Song Lyrics that just annoy you

[Gangster Octopus]

Inspired by this thread (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=418398), I wanted to get off my chest a song lyric that has bugged me since Idon't know when. The song is, Bust a Move by Young MC:


Your best friend Harry has a brother Larry
In five days from now he's gonna marry
He's hopin you can make it there if you can
'Cause in the ceremony you'll be the best man


OK, so your best friend's brother wants you to be his best man...if you can make it. Does this guy not have any friends of his own? And how is it someone decides on a best man only five days before the wedding, if you can make it that is. C'mon! other than that I have no problem with the lyrics of this or any other rap song.

[Zabali_Clawbane]

Maybe the fellow introduced the bride and groom and so earned that place of honor in the ceremony? ;)

[MadTheSwine]

Someone left a cake out in the rain...

[Subterraneanus]

Anything by Rush. The list is long, but that's at the top.

[Gatopescado]

Only time will tell if we stand the test of time...

and

You gotta start from the start.

[Wee Bairn]

Cherish, Kool & Gang, unless I'm missing something...

"If you receive your calling before I awake would I make it throught the night"- if you're alseep and someone you know dies, you're not even aware of it- why would you not make it thru the night?

[Shagnasty]

I am convinced that "Hey, hey, my, my...rock and roll is her to stay" should be "My, my, hey, hey...rock and roll will never die."

I always get pissed when they sing it backwards.

[Wee Bairn]

Corrosion of Conformity has a song with the line "help me Jesus help me clean my wounds/he said he cannot heal that kind"- saying my kind instead that kind would have resulted in a great double meaning- how did they miss that?

And my current most annoying, Keith Carradine "I'm Easy"- I can't bars or my insides- friggin love song and he calls his heart his insides?? Becasue heart didn't have enough syallables and he was too dumb to come up with a different line? This has to be a scrambled eggs type thing that they forgot to fix.

[Wee Bairn]

One more that annoys me so that I could do a pit thread on- whatever Nelly Furtado song has her claim "I live my life by the moon/If it's high I do something, harvest something else, full something...". Do you really? You really live your life based on the type of moon? Were there any people in history who did this? No?Just you- ok.

I would love to go up to her and ask- hey what kind of moon was it last night and what did you do as result? Oh you made that up? Big surprise.

[nevermore]

"But in this ever changing world in which we live in..."

AGHHHHHHHHH my inner grammar nazi is crying tears of BLOOD.

[Eliahna]

"But in this ever changing world in which we live in..."

AGHHHHHHHHH my inner grammar nazi is crying tears of BLOOD.
Alternative interpretation of that line:
But in this ever changing world in which we're livin'
Now you can sleep the peaceful sleep of a satisfied grammar nazi.

Oops! Nearly forgot!
Shannon Noll's song Lift, used as the opening theme to the Australian version of The Biggest Loser
I know you're hurtin'
Feels like you're learnin' [twitch]
'Bout life the hard way
And it ain't workin'
They almost rhyme. They nearly rhyme. But... they don't friggin rhyme!

(Apologies if I got the lines wrong - posting before my five minute edit window closes!)

[xnylder]

One more that annoys me so that I could do a pit thread on- whatever Nelly Furtado song has her claim "I live my life by the moon/If it's high I do something, harvest something else, full something...". Do you really? You really live your life based on the type of moon? Were there any people in history who did this? No?Just you- ok.

I would love to go up to her and ask- hey what kind of moon was it last night and what did you do as result? Oh you made that up? Big surprise.

I find that part is almost comprehensible compared to the next few lines:

But after midnight
Morning will come
And the day will see, yeah
If you're gonna get some

OK, Nelly, misuse some quasi-mystical female-empowering moon imagery if you will. But don't switch from the first to second person as arbitrarily as you switch images, mmmkay? And when you sing a song about self-examination and getting past false fronts (though I'm probably reading way too much into it), don't put in a throwaway line that sounds like a double-entendre.

[Stratocaster]

Alternative interpretation of that line:
But in this ever changing world in which we're livin'
Now you can sleep the peaceful sleep of a satisfied grammar nazi.You still have "in" twice. I always thought the lyric was, "But if this ever-changing world in which we're living..." In fact, the next line ("makes you give in and cry") only makes sense if that's an "if," not an "in." I think what creates additional confusion is that he says livin' instead of living. That's what I hear, anyway.

[Biggirl]

I believe I've complained about it before but, since it's in a song I love, it really bothers me. The Chi-Lites Have You Seen Her the lead singer cries "Why did she have to leave and go awaaaaaay!"

