23 Best Songs With Figurative Language for Metaphor Lovers

“Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen

Song year: 1975

Many music fans love to speculate about the meaning behind Queen's six-minute opus, “Bohemian Rhapsody.” It doesn't help that frontman Freddie Mercury would never say what the song was about. He wanted people to interpret it for themselves and ascribe a personalized meaning. Whatever it means, it's one of the band's most loved songs, and for a good reason. Mercury's use of language is impeccable.

Early in the song, he uses the metaphor “caught in a landslide” to show that he's stuck in a situation he can't get out of. While the song can be taken as pure fiction, telling the story of a young man going to prison (and eventually hell) for murder, many read the song as a metaphor for Mercury's struggle with his sexuality. Much like the landslide, he tried to avoid his true self but eventually couldn't.

“Willow” by Taylor Swift

Song year: 2020

If anything good came out of 2020, it was the two surprise albums released by Taylor Swift, Folklore and Evermore. Both old and new fans have lauded Swift's shift in both music and lyrical style. Swift truly outdid herself with the songwriting on both albums.

“Willow” is one of the most notable songs. The song is about a woman who falls in love with a man who refuses to give up on her. Swift uses metaphor and simile to weave a graceful story. The song begins with two similes, comparing Swift to rough waters and her lover to a ship that could get to her.

And continues with the titular line in which Swift compares life to a willow that bent to her lover's will.” These lines describe how Swift's lover saw through her facade and was able to get to the real her.

“Pompeii” by Bastille

Song year: 2013

The volcano Mount Vesuvius erupted in Pompeii in 79 AD, destroying the entire city and many of its inhabitants. Almost two thousand years later, Bastille would turn the tragic event into a hit pop song.

All of “Pompeii” is a metaphor. The band used the idea of being trapped under the flow of a volcano to compare growing stagnant with your place in life.

“Hound Dog” by Elvis Presley

Song year: 1962

“Hound Dog” by Elvis Presley is one of rock and roll's quintessential tunes. The song has only a few lyrics repeated throughout, but the meaning is powerful. Presley calls out a purported friend or lover in a short but scathing metaphor.

The insult compares the song's antagonist to a hound dog, who has nothing to offer the singer but pain and problems.

“Waterfalls” by TLC

Song year: 1994

TLC's “Waterfalls” is one of our favorite songs with figurative language. The verses tell stories of people who live dangerously, but the chorus uses metaphor to teach listeners a lesson.

The chorus warns listeners not to get themselves into dangerous territory, comparing dangerous situations to waterfalls and safety to rivers and lakes. The group reminds us that staying where you are is sometimes the best thing to do. Sometimes you already have a happy life without having to use illicit means to have more.

“Hungry Like the Wolf” by Duran Duran

Song year: 1982

“Hungry Like the Wolf” contains a simile in the title and uses metaphor to create a primal connection between a man pursuing a woman to an animal seeking its prey. Duran Duran's song goes beyond the simple simile of the title and chorus.

The singer continually compares himself to a wild animal on the hunt.

The lyrics create a song that is both intriguing and a little out of touch with modern times. Most present-day women wouldn't appreciate being compared to prey that a man stalks, not taking no for an answer.

“Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac

Song year: 1975

“Landslide” is one of Stevie Nicks's most brilliant songs. The song is a lament for the end of a phase in life, be it the end of a romantic relationship, a child growing up, or the death of a parent. The entire song is an extended metaphor that perfectly encapsulates the fear and hope that comes with a significant life change.

The song relates moving forward to looking down from a mountain and attempting not to get caught up in the landslide, which is symbolic of fear.

“One Thing” by One Direction

Song year: 2011

1D's song “One Thing” was one of their early hits. It tells the story of a boy who's fallen head over heels for a girl who's got that special something. In the song, he compares her to kryptonite because she's the only thing that can take him down.

“Mine” by Bazzi

Song year: 2018

Bazzi's “Mine” is a heady song about the dreamy feeling of being so in love with someone you can't think straight. The singer compares his girl to a star, both the celestial body and a celebrity like Mariah Carey because she always stands out in a crowd.

“Take Me to Church” by Hozier

Song year: 2013

Much like Madonna's “Like a Prayer” compares a sensual relationship to religion, Hozier's song is an even more direct metaphor comparing the two. He compares his lover to laughing at a funeral, inappropriate but mirthful. He directly calls her his church and says he must worship in the bedroom. The song is often tongue-in-cheek while still sounding mysterious and haunting.

“Can't Stop the Feeling” by Justin Timberlake

Song year: 2016

Timberlake's “Can't Stop the Feeling” has more going for it than a catchy melody and beat that make you want to get up and dance. It also has some savvy writing and metaphors. Timberlake's song is all about feeling happy and how you can't contain that happiness. It comes out physically, as shown in his lines about having sunshine in his pockets and soul in his feet.

Top Songs With Figurative Language, Final Thoughts

These are just a few of the most famous songs with figurative language. Great writers, including songwriters, use figurative language to put a new spin on familiar themes. Now that you've heard of a few of these songs with figurative language, you'll probably start to hear songs with metaphors all the time.