# Song Lyrics that just annoy you **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 27, 2007, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-just-annoy-you/401905 "2007-04-27T22:45:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-just-annoy-you/401905/41 "2007-04-29T11:53:41Z")
A song I love, “Oliver’s Army” contains the following: **Oliver’s army is here to stay Oliver’s army are on their way** Grammar pedant that I am, I always wished the second line read, “Oliver’s army is on its way.” No disagreement in number then, you see. Which is clearly the most important element in a pop or rock song. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-just-annoy-you/401905/42 "2007-04-29T12:05:04Z")
“Even my sweat smells clean.” (Indigo Girls) I do not want to hear your opinions on the smell of your sweat. Ever. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-just-annoy-you/401905/43 "2007-04-29T12:10:09Z")
And I’m really not quite sure what category these Poussette Dart Band lyrics fall into: "If you’re going to faa–aa—lll, fall on me. "And if you’re going do—www----nnn… “…Hold on to me.” Damn. ---
**Author:** ![Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harriet_the_Spry)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-just-annoy-you/401905/44 "2007-04-29T21:08:57Z")
[QUOTE=Stratocaster] A song I love, “Oliver’s Army” contains the following: **Oliver’s army is here to stay Oliver’s army are on their way** Grammar pedant that I am, I always wished the second line read, “Oliver’s army is on its way.” No disagreement in number then, you see. Which is clearly the most important element in a pop or rock song. 😉 [/QUOTE] British English frequently treats collective nouns as plural. You can still find it annoying, but it’s not necessarily ungrammatical. A current lyrical gem is “Runaway Love” by Ludacris and Mary J. Blige. _So she pops X to get rid of all the pain Plus she’s having sex with a boy who’s sixteen Emotions run deep and she thinks she’s in love So there’s no protection, he’s using no glove ._ It goes on like that, painfully so. It does have one lyric that I happen to like, “hell is a place called home,” because I’m sure it resonates with some very sad teenagers. But the rest of the lyrics don’t resonate, they just klang. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-just-annoy-you/401905/45 "2007-04-29T21:28:05Z")
[QUOTE=Harriet the Spry] British English frequently treats collective nouns as plural. You can still find it annoying, but it’s not necessarily ungrammatical. [/QUOTE] It’s certainly inconsistent, from one line to the next. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-just-annoy-you/401905/46 "2007-04-29T21:50:30Z")
[QUOTE=panache45] The entire song “You’re So Vain.” Contradictory use of the word “you,” throughout. [/QUOTE] Good one. Also, Marshall Tucker Band “I was born a wrangler and a rambler and I guess I always will”. Always will what- wrangler and rambler? You mean “I was born to wrangle and to ramble and I guess I always will” Not perfect, still, but better. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-just-annoy-you/401905/47 "2007-04-29T22:03:27Z")
[QUOTE=panache45] The entire song “You’re So Vain.” Contradictory use of the word “you,” throughout. [/QUOTE] Can you clarify? I don’t get it. ---
**Author:** ![TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-just-annoy-you/401905/48 "2007-04-29T22:16:14Z")
The **Magnetic Fields** song “If there’s such a thing as love” drives me nuts with this one - > [@Stephin Merritt](#): > > Like a kitten up a tree > needs a fireman to rescue it > so your fireman I will be > **and I’ll really get into it** - Coming from one of the greatest living songwriters and one of the greatest lyricists, it’s just LAZY. I mean, we’re talking about the guy who’s written some of the greatest couplets in the history of popular music, and he throws away a line like that! ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-just-annoy-you/401905/49 "2007-04-29T22:27:12Z")
He’ll really get into your kitten? That’s filthy. ---
**Author:** ![Zjestika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/8edcca/32.png) [@Zjestika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zjestika)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2007, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-just-annoy-you/401905/50 "2007-04-30T00:21:02Z")
[QUOTE=Aspidistra] Also _I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair_ - makes me want to go thump her just for the title alone [/QUOTE] I hate that song. It comes on at work all the time and I want to claw my skin off. I hate it so much. Hate hate hate. ---
**Author:** ![Nic2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@Nic2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nic2004)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2007, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-just-annoy-you/401905/51 "2007-04-30T01:31:52Z")
One line I have always hated by the Doors. I dunno why: _There’s a killer on the road, His brain is squirming like a toad,_ Arrrgg. Sounds like an ad lib right there on the stage. Never cared for the Doors anyway I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2007, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-just-annoy-you/401905/52 "2007-04-30T02:22:32Z")
