# Song Lyrics That Always Bugged You **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 2, 2011, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-always-bugged-you/569944 "2011-02-02T21:50:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![sco3tt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@sco3tt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sco3tt)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-always-bugged-you/569944/121 "2011-02-06T21:41:39Z")
> [@ZenBeam](#): > > I’m not seeing the redundancy of “Live and let die.” I’ll live, and I’ll let others die. Even in the original “live and let live”, the two "live"s referred to the speaker and to others respectively. I apologize for not being clearer – I was referring to the redundant “in” of the infamous Live and Let Die lyric that always comes up in these threads. ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-always-bugged-you/569944/122 "2011-02-06T22:04:10Z")
This one is a little grammar picky, but I hate this construction, and so to hear it in a song grates. From Melissa Etheridge’s _Yes I Am_: > [@](#): > > Barring divine intervention > There is nothing between you and I I sigh heavily every time. It’s a set up for a rhyme (sanctify) but I still get irritated, because it’s a great song otherwise. Also, in the cultural appropriation nightmare \*Colors of the Wind, \*the theme song to Disney’s excorable “Pocahontas,” we’re given this bit of “oh, _really_?” > [@](#): > > How high does the sycamore grow? > If you cut it down, you will never know Really? I never ever would’ve figured that out. I’m so glad you told me! ---
**Author:** ![multimediac17](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/839c29/32.png) [@multimediac17](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/multimediac17)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-always-bugged-you/569944/123 "2011-02-06T22:37:52Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > I misheard it as this for a LONG TIME, the lyric is “realistic novelist” It’s “real estate novelist”. See the lyrics in the booklet of the _Piano Man_ album. ---
**Author:** ![Meyer6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@Meyer6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meyer6)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-always-bugged-you/569944/124 "2011-02-06T22:44:39Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > the lyric is (as I hear it):“but then again, who knows” I googled this lyric and the only hits are for ‘but then again, no’. Regardless, it’s not like ‘but then again, who knows’ makes the line make any more sense. > [@etv78](#): > > I misheard it as this for a LONG TIME, the lyric is “realistic novelist” According to the official [Billy Joel website](http://www.billyjoel.com/ca/music/greatest-hits-volume-i-volume-ii/piano-man), the lyric is ‘real estate novelist’. I always thought that he was a real estate agent during the day and worked on his novel in his free time, as \*\*a35362 \*\*said. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-always-bugged-you/569944/125 "2011-02-06T22:53:15Z")
“… The handbags and gladrags that your poor grandpa had to sweat so you could buy” That line drives me completely up the wall … It doesn’t parse in any dialect of English I’m familiar with. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-always-bugged-you/569944/126 "2011-02-07T02:26:09Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > “… The handbags and gladrags that your poor grandpa had to sweat so you could buy” > > That line drives me completely up the wall … It doesn’t parse in any dialect of English I’m familiar with. Of course it parses – if it means that grandpa literally dripped new clothing from his body when he perspired. ETA: or alternatively it could mean that target of the phrase is allergic to many materials, and grandpa had to put the handbags and gladrags through a “sweating” process of some sort to make them safe to buy. Okay, I think I’ll stop now. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-always-bugged-you/569944/127 "2011-02-07T02:28:06Z")
> [@Meyer6](#): > > According to the official [Billy Joel website](http://www.billyjoel.com/ca/music/greatest-hits-volume-i-volume-ii/piano-man), the lyric is ‘real estate novelist’. I always thought that he was a real estate agent during the day and worked on his novel in his free time, as \*\*a35362 \*\*said. It’s obvious that Billy Joel heard it wrong too. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-always-bugged-you/569944/128 "2011-02-07T02:55:17Z")
The song [“Blue Monday”](http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/neworder/bluemonday.html). I get the gist of the song, but most of the verses have me scratching my head. Oh, and I know it’s heresy, but I prefer Orgy’s version to New Order’s ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-always-bugged-you/569944/129 "2011-02-07T03:12:23Z")
> [@Nobody](#): > > Oh, and I know it’s heresy, but I prefer Orgy’s version to New Order’s ::::hijack:::: someone was complaining today about a song that sampled Video Killed the Radio Star. Not only did he complani about the appropriation but also said that the part where the Buggles was sampled _was_ a good part of the song, but the _only_ good part. So…yeah. ---
