You’ll never hear “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” the same way again.

Content warning: This post contains discussions of sexual assault and suicide.

Even then, it’s hard to be entirely sure what the song is really about.

A man in a blue shirt is joyfully playing the piano in a well-lit room with a view of greenery outside

So when Reddit useru/tangre79asked redditors,“What song became heartbreaking once you learned the context behind its origin?

“I was all ears.

Here are 14 super popular songs that have devastating backstories:

1.

Billie Joe Armstrong, wearing a red suit, sings and plays guitar onstage with Green Day's drummer Tré Cool in the background during a live performance

“‘Dancing in the Moonlight’by King Harvest (originally recorded by Boffalongo).

One of my favorite songs, with a very sad, unexpected origin.

“‘Wake Me Up When September Ends’by Green Day.

Freddie Mercury performing on stage, shirtless, holding a microphone stand, with a drummer and stage lights in the background

Its not just a meme.

Its literally whatBillie Joe Armstrongsaid to his mom after his dad died when he was a kid.”

“‘The Show Must Go On’by Queen was recorded after Freddie Mercury’s AIDS diagnosis.

Closeup of Eddy Grant onstage

Amazing and tragic.”

“‘Before You Go’byLewis Capaldi.

He wrote it for his aunt, who died by suicide.”

Lewis Capaldi performs passionately on stage, playing an acoustic guitar and singing into a microphone. Keyboard player is in the background

“‘When I Lost You’by Irving Berlin.

Irving Berlin was 24 years old and an early success.

He married singer Dorothy Goetz, who was in her early 20s.

Robert Plant sings passionately on stage, wearing a buttoned shirt with decorative stitching

Five months after the wedding, she died of typhoid fever.

It’s the first sad song he wrote.

It was a year before he could bring himself to perform it.

Closeup of Irving Berlin onstage

He didn’t marry again for 14 years.”

“‘I’m Not Gonna Miss You’by Glen Campbell.

It’s about the singer’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis.”

Glen Campbell playing an acoustic guitar while seated on a porch, wearing a corduroy jacket and plaid pants

“‘All That I’ve Got’by The Used.

He used the song to attempt to help deal with his pain.”

“‘Save the Last Dance for Me’by The Drifters was written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman.

The Used onstage

Doc contracted polio as a child, and eventually had to be in a wheelchair by mid-life.

The song is about him watching his new bride dance with their wedding guests.”

“‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’sung byJudy Garland.

Closeup of Doc Pomus

It was, in theory, about a family planning to move.

But it was written and recorded during WWII.

Some of the lyrics were later changed.

Judy Garland performs on stage, wearing a floral-patterned dress, holding a microphone

It originally had: ‘Someday soon we all will be together, if the fates allow.

/ Until then well have to muddle through somehow.

/ So have yourself a merry little Christmas now.'”

Richard Ashcroft performs on stage, wearing a puffy jacket and sunglasses, while playing an acoustic guitar. A drummer is visible in the background

14.And finally, “‘Limousine’by Brand New.

Its about the death of 7-year-oldKatie Flynn, who was killed by a drunk driver.

Some submissions have been edited for length and clarity.

Boomtown Rats onstage

Jesse Lacey onstage