24 Surprising Facts Hidden in the Lyrics of Popular Tracks

1. The Beatles: Her Majesty

From the album Abbey Road, “Her Majesty” is widely acknowledged as one of the first hidden tracks. Many buried songs are brief, and this is only 23 seconds long.

It’s also missing a final note, as it runs straight into “Polythene Pam,” leaving Beatles fans to debate how “Her Majesty” should end.

2. The Jam: Eggs

There was a period at the end of the 1970s when The Jam was one of the biggest bands in the world, but the release of This is the Modern World suggests they suffered from “Second Album Syndrome.”

Their Easter egg is a literal one: Ahead of the song “Tonight at Noon,” an unnamed band member speaks the words “Eggs, eggs, eggs, poached boiled or fried.” The track is not the worst on the album.

3. The Jam: English Rose

The Jam’s follow-up album, All Mod Cons, gave us a second Easter egg, another hidden track. “English Rose” is not listed on the original track listing, and singer Paul Weller claimed that the song was too personal to include on the lyric sheet.

It appears on re-releases, but I’ve checked my original copy, and it’s not there.

4. Queens of the Stone Age: The Real Song for the Deaf

Accessing this track requires technical competence. “The Real Song for the Deaf” is a hidden track on QOTSA’s album of a similar name. It’s available on the CD version, and fans must pop the disc into their player.

They must then rewind past the start of “You Think I Ain’t Worth a Dollar, But I Feel Like a Millionaire,” and the hidden song will play. Hopefully, it’s worth the effort.

5. The B-52s: Detour Through Your Mind

A backmasked message is another form of musical Easter egg. It’s a piece of music or vocals, usually spoken word, played backward. For it to make sense, the listener needs to reverse the direction of their turntable.

On the B52s’ Detour Through Your Mind album, Fred Schneider’s backmasked message talks about burying a parakeet before stating, “Watch out, you might ruin your needle.”

6. Monty Python: Matching Tie and Handkerchief

The Monty Python comedy team are not musicians, but their clever use of an Easter egg puts them on the list. On side two of their 1973 release, Matching Tie and Handkerchief, two grooves play different sketches depending on where you place the needle.

There are no clues to this on the track listing, so album owners may never find out. I have this album, and it was my first confusing experience of an Easter egg.

7. The Clash: Train in Vain

This track appears on the band’s third album, London Calling. The story is that The Clash wanted to release “Train in Vain” as a giveaway single to promote the new album.

The promotion didn’t happen, so the band chose to include the song on London Calling. The problem was that the sleeves were in place, so “Train in Vain” is a ghost track.

8. Jack White: Lazaretto

Jack White used all the egg-based tricks in the book when he released this album. Lazaretto has two hidden tracks on each of its sides, while the artist also employs dual-groove technology in the style of Monty Python.

Depending on where the needle drops, listeners can enjoy an electric or an acoustic intro to the track “Just One Drink.”

9. Eurythmics: This City Never Sleeps

Many backmasked messages on records contain a string of profanities, while others are more mundane. The hidden words at the end of this Eurythmics album fall into the second category.

At the close of side two, following a few seconds of silence, a voice says, “I enjoyed making that record. Very good, very good.”

10. Journey: Message of Love.

Other bands like to tease their fans with their backward messages. You’ll be disappointed if you’re looking for an inspirational quote in this 1996 album track.

Play it backward, and the backmask repeats the song title “Message of Love.”

11. Five Iron Frenzy: Get Your Riot Gear

Ever since a famous rumor circulated about Paul McCartney in 1966, many bands have seen conspiracy theories attached to group members. McCartney was supposedly dead, and secret codes led fans to the “truth.”

On the “Get Your Riot Gear” EP, Five Iron Frenzy is the latest to spoof this phenomenon with a backmasked message that reads, “Brad is dead; let’s kill Brad.” The note refers to Nathaniel “Brad” Dunham, who was missing at a concert but was very much alive.