**Author:** ![zoogirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9bd4f/32.png) [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-always-bugged-you/569944/130 "2011-02-07T03:32:34Z")
I think it’s by Rush- _Hey baby it’s a quarter to eight I feel I’m in the mood Hey baby the hour is late I feel I’ve got to move!_ Since when is eight late!? ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-always-bugged-you/569944/131 "2011-02-07T04:41:54Z")
> [@ZenBeam](#): > > I’m not seeing the redundancy of “Live and let die.” When you were young and your heart was an open book You used to say live and let live You know you did, you know you did, you know you diiiiiiiiiid. But IN this ever changin’ world IN which we live IN. Makes you give in and cry … There has been a lot of discussion about this. Some people contend thatn the line is: _But if this ever changin’ world in which we’re livin’…_ The one I’ve always wondered about is: _I shot the sheriff But I did not shoot the deputy_ so, who DID shoot the deputy? ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-always-bugged-you/569944/132 "2011-02-07T04:55:19Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > so, who DID shoot the deputy? I bet it was the lady from “The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia”, she be killin folks left and right and leaving others to hang for it. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-always-bugged-you/569944/133 "2011-02-07T05:49:11Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > ::::hijack:::: someone was complaining today about a song that sampled Video Killed the Radio Star. Not only did he complani about the appropriation but also said that the part where the Buggles was sampled _was_ a good part of the song, but the _only_ good part. > > So…yeah. 😕 Sorry, I’m not sure what you’re getting at. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-always-bugged-you/569944/134 "2011-02-07T05:49:42Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > But IN this ever changin’ world IN which we live IN. > Makes you give in and cry … > > There has been a lot of discussion about this. Some people contend thatn the line is: > _But if this ever changin’ world in which we’re livin’…_ The “we’re livin’” is hard to prove, but the “if” should be obvious, both from careful listening and from the way the rest of the sentence follows on from it. If that word were “in,” how could you possibly parse the “makes you give in” part? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-always-bugged-you/569944/135 "2011-02-07T13:15:10Z")
> [@Nobody](#): > > 😕 Sorry, I’m not sure what you’re getting at. The only good part of the remake of Blue Monday is the part that sounds exactly like the drum break in the original (or even samples it, I’m not sure.) ---
**Author:** ![whereismymind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/49beb7/32.png) [@whereismymind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whereismymind)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-always-bugged-you/569944/136 "2011-02-07T13:17:46Z")
I can’t believe no one has mentioned it yet… Joan Osbournes “what if god was one of us”… '“just a slob like one of us…just a a stranger on the bus trying to find his way home…” WTF??? So, “god” is a slob who can’t find his way “home”??? ffs! ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-always-bugged-you/569944/137 "2011-02-07T14:22:53Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > The one I’ve always wondered about is: > > _I shot the sheriff > But I did not shoot the deputy_ > so, who DID shoot the deputy? I always thought the sheriff shot the deputy, planning to blame it on Eric (or Bob) and use it as an excuse to shoot him down. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-always-bugged-you/569944/138 "2011-02-07T19:57:20Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > The only good part of the remake of Blue Monday is the part that sounds exactly like the drum break in the original (or even samples it, I’m not sure.) Oh, OK. One thing that gets me, and because of my crappy memory I can’t remember any specific examples right now, is the misuse of the word “but”. The singer will sing something then say “but” and instead of the following lyrics going against what (s)he just sang, for example something like, “I love you, but I can’t be with you.” the lyrics are the logical conclusion of what (s)he just sang, “I love you but I want to marry you.” I’ll try to think of an example and post it later. ---
**Author:** ![Roadfood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc348/32.png) [@Roadfood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roadfood)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-always-bugged-you/569944/139 "2011-02-08T00:26:50Z")
I can’t believe there are people who are bugged by grammatical errors in song lyrics. I mean, if Elvis had sung, “You are nothing but a hound dog”, or The Rolling Stones had sung, “I cannot get any satisfaction”, the songs wouldn’t have anywhere near the same impact. It’s a song, why do you even expect it to have perfect grammar? ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-always-bugged-you/569944/140 "2011-02-08T00:44:25Z")
I feel _WELL!_ I knew that I _SHALL!_ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-always-bugged-you/569944.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-always-bugged-you/569944.md?page=8)