the Dewey decimal system.