• June 12, 2021

The meaning of seemingly random numbers mentioned in popular rock songs

Paul Simon was probably right, but he definitely misled us when he sang, “Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover.” The song actually only mentions four or five ways to get out of a relationship, like Jack sneaking out the back, Stan finding a new plan, or Lee leaving the key.

I’ve always wanted to hear the other ways from the 40s that Simon had in mind when he wrote the hit. Okay, it probably wouldn’t be exactly fifty, since Simon probably just rounded to a nice, easy number. After all, a song titled “46 Ways to Leave Your Lover” wouldn’t be that catchy, even if it was mathematically correct.

However, an artist doesn’t have to round to a catchy number to make a good song. Some truly memorable songs are built around seemingly random numbers, either in the title or in the verses.

Here are some of the seemingly random numbers of popular songs, accompanied by a viable explanation for why that particular number was chosen.

Steely Dan’s “35 Sweet Goodbyes”

This sum appears in the first line of “My Old School” and, according to a Rolling Stone interview with Donald Fagen, represents oral sex (half of 69). The “Daddy G.” in the last verse, incidentally, it belongs to G. Gordon Liddy, who was dean when Fagen attended Bard College.

“14 joys and the desire to be happy” by Bob Welch

The line here “Sentimental Lady” refers to the Stations of Joy, fourteen passages in which the risen Jesus wished to transform pains into pains. Therefore, the last half of the line cites the desire to be happy rather than sad.

“73 men set sail from San Francisco Bay” by Blues Image

In an interview, the band claimed that the number was unimportant and had been chosen at random to open their hit “Ride Captain Ride.” Some fans still feel that the number is a biblical reference.

“21 Reasons” by Frank Black and Catholics

This song by the former leader of the Pixies refers to the 21 missions that were used to establish California, hence his mention of Berkeley, Monterey, and the Rocky Coast.

Nena’s “99 Luft Balloons”

This pacifist song was most popular in its German version, but the number is the same in any language. Describe several other nouns in the song, culminating in 99 dreams. Why 99? The only reasonable explanation is that physically that number looks more like a balloon. Since there are two people in the song buying the balloons, it would make sense for the title to have two nines, therefore one balloon for each.

“96 Tears” by? and the Mysterians

This title probably uses 96 because it is the largest of the five “untouchable” numbers below 100. The lyrics reveal that the singer cannot touch the girl, but that he will eventually end up crying much more than he is currently.

Bob Dylan’s “Obviously Five Believers”

Some Dylan fans believe that the quintet here represents the number of people who, no matter how silly the words of their songs, always insist on seeking insightful interpretations. To further complicate the song, Dylan adds “fifteen jugglers.”

“25 or 6 to 4” from Chicago

Singer Peter Cetera revealed that the song was written while various members of the band were trying to stay up all night, “Sitting cross-legged on the floor” and “Getting up to splash my face.” After one asked what time it was, the other replied that it was 25 or 6 or 4 (o’clock). The best question was asked a few years earlier by the band in their song “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?”

“Seven Nation Army” by White Stripes

Stop trying to figure out which septet of countries is referenced in this title. I once wrongly assumed it was the United Nations Security Council powers plus some newer ones like Korea or Greece, but Jack White dismissed that idea. The name, according to the creator of the song, comes from the misinterpretation he made in childhood of the Salvation Army.

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