Because she couldn't leave AND stay, that's why.

[Aspidistra]

Boom boom boom boom
I want you in my room
Let's spend the night together
From now until forever
Boom boom boom boom
I wanna do the boom
Let's spend the night together
Together in my room


Do I really need to comment?

OK. Apparently they can only come up with two words that end in "oom". Great rhyming guys.

There's the blatant ripoff of the admittedly inane but extremely catchy "Boom Boom Boom let's go back to my room"

There's the phrase "from now until forever". Yeah, THAT really makes sense. Next you'll be saying "light years into the future" and I'm afraid we'll have to shoot you.

And that's one bloody long night too (actually, if you had this song on repeat play it would probably seem like a VERY long night - but I digress)


Also I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair - makes me want to go thump her just for the title alone

[Stratocaster]

From "I'll Be There":

If you should ever find someone new, I know he'd better be good to you.
'Cause if he doesn't, I'll be there.

'Cause if he doesn't be good to you...? Grates on my ear, anyway. I think you mean "isn't," not "doesn't," Mike.

[Biggirl]

From "I'll Be There":

If you should ever find someone new, I know he'd better be good to you.
'Cause if he doesn't, I'll be there.

'Cause if he doesn't be good to you...? Grates on my ear, anyway. I think you mean "isn't," not "doesn't," Mike.

I HATE that line too. And when Mariah Carey made it over she kept the 'doesn't'. I don't know why. 'Isn't' fits just as well.



Oh, and one more annoying lyric:
Open up your morning light
And say a little prayer for I

Firstly, how does one open up their morning light? What the hell is a morning light, anyway? And. . . I? I??? It doesn't even rhyme with 'light'!

[Stratocaster]

I HATE that line too. And when Mariah Carey made it over she kept the 'doesn't'. I don't know why. 'Isn't' fits just as well.I'm laughing, because I had the same reaction the first time I heard Mariah's version. As soon as I heard her start singing, I wondered if she'd keep the "doesn't." Sure enough...

[bobkitty]

"The first cut is the deepest."

Yes, I know she's technically referring to how the first time you get hurt is the worst, but.. I keep thinking "No! No, it's not! People *always* start with a few test cuts, shallow ones, to see what the pain is like. THEN they cut themselves. Dumbass."

[DSYoungEsq]

You still have "in" twice. I always thought the lyric was, "But if this ever-changing world in which we're living..." In fact, the next line ("makes you give in and cry") only makes sense if that's an "if," not an "in." I think what creates additional confusion is that he says livin' instead of living. That's what I hear, anyway.
You appear to be right. According to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_and_Let_Die_(song)), the jacket lyrics from the All the Best CD made it clear that the lyric is:

But if this ever-changing world in which we're livin'
Makes you give in and cry...

[Biffy the Elephant Shrew]

You appear to be right. According to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_and_Let_Die_(song)), the jacket lyrics from the All the Best CD made it clear that the lyric is:

But if this ever-changing world in which we're livin'
Makes you give in and cry...
Hmm, Wikipedia appears to be wrong. At least my copy of All the Best has "in which we live in" in the printed lyrics.

[Ellef]

I find that part is almost comprehensible compared to the next few lines:

But after midnight
Morning will come
And the day will see, yeah
If you're gonna get some

OK, Nelly, misuse some quasi-mystical female-empowering moon imagery if you will. But don't switch from the first to second person as arbitrarily as you switch images, mmmkay? And when you sing a song about self-examination and getting past false fronts (though I'm probably reading way too much into it), don't put in a throwaway line that sounds like a double-entendre.

And what is that one with all the nonsense about dogs barking at the new moon so they can die? Or have you not yet been favoured with that one on the other side of the pond yet?

[Fearless Leader]

Sheryl Crow - "Good is good and bad is bad". I've never heard the rest of the song because that line alone has made me change the station every time it comes on. Gaaaahhhh.

[Stratocaster]

Hmm, Wikipedia appears to be wrong. At least my copy of All the Best has "in which we live in" in the printed lyrics.I suspect it was corrected on later versions. McCartney is a very intelligent fellow, and well read (Dickens is his favorite author, for example--and the reference for the song "Jenny Wren," a fantastic tune, and reportedly a sequel of sorts to "Blackbird"). This is a chap who worked the word "peradventure" into the song "English Garden" on his album Chaos And Creation In The Backyard. I suppose he could have had a brain fart in writing the "Live And Let Die" lyric, but I don't think so. Axl Rose, had he written it, I'd have no problem believing.

