# Completely Nonsensical Lyrics **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 12, 2006, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/completely-nonsensical-lyrics/352415 "2006-04-12T19:04:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![ddgryphon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8c91f0/32.png) [@ddgryphon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ddgryphon)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2006, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/completely-nonsensical-lyrics/352415/41 "2006-04-13T19:27:11Z")
_On the Amazon_ by Don Mclean: > [@Don Mclean](#): > > On the Amazon, the prophylactics prowl On the Amazon, the hypodermics howl On > the Amazon, you’ll hear a scarab scowl and sting zodiacs on the wing > > All the stalactites and vicious vertebrae > Hunt the stalagmites while laryngitis slay > All that parasites that come from Paraguay in the spring > Hmm, hmm hmmm > > Snarling equinox among the rocks will seize you > And the fahrenheit comes out at night to freeze you > > Wild duodenum are lurking in the trees > And the jungle swarms with green apostrophes > Oh, the Amazon is calling me [Link](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=7296127) Warning: Popups and ads ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2006, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/completely-nonsensical-lyrics/352415/42 "2006-04-13T19:44:11Z")
I want to return to **Yes** and **Tales from the topographic ocean** , where the first track, _The Revealing Science of God_, begins: \*Dawn of light lying between a silence and sold sources, Chased amid fusions of wonder, in moments hardly seen forgotten, Coloured in pastures of chance dancing leaves cast spells of challenge, Amused but real in thought, we fled from the sea whole. Dawn of thought transfered through moments of days undersearching earth Revealing corridors of time provoking memories, disjointed but with purpose, Craving penetrations offer links with the self instructors sharp And tender love as we took to the air, a picture of distance.\* Sure, whatever. ---
**Author:** ![MrJackboots](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MrJackboots](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrJackboots)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2006, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/completely-nonsensical-lyrics/352415/43 "2006-04-13T19:58:38Z")
What, nobody mentioned _Louie Louie_? Whatever the actual lyrics page says, if the FBI can investigate them for two and a half years and conclude that [they were “unable to interpret any of the wording in the record”](http://www.snopes.com/music/songs/louie.htm), it can’t _actually_ make much sense, right? ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/completely-nonsensical-lyrics/352415/44 "2006-04-14T03:01:10Z")
I refuse to accept any interpretation that imparts any meaning or significance to _Stairway to Heaven_ ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/completely-nonsensical-lyrics/352415/45 "2006-04-14T03:11:27Z")
I dunno. I can sort of make up some interpretation of thoe lyrics, and I could see how they could be somewhat obscure and in-joke laden stuff that makes stuff to the lyricist, but probably aren’t decipherable if you don’t know what they are thinking about or what event they are thinking about. For instance, They Might Be Giants songs are deliberately obscure references to real things, not just nonsense. The band has even explained a few of them. Often some of the neatest parts of their songs is figuring out what they are actually talking about. ---
**Author:** ![soulmurk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@soulmurk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulmurk)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/completely-nonsensical-lyrics/352415/46 "2006-04-14T03:32:41Z")
> [@AndyPolley](#): > > Dave Grhol’s efforts on the first **Foo Fighters** disc was an excecise in writing nonsense lyrics. After the death of Kurt Cobain, he was pretty depressed. Anything creative of his at the time was tainted by this. Or could be that he was honoring the memory of his dead friend by emulating his writing style. Cobain is the undisputed king of modern day nonsensical lyrics… I’m all for poetic license, but there is a band that receives quite a lot of airplay on “alternative” rock stations, and every song they have drives me absolutely crazy. An excerpt of Godsmack’s “Straight Out of Line” “There’s no reason There’s no compromise Change in seasons Living the high life I don’t know you So don’t freak on me I can’t control you You’re not my destiny” The writer obviously cares more about rhyming than making sense. ---
**Author:** ![Hoops](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hoops/32/6408_2.png) [@Hoops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoops)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/completely-nonsensical-lyrics/352415/47 "2006-04-14T04:40:32Z")
As mentioned upthread, They Might Be Giants. From _Nothing’s Gonna Change My Clothes_: All the people are so happy now Their heads are caving in I’m glad they are a snowman with Protective rubber skin And I have to say that the opening couplet of Yes’ _Close to The Edge_: A seasoned witch could call you from the depths of your disgrace And rearrange your liver to the solid mental grace at one time made perfect sense to me; in college, I had a huge crush on a Wiccan girl and a concomitant drinking problem! ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/completely-nonsensical-lyrics/352415/48 "2006-04-14T05:38:39Z")
> [@McNew](#): > > I submit that virtually anything by \*Talking Heads \* falls into the “nonsensical lyrics” category. I’ve only really heard their radio singles, but **Road to Nowhere** seemed to make some sence and **Once in a Lifetime** while using lots of metiphores and imagery makes some sence. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/completely-nonsensical-lyrics/352415/49 "2006-04-14T05:45:19Z")
> [@swissmtndog](#): > > I’d vote for anything by Supertramp. > > Especially from their biggest disc - Breakfast in America, which featured the inaptly named - “The Logical Song” I really gave it some thought, and it seems to me that he’s singing about going from being a happy, carefree child, where the world is full of wonder, to a cynical adult where everything is cold and impersonal. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/completely-nonsensical-lyrics/352415/50 "2006-04-17T14:49:02Z")
> [@askeptic](#): > > Well I guess thats what passes for a CafeSociety WHOOOOOSH. Cause I do not get what you are trying to say. 😕 One interpretation of “Blinded by the Light” is that it is about masturbation… ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/completely-nonsensical-lyrics/352415/51 "2006-04-17T16:18:25Z")
I seem to recall checking the lyrics to some Stevie Nicks/Fleetwood Mac songs and finding out the lyrics didn’t make any sense after I understood them, either. I’ve come to the conclusion that if I can’t make out what she’s singing, there’s probably a good reason why. Here’s a sample from “Bella Donna” [quote] _You can ride high atop your pony I know you won’t fall 'cause the whole thing’s phony. … And we’d fight for the Northern Star._[/.quote] ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/completely-nonsensical-lyrics/352415/52 "2006-04-17T17:20:06Z")
I hereby nominate Peter Gabriel’s **Modern Love**. Back in college our band covered this tune. And this was back in the pre-internet days where you had to try to guess the words from the album or tape. Don’t recall exactly what we came up with, other than remembering something about: _“With the bows, the pearls in her oysters were tacky as hell. … And Lady Godiva she came incognito. The driver had stolen her rent and magneto.”_ WTF? Fortunately, I could hang in the background grooving to a pretty nifty bass line, and giggling at our singer who had to emote such nonsense. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/completely-nonsensical-lyrics/352415.md?page=2)