15 Classic Rock Songs Kids Today Can’t Accept

We asked the awesome folks over at the BuzzFeed Community to spill the tea on popular songs from before 1990 that haven’t aged so gracefully. Turns out, a ton of the submissions were classic rock tunes that make us cringe today. Buckle up, because these picks might just ruin a few of your old favorites—but the BuzzFeeders’ takes are too good to miss. Here’s the scoop on 15 songs that’ll have you side-eyeing your playlist.

1. “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” by The Police (1980)
This catchy track tells the story of a teacher getting way too cozy with his young student. “‘Don’t Stand So Close to Me’ by The Police is literally about a male teacher starting a relationship with his much younger female student,” says imbatmom2. Yikes, Sting—what were you thinking?

2. “Come on Eileen” by Dexys Midnight Runners (1982)
This bouncy hit hides some sneaky vibes. hallamichellem spills, “I loved the song when I was young, but then I grew up and listened to the lyrics. It’s basically about a guy trying to talk a young woman into sleeping with him by saying creepy things thinly veiled by nice words. Maybe even an older dude trying to trick a newly legal woman.” Suddenly, that toe-tapping beat feels a little off.

3. “Run for Your Life” by The Beatles (1965)
Even the Fab Four aren’t immune to a lyrical misstep. clothildedauphin points out, “How about ‘Run for Your Life’ by the Fab Four themselves? ‘You better run for your life if you can, little girl / Hide your head in the sand, little girl / Catch you with another man — that’s the end, little girl.’ Yeah, even the Beatles could write some seriously dodgy shit, like a song about a guy threatening to kill a girl if he sees her loving a different man.” John and Paul, we expected better!

4. “Christine Sixteen” by Kiss (1977)
This one’s a straight-up nope from christinesi: “‘Christine Sixteen’ by Kiss is just another pedophile anthem with really disgusting lyrics. It’s hard to listen to.” With Gene Simmons singing about a 16-year-old, it’s tough to rock and roll all night to this one anymore.

5. “A Little Less Conversation” by Elvis Presley (1968)
Elvis’s smooth voice can’t save this tune’s bossy attitude. shauna_malwae-tweep says, “The lyrics for ‘A Little Less Conversation’ by Mac Davis and Billy Strange are definitely questionable. The entire song is basically a man telling a woman to shut up and service him: ‘Close your mouth and open up your heart and, baby, satisfy me.’” Uh, no thanks, King.

6. “Under My Thumb” by The Rolling Stones (1966)
Mick Jagger’s swagger takes a dark turn here. timward calls it out: “‘Under My Thumb’ by The Rolling Stones is about a guy bragging to everyone about how he controls his girlfriend by emotionally abusing her: ‘Under my thumb / Her eyes are just kept to herself / While I, I can still look at someone else.’” Oof, that’s not a vibe we’re digging.

7. “Island Girl” by Elton John (1975)
Elton’s piano skills shine, but the lyrics? Not so much. audreys4a6196a57 explains, “I love Sir Elton John, but his song ‘Island Girl’ from the 1970s is both racist and sexist (we can thank Bernie Taupin for the lyrics). It’s about a Jamaican sex worker who services white men — the song describes her as being ‘Black as coal, but she burns like fire’ and asks the ‘island girl’ what she wants from the white man’s world since ‘Black boy’ wants her in his island world.” No wonder Elton skips this one live these days.

8. “Into the Night” by Benny Mardones (1980)
This ballad’s got a creepy obsession at its core. karint41079a87f says, “The whole concept of the song is that people are telling him to stop preying on a young, teenage girl, and he’s all, ‘But they don’t understand our love!!!!’ 🙄.” And kngreyh adds, “Yeah, this one should be #1. The song was so popular that he rerecorded it almost a decade later, and it hit the Billboard charts AGAIN. Awful.” Double yikes.

9. “One Way or Another” by Blondie (1979)
Debbie Harry’s punk energy is fire, but the lyrics? immabanana notes, “A fun song to dance to…until you realize that it’s actually about a stalker.” Suddenly, that “I’m gonna getcha” hook feels less playful and more chilling.

10. “867-5309/Jenny” by Tommy Tutone (1981)
This earworm’s got a stalkerish twist too. nihilusx confesses, “There are so many songs that have not aged well, and [unfortunately] there are many to choose from, but ‘867-5309/Jenny’ gives me the creeps every time I hear it (the live version is even worse). Dude, just find a therapist’s number instead…please!” Poor Jenny’s still dodging those calls.

11. “My Sharona” by The Knack (1979)
That iconic riff hides some sketchy lines. asdzx says, “I never paid much attention to ‘My Sharona’ until recently, and TBH…it’s kinda creepy.” And ryanw4b8930d84 doubles down: “How the fuck do people manage to listen to a song with a line: ‘I always get it up for the touch of the younger kind’ and NOT go: ‘Yup, this song is about pedophilia.’” Yeah, that’s a hard pass.

12. “Good Morning, Little School Girl” by The Grateful Dead (1967)
The title alone raises eyebrows. mkatherinekelly keeps it short: “The song title speaks for itself.” Originally by Sonny Boy Williamson, this Dead cover follows an older guy lusting after a teen he spots after school. Deadheads love it, but it’s tough to jam to this one guilt-free.

13. “Sweet Little Sixteen” by Chuck Berry (1958)
Chuck’s rock ‘n’ roll classic has a troubling edge. mkatherinekelly says, “There are countless examples because society has a huge problem with rape culture and infantilizing women. [That being said], Chuck Berry has both ‘Almost Grown’ and ‘Sweet Little Sixteen’ to his name, and the list goes on and on.” Celebrating a 16-year-old’s appeal? Not cool, Chuck.

14. “Keep It in the Family” by Deodato (1982)
This disco groove takes a horrifying turn. lizm75 shares, “The title says it all — this song is disgusting. I first heard it through Spotify on Discover Weekly, and it’s got a pretty cool disco beat, but then I listened to the lyrics. I was so shocked; I played a snatch of it to my partner to be sure I was hearing what I thought I had.” Incest vibes in a dance track? Hard no.

15. “Young Girl” by Gary Puckett & the Union Gap (1968)
This ‘60s hit oozes regret—but not the good kind. shannonantoinetteb says, “For me, it’s the song ‘Young Girl’ by Gary Puckett & the Union Gap. People might say, ‘It was just the 1960s!’ but come on — it unfortunately makes the long list of classic-rock songs about older men sexually harassing underage women. ‘Young girl, get out of my mind / My love for you is way out of line.’” Time doesn’t excuse this one.