And I refuse to believe Sir George, who produced that song, would have permitted that to pass either. But then again, I'm a real Beatles geek, so I'll admit I'm biased. But really, it sounds to me the way I posted it.

[IvoryTowerDenizen]

This is from a musical, but it always bugged me. From Oliver, the song "Who Will Buy"-



....There'll never be a day so sunny,
It could not happen twice.
Where is the man with all the money?
It's cheap at half the price!


It's cheap at half the price? What- it's on sale? I thought it should be "it's cheap at twice the price" (or so), meaning it has such great value that I'd pay much more and it would still be worth it.


Always bugged me.

[NoClueBoy]

A wop bobba loo op, a wop bam boom.

I'm convinced Little Richard hates Italians.

[Subterraneanus]

A wop bobba loo op, a wop bam boom.

I'm convinced Little Richard hates Italians.
I dunno, I can see him having a special place in his heart for, say, Fabian.

[Kythereia]

I can't believe I'm the first person to mention the lyrics to Ironic by Alanis Morissette...

I've always wanted to find her, shake her hand politely and thank her for her music, and then bonk her over the head with a dictionary.

[Johnny Hildo]

You made me feel shiny and new.

[Dr. Rieux]

Boom boom boom boom
I want you in my room
Let's spend the night together
From now until forever
Boom boom boom boom
I wanna do the boom
Let's spend the night together
Together in my room

Not to be confused with:

Boom, boom, boom,
Let's go up to my room
So we can do it all night
And you can make me feel right.

[Number]

Comedian Rob Paravonian, better known for his Pachelbel rant, also has a great take (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0S8wBNoiv90) (Warning: Youtube link) on the lyrics of the Friends theme and a Sugar Ray song.

[Mbossa]

Let It Grow by Eric Clapton:

Love is lovely

*shudder*

[Jackmannii]

Above all, let us not speak of the pompitous of love.

[Mirror Image egamI rorriM]

The Moldy Peaches have a really sweet song called "Anyone Else But You." It's about two kind of weird people finding each other and being happy.

But then it goes:

You squinched up you face and did a little dance,
shook a little turd out of the bottom of your pants,
I don't see what anyone can see in anyone else,
but you.

I don't know about you guys, but I can't see anything in a guy who shits himself.

[panache45]

The entire song "You're So Vain." Contradictory use of the word "you," throughout.

[Full Metal Lotus]

we're not here for a long time, we're here for a good time (Cheap Trick)
if I had a buck that some useless beer sponge tried to make friends with me, while pretending to explain some great philosophical principle, I would be able to pay for the beer I drank while telling them to "go fuck them selves"...


regards
FML

[Colophon]

You still have "in" twice. I always thought the lyric was, "But if this ever-changing world in which we're living..." In fact, the next line ("makes you give in and cry") only makes sense if that's an "if," not an "in." I think what creates additional confusion is that he says livin' instead of living. That's what I hear, anyway.

There's no problem with having those two "ins", grammatically speaking. "In this world in which we're living" is just the same as "In this world (which) we live in..." which is fine. The only problem is with "in which we live in", which of course should be "in which we live" or "which we live in".

[11811]

Diana Ross:

respectfully I say to thee

lazy, lazy, lazy songwriting

[Girl From Mars]

Bad Day, by Daniel Powter:

"Where is the moment we needed the most
You kick up the leaves and the moment is lost"

The fact is, most and lost do not rhyme. I mentally sing toast instead of lost which works in concept, although it still lacks something!

[Stratocaster]

There's no problem with having those two "ins", grammatically speaking. "In this world in which we're living" is just the same as "In this world (which) we live in..." which is fine. The only problem is with "in which we live in", which of course should be "in which we live" or "which we live in".Still clunky, I think. Again, grammar and style aside, that first phantom "in" makes no sense, given the next line ("...makes you give in and cry")--it's an "if." But even ignoring that, "This ever-changing world in which we're living" requires no introductory "in."

And I'll also point out that those who find fault with this construction, which I've heard from multiple comedians, like to emphasize all three in's that they hear (including the ones that don't exist), as I recall. So I always address all three (this one always seem to come up within any discussion similar to this thread).

[Stratocaster]

A song I love, "Oliver's Army" contains the following:

Oliver's army is here to stay
Oliver's army are on their way

Grammar pedant that I am, I always wished the second line read, "Oliver's army is on its way." No disagreement in number then, you see. Which is clearly the most important element in a pop or rock song. ;)

[CairoCarol]

"Even my sweat smells clean."
(Indigo Girls)

I do not want to hear your opinions on the smell of your sweat. Ever.

