Episode 5: The 27 Club, Cringe Lyrics and Guilty Pleasures | 4 | Black Tee Society

From the 27 Club to Cringe Lyrics: Sampling, Guilty Pleasures & Rock ‘n’ Rap Confessions

This session takes you on a deep dive through some of music’s most fascinating and controversial corners. We kick off exploring the infamous 27 Club, reflecting on the pressures, tragedies, and the “bulletproof” mentality of young rock stars and rappers who shaped music history but left too soon.

Then we switch gears into the world of sampling — breaking down iconic tracks like Amen Brother and Funky Drummerthat have been the backbone of countless hits. We unpack the legality, creativity, and evolving business of sampling, including insights from hip-hop legends on how royalties could be more fairly split.

Next, we get real about cringeworthy and downright bizarre lyrics across genres — from rock classics with questionable themes to provocative rap verses that push boundaries. The conversation also highlights guilty pleasures, those catchy songs you belt out in the car but hesitate to admit loving (yes, Thong Song and Yummy are on that list).

Rounding it out with personal stories — like winning a noise ticket dispute after blasting Welcome to the Jungle and a highway encounter trying to outrun a Nickelback song — this session is a wild ride through music’s highs, lows, and everything in between.

The 27 Club: The Myth and Reality

• The hosts discuss the infamous “27 Club” — a tragic group of artists who died at the age of 27, often drug or alcohol related.
• Names mentioned: Kurt Cobain, Amy Winehouse, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Brian Jones, Robert Johnson, and more.
• Discussion about the pressures of success by age 27 and how many rock stars at that age feel bulletproof, reckless, and self-destructive.
• The hosts reflect on personal memories at 27—successful yet still climbing professionally—and relate that to the mindset many musicians had.
• Noted exceptions to drug-related deaths include cases of pneumonia or accidents.
• Mac Miller is brought up as a more recent example, with memories of his cavalier attitude and the “bulletproof” rock star persona.

Sampling in Music: The Art, The Controversy, and The Legacy

• The episode shifts to talk about music sampling, highlighting its significance and common misconceptions that sampling is illegal or “theft.”

Cringeworthy Lyrics in Popular Songs

• The hosts continue their rundown of painfully bad or awkward lyrics from various genres, especially rock and pop.
• Examples and highlights include:
   
  • Red Hot Chili Peppers: If I Can’t Make You Dance, I Guess I Better Make You Piss Your Pants — catchy but odd lyric.
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  • Sade’s Smooth Operator — criticized for some odd or unfortunate lines, including references to “a beachfront property in Chicago.”
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  • Winger’s Seventeen — a controversial lyric about a young girl being “old enough” despite her youth, making it inappropriate by today’s standards.
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  • Benny Mardones’ Into the Night — discussed as “pedophile rock” due to the lyric about a sixteen-year-old girl. Hosts find it disturbing despite the song’s popularity and presence on yacht rock stations.
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