# Tautologies in songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 12, 2008, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tautologies-in-songs/476899 "2008-12-12T16:42:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tautologies-in-songs/476899/21 "2008-12-13T17:29:34Z")
> [@Randy\_Seltzer](#): > > Re: the OP. How about REM’s “Stand”? I often find myself wondering what they’ve got against East and South. I bought one of their anthology albums and in the liner notes on this song they describe it as on of their most blatantly silly. _Your feet are going to be on the ground Your head is there to move you around_ Or the preferred version of many, _The tab is there to open the can The can is there to hold the Spam in_ Both songs are about equally meaningful. But it’s just a lovely little tune. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tautologies-in-songs/476899/22 "2008-12-13T19:58:13Z")
I always took the Lennon lines in “All You Need Is Love” to be bascically a shorthand way of saying there’s nothing you can do/say/sing that hasn’t already _been_ done/said/sung. I think that’s more clear in the 2nd verse-- “There’s nothing you can show that isn’t shown / Nothing you can know that isn’t known…” Of course, I think he was also doing a lot of acid at that time and those are exactly the kinds of lines that sound profound while you’re tripping balls, so I wouldn’t rule out that possibility either. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tautologies-in-songs/476899/23 "2008-12-14T02:19:35Z")
In Andy Williams’s “The Holiday Season”: “When old Santa gets into town He’ll be coming down the chimney, down.” It works, but it’s obviously a tautology. ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tautologies-in-songs/476899/24 "2008-12-14T03:39:04Z")
Mike Oldfield and Maggie Reily, _Moonlight Shadow_ has the line > [@](#): > > Four AM in the morning Grrrrrrrrrrr! ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Vox\_Imperatoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Vox\_Imperatoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vox_Imperatoris)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tautologies-in-songs/476899/25 "2008-12-14T07:37:41Z")
Not really tautologies, but I did think of [An Apple a Day](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYqN15IfmY0) by Aqua. [QUOTE=Aqua] Just don’t miss the water Until the well is dry You got to learn walking After you can fly Come and get me What goes in, will get out What goes up, comes right down We go up, we go up, we go up You know an apple a day Won’t keep the doctor away We’re never taught what we teach And won’t practice what we preach You know an apple a day Won’t keep my troubles away Once bitten bye, bye All the cliches here to die [/QUOTE] Except that it incorrectly calls proverbs “cliches” throughout the whole song. :smack: Valete, Vox Imperatoris ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tautologies-in-songs/476899/26 "2008-12-14T07:55:50Z")
Not a tautology, but the French lyrics to the [Varshavianka](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warszawianka_(1905)) make me cringe every single time. The last lines of the first verse go (translation mine) : “The human race must rally under only one flag and have only one watchword : Labor and Justice, Solidarity between all workers !”. THAT’S THREE, DAMMIT ! ---
**Author:** ![Vox\_Imperatoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Vox\_Imperatoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vox_Imperatoris)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tautologies-in-songs/476899/27 "2008-12-14T08:11:04Z")
[Around the World (La La La La La)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPTucJRSBaE) by ATC. The lyrics mean absolutely nothing! Valete, Vox Imperatoris ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tautologies-in-songs/476899/28 "2008-12-14T13:19:27Z")
The Chi-Lite’s Have You Seen Her (a favorite song of mine) contains the meter filling line: “Why, oh why did she have to leave and go away.” Both leave _and_ go away? At the same time? Why that’s. . . obvious. ---
**Author:** ![biqu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7feea3/32.png) [@biqu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/biqu)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tautologies-in-songs/476899/29 "2008-12-14T14:05:24Z")
No Such Thing, by John Mayer, has this line: “I am invincible as long as I’m alive.” ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tautologies-in-songs/476899/30 "2008-12-14T17:29:57Z")
> [@Cosmic Relief](#): > > “in this everchanging world in which we live in…live and let die…” You’re joking, right? I know it’s supposed to be poetic, but I hate it when songs use “forever and a day”. ---
