# Literal complaints at lyrics **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 7, 2019, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371 "2019-01-07T21:01:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/21 "2019-01-08T02:18:00Z")
From “Lowlife” by Theory of a Deadman: “I got an '82 Fiero with a car seat in the middle Broken down on the Interstate” No way. Fieros were built from '84 to '88. ---
**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:** [January 8, 2019, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/22 "2019-01-08T02:19:08Z")
“Well, I’d rather see you dead, little girl Than to be with another man You better keep your head, little girl Or you won’t know where I am [later] Baby, I’m determined And I’d rather see you dead” Roity roit then. John - you misogynistic, homicidal scumbag piece of shit.😛 ---
**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:** [January 8, 2019, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/23 "2019-01-08T02:43:35Z")
multi-Elvin Bishop: “I must have been through about a million girls.” riiiiiiiiiiiiiight. brah. “I’d love 'em then I’d leave 'em alone I didn’t care how much they cried, no sir Their tears left me cold as a stone” Gee, what a prince. Trying to model yourself after the Tom Cruise character in “Magnolia”? “I’m in you…you’re in me.” Um, no, Pete. No, don’t go there. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/24 "2019-01-08T03:10:35Z")
\*Way, way back many centuries ago, Not long after the Bible began, Jacob lived in the land of Canaan (A fine example of a family man). Jacob! Jacob and sons, Depended on farming to earn their keep. Jacob! Jacob and sons, Spent all of the day in the fields with sheep.\* Sounds more like _ranching_ to me… ---
**Author:** ![Covfefe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ee7513/32.png) [@Covfefe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covfefe)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/25 "2019-01-08T03:20:28Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > “I’m in you…you’re in me.” > > Um, no, Pete. > No, don’t go there. At least when Queens of the Stone Age had those same lyrics in a song, it was no secret they were metaphorically referencing drugs. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/26 "2019-01-08T03:34:12Z")
A couple of designer friends give each other “creative homework assignments”. One was to illustrate song lyrics. Everyone else’s were serious poetry, but I added some cynical commentary. This was back when “Grenade” by Bruno Mars was all over the airwaves… _I’d stop a grenade for you. Put my hand on a blade for you. I’d jump in front of a train for you…_ Wai-wai-wait, wha…? Look, I get that throwing yourself on a live grenade might save your loved one’s life (though why not throw it out the window? Then everyone lives). But jumping in front of a train is going to have exactly ZERO effect. What, you think you’re going to deflect the train by a few degrees? Or slow it down til getting hit by it is merely an annoyance? If the girl that Bruno Mars wrote this for sees this: Run. Away. And get yourself a smarter boyfriend. Or at least a more practical one… ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/27 "2019-01-08T04:52:20Z")
Loverboy: _“You gotta start from the start…”_ Yeah, you do. That’s why its called that. Fucking intuitive, you fucks. > [@Wheelz](#): > > More YES: > > “In and around the lake > Mountains come out of the sky and they stand there” > > Well, what the hell else are mountains going to do?? A huge fan, but I’ve always had a slight problem with this. > [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > _I’m just a girl in the world > That’s all that you’ll let me be…_ And the irony is, who the fuck ever heard another word from\* the rest of that band?\* ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/28 "2019-01-08T05:00:20Z")
There’s a song (Second chance, by Shinedown) that mentions “I just saw Halley’s comet, she waved” And the songwriter was about 8 when Halley’s comet last came by. So every time I hear the song I think no you didn’t “just” see that! Why that bugs me more than the writer talking about having conversations with the man in the moon, I don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/29 "2019-01-08T05:01:56Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > More YES: > > “In and around the lake > Mountains come out of the sky and they stand there” > > Well, what the hell else are mountains going to do?? They could move around. They could grow. They could melt. They could do a hell of a lot of things, actually. You have to consider the context. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/30 "2019-01-08T05:15:47Z")
But the song I truly hate is lips of an Angel by Hinder: Well, my girl’s in the next room Sometimes I wish she was you I guess we never really moved on It’s really good to hear your voice saying my name, etc etc, emotional yearning, blah blah Break up with your current if you are seriously lying there wishing she were your ex. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/31 "2019-01-08T05:19:32Z")
