# Lyric clichés you despise **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 3, 2001, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyric-cliches-you-despise/96610 "2001-12-03T14:00:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![sidle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@sidle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sidle)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2001, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyric-cliches-you-despise/96610/21 "2001-12-03T21:13:59Z")
_Sputter_ (hee hee) …Anticay… (snicker snort) How do you tell if they’re waving them as if they DO care, indeed? (giggle giggle) 🙂 My vote goes for the overused lyric that I find most disturbing, for fairly obvious reasons. Still happens, but especially back in the 70’s and 80’s, the wimmins in the songs got referred to as “Mama”. MAMA? WTF? ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2001, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyric-cliches-you-despise/96610/22 "2001-12-03T21:25:57Z")
When I rock the mic/ I rock the mic right Good Lord Just stop it with that one. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2001, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyric-cliches-you-despise/96610/23 "2001-12-03T21:28:57Z")
. It seems that every rock ballad has the word “ **tonight** ” in it. _Tonight, yeeaaaa tonight…_ . ---
**Author:** ![Felinecare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Felinecare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Felinecare)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2001, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyric-cliches-you-despise/96610/24 "2001-12-03T21:33:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Norrybaby \* > \*\*It’s not really a cliche, but I really hate those kind of “too personal” lyrics > e.g. _Jesse, I won’t cut Fred’s flowers for you…_ > I mean, who the \*%#$ was Fred and why should I give a rat’s arse whether you cut his flowers or not? > > Make some sense please \*\* Not to take away from your point, but I believe the line is: I won’t cut _fresh_ flowers for you. I like your version, though. In the next line, _I won’t make the wine cold for you_ I always want Jesse to reply _Good, because it’s red wine!_ My own cringe comes from the older songs that do moon/spoon/june/croon/loon etc. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2001, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyric-cliches-you-despise/96610/25 "2001-12-03T22:06:42Z")
Attention lyricists everywhere: “Self” does NOT rhyme with “else.” Those words do NOT rhyme! Stop pretending they do! And, while “self” DOES rhyme with “shelf,” I’m really sick of songs using that rhyme. Find another one. ---
**Author:** ![AwSnappity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a3d4f5/32.png) [@AwSnappity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AwSnappity)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2001, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyric-cliches-you-despise/96610/26 "2001-12-03T22:10:45Z")
I’ve heard the “you’re so groovy so let’s go to a movie” line just too many times. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2001, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyric-cliches-you-despise/96610/27 "2001-12-03T22:38:13Z")
“I know it’s crazy, but it’s true…” It’s crazy that I hate this cliche in songs, but, yes, it is true. This cliche is the kiss of death for a song for me. I can just see the lyricist sitting there, trying to get one more line out, just can’t think of ANYthing, so let’s throw this tired ol’ thing in. ( **astorian** , as if to illustrate your point, I was listening to this song just as I read your post: “There’ll be someone else, I keep telling myself Love’s an empty place, I can still see your face” - Alright Without You, Journey) ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2001, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyric-cliches-you-despise/96610/28 "2001-12-03T23:18:19Z")
Moon and June Moon and June Moon and JUNE!!! ACK!!! God, I _hate_ that. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2001, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyric-cliches-you-despise/96610/29 "2001-12-03T23:25:54Z")
\*Oh it was in the month of June, Under the bright and full moon, When I saw your beautiful face, And it took me to a better place. Where the green leaves Dance in the trees But all I could see was you And my love is so true. I burn for with desire That’s hotter than any raging fire Maybe baby, you and me could get in a car And drive way from here, drive away far Where the green leaves They shake in the trees Underneath the full moon In the hot month of June. Then our love can be freeeeeeeeeeee With just you and meeeeeeeeeeee We will be together One and one forverrrrrrrrrr Oh, how I love youuuuuuuuuu The one and only youuuuuu.\* There, now I can be a famous song writer and make millions. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2001, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyric-cliches-you-despise/96610/30 "2001-12-03T23:40:31Z")
