From The Who’s Helpless Dancer (Quadrophenia):
Original lyric:
And people die from being old
Or left alone because they’re cold
Second line never made sense to me. This makes more sense:
And people die from being cold
Or left alone because they’re old
However, “behave” could have slightly different connotations, for instance, you can be behaving and still not be good, for instance, I wouldn’t call forgetting to do one’s homework as “misbehaving” per se. And “if you aren’t good” is ambiguous as to whether it only includes the future or also includes the present. “If you aren’t good in the future starting now, I will spank you!” would carry the same connotation and denotation, but it seems more natural to say “if you don’t be good”.
Other than that whole violating the sacred rules of the King’s English thing, that is.
Can’t argue with “seems more natural” (whatever that means), but it’s incorrect English, nonetheless.
These language threads always get fouled up by quarrelsome nitpickers with absurdly wrong ideas. I’m not saying you’re one of them, Ludovic, and there’s nothing wrong with your message (other than the construction you’re proposing).
We just made our own lyrics:
Suckin’ on Jackie’s dog, outside the tastee-Freeze
Diane sitting’ on Jackie’s face, got his head between her knees
(Mind you these aren’t simultaneous but sequential.)
We knew what he was talking about. We just went even cruder.
Also, we hated the song. Suck on this Johnny “Cougar”.
So you admit you mispronounce it. Didn’t realize you’d be so quick to show your ignorance.
That rhyme has always bugged me too, but it’s not even close to being the worst in rock and roll.
Naw, I’m with @RitterSport on this one. I don’t see a worse one yet.
I admit nothing of the sort. I’m simply not that invested in prevailing here.
Considering his other big hit off the same album was “Hurt So Good” was NOT subtle at all it was about sex, I am pretty sure you analysis of “Jack and Diane” is right.
I’ma?
I’ve also always kind of liked the repetition, especially since the word bomb comes at the end of the first line, but is repeated at the beginning of the second one. It embues the song with a nice little lilt.
Perfection !
Really, the whole song can die and wither, as far as I’m concerned, but that awful thing making the rounds some time ago-- think is was a bit after 9/11, like, around the time my son was born, but really not sure.
Anyway, it’s either called “God Bless the USA,” or “Proud to be an American.” I’ve heard both. I once heard two guys almost come to blows over it.
It contains this mess:
“I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free.”
Sorry, but “an American” is not a place.
Suggestions;
“I’m proud to live in America, where at least I know I’m free.”
“I’m proud to be an American, because at least I know I’m free.”
I tend to favor the first, as it scans better, and honors my immigrant, fairly recent, ancestors, who worked hard to get here. The second, while it makes grammatic sense, just doesn’t make as much practical sense.
True enough, but I think it’s fine for the verse. Not something that ever leapt out to me. What bugs me about that line is the whole notion of “well, at least I know I’m free,” which to me suggests things can be shitty, healthcare can bankrupt me, I could be beat up or shot for the color of my skin, etc., but, hey, at least I’m I know I’m “free,” amirite?
And the official name of the song is “God Bless the USA.” Did you know Lee Greenwood recorded a version called “God Bless You Canada”? He sure did. And you’ll be happy to note that he did change those lines that irked you: “And I’m proud to be in Canada/where at least I know I’m free/And I won’t forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.”
You might still be right. Lyrics sites are notoriously often wrong. They just repeat transcription errors from other websites.
I still think Cole Porter should have gone with
Bees do it
Birds do it
Even educated nerds do it