# 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:** 7
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2019, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/121 "2019-01-15T19:14:05Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > In case it isn’t well known, the point of the song is the singer keeps going farther and farther away from Australia, but wherever he goes, there’s another person from Oz already there. > > “Do you come from the land down under?” (me, too!) > > Not entirely unlike John Jacob Jingelheimer Smith. Re: The song John Jacob Jingleheimer Smith, his name isn’t **anybody’s** name!.😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2019, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/122 "2019-01-15T19:41:24Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > I’ve thought about this, and have come to the conclusion that the sheriff shot the deputy. The sheriff was corrupt and trying to plant evidence. The deputy was an honest cop who threatened to expose him, so the sheriff killed him … and then tried to pin it on our hero, who then shot the sheriff. I never thought about the possibility that the _sheriff_ shot the deputy…nice theory! I always thought it was simpler, that the sheriff somehow wronged the singer to the point where he attacked and killed him, and the deputy was _also_ there, but he did not shoot the deputy even though he could have, which is supposed to show that it wasn’t a robbery or pleasure murder. ---
**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:** [January 15, 2019, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/123 "2019-01-15T23:30:01Z")
_“An assassin that’s second to none: The Man With The Golden Gun.”_ I saw the film; spoiler alert: he went up against James Bond and came in second. According to the lyrics, _“no hitman can match him”_. According to Bond, “bang”. ---
**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 16, 2019, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/124 "2019-01-16T11:24:15Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > _Eleanor Rigby_ by some guitar group: > > _Waits at the window, wearing a face that she keeps in a jar by the door._ > > So she’s so lonely, apparently she murdered someone just to have their face. And she _wears_ it! That’s straight up Ed Gein territory. Doodles Weaver: _“That’s funny. Most people wear their faces on their head.”_ ---
**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 16, 2019, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/125 "2019-01-16T14:29:38Z")
Elton John _I guess that’s why they call it the blues_ Certainly does a good job on “reasons why being with your honey is superior to not being with your honey” Pretty light on for actual reasons why “the blues” is called “the blues” ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2019, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/126 "2019-01-16T15:35:52Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > _“An assassin that’s second to none: The Man With The Golden Gun.”_ > > I saw the film; spoiler alert: he went up against James Bond and came in second. According to the lyrics, _“no hitman can match him”_. According to Bond, “bang”. Well you see, Scaramanga had that song written. Aside from being a superior hitman, he also had a superior ego. You should know you’ve gone too far when you write your own theme music. He probably had action music playing in his “game room”, too. ---
**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:** [January 16, 2019, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/127 "2019-01-16T16:22:44Z")
Speaking of which: You’re So Vain. No, not the ‘thinking the song is about you’ part; the part about how you’re where you should be all the time. [beat] And when you’re _not,_ you’re with someone we’ll now discuss… ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2019, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/128 "2019-01-16T20:28:21Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > Even more options, courtesy of XKCD. > [xkcd: Paradise City](https://xkcd.com/805/) The mouse-over text FTW, as is often the case. 🙂 ---
**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 17, 2019, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/129 "2019-01-17T07:12:09Z")
I realise, Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship/Starship, you were a seminal band at the forefront of an influential music scene in a progressive city during a socio-politically tumultuous time and whatnot, but you couldn’t have picked a more hideously pulseless, anodyne, watered down, pre-packaged-into-sterile-synthy-production attempt to represent such a place in the late 60’s rock pantheon with “We Built This City”. This song should have been called “We Pooed, Vilely, On This City. (Sorry)”. ---
**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 17, 2019, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/130 "2019-01-17T08:23:09Z")
Forgot to add some Huey Lewis gripes. “It’s hip to be square” - jeesh, the irony - what an edgy mindblower, that one. “You been thinkin, and I’ve been drinkin, You’d say anything to avoid a fight.” Is that because she’s cowering away from you, you wife-beating, deadbeat drunk? In “Power of Love”, sounds like he’s persuading someone about the simple and powerful pleasures of love, but in the bridge, he blurts out: “They say that all in love is fair, Yeah, but you don’t care.” 😕 That second line sounds a little…tetchy? I thought this number had a sort of motivational tone going on, and then that sulky turd had to get dropped in there? ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2019, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/131 "2019-01-17T15:00:00Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Speaking of which: You’re So Vain. No, not the ‘thinking the song is about you’ part; the part about how you’re where you should be all the time. > > [beat] > > And when you’re _not,_ you’re with someone we’ll now discuss… She’s singing about a psychopath. Those people can always justify their actions, and never understand why other people don’t buy it. “some underworld spy…” Yeah, but I didn’t know he was a spy. And I was trying to figure out what he was doing and stop it. “the wife of a close friend…” Yeah, but she came on to me. I couldn’t resist. And I barely know her husband, and he is one bad person. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2019, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/132 "2019-01-17T16:29:20Z")
