in

Aqua’s ‘Barbie Girl’ Song Has A Dark Meaning And People Are Only Just Realising

Aqua's 'Barbie Girl' song has a dark meaning and people are only just realising it.
Credit: Universal

Aqua’s ‘Barbie Girl’ song has a dark meaning and people are only just realising it.

Aqua is a Danish Europop band that found international success in the late 1990s and 2000s.

The group is made up of vocalists René Dif, Lene Nystrøm and Søren Rasted, and guitarist Claus Norreen.

It’s estimated that Aqua has sold a staggering 33 million albums and singles, which would make them the most profitable Danish band ever.

The group is best known for their hit 1997 song ‘Barbie Girl’, which is just as popular to this day.

However, there’s actually a dark meaning behind the huge track.

Related Article: Lady Gaga’s ‘Poker Face’ Lyrics Are Very Rude And People Are Only Just Realising

Related Article: Barbie Has A Disturbing Origin And People Are Just Learning About It

Although it sounds like an innocent song that even children can enjoy, it’s pretty inappropriate once you break down the lyrics.

In the track, there is a short introduction between Barbie and Ken and the pair wanting to go for a ride.

The song continues: “I’m a Barbie girl, in the Barbie world. Life in plastic, it’s fantastic.

“You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere. Imagination, life is your creation.”

'Barbie Girl' song.
The ‘Barbie Girl’ song lyrics have a lot to unpack. Credit: Universal

If you’ve become a bit desensitised to the song, then you may not have picked up on the fact Barbie is telling Ken that he can ‘undress me everywhere’.

Remember, kids sing along to this.

However, the inappropriate lyrics don’t stop there, as Barbie goes on to sing: “I’m a blond bimbo girl in a fantasy world.

“Dress me up, make it tight, I’m your dolly. Kiss me here, touch me there, hanky panky.”

'Barbie Girl' song.
Aqua’s ‘Barbie Girl’ song has a dark meaning and people are only just realising it. Credit: Universal

While it’s pretty understandable why the term ‘Bimbo’ is problematic, there’s so much more to unpack with that second line.

In the next half of the song, Barbie continues: “Make me walk, make me talk, do whatever you please. I can act like a star, I can beg on my knees.”

If you’re not the best at breaking down what lyrics mean, Barbie is basically saying that Ken can get whatever he wants from her.

Another popular line from the song reads: “You can touch. You can play.”

As for that, I’m sure you don’t need me to make it any clearer what that is seemingly suggesting.

Related Article: Barbie Fans Speechless After Finding Out That Ken Has A Last Name

Related Article: Katy Perry’s ‘Dark Horse’ Song Called Out Over ‘Disrespectful’ Jeffrey Dahmer Lyrics

Many people have taken to X (formerly known as Twitter) and reacted to the lyrics, saying they are much darker than they first thought.

“Ayo! I just read the lyrics for the OG ‘Barbie Girl’ song and that shit is way too s**ual than it needs to… I mean that s*** gets dark at multiple points!” one person tweets.

Another person says: “The lyrics of ‘Barbie Girl’ by Aqua are dark as fuck.”

Somebody else writes: “Karaoke has made me realise the lyrics to ‘Barbie Girl’ are reaaaaally inappropriate.”

Do you have a story for us? If so, email us at [email protected]. All contact will be treated in confidence.

Written by Aimee Walker

Aimee is a senior content editor at IGV who specializes in finding the best original stories, trending topics, and entertainment news. She graduated from Birmingham City University with a degree in Media and Communications.