# 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:** 3
**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, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/41 "2006-10-26T23:46:50Z")
[QUOTE=jsgoddess] 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. [/QUOTE] Except in this case (“Beautiful Day”), at least, the enjambment _does_ serve to make the rhyme hit you over the head even harder than it would have normally, because the “…a hand” part so obviously was thrown in just so he could rhyme “friend” and “lend”. ---
**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, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/42 "2006-10-26T23:50:37Z")
[QUOTE=Biffy the Elephant Shrew] Not that it makes the unbelievably forced rhyme much better, but that word is “precocious.” [/QUOTE] I thought that wasn’t quite right. The web site I Googled for the lyrics was a Dutch site (I was in a hurry as I was at work in between calls and clicked the link at random), where the person who posted it may have not been 100% clear on the lyrics. ---
**Author:** ![malkavia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malkavia/32/5621_2.png) [@malkavia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malkavia)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/43 "2006-10-26T23:53:21Z")
I have to second Betty Davis Eyes. That “pro blush” line makes me blush with fury everytime I hear it. I would also like to submit Matchbox 20’s Disease: > [@Matchbox 20](#): > > You taste like honey, honey > Tell me can I be your honey Wtf, Rob? Did you let Mrs. Johnson’s Kindergarten class write this song for you?! It chaps me, it does. ---
**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, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/44 "2006-10-26T23:55:11Z")
[QUOTE=woodstockbirdybird] Except in this case (“Beautiful Day”), at least, the enjambment _does_ serve to make the rhyme hit you over the head even harder than it would have normally, because the “…a hand” part so obviously was thrown in just so he could rhyme “friend” and “lend”. [/QUOTE] Strangely, this exact part is on the Amazon clip: > **[U2 - All That You Can't Leave Behind - Amazon.com Music](https://www.amazon.com/All-That-Cant-Leave-Behind/dp/B00004Z0LW)** > > "Beautiful Day" won the 2001 Grammy Awards for Record Of The Year, for Song Of The Year and for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. ALL THAT YOU CAN'T LEAVE BEHIND won the 2002 Grammy Award for Best Rock Album. "Walk On" won the 2002... I have no problem with the rhyme. I think it’s well done. I don’t see how the “a hand” part is thrown in at all, since it’s the only thing that would make sense with the following line, and he doesn’t use a ghastly inversion like: _You thought you’d found a friend To take you out of this place Someone you could a hand lend In return for grace_ Which is what you’d find in many amateur writings. ---
**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 27, 2006, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/45 "2006-10-27T00:12:19Z")
[QUOTE=jsgoddess] Strangely, this exact part is on the Amazon clip: > **[U2 - All That You Can't Leave Behind - Amazon.com Music](https://www.amazon.com/All-That-Cant-Leave-Behind/dp/B00004Z0LW)** > > "Beautiful Day" won the 2001 Grammy Awards for Record Of The Year, for Song Of The Year and for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. ALL THAT YOU CAN'T LEAVE BEHIND won the 2002 Grammy Award for Best Rock Album. "Walk On" won the 2002... I have no problem with the rhyme. I think it’s well done. I don’t see how the “a hand” part is thrown in at all, since it’s the only thing that would make sense with the following line, and he doesn’t use a ghastly inversion like: _You thought you’d found a friend To take you out of this place Someone you could a hand lend In return for grace_ Which is what you’d find in many amateur writings. [/QUOTE] Or he could have written something that fit the meter without having to resort to it at all. From a guy who wrote, on the same album: Grace, it’s the name for a girl It’s also a thought that changed the world And when she walks on the street You can hear the strings Grace finds goodness in everything Grace, she’s got the walk Not on a ramp or on chalk She’s got the time to talk… I’m going with “lazy” over “clever”. ---
**Author:** ![Clark\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c77e96/32.png) [@Clark\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clark_K)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/46 "2006-10-27T01:26:33Z")
I love “comically forced” rhymes. I cackle every time I hear a song called “Countrier Than Thou” by Robbie Fulks, in which he rails against yuppies who pretend they’re all down-home and backwoods-y. Among the rhymes: You ain’t never read a Bible, Tell me, why’s your vibe all, Countrier than thou? and Well, you went to Andover, What’s the banjo fer? Good stuff. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/47 "2006-10-27T01:38:25Z")
[QUOTE=dwc1970] - She’s **ferocious** And she knows just What it takes to make a **pro blush** \* :dubious: [/QUOTE] Isn’t the line “…to make a **crow** blush”? ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/48 "2006-10-27T01:46:21Z")