> [@Dale Sams](#): > > Buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks, I don’t care if i ever get back > > Was it Steven Wright or Denis Leary who said, “The fuck kinda attitude is that?” Dennis Miller did the same line, except it was > [@](#): > > “Jimmy crack corn. But I don’t care.” > > What the hell kind of attitude is that? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2019, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/133 "2019-01-17T17:03:32Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Dennis Miller did the same line, except it was > > > [@](#): > > > > “Jimmy crack corn. But I don’t care.” > > > > What the hell kind of attitude is that? > > Regards, > Shodan Cecil did it better: > **[Who is Jimmy, and why does he crack corn?](https://www.straightdope.com/21342431/who-is-jimmy-and-why-does-he-crack-corn)** ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2019, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/134 "2019-01-17T19:07:13Z")
_And you read your Emily Dickinson And I my Robert Frost…_ Ooooh, got a coupla real intelleck-shulls, here. _And we speak of things that matter, In words that must be said…_ …with a mighty high opinion of themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Ancient\_Erudite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Ancient\_Erudite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ancient_Erudite)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2019, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/135 "2019-01-17T22:52:52Z")
This might be a surprise pick, but Pink Floyd’s Into the flesh has lyrics in it approved by Nazi Germany. Are there any queers in the theater tonight? Get them up against the wall There’s one in the spotlight, he don’t look right to me Get him up against the wall That one looks Jewish! And that one’s a coon! Who let all of this riff-raff into the room? There’s one smoking a joint! And another with spots! If I had my way I’d have all of you shot! ---
**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 17, 2019, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/136 "2019-01-17T23:40:08Z")
Some more Nuge I forgot “The stakes are high and so am I. It’s in the air to-ni-i-ight.” Oh - so _were_ a pot smoker, then. Right. With Amboy Dukes - “Come along if you care Come along if you dare Take a ride to the land inside of your mind.” Well, I see you have “dare” in there, which you’re a spokesman for, so, bully on ya, I’spose . ---
**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 18, 2019, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/137 "2019-01-18T14:05:27Z")
> [@Ancient\_Erudite](#): > > This might be a surprise pick, but Pink Floyd’s Into the flesh has lyrics in it approved by Nazi Germany. That is exactly what they were trying to portray. An oldie but a goodie (?)[The Warrior](https://genius.com/Scandal-warrior-lyrics) by Patti Smythe: You talk, talk, talk to me Your eyes touch me physically Eww, sounds slimy. Hey, didn’t she feed on your eyes in a previous verse?! ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2019, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/138 "2019-01-18T14:12:53Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Dennis Miller did the same line, except it was > Quote: > “Jimmy crack corn. But I don’t care.” > > What the hell kind of attitude is that? > > Regards, > Shodan Tom Lehrer, _Folk Song Army_ There are innocuous folk songs But we regard them with scorn The folks who sing 'em have no social conscience Why, they don’t even care if Jimmy Crack Corn ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2019, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/139 "2019-01-18T16:21:01Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > That is exactly what they were trying to portray. The film makes it even more clear. It’s a fascist rally, and they beat up a bunch of “those” people. I do have trouble with the sequence on side 4, that it isn’t clear that you’re not supposed to be cheering along going “HAMMER HAMMER”! Pink is not supposed to be a good guy at this point, but it kind of gets lost in all the excitement of the song. Bigotry and violence are an easy path to fall into. It’s so exciting! And the twin hammer logo is admittedly pretty cool. But side 4 is Pink’s decent into madness, and subsequent self-judgement, and possible recovery (is this where…we came in?). It’s not supposed to be a model for behaviour. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2019, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371/140 "2019-01-18T16:45:38Z")
Almost all of Jim Morrison’s shit, though _Riders on the Storm_ is the perfect storm of stupid rhymes attempting to be deep poetry. Drugs may have helped make great art, but drugs don’t only make great art. That crap is exhibit A. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literal-complaints-at-lyrics/827371.md?page=8)