14 – Subliminal Messages: Wait… Did You Hear Something?
Wendy Lynn Staats • December 13, 2014
Wendy returns from vacation to join Mike in a discussion about subliminal messages in television, movies, and music.
- Actor Matt Frewer played Max Headroom in a sci-fi show called “Max Headroom: 20 Minutes Into the Future” (which happened to be one of Mike’s favorites!). In the story, people were exposed to “blipverts”, advertising delivered in quick bursts, and which eventually ended up killing people.
- An urban legend that theater owners used subliminal advertising for the snack bar by flashing images of soft drinks and popcorn throughout the movies.
- The part of the movie “Fight Club” where a ch aracter splices images of pornography into the film at a movie theater.
- For the 2000 election, George Bush ran campaign ads wherein the word BEAUROCRATS was flashed across the screen with the RATS part of the word in emphasis.
- Miller Lite had an ad campaign with “this message was brought to you by Dick”. The phrase was autographed by Dick, and the word actually looked like “Drink” when closely examined.
- In an episode of The Simpsons, Bart joins a boy band that uses subliminal messages to recruit kids for the Navy.
- Actor/comedian Kevin Nealon played “Subliminal Message Man”, a character in a Saturday Night Live skit who slipped subliminal messages into every day conversations.
- The UK parliament banned the use of subliminal messaging in advertisements.
- Ozzy Osborne’s song “Suicide Solution”, about alcohol, allegedly contained the phrase, “Why try? Get the gun and shoot!”. When he was sued by the parents of a teen who committed suicide, he claimed the audio was “Get the flaps out”.
- The song, “Better By You, Better Than Me” recorded by Judas Priest, contained subliminal message “Do it!” and also resulted in a law suit. However, the judge found that subliminal messages are not speech that’s covered by the First Amendment. This is now precedent.
- “Love Bites” by Def Leppard has a robot voice at the end that some believe says “Jesus of Nazareth, go to hell”.
- The Beatles also used the back masking technique in many songs, including “I buried Paul” at the end of Strawberry Fields.
- EXAMPLE AUDIO: Britney Spears’ “Hit Me Baby One More Time” contains a backwards “sleep with me, I’m not too young”.
- EXAMPLE AUDIO – Decide for yourself: Queen’s song “Another One Bites the Dust” contains several backwards “Decide to smoke marijuana”
- EXAMPLE AUDIO – Decide for yourself: Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” contains a backwards “Here’s to my sweet satan”
Scientific studies from the 1950s showed that subliminal messaging in movies did not work. However, newer studies within the past decade have shown that we can be influenced by things we cannot perceive. You can decide for yourself by listening to our song below…
Featured Song: The Long Hammer
The post 14 – Subliminal Messages: Wait… Did You Hear Something? appeared first on See You On The Other Side.
Walk in the haunted footsteps of Olimpia Maidalchini in Rome, Italy
Milwaukee's craziest Christmas party, Krampusnacht, and American Ghost Walks is proud to be part of it.
Celebrate Halloween 2025 in the Virgin Islands with parades, parties, and haunted tales. Explore island legends on Ghost Tours with American Ghost Walks.
Celebrate Halloween in Puerto Rico with haunted attractions, ghost tours in Old San Juan by American Ghost Walks, and spooky island adventures.
Celebrate Halloween in Red Wing, MN with haunted tours, trunk-or-treats, and spooky events. Explore the town’s mysterious past with American Ghost Walks.
Celebrate Halloween 2025 in Wiscasset, Maine with parades, trunk-or-treats, and haunted history. Discover spooky stories with American Ghost Walks.
Join these Halloween 2025 events in Kennebunkport, from trick-or-treating on Summer Street to spooky Ghost Tours by American Ghost Walks along Maine’s coast.
Discover Thalia Hall’s spirits: historic theater lore, staff sightings, and a hands-on ghost hunt Oct 26 at 6 PM. Limited spots.
Celebrate Halloween in Hilo with family events, parties, and haunted fun. Discover Hawaiian legends on Ghost Tours in Hilo with American Ghost Walks.
Discover why New Orleans is one of the best places to celebrate Halloween in 2025. Explore haunted mansions, voodoo legends, and ghost through walking tours.