# If you could change one line from a song **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 22, 2016, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-change-one-line-from-a-song/760562 "2016-07-22T06:15:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-change-one-line-from-a-song/760562/1 "2016-07-22T06:15:35Z")
Doesn’t matter if it’s longer or shorter than the original lyrics, so don’t worry about matching your syllable to the original syllable. Just as long as you keep some vague idea of one line, as suited to that particular song. If your line rambles on a bit too long, I guess on a case by case basis one could determine if it’s gone completely off the rails. Billy Joel seems to be pretty good fodder - “I don’t give, a flying fuck, about what you say, anymore, it’s, my, fucking, life.” “Blame it all on yourself cause she’s always, a major pain in the aaa-ass, to meeeee…” “YOU HAD TO BE A MUTHAFUCKIN, DIPSHITTIN, COKE-SNORTIN _BIG SHOT_, DIDN’T YA?” or everyone’s probably no. 1 favourite - Bryan Adams - “It cuts like a knife…and it feels soooooooo like this’ll be a silent killer…YEAH!” ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-change-one-line-from-a-song/760562/2 "2016-07-22T15:19:25Z")
For some odd reason, there’ve been two songs, every time I here them, I want to shake some sense into the singer and fix _that_ word. Bruce Springsteen in _Glory Days_: “He could throw that **speed** ball by you …” It’s a FAST ball, Bruce! Billy Joel, _Light as the Breeze_: “… And you turn in disgust, from your hatred and from your **love** ” Why isn’t this LUST? You \*might \*be disgusted by your own lust, but not by your own love IMO. And **lust** would not only be more appropriate, it would actually rhyme! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-change-one-line-from-a-song/760562/3 "2016-07-22T15:29:41Z")
One I’ve mentioned before, and hadn’t even noticed was “gray” for quite a long while: that song by Seal should _“compare you to a kiss from a rose on the grave.”_ ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-change-one-line-from-a-song/760562/4 "2016-07-22T15:51:24Z")
From ELP’s _Still…You Turn Me On_: Every day a little sadder A little madder Someone get me a \*\*ladder. \*\*Arrgghh. I like ELP in a nostalgic way for the times in which I heard it for the first time. And I like this song. But, hoo boy, when that line comes up I cringe. There are a whole number of words to complete the rhyme but M. Lake just went with the first bad non-sequitur to come to mind. Oh, well. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-change-one-line-from-a-song/760562/5 "2016-07-22T16:53:44Z")
Billy Idol: With a Rebel yell she cried Moe, Larry, Curly ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-change-one-line-from-a-song/760562/6 "2016-07-22T17:31:17Z")
This is going to be a Billy Joel type thread. He is really a car wreck. I just heard Captain Jack on the radio yesterday. A good start would be to take out the line that ends in “masturbate” but you could do more. I just don’t want to go back and verify. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-change-one-line-from-a-song/760562/7 "2016-07-22T17:33:21Z")
> [@MonkeyMensch](#): > > From ELP’s _Still…You Turn Me On_: > > Every day a little sadder > A little madder > Someone get me a \*\*ladder. > > \*\*Arrgghh. I like ELP in a nostalgic way for the times in which I heard it for the first time. And I like this song. But, hoo boy, when that line comes up I cringe. There are a whole number of words to complete the rhyme but M. Lake just went with the first bad non-sequitur to come to mind. Oh, well. I don’t hear it as non sequitur, but I’m OK with that song cause I love it so much. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-change-one-line-from-a-song/760562/8 "2016-07-22T17:41:10Z")
**Eddie Cochran’s** song **Twenty Flight Rock** is the song Paul McCartney played “backstage” at the then-Quarrymen’s gig at the church social (well, after the show, off to the side) for John Lennon to show that he (Paul) could play. At the time, John was probably more impressed that Paul could tune the guitar 😉 It is a great, great song, clocking in at 1:46: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FiD678VvnE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FiD678VvnE) But the last verse is: [QUOTE=Eddie Cochran] Well, they sent to Chicago for repairs Till it’s a-fixed I’m a-usin’ the stairs Hope they hurry up before it’s too late Want my baby too much to wait All this climbin’ **is a-gettin’ me down** They’ll find my corpse draped over a rail [/QUOTE] \ “a-getting me down”?! Early on after figuring out the song, I changed the lyric to: All this climbin’ - bound to fail They’ll find my corpse draped over a rail 'cause hey, I know better than a rockabilly genius who died too young and The Beatles. