# Songs with lyrics that you would never, ever be able to figure out on your own **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 20, 2006, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-lyrics-that-you-would-never-ever-be-able-to-figure-out-on-your-own/353468 "2006-04-20T14:55:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Mbossa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@Mbossa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mbossa)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-lyrics-that-you-would-never-ever-be-able-to-figure-out-on-your-own/353468/41 "2006-04-21T01:11:15Z")
> [@Mirror Image egamI rorriM](#): > > _Dollars and Cents_? That’s pretty easy to understand compared to stuff like _Climbing Up the Walls_ and _Like Spinning Plates_. I still can’t figure out parts of those two, even with the lyrics right in front of me when I listen. Part of _Like Spinning Plates_ is backwards, though, if I’m not mistaken, Well, lyrics sites can’t seem to agree on _Dollars and Cents_ lyrics. For instance, the line after “be constructive with yer blues” Is it… [ul] [li][Even when it’s only warnings](http://www.sing365.com/music/Lyric.nsf/Dollars-and-Cents-lyrics-Radiohead/C7D1F7058CC6A31E48256A63001F5425)?[/li][li][Even when they tore the wall down](http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/radiohead/dollarsandcents.html)?[/li][li][Even he turn the water blues](http://www.greenplastic.com/lyrics/dollarsandcents.php)? (okay, this one doesn’t seem too likely to me)[/li][/ul] The part of the song I’ve found hardest to understand is the verse straight after the crescendo’s climax (after Thom finishes yelling “QUIET DOWN!”). Two of the three sites I linked to above don’t even try to guess all the lyrics in that verse. But I’m with you on _Climbing Up the Walls_ and _Like Spinning Plates_. My understanding is that Thom worked out how to sing _Like Spinning Plates_ backwards, did so for the album, and then reversed the track. Hearing it played live (on _IMBW Live Recordings_) made it a _lot_ easier to interpret. It’s also a very beautiful song when live. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-lyrics-that-you-would-never-ever-be-able-to-figure-out-on-your-own/353468/42 "2006-04-21T01:56:02Z")
> [@Bryan Ekers](#): > > There was usually one line in the closing theme of TV shows that eluded me: > > _Flintstones_: > Someday, bladda-dadda-dubba-die > And that cat will stay out for the night… > > _All in the Family_: > G-R-O-va-san-da-frey > Those were the days! > > Years afterward, somebody would be quoting the lyrics and I’d finally understand them. 1. Someday, maybe Fred will win the fight, And that cat will stay out for the night Since, as the song is playing, Fred puts the cat out, but it jumps back in the window and then tosses Fred out the front door. 1. Gee, our old LaSalle ran great Those were the days. A LaSalle being an old model of car. I only know this one because it was a frequent “ask the Globe” question back when the show was in reruns every afternoon on channel five. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-lyrics-that-you-would-never-ever-be-able-to-figure-out-on-your-own/353468/43 "2006-04-21T02:07:41Z")
Yes, and the _Littlest Hobo_ lyric was “Just grab your hat/ we’ll travel light/ that’s hobo style.” ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-lyrics-that-you-would-never-ever-be-able-to-figure-out-on-your-own/353468/44 "2006-04-21T04:01:52Z")
> [@minlokwat](#): > > \*\*Elton John’s \*\* \*Benny and the Jets \* usually comes up in this discussion. > > “She’s got electric WHAT?” Boots, those would be. And mohair foo. And no I hit her riddle agonies B b b b ennie and the Jets s s s ss ---
**Author:** ![AFAIKnow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a6a055/32.png) [@AFAIKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AFAIKnow)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-lyrics-that-you-would-never-ever-be-able-to-figure-out-on-your-own/353468/45 "2006-04-21T06:02:34Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > Boots, those would be. > > And mohair foo. > > And no I hit her riddle agonies > > B b b b ennie and the Jets s s s ss I always heard: She’s got 'lectric boots a mohair suit you know I read it in a magazine ---
**Author:** ![AFAIKnow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a6a055/32.png) [@AFAIKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AFAIKnow)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-lyrics-that-you-would-never-ever-be-able-to-figure-out-on-your-own/353468/46 "2006-04-21T06:13:48Z")
A classic rock station I listened to used to play a few seconds of a Van Morrison song and give a prize to the first caller to get the lyrics right.And it never was a simple as his _haywherediwego_ from Brown Eyed Girl. ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-lyrics-that-you-would-never-ever-be-able-to-figure-out-on-your-own/353468/47 "2006-04-21T14:36:55Z")
> [@Earl Snake-Hips Tucker](#): > > Vanity 6, a Prince-created trio of camisole-wearing cuties, had a song called “3 x 2 = 6.” I challenge anyone to accurately interpret the words (without cheating by looking at the lyrics, that is). Yeah, like the lyrics were the whole point of that band. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-lyrics-that-you-would-never-ever-be-able-to-figure-out-on-your-own/353468/48 "2006-04-21T14:54:15Z")
The exact opposite really. When Aussie band _Australian Crawl_ first appeared no-one could understand what the hell James Reyne was singing due to his odd affected drawling “accent”. For some reason I could make sense of every word. l once overheard someone discusssing the lyrics of a song and someone said, “Ask Barry, he’s the only person in Australia apart from James Reyne who knows what he is singing.” ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-lyrics-that-you-would-never-ever-be-able-to-figure-out-on-your-own/353468/49 "2006-04-21T18:42:49Z")
> [@RancidYakButterTeaParty](#): > > Yellow Ledbetter by Pearl Jam. I’d expand that to a good bit of Pearl Jam’s catalog. Try figuring out all the words to “Even Flow” some time. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-lyrics-that-you-would-never-ever-be-able-to-figure-out-on-your-own/353468/50 "2006-04-21T18:59:26Z")
White winged dove? I don’t care what you say, it sounds like one winged dove. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-lyrics-that-you-would-never-ever-be-able-to-figure-out-on-your-own/353468/51 "2006-04-21T19:26:17Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > White winged dove? > > I don’t care what you say, it sounds like one winged dove. No way, it’s obviously wild winged dove! ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-lyrics-that-you-would-never-ever-be-able-to-figure-out-on-your-own/353468/52 "2006-04-21T19:50:30Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > White winged dove? > > I don’t care what you say, it sounds like one winged dove. It’s _not_ “one winged dove”? :eek: Thanks for the enlightenment, 'cause I absolutely would have gone to my grave thinking she was braying about an avian amputee. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-lyrics-that-you-would-never-ever-be-able-to-figure-out-on-your-own/353468/53 "2006-04-21T20:06:04Z")
Oh, and one of mine is Rock the Casbah by the Clash. “Oh the (something something) boogie bear” (Now the king told the boogie men) “Shout we don’t like it” (Shareef don’t like it) “As soon as the sherry was out of their hair” (As soon as the shareef was chauffered out of there) “From the mental retardated” (Fundamentally he can’t take it) ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2006, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-lyrics-that-you-would-never-ever-be-able-to-figure-out-on-your-own/353468/54 "2006-04-23T14:23:02Z")
The third verse of Donovan’s “Mellow Yellow”: “Born high forever to fly Wind velocity nil Wanna high forever to fly If you want your cup I will fill” I had the album _and_ the 45 when I was in high school. Bet I listened to that song 100 times trying to figure out those words; even slowing down the 45 to 33 1/3 to see if I understood them. That song came out in - what? - 1966? I found a songbook in 1986 with the lyrics printed. 20 years to figure out a verse! :mad: ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2006, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-lyrics-that-you-would-never-ever-be-able-to-figure-out-on-your-own/353468/55 "2006-04-23T14:38:55Z")
> [@Labdad](#): > > That song came out in - what? - 1966? I found a songbook in 1986 with the lyrics printed. 20 years to figure out a verse! Hey, make that 40 years for me! I had no idea what he was saying there, either! Phonetically, it sounded like: _Gonna have forever to fly Win-de-vup lor-se-te-noo Gonna have forever to fly If you won’t your cup our fill…_ What? ---
**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:** [April 27, 2006, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-lyrics-that-you-would-never-ever-be-able-to-figure-out-on-your-own/353468/56 "2006-04-27T16:02:44Z")
> [@RancidYakButterTeaParty](#): > > Yellow Ledbetter by Pearl Jam. it looks like [this guy](http://home.comcast.net/~angelalb/ledbetter.swf) figured them out ; ) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-lyrics-that-you-would-never-ever-be-able-to-figure-out-on-your-own/353468.md?page=2)