# Lyrics that sound like gibberish **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 7, 2011, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-that-sound-like-gibberish/602144 "2011-11-07T05:49:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-that-sound-like-gibberish/602144/21 "2011-11-07T16:28:48Z")
I know I skimmed this thread quickly, but is it possible that I’m really the first to mention the _WKRP in Cincinnati_ closing theme? Granted, they sound like gibberish because they are, but still … 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-that-sound-like-gibberish/602144/22 "2011-11-07T16:44:39Z")
One of the great things about the Internet is that now we can find out what the hell those guys were singing back then. One line I could never get was from the Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Summer in the City”: _“Despite the heat it’ll be all right”_. “In the Summertime” by Mungo Jerry was a particularly tough one. Lines like “You can stretch right up and touch the sky”, “You can make it, make it good in a lay-by”, and “We’re no threat, people, we’re not dirty, we’re not mean” totally stumped me. (By the way, in a previous thread I mentioned MetroLyrics’ [hilariously wrong attempt](http://www.metrolyrics.com/in-the-summertime-lyrics-mungo-jerry.html) at the lyrics.) ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-that-sound-like-gibberish/602144/23 "2011-11-07T16:47:46Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > _It’s unintelligible > I just can’t get it through my skull > It’s hard to bargle nawdle zouss??? > With all these marbles in my mouth_ > > -Weird Al’s parody of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” Even after Weird Al mocked the song it wasn’t until recently that it occurred to me to go online and look up the lyrics. [Wow.](http://www.metrolyrics.com/smells-like-teen-spirit-lyrics-nirvana.html) ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-that-sound-like-gibberish/602144/24 "2011-11-07T16:51:34Z")
“3x2=6” By Vanity 6 [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9gZak_0KXo) “Saturday Night” by Herman Brood and His Wild Romance: [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mEjmWnihrc) (Links broken because some of from the Vanity vid are borderline nsfw.) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-that-sound-like-gibberish/602144/25 "2011-11-07T17:31:54Z")
[Shooby Taylor.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MutYIgL4Gbk) ---
**Author:** ![Pabitel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbce88/32.png) [@Pabitel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pabitel)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-that-sound-like-gibberish/602144/26 "2011-11-07T17:42:05Z")
> [@Nobody](#): > > Off the top of my head > In a gadda da vida baby, don’t you know that I love you. > In a gadda da vida honey, don’t you know that I’ll always be true. > Oh won’t you come with me, and take my hand. > Oh won’t you come with me, and walk this land. > > Then again, when I think of the song, all I can think of is the **Slayer** heavy metal cover on the “Less than Zero” soundtrack. Yes, but the point is that the original title of the song was In-the-Garden-of-Eden. Even the band went with the gibberish title that the slurred words suggested when the lead singer mouthed them. ---
**Author:** ![emmaliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emmaliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emmaliminal)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-that-sound-like-gibberish/602144/27 "2011-11-07T18:30:50Z")
In the department of “Lyrics that sound like gibberish because they are” is “Nobody Understands Me,” by [Sandra Boynton](http://www.sandraboynton.com/sboynton/boyntonmusic.html), as sung by Meryl Streep (sample [here](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003UM2TUY/ref=dm_mu_dp_trk2)), on the album _[Philadelphia Chickens](http://www.amazon.com/Philadelphia-Chickens-Boyntons-Imaginary-Musical/dp/B0001ADB6Y/)._ ---
**Author:** ![banjoDavid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3d9bf3/32.png) [@banjoDavid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/banjoDavid)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-that-sound-like-gibberish/602144/28 "2011-11-07T18:54:48Z")
Inna Gadda Da Vida - Was Originally In the Garden of Eden, but filtered through a gallon of cheap red wine, this was the gibberish that became the hit. Louie Louie by the Kingsmen - was recorded in a studio with ONE mic hanging from the ceiling, the lead singer had to stretch up and shout to be heard above the cymbal crashes. English accents to American ears made Cream, Stones, Beatles and other band’s syntax not very clear. I read an interview in a recording trade publication, (Mix Magazine?), and a rock engineer confessed that he treated the vocals as just another element in the mix, thus mixing them too low in my opinion. I produce mostly American folk, Irish folk, and bluegrass. I mix the vocals so even listening at low volumes, you can hear the singer’s poetry. It’s a DELIBERATE choice. David ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-that-sound-like-gibberish/602144/29 "2011-11-07T18:56:42Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Even after Weird Al mocked the song it wasn’t until recently that it occurred to me to go online and look up the lyrics. > > [Wow.](http://www.metrolyrics.com/smells-like-teen-spirit-lyrics-nirvana.html) Kurt Cobain wrote the song as a joke - he even stole the famous riff from Boston’s “More Than a Feeling”. I think he was more suprised than anyone that it became a monster hit. ---
