Got a feeling inside (can’t explain)
It’s a certain kind (can’t explain)
I feel hot and cold (can’t explain)
Yeah, down in my soul, yeah (can’t explain)
…
Can’t explain
I think it’s love
Try to say it to you
When I feel blue
No, it’s no real contribution to the thread, but it was my first thought because I had to listen to it 120 times in a row because my roommate wanted to break the record for consecutive plays.
I can’t say it’s an absolute favourite song for me, but as far as I can tell, Elton John’s “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” has perfectly clear but nonsensical words in just about every line.
I’m guessing the lyrics must have been heavily edited during the songwriting process, and some personal/identifying material taken out, leaving behind an earnest but incoherent remainder. Either that or it’s just a really bad lyric.
In and around the lake
Mountains come out of the sky and they stand there
One mile over we’ll be there and we’ll see you
Ten true summers we’ll be there and laughing too
Twenty four before my love you’ll see
I’ll be there with you
I heard Jon Anderson explain the lyrics of their songs. The voice was considered another instrument and the words were a means to an end. The metre and rhythm of the words were more important than the meaning. And they took so many drugs.
I’ve read that Paul Simon said that “Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio, a nation turns its lonely eyes to you” has no specific meaning, and it was just something that sounded good to him at the time.
Similarly, I personally suspect that the reason Don McLean consistently refused to explain the meaning of the lyrics of “American Pie” is because they too have no real meaning but just sounded good, and as long as people were willing to read all sorts of deep meaning into them it worked for him.
I pretty much only like songs that aren’t written literally for my elementary school daughter. Or more specifically, pretty much written in the language of the songwriter and left to anyone else to interpret.
A few years ago, I saw Jon Anderson doing a one-man Unplugged/Storytellers show here in Austin. After he did “Yours Is No Disgrace,” someone yelled out, “What does that song mean?” Anderson grinned and said, “People always ask what my songs mean. I don’t know what they mean.” He then giggled and puffed on an imaginary joint.
Edge of night, distract yourself
Obstacles don’t work
Homogenize
Decentralize
It’s just a quirk
geranium lover i’m live on your wire
the museum director’s with their high shaking heads
they kick white shadows until they play dead
if the illusion is real
let them give you a ride
if they got thunder appeal
let them be on your side
If I listen to a song, and actually hear the lyrics, and they’re stupid, I have to really like the song to keep listening. But quite often it becomes a channel-changer.
So. “Almond looks that go on forever.” All right you have mystified me. But I still love that song.
“Children silently wait for the ice cream vendor” Needed the rhyme, too too obviously. Will not change the channel though, particularly since I hardly ever hear this one any more.
Almost any Elton John song. I just do not like them enough to put up with the stupid meaningless lyrics which he sings so soulfully. I wish he was singing “la la la.” Exceptions: “I’m Still Standing,” “Tiny Dancer,” “Yellow Brick Road.” I mean those are the ones I will still listen to, not that I’m a fan of their lyrics.
