7 Rock Songs With Spooky Backmasked Messages

Coincidence or Intentional?
Since time immemorial, rock music has been often associated with Satanic rituals. When we were younger, we’ve heard of people claiming that some songs had hidden messages and we often shrugged it off as nonsense. But sometimes, the phrases are just way too clear for coincidence.
Is this intentional? Or are classic rock fans have so much wild imagination? Let’s find out.
7. The Eagles – “Hotel California”

Ever since it was released, there were so many rumors about the supposed actual meaning of the song. Some say the title refers to an actual hotel in San Francisco which was purchased by occultist Anton LaVey who later converted it into the Church of Satan. Although the words donโt mean much, when you try to play it backwards, it becomes something else. The message isnโt clear but somehow, you can make out the word โSatan.โ Others believe they can hear other Satanic messages like โSatan organized his own religionโ or โYeah, Satan hears this.โ It might require you to listen closely and put it on repeat before you can understand the words. Some of it is subtle but yes, itโs there. We donโt know if The Eagles intentionally put it there but according to Don Henley, โSome of the wilder interpretations of that song have been amazing. It was really about the excesses of American culture and certain girls we knew. But it was also about the uneasy balance between art and commerce.โ
6. Queen – “Another One Bites The Dust”

To be fair, this one is neither spooky nor scary. Then again, weโre still quite impressed how people manage to discover something like this. Do they simply play random records and hope thereโs a secret message? Because really, who would have thought thereโs any to be found in one of Queenโs classic hits. So, what do you hear when you backmask โAnother One Bites The Dust?โ The phrase is pretty clear โ โItโs fun to smoke marijuana.โ You can play it many times, itโs actually on our third try when we heard the words. Neat, right? But it sounds really fun though, unlike the other messages on this list โ this one is mild. Itโs not exactly anything scandalous or one that will make other people want to boycott the band. Itโs kind of funny too. Imagine Freddie Mercury singing about weed! This guy is just cool and awesome on so many levels.
5. Cheap Trick – “Gonna Raise Hell”

This one is kind of epic, to say the least. Just a quick warning though, this will definitely transport you back to the โ70s. Maybe people really took the title of the song literally and thought, โThis sounds like something with a hidden Satanic message on it.โ And well, they did come across something. The line says, โYou know Satan holds the keys to the lockโ and you only hear it if you concentrate and listen closely. You see, for stuff like this, you need more than sharp auditory senses. It can be difficult to make out the words too unless someone already gives you an idea. Itโs always easier when you know what to look for because if you donโt, youโd be fishing for ideas. And you might think, thereโs probably no hidden message here at all. But this one is interesting though. Letโs see if you can find it.
4. Judas Priest – “Better By You, Better Than Me”

Now this one will definitely send chills down your spine. Itโs probably the creepiest thing youโll hear today. Weโre still kind of spooked even if weโve heard about this story several times. If you can recall in 1985, two young men ended a night of drinking and smoking joints by going to the playground and shooting themselves with a shotgun. One died on the spot while the other lived for three more years but suffered with complications. The reason? They said they heard the words โletโs be dead,โ โdo it,โ and โtry suicideโ in this song. Judas Priest was sued along with CBS Records. In the end, the judge declared that the band wasnโt responsible for any of it. According to the survivor, James Vance, โWe had been programmed. I knew I was going to do it. I was afraid. I didnโt want to die. Itโs just as if I had no choice.โ
3. The Beatles – “Revolution 9”

We donโt really know who started the โPaul McCartney is deadโ theory (and replaced by a double) but after the White Album was released, fans religiously took note of any subliminal or hidden messages in the songs. Legend has it, the other members dropped hints or clues in their music to tell the real fans the truth. For one, during the fade out in โStrawberry Fields Forever,โ John Lennon allegedly says, โI buried Paul.โ But perhaps the creepiest and freakiest one can be heard in the avant-garde song โRevolution 9.โ It was an odd track and had so many noises and other effects. For those who subscribed to the rumors, this became another solid evidence that Paul was indeed gone. The phrase โnumber nineโ when played on reverse becomes โturn me on dead man.โ Others even claim they could hear a car crash sound or someone yelling, โlet me out.โ
2. Cradle of Filth – “Dinner at Deviant’s Palace”

We sincerely hope you are not reading this before bedtime or worse, at midnight. Weโve included something funny and creepy but nothing will come close to this. It might, at the very least, convince you to abandon any ideas of sleeping. Cradle of Filthโs album artwork cover alone is enough to give you nightmares but when you play โDinner at Deviantโs Palaceโ in reverse, you can hear The Lordโs Prayer backwards. It was being read by lead guitarist Paul Allenderโs son. It will give you the creeps, no doubt. Itโs like watching โThe Exorcistโ on Halloween โ youโre in for a real scary treat. Weโre used to hearing weird stuff in metal but nothing will prepare you for this. Itโs guaranteed to get under your skin. We just canโt say โcreepyโ enough. When you listen to it alone in your room, itโs as if youโre half expecting the lights to suddenly start blinking before losing power!
1. Led Zeppelin – Stairway To Heaven

Somehow, this Led Zeppelin masterpiece is very controversial in more ways than one. This has become the most popular example in backmasking because allegedly when played in reverse, you can hear the lines โOh hereโs to my sweet Satan. The one whose little path would make me sad, whose power is Satan. He will give those with him 666. There was a little tool shed where he made us suffer, sad Satan.โ Most say itโs nothing but pure coincidence and whether itโs true or not, we canโt deny the fact that it somehow added a touch of mystery to the band. Maybe itโs also because Jimmy Page has been associated with the occult long before this came out. Even until today, some people still believe that he sold his soul to the devil so he can achieve the fame and fortune he enjoys now. However, Page said in an interview, โTo me itโs very sad, because โStairway to Heavenโ was written with every best intention, and as far as reversing tapes and putting messages on the end, thatโs not my idea of making music.โ