# Songs that break the 4th wall **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 21, 2011, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-break-the-4th-wall/579253 "2011-04-21T17:29:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-break-the-4th-wall/579253/121 "2011-04-27T23:08:44Z")
Oh, I forgot _Opening Act_, apparently by a band called Ugly Duckling: _We’re the opening act We do a couple songs and we don’t come back And when we’re finished we’ll be hoping you clap We’re the opening act_ ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-break-the-4th-wall/579253/122 "2011-04-28T17:50:38Z")
Would “Killing Me Softly With his Song” count? If so, there’s also Tom Paxton’s [Annie’s Going To Sing Her Song](http://www.mydfz.com/Paxton/lyrics/agtshs.htm), the middle of his Annie trilogy (the other two are “Has Annie Been in Tonight?” and “When Annie Took Me Home.”) ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-break-the-4th-wall/579253/123 "2011-04-28T19:52:37Z")
> [@NineToTheSky](#): > > Two nitpicks: this was first mentioned by Mutantmoose in post #84, who correctly identified the person as Viv Stanshall from the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band. And, to add, the Master of Ceremonies was done by Alan Rickman in “The Bell” on TB II and John Cleese on the 2002 or so remake of TB I. Viv does it again on one of the alternate versions of The Bell on the single, and some British comic whose name I can’t remember. I have a bootleg of Mike doing it on a demo, including “a computer approximation of Tubular Bells” and an unknown Spanish person doing it on the Spanish version. In Mikes “Amarok” the Maggie Thatcher imitator, after the end of the album, goes on about how endings are just beginnings, and how they can keep this going, never an ending. Until she dances herself out the window. If we expand this to contract disputes, the Beatles “Northern Song” mentioned on the first page refers to their publisher, Northern Music, who they were just dumping for Apple. Pretty much all of Mike’s “Heavens Open” can be interpreted as a slap at Richard Branson and Virgin records, and there is a direct insult to RB hidden in Morse code in “Amarok”. I don’t think introductions should count, but if they do, the introduction to “Bob Dylan’s Blues” on Freewheeling mentions how that, unlike most folk songs, this one was not written in Tin Pan Alley, but rather somewhere in the United States. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-break-the-4th-wall/579253/124 "2011-04-28T20:06:21Z")
Would ELP’s “Karn Evil 9” count? _Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends, we’re so glad you could attend, move along, move along._ ---
**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:** [May 1, 2011, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-break-the-4th-wall/579253/125 "2011-05-01T02:48:44Z")
Sorry to bring this back up, but Jellyfish does this in “All I Want Is Everything.” “And every show, I would just dedicate this song to you” ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-break-the-4th-wall/579253/126 "2011-05-01T03:19:58Z")
There’s the old ballad [Jesse James](http://www.ezfolk.com/lyrics/ijkl/j/jesse-james/jesse-james.html), which includes this final verse: \* This song was made by Billy Gashade As soon as the news did arrive; He said there was no man with the law in his hand Who could take Jesse James when alive.\* Also the re-working of the same tune by Woody Guthrie for his ballad [Jesus Christ](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDS00Pnhkqk). Final verse: _This song was written in New York City Of rich man, preacher, and slave If Jesus was to preach what He preached in Galilee, They would lay poor Jesus in His grave._ ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-break-the-4th-wall/579253/127 "2011-05-01T05:37:30Z")
If I understand the concept correctly, I think Scorpions “Can’t Live Without You” fits this, the whole song does. You stand in front of the band With all those scarves in your hands I see you play imaginary guitars You people shaking your heads Right till the end of the set You really turn me on wherever we are ---
**Author:** ![dinahmoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8797f3/32.png) [@dinahmoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dinahmoe)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-break-the-4th-wall/579253/128 "2011-05-01T22:07:13Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > Sorry to bring this back up, but Jellyfish does this in “All I Want Is Everything.” > > “And every show, I would just dedicate this song to you” Thumbs up for this. They’re one of my favorite bands. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-break-the-4th-wall/579253/129 "2011-05-01T23:06:39Z")
Bonus points to Justin Timberlake, in “Rock Your Body”: he was singing about how he’s going to “have you naked by the end of this song” at the precise moment he caused Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction, breaking the fourth wall _ **and** _ her nipple cover. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-break-the-4th-wall/579253/130 "2011-05-02T01:55:52Z")