Wow, this far and no one has mentioned “Without Me” by Eminem (I think that’s the name of ths song.) > [@](#): > > Now this looks like a job for **me** > So everybody just follow **me** > 'Cos we need a little controversy > 'Cos it feels so empty without **me** Wow…nice job there, Slim. ---
**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 27, 2006, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/49 "2006-10-27T07:11:54Z")
[QUOTE=bouv] Wow, this far and no one has mentioned “Without Me” by Eminem (I think that’s the name of ths song.) Wow…nice job there, Slim. [/QUOTE] And what exactly is wrong with this? (I’m not an Eminen fan, but I don’t see the problem with this line.) ---
**Author:** ![Greebo\_Ogg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19adc/32.png) [@Greebo\_Ogg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greebo_Ogg)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/50 "2006-10-27T10:20:12Z")
Not sure if this fits in, but it bugs the lowflying heeby-jeebies out of me. I’m not a native english speaker myself, but I am pretty fluent in the language. And mangling a saying just to make it rhyme? Bring the tar and feathers!!! Lily Allen - Smile (2006) \*I was so lost back then but with a little help from my friends I found the light in the tunnel at the end \* Brrrrrrrrrrr… There goes another heeby-jeeby… ---
**Author:** ![mamboman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecb155/32.png) [@mamboman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mamboman)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/51 "2006-10-27T10:30:57Z")
[QUOTE=Noel Prosequi] “We wanna put his ass in stir, We wanna pin this triple mur- der on him, he ain’t no Gentleman Jim” QUOTE] Oh come, that’s not even vaugely Dylan most audacious/worst rhyme. How’s about “you speak to me in sign language while I’m eating a sandwich…” Or my personal fave “What can I say about Claudette? Ain’t since her since February She could be respectably married or runnin’ a whorehouse in Buenos Aries” That’s rhymin’ gold there… mm ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/52 "2006-10-27T10:52:49Z")
Phone/Home/Alone Can’t think of a specific example, but it’s common and predictable (which is enough reason to hate it), but it goes something like: Called you on the phone But you were not home Now I’m all alone ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/53 "2006-10-27T10:54:32Z")
[QUOTE=mamboman] “you speak to me in sign language while I’m eating a sandwich…” [/QUOTE] Men at Work used something like that in their one-hit-wonder. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/54 "2006-10-27T11:03:45Z")
OK, how about this one. _To be Or Not To Be_ by BA Robertson - the [url=“”]whole song\* is a collection of cringe-worthy rhyme, but this stands out: > [@](#): > > Now I’m a little shy > I like to stay homeo > Shakespear’s my guy > Julie and Romeo ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/55 "2006-10-27T13:54:35Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] Phone/Home/Alone Can’t think of a specific example, but it’s common and predictable (which is enough reason to hate it), but it goes something like: Called you on the phone But you were not home Now I’m all alone [/QUOTE] The intro dialogue to Must of Got Lost by the Jay Giles band has those lines almost exactly. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/56 "2006-10-27T15:05:11Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] Phone/Home/Alone Can’t think of a specific example, but it’s common and predictable (which is enough reason to hate it), but it goes something like: Called you on the phone But you were not home Now I’m all alone [/QUOTE] Dance/chance/romance. Even worse. 🙂 ---
**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 27, 2006, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/57 "2006-10-27T16:48:05Z")
[QUOTE=OneCentStamp] Dance/chance/romance. Even worse. 🙂 [/QUOTE] The absolute worst is fire/funeral pyre. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/58 "2006-10-27T17:02:34Z")
[QUOTE=C K Dexter Haven] Ever heard of Ogden Nash? [/QUOTE] My personal Ogden Nash favorite: “Who wants my jellyfish? I’m not sellyfish!” ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/59 "2006-10-31T15:03:06Z")
[QUOTE=malkavia] I would also like to submit Matchbox 20’s Disease: You taste like honey, honey Tell me can I be your honey [/QUOTE] I always heard it as You taste like honey, honey Tell me can I be your honey bee Be strong and I thought the homophone be/bee was pretty cute! ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2006, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937/60 "2006-11-27T07:09:19Z")
[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. [/QUOTE] I’m not sure if you knew that the song derives from BJ’s experience as a piano player in a bar, but at any rate, he has said that there **was** a regular, named Davy, who was in the Navy. Paul, the real estate agent who claimed to be writing the Great American Novel, was also a reg, and the bartender was a wannabe actor. So Davy/Navy was not a forced rhyme. Sorry. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egregious-rhyming-violations-to-report/377937.md?page=4)