[CairoCarol]

And I'm really not quite sure what category these Poussette Dart Band lyrics fall into:

"If you're going to faa--aa---lll, fall on me.

"And if you're going do---www----nnn.........









"...Hold on to me."



Damn.

[Harriet the Spry]

A song I love, "Oliver's Army" contains the following:

Oliver's army is here to stay
Oliver's army are on their way

Grammar pedant that I am, I always wished the second line read, "Oliver's army is on its way." No disagreement in number then, you see. Which is clearly the most important element in a pop or rock song. ;)

British English frequently treats collective nouns as plural. You can still find it annoying, but it's not necessarily ungrammatical.

A current lyrical gem is "Runaway Love" by Ludacris and Mary J. Blige.

So she pops X to get rid of all the pain
Plus she's having sex with a boy who's sixteen
Emotions run deep and she thinks she's in love
So there's no protection, he's using no glove .

It goes on like that, painfully so. It does have one lyric that I happen to like, "hell is a place called home," because I'm sure it resonates with some very sad teenagers. But the rest of the lyrics don't resonate, they just klang.

[Stratocaster]

British English frequently treats collective nouns as plural. You can still find it annoying, but it's not necessarily ungrammatical.It's certainly inconsistent, from one line to the next.

[Wee Bairn]

The entire song "You're So Vain." Contradictory use of the word "you," throughout.

Good one.

Also, Marshall Tucker Band "I was born a wrangler and a rambler and I guess I always will". Always will what- wrangler and rambler? You mean "I was born to wrangle and to ramble and I guess I always will" Not perfect, still, but better.

[Stratocaster]

The entire song "You're So Vain." Contradictory use of the word "you," throughout.Can you clarify? I don't get it.

[TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW]

The Magnetic Fields song "If there's such a thing as love" drives me nuts with this one -

Like a kitten up a tree
needs a fireman to rescue it
so your fireman I will be
and I'll really get into it

- Coming from one of the greatest living songwriters and one of the greatest lyricists, it's just LAZY. I mean, we're talking about the guy who's written some of the greatest couplets in the history of popular music, and he throws away a line like that!

[Number]

He'll really get into your kitten? That's filthy.

[Zjestika]

Also I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair - makes me want to go thump her just for the title alone


I hate that song. It comes on at work all the time and I want to claw my skin off. I hate it so much. Hate hate hate.

[Nic2004]

One line I have always hated by the Doors. I dunno why:

There's a killer on the road,
His brain is squirming like a toad,

Arrrgg. Sounds like an ad lib right there on the stage.

Never cared for the Doors anyway I suppose.

[GuanoLad]

Eskimo Joe, Black Fingernails, Red Wine

Black Fingernails, red wine
I wanna make you
All mine
A lot of people underground
You wanna get there
You gotta go straight down, straight down

A good title, but lyrics written by a ten year old.

[panache45]

Can you clarify? I don't get it.You're so vain, you probably think this song is about you."

Well, of course the song is about me. You actually used the word "you." Three times.

[Wee Bairn]

Can you clarify? I don't get it.

For example, she uses "you" in the first verse to describe the person she is actually talking about (you walked in to the party...") then switches to talk about the vain person, and still uses "you" ("you probably think this song is about you").

[DSYoungEsq]

For example, she uses "you" in the first verse to describe the person she is actually talking about (you walked in to the party...") then switches to talk about the vain person, and still uses "you" ("you probably think this song is about you").
This is definitely not accurate. The lyrics are entirely written as Carly speaking directly to a person.

I suspect that panache45 considers Carly to be the vain one. :D

[Ximenean]

When your heart's on fire
You must realize
Smoke gets in your eyes

Surely, unless you had a gaping chest wound, smoke emanating from a flaming heart would merely gather at the top of the thoratic cavity? Maybe a little would come out of your ears, I don't know. Besides, being composed of blood-riddled fleshy material, your heart would be more likely to melt into sludge rather than give off any smoke.

[Wee Bairn]

This is definitely not accurate. The lyrics are entirely written as Carly speaking directly to a person.

I suspect that panache45 considers Carly to be the vain one. :D

Then they inaccuarcy is in the accusation, sort of- you're so vain, you probably think this song about you- well if it is about this person, then she is describing things the person actually did, so why would they be vain in thinking a song that specifically describes things they have done is specifically about them? It's not like she is listing off generalites, she is listing at least a couple of specific events.

