8 Songs That Are Hilariously Probably About Toronto
You know that feeling you get when you're listening to a song and it sounds like they're singing about you? It's as if the song is narrating your life and you're just connecting with the lyrics on a whole new level.
Then there are some songs that are seemingly about one thing, but are really about another. In this case, songs that are actually, basically, probably about Toronto. Turns out Drake isn't the only one who writes about the 6ix.
1. Pompeii – Bastille
“And the walls kept tumbling down / In the city that we love / Great clouds roll over the hills / Bringing darkness from above /… How am I gonna be an optimist about this?”
City that we love = obviously Toronto. Walls kept tumbling down = when the place you’re renting for far too much money is falling apart and you know your landlord isn’t going to do anything about it because they never respond to you until rent is due. Then you’re left wondering how you’ll last till the end of your lease. Sound familiar?
2. Sweater Weather – The Neighbourhood
“Cause it's too cold / For you here, and now / So let me hold / Both your hands in the holes of my sweater”
Okay so they might talk about California in the song, but it’s obvious that they’re really referencing the freezing winters we have here in Toronto. Last winter, temperatures were so low, it was actually colder than the surface of Mars. Cali baby, you ain’t got nothin’ on our windchill. Also: check out that Canadian spelling, eh?
Photo cred - Grimy Goods
3. The Middle – Jimmy Eat World
“Hey, don't write yourself off yet / It's only in your head you feel left out or looked down on / Just try your best, try everything you can / And don't you worry what they tell themselves when you're away / It just takes some time / Little girl, you're in the middle of the ride / Everything, everything will be just fine / Everything, everything will be alright, alright”
Shout out to all those schools that understand that students are stressed. While this isn’t specific to just Toronto, let's just give a holla to schools that provide therapy dogs. Shout out to Ryerson University who just last year made Therapy Dogs a permanent event every Monday from 1-2.
4. Problem – Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea
“Hey baby even though I hate ya / I wanna love ya / I want you / And even though I can't forgive you / I really want to / I want you / … / Smart money bettin' I'll be better off without you / In no time I'll be forgettin' all about you / You saying that you know / But I really really doubt you understand my life is easy / When I ain't around you”
Clearly this is a song dedicated to Toronto’s greatest love/hate relationship in the city: the TTC. You hate it but you need it so you take it and it becomes a vicious cycle of disappointment.
5. Two Is Better Than One – Boys Like Girls ft. Taylor Swift
“So maybe it's true that I can't live without you / And maybe two is better than one / But there's so much time to figure out the rest of my life / And you've already got me coming undone / And I'm thinking two is better than one”
This song is actually about someone asking someone to be their roommate and split the rent because it’s basically impossible to live on your own in downtown Toronto. When BLG says that they “can’t live without you”, they’re being quite literal – probably.
6. Closer – Tegan and Sara
“All I want to get is a little bit closer / All I want to know is, can you come a little closer? / … / It's not just all physical / I'm the type who won't get oh so critical / So let's make things physical / I won't treat you like you're oh so typical”
The chances of running into a celebrity are a little higher when you’re in Toronto. When you spot one though, no matter how hard you try, you can’t always keep your cool, and your inner crazed-fan spills out. Like recently, the filming of Suicide Squad took over downtown, and of course, TIFF brings the celebs year round. You know you’re not supposed to touch them but like, you just really, really wanna?
7. Earned It – The Weeknd
“Cause, girl, you're perfect / You're always worth it / And you deserve it / The way you work it / 'Cause, girl, you earned it / Girl, you earned it, yeah / You know our love would be tragic / So you don't pay it, don't pay it no mind, mind, mind / We live with no lies / Hey, hey / You're my favorite kind of night”
If you’ve ever hungrily waited to be seated at Salad King, this song is basically a mouth-watering tribute to that steaming plate of Pad Thai or Chicken Ball Fried Rice. This song literally plays in my head as they place my order in front of me. Baby, you did earn it.
Photo cred - 1080hdpicture
8. Fix You – Coldplay
“When you try your best, but you don't succeed / When you get what you want, but not what you need / When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep / Stuck in reverse"
The Toronto Maple Leafs.
Exactly.