**Author:** ![JXJohns](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jxjohns/32/469_2.png) [@JXJohns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JXJohns)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-that-sound-like-gibberish/602144/30 "2011-11-07T19:22:44Z")
John Mellencamp Small town. Pretty understandable lyrics until this part in bold: But I’ve seen it all in a small town Had myself a ball in a small town **Married an L.A. doll and brought her to this small town**??? Now she’s small town just like me Until I looked up the lyrics for this thread I had no idea that is what was being sung. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-that-sound-like-gibberish/602144/31 "2011-11-07T21:32:08Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > “Even Flow” is perfect diction compared to “[Yellow Ledbetter](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hs8y3kneqrs)”. Wow, he sings slowly and he’s still difficult to understand. I think he needs to work on his enunciation. ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-that-sound-like-gibberish/602144/32 "2011-11-07T21:44:53Z")
Mares eat oats And does eat oats And little lambs eat ivy A kid’ll eat ivy too, Wouldn’t you? ---
**Author:** ![FordTaurusSHO94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f07891/32.png) [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-that-sound-like-gibberish/602144/33 "2011-11-07T22:09:42Z")
Sometimes I give myself the creeps Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me It all keeps adding up, I think I’m cracking up Am I just paranoid, hu-blah-blah-blah -Green Day ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-that-sound-like-gibberish/602144/34 "2011-11-07T22:18:31Z")
Most things by Red Hot Chili Peppers. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-that-sound-like-gibberish/602144/35 "2011-11-07T22:19:02Z")
> [@](#): > > Sometimes I give myself the creeps > Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me > It all keeps adding up, I think I’m cracking up > Am I just paranoid, hu-blah-blah-blah The next line is “Am I just stoned?” Which isn’t garbled at all. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-that-sound-like-gibberish/602144/36 "2011-11-07T23:29:06Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > Sometimes I give myself the creeps > > Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me > > It all keeps adding up, I think I’m cracking up > > Am I just paranoid, hu-blah-blah-blah > > The next line is “Am I just stoned?” Which isn’t garbled at all. I have to go with FordTaurusSHO94 on this one. That’s what it sounds like to me also. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-that-sound-like-gibberish/602144/37 "2011-11-08T00:06:48Z")
Anything by the Cocteau Twins. Beautiful but barmy. I just googled for a link and it threw up [this beauty](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5o5hVSgrK4). I think I just fell in love all over again. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-that-sound-like-gibberish/602144/38 "2011-11-08T00:10:16Z")
The group **Yes** had a penchant for impenetrable lyrics. From Siberian Khatru: > [@](#): > > Sing, bird of prey; > Beauty begins at the foot of you. Do you believe the manner? > Gold stainless nail, > Torn through the distance of man > As they regard the summit. It gets more opaque from there, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-that-sound-like-gibberish/602144/39 "2011-11-08T04:48:00Z")
Pretty much anything by The Mars Volta. I love them, but they are nearly incomprehensible, and even when you do figure out what word is being said, it rarely makes sense in context with the words that came before and those that came after! The song I first fell in love with is Eriatarkas…here’s the chorus…I think. > [@](#): > > Trackmarked amoeba lands craft > Cartwheel of scratches > Dress the tapeworm as pet > Tentacles smirk please > Flinched the cocooned meat > Infra-recon forgets ---
**Author:** ![BaneSidhe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c5a1d2/32.png) [@BaneSidhe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaneSidhe)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-that-sound-like-gibberish/602144/40 "2011-11-08T05:13:57Z")
How about “It’s The End Of The World As We Know It [And I Feel Fine]”? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-that-sound-like-gibberish/602144.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-that-sound-like-gibberish/602144.md?page=3)