You flew your lear jet to Nova Scotia to see the eclipse? If I knew her, and I had actually done this, of course I would think the song is about me, but becasue of common sense, not vanity.

[Leaffan]

One line I have always hated by the Doors. I dunno why:

There's a killer on the road,
His brain is squirming like a toad,

Arrrgg. Sounds like an ad lib right there on the stage.

Never cared for the Doors anyway I suppose.
Poetic license.

Speaking of the Doors, I never could figure out why Jim sang:

"I'm gonna love you till the stars fall from the sky,
For you and I."

(Yes I know they're Robbie's lyrics. But Jim, of all people, should have known better.)

And on a similar note, Bryan Adams singing "That would change if she ever found out about you and I."

And finally, there's no such thing as the "English Army" John. I think it should have been "The British army had just won the war."

[Ferd Burfel]

The first thing I met was a fly with a buzz
And the sky with no clouds
The heat was hot and the ground was dry
But the air was full of sound

[Leaffan]

The first thing I met was a fly with a buzz
And the sky with no clouds
The heat was hot and the ground was dry
But the air was full of sound
'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain :smack:

[Wee Bairn]

My favorite of the Doors is (forget the song) where he's going on about something, and then lets fly with "I see the bathroom is clear".

[betenoir]

It's certainly inconsistent, from one line to the next.


Hmmm..well I could make the argument (and I'm about to) that the first line is refering the army as a singal entity and the second as a bunch of individuals. A "they" which would call for a plural. So it kind of makes sense to me.

[Scumpup]

Yeah, my blood’s so mad feels like coagulatin’
I’m sitting here just contemplatin’
I can’t twist the truth, it knows no regulation.

Dreadful. Just dreadful.

[panache45]

This is definitely not accurate. The lyrics are entirely written as Carly speaking directly to a person.

I suspect that panache45 considers Carly to be the vain one. :D
Obviously, she's speaking directly to a person. But then she tells that person that she's not referring to them after all. There's no way this makes sense.

Sort of like if I came up to you and said, "Hey, you've got nice eyes. But how dare you think I mean your eyes!"

[Uvula Donor]

Speaking of the Doors, I never could figure out why Jim sang:

"I'm gonna love you till the stars fall from the sky,
For you and I."

(Yes I know they're Robbie's lyrics. But Jim, of all people, should have known better.)


Sorry, but that just made me laugh. Morrison should have known better? His lyrics were outrageous suckfests 90% of the time.

[phungi]

Jermaine Stewart should have his thumbs removed for writing "We don't have to take our clothes off to have a good time", which went against every pubescent urge I had in my youth.

Deep Blue Something deserved much worse than whatever criticism they received for:

You say that we've got nothing in common
No common ground to start from
And we're falling apart

...

And I said what about "Breakfast at Tiffany's?
She said, "I think I remember the film,
And as I recall, I think, we both kinda liked it."
And I said, "Well, that's the one thing we've got."

Interestingly, someone posted their version of the top 100 worst lyrics (http://thephoenix.com/article_ektid10015.aspx)

[Wee Bairn]

Jermaine Stewart should have his thumbs removed for writing "We don't have to take our clothes off to have a good time", which went against every pubescent urge I had in my youth.



It makes sense, assuming the person he was singing to was a girl, since he was very very gay.

[kelly5078]

Also, Marshall Tucker Band "I was born a wrangler and a rambler..."The actual lyric is "I was born a wrangler and a rounder..." No fixing that.

The lyric I can't stand is in "Paint It Black," by the Stones:
"I could not forsee this thing happening to you."
There's nothing particularly bad about the line, it's the way it's delivered:
"I-could-not-fore-see-this-thing-hap-pen-ing-to-you-oo."

Just about any lyric by Keith Reid (Procol Harum) sets my teeth on edge.

But the winner is this gem (among many that came from the band America):

"I understand you've been running from the man
That goes by the name of the sandman
He flies the sky like an eagle in the eye
Of a hurricane that's abandoned"

[Wee Bairn]

ELP "From the Beginning"- not BEAN such a fool. I wouldn't have any problem with what I assume is a common England pronunciation of "been" if not for the fact he used the word been the line before and pronounced it "been" (not been so cruel).
Still a great song.

