# Songs you love because of the lyrics. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 15, 2005, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-love-because-of-the-lyrics/299428 "2005-04-15T03:23:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2005, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-love-because-of-the-lyrics/299428/41 "2005-04-16T22:57:07Z")
Bruce Springsteen’s **Does this bus stop at 82nd street?** > [@](#): > > And Mary Lou she found out how to cope, > she rides to heaven on a gyroscope > The Daily News asks her for the dope > She says “Man, the dope’s that there’s still hope”. [http://www.xs4all.nl/~maroen/engels/lyrics/doesbus.htm](http://www.xs4all.nl/~maroen/engels/lyrics/doesbus.htm) And **KarlGauss**? Get out of my head! You just took me back to 1975, my freshman year in college, with that quote!! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2005, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-love-because-of-the-lyrics/299428/42 "2005-04-17T01:04:29Z")
**Best Sensual Lyrics** Doctor Hook: _A Little Bit More_ Got to say a few things that have been on my mind And you know where my mind has been I guess I learned my lessons And now’s the time to begin So if you’re feelin’ alright and you’re ready for me I know that I’m ready for you We better get it on now Cause we got a whole life to live through ---
**Author:** ![Coulbean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Coulbean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coulbean)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2005, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-love-because-of-the-lyrics/299428/43 "2005-04-17T07:57:27Z")
Because they both had that uncanny timing with a personal romantic situation: “You and I” by Jason Mraz _You and I both loved What you and I spoke of And others just read of_ “Sitting, Waiting, Wishing” by Jack Johnson _If I was in your position I’d put down all my ammunition I’d wonder why it had taken me so long_ I swear both those songs were on the radio just to make me feel guilty for making the boy wait so long. Also: Damien Rice “The Blowers Daughter” _Life goes easy on me Most of the time_ And “Delicate” same artist: _Why’d you fill my sorrow With the words you borrowed From the only place that you know? Why’d you say hallelujah If it means nothin’ to you? Why’d you stay with me at all?_ the emotion in that guy’s voice just kills me Someone already mentioned Don McLean’s “Vincent” but I have to add: _I could have told you, Vincent This world was never meant for one as beautiful as you._ “Road to Joy” by Bright Eyes _No one ever plans to sleep out in the gutter Sometimes it’s just the most comforable place._ Still More: “On My Way”- Ben Kweller “A Simple Twist of Fate” and “Positively 4th Street”- Bob Dylan (lots more Dylan) “Sleeping In” - The Postal Service “She Bled” - Rodney Branigan “Us” - Regina Spector ---
**Author:** ![Gail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Gail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gail)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2005, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-love-because-of-the-lyrics/299428/44 "2005-04-17T12:22:50Z")
I love The Police’s _Every Little Thing She Does_ for this line: “It’s a big enough umbrella But it’s always me who ends up getting wet” The Pretenders _Talk of the Town_ : “Ah but it’s hard to live by the rules I never could, still never do…” Also “One Week” by the Barenaked Ladies “Crash Into Me” by Dave Matthews “Where It’s At” by Beck I also love the lyrics to most songs written by Paul Simon. Steely Dan songs are great for lyrics, too. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2005, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-love-because-of-the-lyrics/299428/45 "2005-04-17T12:55:14Z")
Holly Cole - Cry if You Want to Well it’s empty and ugly and terribly sad I can’t feel what you feel, but I know it feels bad I know that it’s real and it makes you so mad You can cry if you want to ---
