Back in the day when rock music first started gaining popularity, everyone was convinced it was a tool of Satan. Only the devil would enjoy extensive guitar solos played by men with long hair. This theory became even more prevalent when rumors started circulating that some of the most popular songs had hidden messages in them that could only be heard when you play the song backwards. Some seem to be clear while others feels like a team of paranormal investigators grasping at straws. Here are ten of the most well-known instances. Click on the song title and listen for yourself to see if you think it's merely a coincidence or something more.
1. Queen - Another One Bites The Dust
![Queen]()
Parents and pastors became outraged at Queen in the 80s when "Another One Bites the Dust" was suspected of having the phrase, "it's fun to smoke marijuana" as a hidden message in the lyrics. It's a bit of stretch, but you can hear something that sort of sounds like Freddie Mercury celebrating weed smoking.
2. Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven
![Led Zeppelin]()
The most famous backmasking controversy took place in 1982 when Paul Crouch, who you may have seen on TBN, claimed Led Zeppelin had numerous hidden messages in "Stairway to Heaven" that encouraged worshipping Satan. Hidden messages exposed in the accompanying video include "Here's to my sweet Satan," "He'll give you 666," and my favorite one, "there was a little toolshed where he made us suffer, sad Satan."
3. Slayer - Hell Awaits
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Slayer was definitely not trying to claim their reverse lyrics were merely a coincidence. In 1985, they released the album "Hell Awaits" and the title track may have a creepy intro, but when it's played backwards the creepy factor moves to a whole new level as they're heard chanting, "join us, join us" over and over. Your mom will not be happy you're listening to this song.
4. The Eagles - Hotel California
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The meaning behind "Hotel California" has been debated for decades, but people completely lost their minds when one of the verses was played backwards and sort of sounded like Don Henley said, "Yeah, Satan had us. How he organized his own religion."
5. Pink Floyd - Empty Spaces
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Pink Floyd decided that, if people were going to look for hidden messages then they'd give them one. The track "Empty Spaces" from "The Wall" contained the following message when played backwards:
"Hello, Luka...congratulations. You have just discovered the secret message. Please send your answer to Old Pink, care of the Funny Farm, Chalfont
-Roger! Carolyn's on the phone!
-Okay"
6. The Beatles - Strawberry Fields Forever
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There's a huge conspiracy that Paul McCartney died in a car crash and the band replaced him with a lookalike, but left hints and clues in their songs so their fans could discover the truth. The first "clue" was supposedly in "Strawberry Fields Forever" when John Lennon says, "I buried Paul." You can listen to the entire song backwards and examine each part if you want, but this link is just the "I buried Paul" part.
7. The Beatles - Revolution 9
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If you didn't catch the message in the last one, this one is much more clear and is definitely the most bizarre backwards message The Beatles created. The track is unusual when played normally, but backwards you can hear someone say, "Turn me on, dead man." It's not clear how being turned on by a corpse ties into Paul McCartney's death conspiracy, but I'm sure there are people who have spent way too much time trying to draw up a connection on a marker board the size of your living room wall.
8. Judas Priest - Better By You, Better Than Me
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You're probably not going to hear anything in this one, but back in 1990, Judas Priest was sued by the parents of two young men, who attempted suicide. One of the guys shot himself and died and the other attempted to shoot himself, but the gun slipped and left him severely injured, but still alive. He claimed that the Judas Priest track programmed them to do it and he wasn't in control of himself. The suit claimed that the track said, "do it" over and over when played backwards, which was their way of encouraging suicide. The case was dismissed and no further action was taken against the band.
9. ELO - Eldorado
![ELO]()
In 1974, Electric Light Orchestra released their "Eldorado" album that some claimed had hidden satanic messages in the title track. If you listen closely it's believed to say several very impolite things about Christ and how we should all get the mark of the beast. The band called it ridiculous and stated that any backwards messages were purely coincidental.
10. Soundgarden - 665
![soundgarden]()
Instead of praising Satan in their 1988 track, Chris Cornell and the gang included a bunch of hidden messages about how much they love Santa Claus and how he's the king of Christmas. Honestly, it's almost more troubling than the hidden messages about the devil.
1. Queen - Another One Bites The Dust
Parents and pastors became outraged at Queen in the 80s when "Another One Bites the Dust" was suspected of having the phrase, "it's fun to smoke marijuana" as a hidden message in the lyrics. It's a bit of stretch, but you can hear something that sort of sounds like Freddie Mercury celebrating weed smoking.
2. Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven
The most famous backmasking controversy took place in 1982 when Paul Crouch, who you may have seen on TBN, claimed Led Zeppelin had numerous hidden messages in "Stairway to Heaven" that encouraged worshipping Satan. Hidden messages exposed in the accompanying video include "Here's to my sweet Satan," "He'll give you 666," and my favorite one, "there was a little toolshed where he made us suffer, sad Satan."
3. Slayer - Hell Awaits
Slayer was definitely not trying to claim their reverse lyrics were merely a coincidence. In 1985, they released the album "Hell Awaits" and the title track may have a creepy intro, but when it's played backwards the creepy factor moves to a whole new level as they're heard chanting, "join us, join us" over and over. Your mom will not be happy you're listening to this song.
4. The Eagles - Hotel California
The meaning behind "Hotel California" has been debated for decades, but people completely lost their minds when one of the verses was played backwards and sort of sounded like Don Henley said, "Yeah, Satan had us. How he organized his own religion."
5. Pink Floyd - Empty Spaces
Pink Floyd decided that, if people were going to look for hidden messages then they'd give them one. The track "Empty Spaces" from "The Wall" contained the following message when played backwards:
"Hello, Luka...congratulations. You have just discovered the secret message. Please send your answer to Old Pink, care of the Funny Farm, Chalfont
-Roger! Carolyn's on the phone!
-Okay"
6. The Beatles - Strawberry Fields Forever
There's a huge conspiracy that Paul McCartney died in a car crash and the band replaced him with a lookalike, but left hints and clues in their songs so their fans could discover the truth. The first "clue" was supposedly in "Strawberry Fields Forever" when John Lennon says, "I buried Paul." You can listen to the entire song backwards and examine each part if you want, but this link is just the "I buried Paul" part.
7. The Beatles - Revolution 9
If you didn't catch the message in the last one, this one is much more clear and is definitely the most bizarre backwards message The Beatles created. The track is unusual when played normally, but backwards you can hear someone say, "Turn me on, dead man." It's not clear how being turned on by a corpse ties into Paul McCartney's death conspiracy, but I'm sure there are people who have spent way too much time trying to draw up a connection on a marker board the size of your living room wall.
8. Judas Priest - Better By You, Better Than Me
You're probably not going to hear anything in this one, but back in 1990, Judas Priest was sued by the parents of two young men, who attempted suicide. One of the guys shot himself and died and the other attempted to shoot himself, but the gun slipped and left him severely injured, but still alive. He claimed that the Judas Priest track programmed them to do it and he wasn't in control of himself. The suit claimed that the track said, "do it" over and over when played backwards, which was their way of encouraging suicide. The case was dismissed and no further action was taken against the band.
9. ELO - Eldorado
In 1974, Electric Light Orchestra released their "Eldorado" album that some claimed had hidden satanic messages in the title track. If you listen closely it's believed to say several very impolite things about Christ and how we should all get the mark of the beast. The band called it ridiculous and stated that any backwards messages were purely coincidental.
10. Soundgarden - 665
Instead of praising Satan in their 1988 track, Chris Cornell and the gang included a bunch of hidden messages about how much they love Santa Claus and how he's the king of Christmas. Honestly, it's almost more troubling than the hidden messages about the devil.