[Colophon]

ELP "From the Beginning"- not BEAN such a fool. I wouldn't have any problem with what I assume is a common England pronunciation of "been" if not for the fact he used the word been the line before and pronounced it "been" (not been so cruel).
Still a great song.
Huh? How is "bean" pronounced differently from "been", ever? :confused:

[Leaffan]

Huh? How is "bean" pronounced differently from "been", ever? :confused:
My thoughts exactly. :confused:

I have a feeling "been" may be pronounced "bin" in certain parts of the U.S. Am I right?

[Wee Bairn]

Huh? How is "bean" pronounced differently from "been", ever? :confused:

sorry I wan't clear- the lines

and not been so cruel
not been such a fool

first been pronounced "been" (bin)
second one pronounced "bean"

same word, two different pronunciations within the span of five seconds.

[Biffy the Elephant Shrew]

Huh? How is "bean" pronounced differently from "been", ever? :confused:
In America we pronounce "been" like "bin." (Well, I do, anyway.) I don't think Greg Lake really pronounces it two different ways in the song; it's just that in one instance it falls on a weak beat ("and NOT been so CRUEL") and once on a strong beat ("not BEEN such a FOOL").

[kelly5078]

I have a feeling "been" may be pronounced "bin" in certain parts of the U.S. Am I right?Everywhere in the US (although I suppose somebody will come along and say, no, in Moab, Utah...). If I hear someone pronounce it as "bean," it's a solid bet the speaker is not from the States.

[SaharaTea]

Paula Cole is the queen of annoying, moronic, nonsensical lyrics:

From "I Don't Want to Wait"

So open up your morning light,
And say a little prayer for I
You know that if we are to stay alive
And see the peace in every eye...

WTF?

and "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?"

Where is my Marlboro man
Where is his shiny gun
Where is my lonely ranger
Where have all the cowboys gone
Where have all the cowboys gone
Where have all the cowboys gone
Yippee I, yippee yeah

[Wee Bairn]

Almost forgot about Rod-

"A big bosomed lady with a Dutch accent..."

and of course "I'm gonna rock you till your pussy's sore" :rolleyes:

[Slypork]

And who can forget the timeless lyrics by Edie Brickell:

Philosophy is the talk on a cereal box
Religion is a smile on a dog
I'm not aware of too many things
I know what I know if you know what I mean
Shove me in the shallow water
Before I get too deep
What I am is what I am, are you what you are or what
What I am is what I am, are you what you are or what


"Smile on a dog”? WTF! I want to shove her head into shallow water so she’ll shut up.

Or the angst conveyed by The Police:

De do do do de da da da
Is all I want to say to you
De do do do de da da da
Their innocence will pull me through
De do do do de da da da
Is all I want to say to you
De do do do de da da da
They're meaningless and all that's true

[Frylock]

In some parts of the US, ""Bean" has one syllable while "Been" has two.

Well, tangential relevance is relevance after all.

-FrL-

[Frylock]

---
Let's get moving into action
Let's get moving into action
If you last too slow, no satisfaction
There's something out there, that's the attraction
If you hesitate now, that's a subtraction
So, let's get moving girl into action
---

The fuck?

I hear the song and I'm thinking, "Am I being whooshed?" :D

-FrL-

(Though I confess I've been looking for opportunities to say "That's a subtraction" in the sense in which the phrase is used in this song.)

[The Hamster King]

Joan Osbourne's If God Was One of Us:

"What if God was one of us,
Just a slob like one of us ... "

Um ... that would be Christianity, dear.

[Frylock]

Joan Osbourne's If God Was One of Us:

"What if God was one of us,
Just a slob like one of us ... "

Um ... that would be Christianity, dear.

That one always bothered me too, for a different reason. The question, as asked in that song, seems pointless. I'm waiting for her to explain what she's getting at by asking "What if God was one of us..." and she never does. She just asks the question. And I'm left thinking, "And... so what?"

-FrL-

Okay, here are the lyrics to a parody I wrote of this song back in High School. I've forgotten five of the lines, which I've replaced with ellipses. My apologies. For even posting this.


If I sat on my cat
would she get angry? Would she
come when I called,
even though she's got a back that's
rigid, made of wood?
...
...
Would she yowl in pain?

And yeah, yeah,
she's cool to pet.
And yeah, yeah,
she purrs when I'm around.
And yeah, yeah,
yeah yeah yeah.

What if my cat was a chair?
Tell me, do you think you'd stare
if my chair were growing hair
and trying to lick itself clean?

Would you like to buy a cat?
Yes I know it looks more like
a chair, but I promise you that
this was once was feline
and she doesn't scratch the furniture.
...
...
...