_For You_ by Big Star. _Sometimes I can’t help but worship you I love you and all the things that you do I thought I’d sit and write this song just for you To let you know that I am thinking of you_ ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-break-the-4th-wall/579253/131 "2011-05-02T02:22:55Z")
_I’ll Have to Say I Love You in a Song_ - Jim Croce ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-break-the-4th-wall/579253/132 "2011-05-04T00:16:01Z")
The Devil Went Down To Georgia kinda sorta counts: "he rosined up his bow, and then he pulled the bow across the strings, and it made an evil hiss, and a band of demons joined in – _ **and it sounded something like this…"** _ ---
**Author:** ![Cyberhwk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7993a0/32.png) [@Cyberhwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberhwk)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-break-the-4th-wall/579253/133 "2011-05-04T03:52:24Z")
Eminem - Just Lose It > [@](#): > > Now this is the part where the rap breaks down > It gets real intense, no one makes a sound > [@](#): > > Chubba chubba chubba chubba chubba chubbie > I don’t have any lines to go right here so, chubba teletubbie! ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-break-the-4th-wall/579253/134 "2011-05-04T12:33:53Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > [This Song Don’t Have a Video](http://www.vh1.com/video/loudon-wainwright-iii/59329/tsdhav-this-song-dont-have-a-video.jhtml) by Loudon Wainwright III His son is Rufus Wainwright, and the video for the song [“California”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAXuYZtqO6Y) has Rufus playing a guy named “prettyman” singing “California” at karaoke. Its kind of meta, not the song, but the video. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-break-the-4th-wall/579253/135 "2011-05-04T14:32:00Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > There’s the old ballad [Jesse James](http://www.ezfolk.com/lyrics/ijkl/j/jesse-james/jesse-james.html), which includes this final verse: > \* > This song was made by Billy Gashade > As soon as the news did arrive; > He said there was no man with the law in his hand > Who could take Jesse James when alive.\*] Along the same lines, the last verse of the Civil War ditty “Goober Peas” is as follows: _I think my song has lasted almost long enough. The subject’s interesting, but the rhymes are mighty tough. I wish the war was over, so free from rags and fleas We’d kiss our wives and sweethearts, and gobble goober peas._ ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-break-the-4th-wall/579253/136 "2011-05-04T14:53:25Z")
Barenaked Ladies break trump the “song” by discussing an entire [Box Set](http://lyrics.rockmagic.net/lyrics/barenaked_ladies/gordon_1992.html#s09) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-break-the-4th-wall/579253/137 "2011-05-05T01:20:22Z")
Alanis Morrisette does it in All I Really Want: **Here can you handle this?** {Silence} **Did you think about your bills? Your ex? Your deadlines? Or when you think you’re going to die? Or did you long for the next distraction?** ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-break-the-4th-wall/579253/138 "2011-05-05T15:40:56Z")
Weird Al’s parody “Achy Breaky Song” is about how much he hates “Achy Breaky Heart.” Of course, the parody is done to the tune of “Achy Breaky Heart.” ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-break-the-4th-wall/579253/139 "2011-05-06T13:22:51Z")
Towards the end of “That’s Not My Name” by the Ting Tings, you hear the guy say “This song is monotone.” And, it’s true that his part of the song is certainly monotone, although the female singing part isn’t so much. (I hope this hasn’t been mentioned – this thread has gotten long since last time I checked in. Sorry for the repeat if it has.) ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-break-the-4th-wall/579253/140 "2011-05-06T14:03:18Z")
If I Had A Hammer, by Lee Hayes and Pete Seeger Now I’v got a hammer and I’ve got a bell And I’ve got a song to sing All over this land. It’s the hammer of justice, it’s the bell of freedom, It’s the song about love between my brothers and my sisters All, all over this land. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-break-the-4th-wall/579253.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-break-the-4th-wall/579253.md?page=8)