# Egregious Rhyming Violations To Report **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 26, 2006, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937 "2006-10-26T03:01:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/21 "2006-10-26T18:26:15Z")
[QUOTE=RickJay] I mean, holy shit. that’s bad rhyming in multiple ways; the completely irrelevant insertion of “Chicken,” interrupting a sentence to finish a rhyme, and bad metre. Yowza. [/QUOTE] I kind of like “love, pride, deep-fried chicken”: the things that are essential, from the noble to the everyday. The rhyme I can’t defend. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/22 "2006-10-26T18:29:31Z")
[QUOTE=C K Dexter Haven] Ever heard of Ogden Nash? [/QUOTE] On a postcard from Og (reportedly): On the shores of Lake Michigan I bit into a Whitefishigan. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/23 "2006-10-26T18:34:50Z")
[QUOTE=RickJay] interrupting a sentence to finish a rhyme [/QUOTE] You mean enjambment? Regarding a previous comment, doctors often say “um-bil-EYE-cull.” Dunno how common it is otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/24 "2006-10-26T18:38:40Z")
[QUOTE=Shoshana] _Billy Mac is a detective down in Texas And he knows just exactly what the facts is_ ::shudder:: [/QUOTE] I’ll call your Texas and raise you an abdomen: _Oh Jonah, he lived in de whale, Oh Jonah, he lived in de whale - Fo’ he made his home in Dat fish’s abdomen - Oh Jonah, he lived in de whale._ Also, it seems there is no two syllable word synonymous with ‘whale’ which, for the writer’s purposes, becomes a fish. ---
**Author:** ![MrSquishy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9e5f3/32.png) [@MrSquishy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrSquishy)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/25 "2006-10-26T18:47:24Z")
[QUOTE=Biffy the Elephant Shrew] I dunno. Deriding Carter by comparing him unfavorably to a legendary white boxer from the past makes sense to me. Maybe if Dylan had _really_ wanted to torture the rhyme, he could have added “He ain’t even [Errol Flynn](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034778).” [/QUOTE] I agree. I think this lyric is good, if you know who [Gentleman Jim](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_J._Corbett) is, and you know who the song is about. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/26 "2006-10-26T18:59:22Z")
[QUOTE=Shagnasty] … **2) The forced circumstantial rhyme** - Casually throwing in something whose key traits that just happen to rhyme. From: Billy Joel’s Piano Man _And he’s talking with Davy who’s still in the Navy_ I see this type of thing way to often. You can bet your ass that the guy either: A) Goes by David OR B) Is in the Army instead and gets his whole history of service misrepresented just because Billy Joel wants to fill some space cheaply and easily. I see these types of things way too often. Any more egregious rhyming violations you want to report? [/QUOTE] This is an old vice among bad poets and rhymers. See [Essay on Criticism](http://poetry.eserver.org/essay-on-criticism.html) by Alexander Pope, 1711. _Where-e’er you find the cooling Western Breeze, In the next Line, it whispers thro’ the Trees;_ ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/27 "2006-10-26T19:11:38Z")
[QUOTE=jsgoddess] Regarding a previous comment, doctors often say “um-bil-EYE-cull.” Dunno how common it is otherwise. [/QUOTE] Upon hearing the XTC song, I thought it might be a British pronunciation, similar to ur-EYE-nal. ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/28 "2006-10-26T19:22:08Z")
“Betty Davis Eyes”, anyone? _She’s **precautious** , And she knows just What it takes to make a **pro blush** _ 😕 … _She’ll let you take her **home** , It works her appetite She’ll lay you on the **throne** ,_ Nice try, but it doesn’t rhyme. … - She’s **ferocious** And she knows just What it takes to make a **pro blush** \* :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/29 "2006-10-26T19:24:25Z")
[QUOTE=Biffy the Elephant Shrew] Upon hearing the XTC song, I thought it might be a British pronunciation, similar to ur-EYE-nal. [/QUOTE] It may be a native pronunciation somewhere, but not for Partridge, how acknowledges that it’s a forced rhyme. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/30 "2006-10-26T19:43:44Z")
[QUOTE=dwc1970] “Betty Davis Eyes”, anyone? _She’s **precautious** , And she knows just What it takes to make a **pro blush** _ 😕 [/QUOTE] Not that it makes the unbelievably forced rhyme much better, but that word is “precocious.” ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/31 "2006-10-26T19:46:11Z")
