# I pit Cee Lo Green **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 3, 2012, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-cee-lo-green/608247 "2012-01-03T08:13:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-cee-lo-green/608247/21 "2012-01-03T16:32:04Z")
I don’t give two turds about Cee-Lo’s interpretation, but throwing Weird Al into the mix is stupid. Cee-Lo wasn’t parodying _Imagine._ ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-cee-lo-green/608247/22 "2012-01-03T16:32:09Z")
Yes, that’s exactly the same thing. Thank you for your insightful contribution. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-cee-lo-green/608247/23 "2012-01-03T16:34:05Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > OMG! Did you hear what Wierd Al did to some song? > > I am like, sooooooooo way outraged that someone sang a song and the words weren’t right. I suggest an amendment to the Patriot Act to deal with this issue. As several people have pointed out, this isn’t about changing the lyrics of a song. It’s about changing the meaning of a song. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-cee-lo-green/608247/24 "2012-01-03T16:35:07Z")
Although comparing Green’s change to a parody kind of makes the point in its own way. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-cee-lo-green/608247/25 "2012-01-03T16:41:08Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Considering that Lennon knew he’d just lie in the ground and rot after he died I don’t think he’d care much about people pissing on his grave. Just saying. Personally, I’m not annoyed by this because I think John Lennon would have been annoyed by it. I’m annoyed entirely on my own recognizance, as it were. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-cee-lo-green/608247/26 "2012-01-03T16:41:45Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > I don’t give two turds about Cee-Lo’s interpretation, but throwing Weird Al into the mix is stupid. Cee-Lo wasn’t parodying _Imagine._ You’re right. A parody would have been so much better. > [@DianaG](#): > > Yes, that’s exactly the same thing. Thank you for your insightful contribution. I’m so foolish. Of course changing a couple of words in a song is so much worse than changing every one. > [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > As several people have pointed out, this isn’t about changing the lyrics of a song. It’s about changing the meaning of a song. And parodies never do that. They always remain true to the meaning of the original song. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-cee-lo-green/608247/27 "2012-01-03T16:43:22Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > You’re right. A parody would have been so much better. > > I’m so foolish. Of course changing a couple of words in a song is so much worse than changing every one. > > And parodies never do that. They always remain true to the meaning of the original song. Weird Al almost never parodies without permission. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-cee-lo-green/608247/28 "2012-01-03T16:46:46Z")
“Imagine no reading comprehension… I wonder if you can…” ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-cee-lo-green/608247/29 "2012-01-03T16:47:52Z")
Stop being intentionally dense. Parodies are meant as jokes – whereas this was not. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-cee-lo-green/608247/30 "2012-01-03T16:50:06Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Weird Al almost never parodies without permission. Who cares? > [@Hal\_Briston](#): > > Stop being intentionally dense. Parodies are meant as jokes – whereas this was not. Who cares? ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-cee-lo-green/608247/31 "2012-01-03T16:53:29Z")
Whoop…forgot this was changed to the **BBQ Pit (but only for things that TriPolar gives a crap about)** forum. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-cee-lo-green/608247/32 "2012-01-03T16:53:31Z")
At least **TriPolar** is staying in key, which is more than I can say for Cee-Lo. Unfortunately the key is F-stupid. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-cee-lo-green/608247/33 "2012-01-03T17:00:22Z")
Yes, I’m an idiot for not being outraged that the guy only known to the general public for the ‘Fuck You’ song has changed a couple of words in a song that retains the same meaning but is expressed in his own way, because it so harmful to everybody because of something nobody can express coherently. But of course we all get the general vibe, See Low has interfered with the saintly adoration of John Lennon’s imagined world where people don’t do that sort of thing. Oh the humanity! ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-cee-lo-green/608247/34 "2012-01-03T17:01:21Z")
Isn’t there a Tebow thread you could be vomiting in? ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-cee-lo-green/608247/35 "2012-01-03T17:01:59Z")
No, you’re an idiot for not understanding what a parody is. Edit: the preceding list is not intended to be comprehensive. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-cee-lo-green/608247/36 "2012-01-03T17:04:51Z")
Our only hope of saving this thread is to reverse the **TriPolarity**! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-cee-lo-green/608247/37 "2012-01-03T17:09:38Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Yes, I’m an idiot for not being outraged that the guy only known to the general public for the ‘Fuck You’ song has changed a couple of words in a song that retains the same meaning but is expressed in his own way There are three different statements in this quote that show you aren’t paying attention to the thread, and each of them makes you look stupid. But the only one that’s important is the last one: “and all religion’s true” doesn’t retain the same meaning as “and no religion, too.” > [@](#): > > because it so harmful to everybody Your laziness is undermining the quality of your threadshitting. Or as Cee-Lo would put it if he were covering my post, “ **TriPolar** is RIIIIiiiIIiiiIIIIIiiIiiiiiiiiiiGHT!” ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-cee-lo-green/608247/38 "2012-01-03T17:12:58Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Yes, **I’m an idiot** for not being outraged that the guy only known to the general public for the ‘Fuck You’ song has changed a couple of words in a song that retains the same meaning but is expressed in his own way, because it so harmful to everybody because of something nobody can express coherently. But of course we all get the general vibe, See Low has interfered with the saintly adoration of John Lennon’s imagined world where people don’t do that sort of thing. Oh the humanity! Emphasis added. ---
**Author:** ![bobkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-cee-lo-green/608247/39 "2012-01-03T17:25:38Z")
I’m less annoyed by the lyric change than I am by the horrific performance. If you can reach the notes, drop down into your range. Otherwise… ugh. It was cringe-worthy. ---
**Author:** ![orcenio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orcenio/32/1036_2.png) [@orcenio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orcenio)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-cee-lo-green/608247/40 "2012-01-03T17:35:38Z")
> [@Meatros](#): > > You weren’t referring to me, but I figured since I didn’t know a whole lot about him, it’s applicable. My opinion of his philosophical deepness is now linked to this change in the song. The evidence I have is his mangling the ‘imagine’ song by changing a phrase and rendering the meaning incoherent. > > All religions cannot be true since quite a few of them are mutually exclusive. > > Is he a talented artist? Yeah, I find his stuff catchy. I don’t recall finding any of his material particularly deep. Please correct my ignorance if he has produced anything of philosophical depth. Well, Cee-lo certainly messed up with this time, but I wouldn’t make that leap. If you question the emotional depth of his work I highly suggest you check out the song [Who’s Gonna Save My Soul](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lomNiMATjk#t=01m33s) ([studio version](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4bvRamMiY4&ob=av3e)) which he did with Danger Mouse. Now, this song was washed off the radio by the catchiness of “[Crazy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd2B6SjMh_w&ob=av3n),” but it’s hauntingly dirge-like vocals is mind blowing (to me at least). My general feeling is that he knew **exactly** what John Lennon meant with that line and just felt he couldn’t recite it (it **is** blasphemous). So he changed it and thought no one would care enough to complain. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-cee-lo-green/608247.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-cee-lo-green/608247.md?page=3)