And yeah, yeah,
she's cool to pet.
And yeah, yeah,
she purrs when I'm around.
And yeah, yeah,
yeah yeah yeah.

What if my cat was a chair?
Tell me do you think you'd stare
if my chair was growing hair
and trying to lick itself clean?
And licking something that's obscene?
My territory marking queen,
as a chair of wood or bag of bean.

[Leaffan]

In some parts of the US, ""Bean" has one syllable while "Been" has two.
So umm, how does been have two syllables? Bee-in? Bi-in?

[RTFirefly]

You've all managed to forget about the existence of this song until now:

There's got to be a morning after,
if we can hold on through the night...

Hard to be wrong about that.

[Frylock]

So umm, how does been have two syllables? Bee-in? Bi-in?

"Beeyin." Accent on the first syllable. Though come to think of it I guess I hear "Biyin" (accent on first syllable again) as well. In fact, the latter is probably more frequent in my experience, but I didn't notice it because I hear it as a "lazy" way of pronouncing "Beeyin."

-FrL-

[Fearless Leader]

Paula Cole is the queen of annoying, moronic, nonsensical lyrics:

(snip)

and "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?"

Where is my Marlboro man
Where is his shiny gun
Where is my lonely ranger
Where have all the cowboys gone
Where have all the cowboys gone
Where have all the cowboys gone
Yippee I, yippee yeah


Not disagreeing with you here. But just to me, this song has always reminded me of The Bridges of Madison County. In the novel Robert Kincaid refers to himself as "one of the last cowboys" and I imagine the song as Francesca comparing her love for Robert with her unsatisfying everyday life.

Or maybe I'm just a ween. Hard to tell.

[Stratocaster]

Obviously, she's speaking directly to a person. But then she tells that person that she's not referring to them after all. There's no way this makes sense.I don't think that's what she's saying. She's not saying, "You're so vain, you incorrectly assume this song must be about you." She's saying, "You're so vain, you'll naturally assume this song is about you, despite the fact I haven't named you (um, you'll happen to be right, but you're vain nonetheless)."

As for all the other details in the song, I took it to mean the sorts of thing Mr. Vain did, not necessarily exact things, though he sounds like the kind of guy who hangs out with a crowd where it would not be unusual at all for lots of people to have flown their Lear jets up to Nova Scotia to see the total eclipse.

[Antinor01]

All I have to say is....give the damned horse a damn name already!

[KneadToKnow]

Hmmm..well I could make the argument (and I'm about to) that the first line is refering the army as a singal entity and the second as a bunch of individuals. A "they" which would call for a plural. So it kind of makes sense to me.
To be honest, I don't even know what song this is, and I have a completely different problem with it:
Oliver's army is here to stay
Oliver's army are on their way
If they're already here, how can they still be on their way?

[meek]

"In View" by the Canadian band The Tragically Hip has lyrics that annoy me.
I don't know why they annoy me, but they do.

This part...

"...And I’ve been meaning to call you
I’ve been meaning to call you
Then I do
I’ve been meaning to call you
I’ve been meaning to call you
Then I do

Phone rings once
Phone rings twice
Phone rings three times... "

For Christs sake Gord, SHE AIN'T TAKING YOUR CALLS! Get over it already!
.

[amarinth]

Also I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair - makes me want to go thump her just for the title aloneI thought it was "punk rock girl" but either way? Punk Rock? Flowers? Can this person not tell the difference between punk rockers and hippies?

[DSYoungEsq]

Then they inaccuarcy is in the accusation, sort of- you're so vain, you probably think this song about you- well if it is about this person, then she is describing things the person actually did, so why would they be vain in thinking a song that specifically describes things they have done is specifically about them? It's not like she is listing off generalites, she is listing at least a couple of specific events.

You flew your lear jet to Nova Scotia to see the eclipse? If I knew her, and I had actually done this, of course I would think the song is about me, but becasue of common sense, not vanity.
Actually, with respect, not so. One of the statements Carly made shortly after the song was that James Taylor was not the one she was talking about, despite the fact that he had flown to Nova Scotia to see a total eclipse not to long prior.

I do take your larger meaning, though. Still, that's part of the poetic license. Indeed, if you recall the lyrics, the first stanza is quite generalized, and not specific to any person in any way, so if someone is already by the first chorus thinking the song must be about them, it is because they are so vain as to think she would actually sing about them.

