The first track on OneRepublic’s third studio album Native, “Counting Stars” was inspired by lead singer Ryan Tedder’s writing sessions with Beyonce in the Hamptons. The song has sold over ten million copies in the United States alone.

The annotations on the left suggest a literal positive view of life and religion, an affirmation of care for his partner, a rejection of materialism and hope for the future.

Alternatively, it could be an ironic view of a questionable religious cult. Hence, the singer feels ‘something so right doing the wrong thing, something so wrong doing the right thing’. He’s ‘doing what he’s told’ mindlessly, without questioning. The crocodile in the music video could be a representation of the serpent. The cult leader is a dishonest bully who provokes convulsions in one woman. There are shady undertones to this lyric, depending on interpretation. A clever conundrum.