On the Amazon by Don Mclean:
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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.
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”, it can’t actually make much sense, right?
I refuse to accept any interpretation that imparts any meaning or significance to Stairway to Heaven
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
One interpretation of “Blinded by the Light” is that it is about masturbation…
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]
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.