12. Beyonce: Encore for the Fans

Her fans appreciated the gesture as Beyonce went above and beyond with no fewer than three secret tracks. On her debut album, B’Day, the singer delivers “Encore for the Fans,” “Listen,” and an extended version of “Get Me Bodied.”

Those who purchased the album at Best Buy enjoyed a bonus with a fourth hidden track — “First Time.”

13. Motorhead: Nightmare/Dreamtime

UK rock band Motorhead produced a contender for music history’s most extended backward message. It is directed at the Parents Music Resource Center, which monitors parental control over their children’s music content.

The message is far too long to repeat here, but it’s not complimentary and talks about free speech.

14. Nirvana: Endless, Nameless

You will unlikely discover this track by accident. If you leave the album Nevermind running for around ten minutes after its official end, Nirvana screams back into life with the thrash metal and screaming of “Endless, Nameless.”

It’s a shock when you discover it, so be prepared.

15. Skids: Peaceful Times

Scottish post-punk band Skids took backmasking to a new level on the B side of their single “Animation.” When I first listened to “Peaceful Times,” I thought it sounded familiar.

The musical content is “Animation” played backward in its entirety.

16. The Stranglers: Yellowcake UF6

UK punk outfit The Stranglers also released a backward song. “Yellowcake UF6” is the B-side of their “Nuclear Device (The Wizard of Aus) single, and it’s another musical oddity. At least one listener feels you must play the track in reverse and speed it up to hear it properly.

I have the record, but I won’t risk my turntable to prove that theory.

17. Oasis: Bonehead’s Bank Holiday

Britpop giants Oasis hid a bonus track on their debut album, Definitely Maybe, but this song, from (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? is the more memorable. Some fans feel it’s one of the group’s finest moments.

Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs was a founding member of Oasis, and this is a quirky way of remembering his contributions.

18. Foo Fighters: Big Me

This track isn’t hidden on any album, but I love how Foo Fighters deliver Easter eggs in their visuals. At the start of the video for “Monkey Wrench,” lift music plays a twinkly version of “Big Me.”

This technique is also used in the “Learn to Fly” video, and it’s an ingenious way to hide songs.

19. “Weird Al” Jankovic: I Remember Larry

You’d expect “Weird Al” to contribute to this list. On the album track “I Remember Larry,” a backmasked message appears.

Reverse your turntable, and you’ll hear the words, “Wow, you must have an awful lot of free time on your hands.”

20. Palma Violets: Brand New Song

From their debut album 180, Palma Violets left this song off the track listing. It was a bonus for fans familiar with “Brand New Song,” as the band would often close gigs with it.

The tune is a favorite, and when played live, it usually involves unofficial fifth group member Harry Violent.

21. The Rutles: Piggy in the Middle

The Rutles were a Beatles parody, and they even released a film documenting their imaginary lives. The driver behind the group was Neil Innes, a talented musician who was a member of the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band.

They copied the Beatles to such an extent that the Rutles even included a backmasked message on their Piggy in the Middle album. Play it backward, revealing the line “This little piggy went to maaaarket.”

22. Tom Waits

Singer-songwriter Tom Waits delivers a bizarre Easter egg at the close of his album Real Gone.

Track 16 is unlisted, but it’s known as “Chick a Boom” and features a few seconds of Waits beatboxing.

23. The Smiths: William, it Was Really Nothing

The run-out groove on vinyl is a perfect place to hide messages. Many of the singles I bought in my youth contained the words “A Porky prime cut,” and they were a reference to engineer George “Porky” Peckham.

Manchester Indie band The Smiths were more inventive, releasing messages including “The impotence of Ernest” and “Romantic and square, is hip and aware.”

24. The White Stripes: Walking With a Ghost

Jack and Meg White conclude this list by reminding us that not all reversed messages have to be sinister. “Walking With a Ghost” is an interesting inclusion, featuring a backward solo and a backmasked message.

Play it forward, and the line says, “Get out of my mind.”