> [@Lamoral](#): > > They could move around. They could grow. They could melt. They could do a hell of a lot of things, actually. > > You have to consider the context. After all, these mountains did just come out of the sky, instead of the regular way. ETA: Personally, I kind of like it when lyrics just give up and don’t try to make any sense. I don’t really know how I feel about his lyrics, really. They seem like they’re on the verge of trying to say something. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/32 "2019-01-08T07:19:36Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Sheryl Crow, _All I Wanna Do_… > > Then he lights every match in an oversized pack > Lettin’ each one burn down to his > Thick fingers before blowin’ and cursin’ them out Au contraire, that is a GREAT lyric. In fact that whole song is full of poetry. On the other mitt, I have some entries of my own. I think it’s been a while since I mocked Bryan Adams: _Please forgive me, I know not what I do Please forgive me, I can’t stop loving you_ If you NEED to be forgiven for that, then you probably SHOULDN’T BE Also, Samantha Jade: _Don’t you wanna be my Soldier? Now, would you fight for me? D-d-d-die for me?_ Relationship Red Flag: “Why oh why won’t you DIE FOR MEEEEE!!!” (I picture the glowing red eyes, fangs and talons springing out at around this point) ---
**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:** [January 8, 2019, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/33 "2019-01-08T07:59:17Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Loverboy: _“You gotta start from the start…”_ > > Yeah, you do. That’s why its called that. Fucking intuitive, you fucks.\* “She was born the queen of the broken hearts.” Huh, quite the operator at such a young age. “I’m even on my knees, making love to whoever I please.” who-kaaaaaaaaay, well, then, Mike, yeah, I’ll just leave ya to that, then. More I think about it - I thought there’d been another thread similar to this in the not-too-distant past. Not the really good thread about literally-interpreted videos (which, IIRC, had a good post on “Total Eclipse of the Heart”). Maybe there’s been an improbable lyrics thread? Anyway, getting back to bloody Kiss again, I had to print out the whole thing, this time (well, minus one line to avoid you-know-what): “Don’t want to wait 'til you know me better Let’s just be glad for the time together Life’s such a treat and it’s time you taste it There ain’t a reason on earth to waste it It ain’t a crime to be good to yourself Lick it up, lick it up, ooh yeah it’s only right now Lick it up, lick it up, ooh yeah, come on, come on Lick it up, lick it up, ooh uh Don’t need to wait for an invitation You gotta live like you’re on vacation There’s something sweet you can’t buy with money lick it up, lick it up It’s all you need, so believe me honey It ain’t a crime to be good to yourself Lick it up, lick it up, ooh yeah it’s only right now Lick it up, lick it up, ooh yeah Lick it up, lick it up, ooh yeah, come on, come on Lick it up, lick it up, ooh yeah” (heh - eliminated a “Lick it up, lick it up, ooh yeah” line to take care of that) Should I really unearth what’s at the bottom of this number? And what’s with the line “It ain’t a crime to be good to yourself” - is that some kind of motivational feel-goodery for sperm-eating? ---
**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:** [January 8, 2019, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/34 "2019-01-08T08:09:02Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > I think it’s been a while since I mocked Bryan Adams Bryan: If you’re gonna write a song called “Cuts Like a Knife”, do you think maybe - just maybe - the line “you’ve been letting go” might bring about one or two snickers from under the stands? Or let me guess - you and your bandmates, sittin around, ruminating over the title and possible lyrics, maybe getting a little high, and someone thought “Tee-hee let’s throw an actual fart joke in there. No one will notice!” ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/35 "2019-01-08T10:21:26Z")
“Bye, bye, miss American pie, Drove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry.” If the levy was part of a flood-control system, being dry is a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/36 "2019-01-08T12:17:02Z")
He went to Hollywood, got a tattoo He met a girl out there with a tattoo too Oy. I love Tom Petty, but that’s right out of the Steve Miller school of terrible lines and rhymes. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/37 "2019-01-08T12:18:12Z")
When we have dinner, sometimes I’ll ask for the “lost shaker of salt”. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/38 "2019-01-08T13:34:17Z")
> [@campp](#): > > He went to Hollywood, got a tattoo > He met a girl out there with a tattoo too > > Oy. I love Tom Petty, but that’s right out of the Steve Miller school of terrible lines and rhymes. She had THE tattoo too. I hate that line myself, but her having the same tattoo does change the meaning a little bit. ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/39 "2019-01-08T14:07:27Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > “Bye, bye, miss American pie, > Drove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry.” > > If the levy was part of a flood-control system, being dry is a good thing. It sounds as though he’s disappointed too. So what, exactly, was he hoping to do with his Chevy, in a wet levy? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/40 "2019-01-08T14:43:02Z")
“…As sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti.” Umm, no–Serengeti National Park is over 120 miles from Kilimanjaro and is very hard if not impossible to see from there (I have been to both places). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371.md?page=3)