**Author:** ![High\_Cheese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8797f3/32.png) [@High\_Cheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/High_Cheese)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2005, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-love-because-of-the-lyrics/299428/46 "2005-04-17T13:58:03Z")
Elton John has plenty of meaningful lyrics. God, you remember when song singers also used to be song writers? “Rocket Man, burning out his fuse up here alone.” “When are you gonna come down. When are you going to land.” “You know you can’t hold me forever. I didn’t sign up with you. I’m not a present for your friends to open.” “What do you think you’ll do then? I bet that’ll shoot down your plane. It’ll take you a couple of vodka and tonics to set you on your feet again.” “Someone saved my life tonight.” (Someone actually did save his life that night). “Your eyes have died but you see more than I.” “Jesus freaks out in the street, Handing tickets out for God.” “And Jesus, he wants to go to Venus. Leaving Levon far behind. Take a balloon and go sailing. While Levon, Levon slowly dies.” “Blah Blah Blah. Etc. Etc. Etc.” Damn was there a line written by Elton John that wasn’t meaninful? * * * Eddie Grant, **Electric Avenue**. “Workin’ so hard like a soldier. Can’t afford the things on T.V. Deep in my heart, I abhor you. Can’t get food for the kid.” The Boss, **Born in the U.S.A**. “Got in a little hometown jam. So they put a rifle in myhand. Sent me off to a foreign land. To go and kill the yellow man.” (War reckognition. When hasn’t this garnered significance?) Every line of \*\*American Pie \*\* given the subject matter and references. Pretty much any line of any Beetle’s tune. I could go on, but I’m sure I’m boring you. And that is my own meaningful lyric. In fact, is there any lyric not written by Brittany Spears, Jewel, Avril Lavigne, Jessica Simpson, Debbie Gibson, Hilary Duff (!!??) or Tiffany that doesn’t have at least root significance? ---
**Author:** ![Gail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Gail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gail)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2005, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-love-because-of-the-lyrics/299428/47 "2005-04-17T14:07:02Z")
\*\*Elton John has plenty of meaningful lyrics. God, you remember when song singers also used to be song writers? \*\* * * * OP by High Cheese Ah but, Elton John is not a lyricist. The lyrics posted were all written by his 70’s writing partner, Bernie Taupin. Not that his songs weren’t great, though. I was a huge Elton John fan in high school. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2005, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-love-because-of-the-lyrics/299428/48 "2005-04-17T14:22:15Z")
Standing at the crossroads trying to read the signs To tell me which way I should go to find the answer And all the time I know Plant your love and let it grow. Eric Clapton. ---
**Author:** ![High\_Cheese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8797f3/32.png) [@High\_Cheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/High_Cheese)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2005, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-love-because-of-the-lyrics/299428/49 "2005-04-17T14:37:38Z")
> [@Gail](#): > > \*\*Elton John has plenty of meaningful lyrics. God, you remember when song singers also used to be song writers? \*\* > > * * * > > OP by High Cheese > > Ah but, Elton John is not a lyricist. The lyrics posted were all written by his 70’s writing partner, Bernie Taupin. Not that his songs weren’t great, though. I was a huge Elton John fan in high school. EJ _is_ a lyricist. A lot of the lyrics were callaborative. And even the ones that were not collaborative, they certainly needed “artistic signoff” from EJ. BT gets credit for so many of EJ songs because he was a brilliant thinker, envisionist and songwriter; but he was hardly the puppetmaster that a lot believe. ---
**Author:** ![Roland\_Orzabal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@Roland\_Orzabal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland_Orzabal)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2005, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-love-because-of-the-lyrics/299428/50 "2005-04-17T19:47:49Z")
“Free Will and Testament”, by Robert Wyatt. Doubly notable because I don’t generally care about lyrics, and because this is the only time you’ll see Robert Wyatt on any list related to anything I actually like. Given free will but within certain limitations I cannot will myself to limitless mutations I cannot say what I would be if I were not me I can only guess, me. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2005, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-love-because-of-the-lyrics/299428/51 "2005-04-17T20:10:36Z")
Dean Friedman’s _Humor Me_: > [@](#): > > You see, underneath this cynical exterior, > there’s a child in me waiting for the chance > To prove that all my logic is inferior to romance. [Dean’s Homepage - includes complete lyrics pages.](http://www.deanfriedman.com/) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-love-because-of-the-lyrics/299428.md?page=2)