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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[–] [email protected] 38 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

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

[–] [email protected] 35 points 10 months ago (2 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 19 points 10 months ago

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

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months 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"

[–] [email protected] 20 points 10 months ago (1 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago

Creep by Stone Temple Pilots.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Fairytale of New York starts top right and ends bottom left

[–] [email protected] 9 points 10 months 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.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 10 months ago
[–] [email protected] 9 points 10 months 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?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago

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

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

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

[–] [email protected] 7 points 10 months ago (2 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months 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 10 months ago (1 children)

There are two singers with opposing POVs

[–] [email protected] 11 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months 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 10 months 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?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago

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

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago

I wanna see where Stan is on this graph

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

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