Of course, the trouble with vanity is that it's often deserved. :p

[DSYoungEsq]

Obviously, she's speaking directly to a person. But then she tells that person that she's not referring to them after all. There's no way this makes sense.

Sort of like if I came up to you and said, "Hey, you've got nice eyes. But how dare you think I mean your eyes!"
When in the world does she EVER say in the song she ISN'T talking about the mysterious person to whom she addresses the song???

[DSYoungEsq]

The first thing I met was a fly with a buzz
And the sky with no clouds
The heat was hot and the ground was dry
But the air was full of sound
Plese do NOT start in on any songs by America. Their lyrics were simply Ulyssean. :smack:

[Wee Bairn]

Actually, with respect, not so. One of the statements Carly made shortly after the song was that James Taylor was not the one she was talking about, despite the fact that he had flown to Nova Scotia to see a total eclipse not to long prior.

I do take your larger meaning, though. Still, that's part of the poetic license. Indeed, if you recall the lyrics, the first stanza is quite generalized, and not specific to any person in any way, so if someone is already by the first chorus thinking the song must be about them, it is because they are so vain as to think she would actually sing about them.

Of course, the trouble with vanity is that it's often deserved. :p

Good point :)

[Leaffan]

"Beeyin." Accent on the first syllable. Though come to think of it I guess I hear "Biyin" (accent on first syllable again) as well. In fact, the latter is probably more frequent in my experience, but I didn't notice it because I hear it as a "lazy" way of pronouncing "Beeyin."

-FrL-
OK. I can hear that now, Jed.

Think I'll go have a be-eer.

No offense implied! We all have accents.

[Leaffan]

Sorry, but that just made me laugh. Morrison should have known better? His lyrics were outrageous suckfests 90% of the time.
Well, my point being that he was a college graduate, quite intelligent, and apparently well-read. That is before he turned into an alcoholic, self-indulgent prick.

[gonzomax]

http://www.bobdylan.com/songs/quinn.html The whole damn thing done by Dylan.

[Leaffan]

Oh!

Crap, I almost forgot about the only Beatles' song that makes me want to vomit:

"Happy ever after in the market place
Molly lets the children lend a hand
Desmond stays at home and does his pretty face
And if you want some fun -
Take Obladi oblada."


PUKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[CairoCarol]

The whole damn thing done by Dylan.
Thank god. Up until the moment I read that, I felt so ... alone.

[Nature's Call]

Kelly Clarkson's "Because of You"

Because of you
I never stray too far from the sidewalk.
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt

It's that line "I never stray too far from the sidewalk" The song is about an angst-ridden destructive relationship that has caused Kelly to mistrust all of humanity. The best metaphor for this is proximity to a sidewalk?

Plus, she's not ON the sidewalk, now is she?. She's playing in traffic - just not too far from the sidewalk. How is that playing it safe?

This is how the chorus starts. It's the big payoff for what the verses set up. This line IS the song. But she may as well sing "Because of you I don't run with scissors half as much as I used to."

[Scoundrel Swanswater]

Also I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair - makes me want to go thump her just for the title alone
That song annoys the crap out of me.
Who in their right mind ever thought up that title and those lyrics?
Punkrockers with flowers in their hair?
Yeah, right and hippies with machine guns !!

[RedRosesForMe]

That song annoys the crap out of me.
Who in their right mind ever thought up that title and those lyrics?
Punkrockers with flowers in their hair?
Yeah, right and hippies with machine guns !!

I found this thread doing a search about You're So Vain (I'm glad to see I'm not the only person who wants to smack Carly Simon).

Now I wanna smack this Sandi Thom girl. I'd never heard this song before (that's why avoiding the radio can be such a blessing) but felt compelled to look up the video on Youtube. And I am genuinely annoyed that I had to listen to this crap, even if it was my curiosity that got the better of me.

I understand the sentiment- a simpler time, less technology, less Big Brother, all that. But really, don't group punk rockers and hippies together. At all. I have a hard time imagining the Mamas and the Papas singing about smashing the state, or discussing how it's time for a bit of the old ultra-violence.

Punk rockers do not appreciate being compared to hippies.

And, you wish you were (not I wish I effing was) a punk rocker? What's stopping ya? [waves] Hi! Some of us didn't realize there was a time limit on enjoying stripped-down rock 'n' roll and voicing a healthy skepticism towards the actions of our government. We're still around. We'll start you off on The Clash and The Ramones. Then we'll move on to the Oi! and hardcore movements. Maybe next week we can take you shopping for some bondage pants and studded belts.

:rolleyes: