# Songs With Factual Inaccuracies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 25, 2012, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-factual-inaccuracies/632650 "2012-08-25T22:46:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Sam\_A.Robrin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sam_a.robrin/32/14497_2.png) [@Sam\_A.Robrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_A.Robrin)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2012, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-factual-inaccuracies/632650/141 "2012-08-30T05:28:17Z")
When people from the Bay Area hear Eric Burdon sing about “warm San Franciscan nights,” they wonder if he’d ever even visited. No such thing! ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2012, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-factual-inaccuracies/632650/142 "2012-08-30T09:34:45Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Certainly there is, Elizabeth II is Queen of England too, as well as the rest of GB, plus lots more. She’s Queen of London for that matter. The whole fucking island, in fact. :rolleyes: Wouldn’t it be odd if people referred to Barack Obama as the President of Kentucky? We all know that foreigners routinely refer to her as the Queen of England, but it is still incorrect and does jar slightly to British ears. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2012, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-factual-inaccuracies/632650/143 "2012-08-30T11:33:57Z")
Big Bang Theory theme: We build the Wall (we built the Pyramids) They don’t say it’s in chronological order, but we built the pyramids before the wall. Unless you’re talking about the Aztec pyramids. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2012, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-factual-inaccuracies/632650/144 "2012-08-30T12:34:52Z")
> [@AaronX](#): > > Big Bang Theory theme: > We build the Wall (we built the Pyramids) > > They don’t say it’s in chronological order, but we built the pyramids before the wall. Unless you’re talking about the Aztec pyramids. Or the walls of Jericho (or, say, Cätal Höyuk). ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2012, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-factual-inaccuracies/632650/145 "2012-08-30T12:57:37Z")
But they say wall, not walls ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2012, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-factual-inaccuracies/632650/146 "2012-08-30T13:02:26Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > We all know that foreigners routinely refer to her as the Queen of England, but it is still incorrect and does jar slightly to British ears. It’s not incorrect, she IS Queen of England. But she has chosen not to make this one of her “styles”, instead preferring _Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith_ ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2012, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-factual-inaccuracies/632650/147 "2012-08-30T15:00:44Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Nobody in the NYC area would ever say “up” to Baltimore. Baltimore is always down. And as everybody knows, there isn’t anybody in the NYC area who’s not from NYC. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2012, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-factual-inaccuracies/632650/148 "2012-08-30T18:26:45Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > It’s not incorrect, she IS Queen of England. But she has chosen not to make this one of her “styles”, instead preferring _Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith_ You’re making me labour this point more than I wanted – I am not suggesting that Jack White needs to rewrite the lyrics of Seven Nation Army or anything – but the crowns of England and Scotland were merged in the Act of Union in 1707. Since then there have been kings and queens of the United Kingdom, but not of England or Scotland per se. There is no political entity “England” for her to be queen of. No English government, no England-only jurisdiction. I don’t want to give the impression that this is something British people actually get upset about. It’s just a little factual nitpick. This thread is full of them. ---
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-factual-inaccuracies/632650/149 "2012-08-31T12:26:02Z")
Indian Sunset - Elton John - Geronimo was not “laying down his weapons when they filled him full of lead.” He died of complications from pneumonia at age 80. To be fair, the narrator attributes the news to passing renegades and we all know they can’t be trusted. Snoopy vs the Red Baron - The Royal Guardsmen - Snoopy didn’t shoot down the Red Baron. He wasn’t even there. ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-factual-inaccuracies/632650/150 "2012-08-31T12:29:32Z")
> [@MikeF](#): > > Snoopy vs the Red Baron - The Royal Guardsmen - Snoopy didn’t shoot down the Red Baron. He wasn’t even there. He did too! It was even in the newspaper! ---
**Author:** ![Bakhesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Bakhesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bakhesh)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-factual-inaccuracies/632650/151 "2012-08-31T13:06:45Z")
Pink Floyd - “We don’t need no education” It’s “We don’t need ANY education”, and clearly, you do ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-factual-inaccuracies/632650/152 "2012-08-31T13:11:32Z")
> [@Bakhesh](#): > > Pink Floyd - “We don’t need no education” > > It’s “We don’t need ANY education”, and clearly, you do The whole “double negative = a positive” is not actually part of English grammar. No one, after hearing that line, misunderstands what is being said. ---
**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:** [August 31, 2012, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-factual-inaccuracies/632650/153 "2012-08-31T13:25:33Z")
In Eminem’s “Stan,” he alludes to the story of Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight.” You know this song by Phil Collins "In the Air Tonight’ About that guy who could have saved That other guy from drowning? But didn’t, and Phil saw it all Then at his show he found him? It’s a well-known story, but it isn’t true. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Hen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@Small\_Hen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Hen)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-factual-inaccuracies/632650/154 "2012-08-31T14:57:48Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > In Eminem’s “Stan,” he alludes to the story of Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight.” > > You know this song by Phil Collins > "In the Air Tonight’ > About that guy who could have saved > That other guy from drowning? > But didn’t, and Phil saw it all > Then at his show he found him? > > It’s a well-known story, but it isn’t true. It doesn’t matter if it’s true, it only matters if Stan thinks it’s true. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-factual-inaccuracies/632650/155 "2012-08-31T16:25:07Z")
> [@MikeF](#): > > Snoopy vs the Red Baron - The Royal Guardsmen - Snoopy didn’t shoot down the Red Baron. He wasn’t even there. I’d be careful about making such wild claims. You could set sued by a [World Famous Attorney](http://peanuts.wikia.com/wiki/World_Famous_Attorney). ---
**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:** [August 31, 2012, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-factual-inaccuracies/632650/156 "2012-08-31T18:39:05Z")
> [@MikeF](#): > > Snoopy vs the Red Baron - The Royal Guardsmen - Snoopy didn’t shoot down the Red Baron. He wasn’t even there. Where in that song did you hear that Snoopy shot down the Red Baron. IIRC the verse goes "but the Baron shot him down Curses foiled again. " Anyhow you forgot to mention that doghouses don’t fly. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-factual-inaccuracies/632650/157 "2012-08-31T18:42:01Z")
Final verse: > [@Royal Guardsmen](#): > > That Bloody Red Baron was in a fix > He’d tried everything, but he’d run out of tricks > Snoopy fired once, and he fired twice > And that Bloody Red Baron went spinning out of sight Also, dogs can’t talk. ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-factual-inaccuracies/632650/158 "2012-08-31T18:54:47Z")
> [@AaronX](#): > > But they say wall, not walls I thought it was “we built _ **a** _ wall” I’m sure there was at least one wall before a pyramid. ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-factual-inaccuracies/632650/159 "2012-09-01T03:44:10Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > The whole “double negative = a positive” is not actually part of English grammar. No one, after hearing that line, misunderstands what is being said. So, if a double negative is not a positive then the sentence “No one, after hearing that line, misunderstands what is being said” means the same as “No one, after hearing that line, understands what is being said”? We can just disregard the second and subsequent negatives in a sentence without changing its meaning? ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-factual-inaccuracies/632650/160 "2012-09-01T07:34:18Z")
> [@Alley\_Dweller](#): > > So, if a double negative is not a positive then the sentence “No one, after hearing that line, misunderstands what is being said” means the same as “No one, after hearing that line, understands what is being said”? We can just disregard the second and subsequent negatives in a sentence without changing its meaning? Obviously, not every instance of multiple negatives in the same sentence intensify the negation. It only works in certain cases, in sentences that are constructed in very specific ways, and it does so very consistently. Which is to say that [double negation](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_negative) ([negative concord](http://www.glottopedia.de/index.php/Negative_concord)) follows rules, i.e., it’s part of English grammar. Portugese, Spanish and French all have it too. German doesn’t and Latin didn’t, but Old English and Middle English both did, and the notion that modern English doesn’t and using it is _wrong, dammit_, is a purely imaginary one. (Edit: Think about it: Isn’t it strange that a usage that is supposed to be “wrong” seems to show up repeatedly in just about every bleedin’ so-called non-standard dialect of English as soon as you step away from the “standard”, as well as in lots of people’s everyday speech as soon as the Language Police isn’t looking?) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-factual-inaccuracies/632650.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-factual-inaccuracies/632650.md?page=9)