**pepperlandgirl** that was AWESOME!!! Hahahaha, I give it an A+. You should write some music to go with it and sell it to some up and coming boy band. You’ll make thousands 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2001, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyric-cliches-you-despise/96610/31 "2001-12-03T23:58:41Z")
If you can find it, I highly recommend Komar, Melamid, and Dave Soldier’s CD **The People’s Choice Music**. Their “Most Wanted Song” incorporates many of these cliches, not to mention some musical cliches. _Every day I think of love, Thank the angels up above…_ ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyric-cliches-you-despise/96610/32 "2001-12-04T00:07:51Z")
I’d love to contribute, but for some reason I have every lyric from “All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You” by Heart running through my head, blocking out everything else… ---
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyric-cliches-you-despise/96610/33 "2001-12-04T00:20:59Z")
Here is my nomination for throwaway rhyme of the 20th century, from El Paso by Marty Robbins. Out through the backdoor of Rose’s I ran Out where the horses were tie-i-i-i-d. I caught a GOOD ONE It looked like it COULD RUN HAHAHAHAHA Sure lent oodles of meaning to the song, overall… ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyric-cliches-you-despise/96610/34 "2001-12-04T14:57:43Z")
One that makes me want to spit is ala Brian Adams, ala Bon Jovi, ala many many more… I would lie for you/I would die for you If I have to hear one more washed up musician croon about lying and dying for someone who two songs from now will dump their cheating ass I will have to do something that someone else will regret (How’s that for cliche?) ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyric-cliches-you-despise/96610/35 "2001-12-04T16:40:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Neurotik \* > \*\ ***pepperlandgirl** that was AWESOME!!! > > Hahahaha, I give it an A+. You should write some music to go with it and sell it to some up and coming boy band. You’ll make thousands 😃 \*\* Maybe millions! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyric-cliches-you-despise/96610/36 "2001-12-04T17:37:47Z")
This is your chance To dance In France With ants In your pants :rolleyes: Oh, baby Oh, baby baby baby Baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby, etc. — there’s the #1 cliché of all, if you ask me. ---
**Author:** ![Hyperelastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Hyperelastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hyperelastic)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyric-cliches-you-despise/96610/37 "2001-12-04T19:30:22Z")
I was listenin to a song today I was groovin along my groovy way When some potzer made “wait” and “anticipate” rhyme For the 14 billionth goddamn time ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyric-cliches-you-despise/96610/38 "2001-12-04T20:40:09Z")
I think it’s not the rhymes themselves that are cliches; it’s their usage. A good lyricist can take the rhymes above and make them new and interesting. Here’s a take on the “cuts like a knife,” rhymed with “life,” by Stephen Sondheim. “A love as pure as breath, As permanent as death, Implacable as stone. A love that like a knife Has cut into a life I wanted left alone.” Unfortunately, most lyricists don’t have such a clear idea of the emotion they’re trying to express; they just string words together and call it a day. - Frank ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyric-cliches-you-despise/96610/39 "2001-12-04T21:05:16Z")
Not that this is cliche, but it is hands down the most awful horrible no good very bad rhyme _ **ever** _ in the history of music. \* Billy Mack is a detective down in **Texas** You know he knows just exactly what the **facts is** He ain’t gonna let those two escape **justice** He makes his livin’ off of the people’s **taxes** \* !?!?!?!?!?!? Come _on_ people! ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyric-cliches-you-despise/96610/40 "2001-12-04T22:23:28Z")
There is an old Gershwin love song parody that includes the verse: > [@](#): > > Blah, blah, blah, blah, moon, > Blah, blah, blah, above; > Blah, blah, blah, blah, croon, > Blah, blah, blah, blah, love the rest of the song is similar - if your rhyme is anywhere in the song, not only are you cliche, but you’re using a cliche that’s been overused for at least 70-something years. Come up with something original already… Also, things that almost rhyme don’t really rhyme. Find a different word. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyric-cliches-you-despise/96610.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyric-cliches-you-despise/96610.md?page=3)