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-change-one-line-from-a-song/760562/9 "2016-07-22T18:10:37Z")
I am absolutely in love with Chance the Rapper’s song “[Favorite Song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KV9kvxToVww)” and it’s a super fun tune that makes me shake my butt with abandon… But the first phrase is “Chance, acid rapper, soccer, hacky sacker Cocky khaki jacket jacker **Slap-happy faggot slapper** ” I am fairly sure that Chance is not homophobic and doesn’t say stuff like this in any of his other songs, but it’s quite jarring to me. And I desperately want to share the song with my friends on Facebook but I can’t, I gotta keep it to myself. Bad move, Chance ☹ I dunno what I would change it to. ANYTHING but “faggot” (and probably also not “cop” or “girlfriend”) ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-change-one-line-from-a-song/760562/10 "2016-07-22T18:23:30Z")
Sheryl Crow _All I want to do is hurt someone_ ---
**Author:** ![oara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b77776/32.png) [@oara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oara)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-change-one-line-from-a-song/760562/11 "2016-07-22T23:30:30Z")
In White Rabbit, the dormouse should advise to keep your head. (And something should be done about what happens to logic and proportion.) Are there examples of bands with superior lyricists fixing the weak lyrics in songs they cover? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-change-one-line-from-a-song/760562/12 "2016-07-22T23:42:18Z")
**The Doors** _Touch Me_: “When the stars fall from the sky, for you and I.” AAARRRGGGHHH!!! How about “When the stars fall to the sea, for you and me?” ---
**Author:** ![oara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b77776/32.png) [@oara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oara)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-change-one-line-from-a-song/760562/13 "2016-07-22T23:58:30Z")
> [@oara](#): > > In White Rabbit, the dormouse should advise to keep your head. > (And something should be done about what happens to logic and proportion.) Best I’ve thought of so far is “When logic and proportion have declared one another dead”. Could likely do better preserving less of the line. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2016, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-change-one-line-from-a-song/760562/14 "2016-07-23T00:04:08Z")
> [@oara](#): > > Best I’ve thought of so far is “When logic and proportion have declared one another dead”. > Could likely do better preserving less of the line. Isn’t the original line “have fallen sloppy dead”? That’s not an improvement on how it scans anyway. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2016, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-change-one-line-from-a-song/760562/15 "2016-07-23T00:06:48Z")
I’ve never found anything wrong with the lyrics as written. I guess you had to be there. ---
**Author:** ![Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba8739/32.png) [@Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Backwater_Under_Duck)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2016, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-change-one-line-from-a-song/760562/16 "2016-07-23T01:10:34Z")
> [@Eddie The Horrible](#): > > Billy Joel seems to be pretty good fodder - My go to on this subject: \*Everybody’s talkin’ 'bout a new sound Funny, but it’s still Billy Joel to me. \* ---
**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:** [July 23, 2016, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-change-one-line-from-a-song/760562/17 "2016-07-23T02:42:10Z")
> [@Backwater\_Under\_Duck](#): > > My go to on this subject: > > \*Everybody’s talkin’ 'bout a new sound Funny, but it’s still Billy Joel to me. > \* You know that Weird Al actually [did that](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6T2B3Vhtzk), don’t you? ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2016, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-change-one-line-from-a-song/760562/18 "2016-07-23T04:10:55Z")
> [@BubbaDog](#): > > Billy Idol: With a Rebel yell she cried Moe, Larry, Curly That’s “With a Rubble yell she cried Bam, Bam, Bam” ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2016, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-change-one-line-from-a-song/760562/19 "2016-07-23T04:17:53Z")
Back in the 90s it really bothered me that he doesn’t say “Silent Lucidity” one last time at the end of the song. ---
**Author:** ![Me\_Billy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Me\_Billy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Me_Billy)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2016, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-change-one-line-from-a-song/760562/20 "2016-07-23T16:51:27Z")
You picked a fine time to leave me Lucille With four **HUNDRED** children. And a crop in the field. (You picked a fine time to leave me Lucille With four hungry children. And a crop in the field.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-change-one-line-from-a-song/760562.md?page=2)