**The Sex Pistols** , “Anarchy in the UK”: _I am an Antichrist! And I am an anarchist!_ …and Johnny Rotten totally makes it rhyme, but mangling the last “i” of anarchist. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/32 "2006-10-26T20:43:37Z")
[QUOTE=bleach] KISS is no Billy Joel when it comes to rhyming. Exhibit 1: Detroit Rock City Ten O’Clock and I know I gotta hit the ROAD First I drink then I SMOKE Start the car and I try to make the midnight SHOW Points awarded because I guess all of those have an “O” sound in there, but jeez. [/QUOTE] What’s wrong with this? I actually usually prefer the sorts of near rhymes to hard monosyllabic masculine rhymes. Certainly sounds less cheesy that way. ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/33 "2006-10-26T22:13:41Z")
One that really bugs me when I hear it one the radio: _Evanescence_ My Immortal… “When you cried I’d wipe away all of your tears When you’d scream I’d fight away all of your fears And I held your hand through all of these years” What? Couldn’t work in “beers”? “Arrears?” Not even “steers”? ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/34 "2006-10-26T22:20:40Z")
[QUOTE=Astroboy14] What? Couldn’t work in “beers”? “Arrears?” Not even “steers”? [/QUOTE] How about “musketeers”? ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/35 "2006-10-26T22:32:17Z")
[QUOTE=Astroboy14] One that really bugs me when I hear it one the radio: _Evanescence_ My Immortal… “When you cried I’d wipe away all of your tears When you’d scream I’d fight away all of your fears And I held your hand through all of these years” What? Couldn’t work in “beers”? “Arrears?” Not even “steers”? [/QUOTE] “When you cried I’d wipe away all of your tears When you’d scream I’d fight away all of your fears And I held your hand through all of these years And then I went ropin’ steeeeeeeers” I like it. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/36 "2006-10-26T22:52:14Z")
Actually, a forced rhyme can work quite nicely: > [@Flanders & Swann](#): > > The Hippopotamus > was no ignoramus. . . . > … > His inamorata > adjusted her garter . . . > … > A regular army > of Hippopotami All brilliant rhymes. or > [@Flanders & Swann](#): > > And all because of the second law of thermodynamics which lays down: > That you can’t pass heat from a cooler to a hotter > Try it if you like but you’d far better not-a > 'Cos the cold in the cooler will get hotter as a rule-a > 'Cos the hotter body’s heat will pass to the cooler ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/37 "2006-10-26T23:30:08Z")
The one that always bugs me (I’ve posted it here before) is from U2’s “Beautiful Day”: You thought you’d found a friend To take you out of this place Someone you could lend… A hand In return for grace Just one more of many reasons I can’t stand the guy. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/38 "2006-10-26T23:34:04Z")
[QUOTE=woodstockbirdybird] The one that always bugs me (I’ve posted it here before) is from U2’s “Beautiful Day”: You thought you’d found a friend To take you out of this place Someone you could lend… A hand In return for grace Just one more of many reasons I can’t stand the guy. [/QUOTE] This is the second example like this. Are you complaining about enjambment? In other words, your complaint is that the rhyme is not end stopped? ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/39 "2006-10-26T23:38:12Z")
[QUOTE=jsgoddess] This is the second example like this. Are you complaining about enjambment? In other words, your complaint is that the rhyme is not end stopped? [/QUOTE] Precisely. Makes it sound like extremely lazy writing. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/40 "2006-10-26T23:43:54Z")
[QUOTE=woodstockbirdybird] Precisely. Makes it sound like extremely lazy writing. [/QUOTE] I disagree. The use of enjambment in lyrics and poetry keeps the rhythms of the line smooth and natural, and allow rhyme not to hit you over the head. Similiarly, slant rhyming (pointed out in some cases above) allows the writer to include more naturalistic and surprising words as rhymes while still having some of the effect of rhyme. In some cases, slants might be used out of laziness. Enjambment rarely is, as most people find it much easier to write end-stopped lines than enjambed ones. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937.md?page=3)