Eskimo Joe, _Black Fingernails, Red Wine_ > [@](#): > > Black Fingernails, red wine > I wanna make you > All mine > A lot of people underground > You wanna get there > You gotta go straight down, straight down A good title, but lyrics written by a ten year old. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2007, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-just-annoy-you/401905/53 "2007-04-30T04:10:36Z")
[QUOTE=Stratocaster] Can you clarify? I don’t get it. [/QUOTE] _You’re so vain, you probably think this song is about you."_ Well, of course the song is about me. You actually used the word “you.” Three times. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2007, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-just-annoy-you/401905/54 "2007-04-30T11:54:11Z")
[QUOTE=Stratocaster] Can you clarify? I don’t get it. [/QUOTE] For example, she uses “you” in the first verse to describe the person she is actually talking about (you walked in to the party…") then switches to talk about the vain person, and still uses “you” (“you probably think this song is about you”). ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2007, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-just-annoy-you/401905/55 "2007-04-30T12:19:10Z")
[QUOTE=Wee Bairn] For example, she uses “you” in the first verse to describe the person she is actually talking about (you walked in to the party…") then switches to talk about the vain person, and still uses “you” (“you probably think this song is about you”). [/QUOTE] This is definitely not accurate. The lyrics are entirely written as Carly speaking directly to a person. I suspect that **panache45** considers Carly to be the vain one. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2007, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-just-annoy-you/401905/56 "2007-04-30T13:58:54Z")
_When your heart’s on fire You must realize Smoke gets in your eyes_ Surely, unless you had a gaping chest wound, smoke emanating from a flaming heart would merely gather at the top of the thoratic cavity? Maybe a little would come out of your ears, I don’t know. Besides, being composed of blood-riddled fleshy material, your heart would be more likely to melt into sludge rather than give off any smoke. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2007, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-just-annoy-you/401905/57 "2007-04-30T14:13:10Z")
[QUOTE=DSYoungEsq] This is definitely not accurate. The lyrics are entirely written as Carly speaking directly to a person. I suspect that **panache45** considers Carly to be the vain one. 😃 [/QUOTE] Then they inaccuarcy is in the accusation, sort of- you’re so vain, you probably think this song about you- well if it is about this person, then she is describing things the person actually did, so why would they be vain in thinking a song that specifically describes things they have done is specifically about them? It’s not like she is listing off generalites, she is listing at least a couple of specific events. You flew your lear jet to Nova Scotia to see the eclipse? If I knew her, and I had actually done this, of course I would think the song is about me, but becasue of common sense, not vanity. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2007, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-just-annoy-you/401905/58 "2007-04-30T14:44:35Z")
[QUOTE=Nic2004] One line I have always hated by the Doors. I dunno why: _There’s a killer on the road, His brain is squirming like a toad,_ Arrrgg. Sounds like an ad lib right there on the stage. Never cared for the Doors anyway I suppose. [/QUOTE] Poetic license. Speaking of the Doors, I never could figure out why Jim sang: “I’m gonna love you till the stars fall from the sky, For you and I.” (Yes I know they’re Robbie’s lyrics. But Jim, of all people, should have known better.) And on a similar note, Bryan Adams singing “That would change if she ever found out about you and I.” And finally, there’s no such thing as the “English Army” John. I think it should have been “The British army had just won the war.” ---
**Author:** ![Ferd\_Burfel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@Ferd\_Burfel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferd_Burfel)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2007, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-just-annoy-you/401905/59 "2007-04-30T15:03:39Z")
The first thing I met was a fly with a buzz And the sky with no clouds **The heat was hot** and the ground was dry But the air was full of sound ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2007, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-just-annoy-you/401905/60 "2007-04-30T15:05:16Z")
[QUOTE=Ferd Burfel] The first thing I met was a fly with a buzz And the sky with no clouds **The heat was hot** and the ground was dry But the air was full of sound [/QUOTE] 'Cause there ain’t no one for to give you no pain :smack: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-just-annoy-you/401905.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-lyrics-that-just-annoy-you/401905.md?page=4)