12 more songs about narcissism

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Narcissism is a hot topic, and popular music is no exception, especially since so many songs are about relationships gone bad and breakups with narcissistic lovers. Whenever possible, I tried to include lyric videos.

1. Christina Aguilera: Vanity

Speaks for itself.

2. Sara Bareilles: King of Anything

Fairly recent, nice indie pop song about a not so nice malignant narcissist.

3. Queen: I Want it All

I couldn’t find a lyric video, but here’s the lyrics:

Adventure seeker on an empty street,
Just an alley creeper, light on his feet
A young fighter screaming, with no time for doubt
With the pain and anger can’t see a way out,
It ain’t much I’m asking, I heard him say,
Gotta find me a future move out of my way,
I want it all, I want it all, I want it all, and I want it now,
I want it all, I want it all, I want it all, and I want it now,

Listen all you people, come gather round
I gotta get me a game plan, gotta shake you to the ground
Just give me what I know is mine,
People do you hear me, just give me the sign,
It ain’t much I’m asking, if you want the truth
Here’s to the future for the dreams of youth,
I want it all, I want it all, I want it all, and I want it now,
I want it all, I want it all, I want it all, and I want it now,

I’m a man with a one track mind,
So much to do in one life time (people do you hear me)
Not a man for compromise and where’s and why’s and living lies
So I’m living it all, yes I’m living it all,
And I’m giving it all, and I’m giving it all,
It ain’t much I’m asking, if you want the truth,
Here’s to the future, hear the cry of youth,
I want it all, I want it all, I want it all, and I want it now,
I want it all, I want it all, I want it all, and I want it now…

4. Madonna: Material Girl

Madonna purportedly suffers from NPD herself. I don’t doubt it. Still a great 1980s classic though.

5. Rush: Malignant Narcissism (instrumental)

No words, but the title says it all so it belongs here anyway. Good hard rock jam.

6. The Police: Every Breath You Take

The dude in this 1986 megahit definitely seems psychopathic to me.

7. Michelle Branch: Are You Happy Now

Angry pop rock from 2003 about a girl left by her narcissisict lover.

8. Three Days Grace: Just Like You

Don’t want to get infected by her evil!

9. Shawn Colvin: Get Out of this House

The lyrics are oblique and this song may not be about a narcissistic relationship, it could be just a bad breakup but it’s still a great song so I’m posting it anyway. I could not find a lyric video for this.

10. Gloria Gaynor: I Will Survive

I have looked, but there seem to be very, very few songs about narcissism prior to the 1980s (isn’t that an interesting statement about how our society has changed?), but here’s a disco song with a victorious message about escaping from what appears to have been an abusive relationship with a narcissist. This has become a sort of female empowerment anthem but I don’t see why it couldn’t apply to guys escaping from narcissistic women too.

11. Imagine Dragons: Demons

Sounds like an insightful malignant narcissist to me, warning his prey! Sam, did you actually write this?

12. Carrie Underwood: Cowboy Casanova

Catchy country-pop take on a narcissistic relationship.

See also these two posts for even more songs about narcissism!
1. 20 songs about narcissists #1-10
2. 20 songs about narcissists #11-20

18 thoughts on “12 more songs about narcissism”

    • I just love music and there are so many great songs about narcissism (not including all the rap and hip hop songs now that are ALL about narcissism) . It’s strange how few songs had narcissism as a topic prior to the 1980s. I have only found a handful of songs that old that address this subject. I think that has a lot to do with the fact the society we live in today is a much more narcissistic one than it was prior to the 1980s, and that narcissism has become almost a virtue (which is dreadful) but I think that is the reason.
      I’m glad you’re enjoying the songs! Check out my other narc songs too (which I linked at the bottom of the article–there are 20 others).

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  3. I think some other songs are “Sabotage” by: the Beastie Boys – “Hate Me” by: Blue October and perhaps, “X Amount of Words by: Blue October – “The World Spins Madly On” by: The Weepies – “Breathe Me” by: Sia – “In The Air Tonight” by: Phil Collins – “Cleanin’ Out My Closet” by: Eminem
    “Say Something” by: Great Big World Ft: Christina Aguilera

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    • “If you told me you were drowning
      I would not lend a hand
      I’ve seen your face before, my friend
      But I don’t know if you know who I am
      I was there and I saw what you did
      I saw it with my own two eyes
      You can wipe off that grin*
      I know where you’ve been
      It’s all been a pack of lies. . . ”

      *Smirk; sneer

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  4. Great compilation! I realize that humans like patterns, and once we become aware of something it’s seemingly everywhere, but I’ve been noticing narcissists in movies. Watching Frieda currently and Diego is like a poster child!

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  9. In February of 2012, I started a playlist called “Goodbye to You” and have been adding to it since:

    It’s gotten me through countless episodes of feeling profoundly hopeless and that impotent rage he loves to engender.

    Most are self-explanatory; for the few that aren’t, the comments tell the story.

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  10. I like the Christina Aguilara song. Great attitude. The Police song is really about stalking. Whether he is psychopathic or not, she sounds like she could be also. “every smile you fake, every vow you break…” We should have a category or stalking songs. We could add “You Might Think” by The Cars. It really makes stalking look cute (which it is not).

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