**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:** [December 14, 2008, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tautologies-in-songs/476899/31 "2008-12-14T21:43:50Z")
I have it on good authority from Jerry Reed that [when you’re hot, you’re hot; whereas when you’re not, you’re not](http://music.barnesandnoble.com/search/mediaplayer.asp?ean=090431270226&track=1&disc=1) ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tautologies-in-songs/476899/32 "2008-12-14T21:48:21Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > Okay, so to try to answer Spatial Rift’s question, would Rush’s _Roll the Bones_ qualify? > > \*Why are we here? > Because we’re here. > > Why does it happen? > Because it happens.\* Again, though, those are deliberate repetitions. They’re emphasis, not tautology. “We need to create a plan forward” is a tautology; it’s not at all distinct from “We need to create a plan.” (“This ever-changing world in which we live in” is both tautological and retarded.) “Why are we here? Because we’re here” delivers a message substantially different from “We’re here.” ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tautologies-in-songs/476899/33 "2008-12-14T22:00:15Z")
> [@DooWahDiddy](#): > > You’re joking, right? > > I know it’s supposed to be poetic, but I hate it when songs use “forever and a day”. _sigh_ okay, I’ll draw you a picture: “\*\*in \*\*this everchanging world **in** which we live **in.**..live and let die…”: There are 3 'in’s in the sentence above. Two is pushing it, but necessary to include the cliche “in this everchanging world”. But no… in order to establish that we’re talking about the world in which we live (as opposed to the world in which we do **not** live), McCartney uses _three_ 'in’s. ---
**Author:** ![Vox\_Imperatoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Vox\_Imperatoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vox_Imperatoris)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tautologies-in-songs/476899/34 "2008-12-14T22:19:02Z")
> [@Cosmic Relief](#): > > _sigh_ okay, I’ll draw you a picture: > > “\*\*in \*\*this everchanging world **in** which we live **in.**..live and let die…”: > > There are 3 'in’s in the sentence above. Two is pushing it, but necessary to include the cliche “in this everchanging world”. But no… in order to establish that we’re talking about the world in which we live (as opposed to the world in which we do **not** live), McCartney uses _three_ 'in’s. The _sigh_ should be directed at you. You are pushing a well-known accusation of amateur grammarians. The song actually says “in this ever-changing world in which we’re living”. He thought you were joking because this is rebutted so frequently. Valete, Vox Imperatoris ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tautologies-in-songs/476899/35 "2008-12-14T22:58:21Z")
> [@Vox\_Imperatoris](#): > > The _sigh_ should be directed at you. You are pushing a well-known accusation of amateur grammarians. The song actually says “in this ever-changing world in which we’re living”. He thought you were joking because this is rebutted so frequently. > > Valete, > Vox Imperatoris That’s still one too many “in’s.” ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tautologies-in-songs/476899/36 "2008-12-14T23:33:50Z")
> [@Vox\_Imperatoris](#): > > The _sigh_ should be directed at you. You are pushing a well-known accusation of amateur grammarians. The song actually says “in this ever-changing world in which we’re living”. He thought you were joking because this is rebutted so frequently. I don’t know about frequently; I’ve been on this board for 4 years and I’ve never once seen the question come up. And I don’t know about “amateur grammarian” because it’s quite valid to point out that the words as I posted them are horrible. And finally, before posting I googled the lyrics a few times to ensure I was representing them correctly, and the first 10 sites all had them identical to what I posted. Of course the internet is rife with mistakes, and I’ll accept correction if I’ve made an error. But I’d like to see a cite that the lyrics are what you say they are. And as Dio said, that’s still one ‘in’ too many. ---
**Author:** ![De\_La\_Rue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@De\_La\_Rue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/De_La_Rue)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tautologies-in-songs/476899/37 "2008-12-14T23:40:01Z")
Ah, but it’s “\*if \*this ever-changing world in which we’re living”. I’ve heard a song that goes “It is what it is.” The speaker then asks what it is. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tautologies-in-songs/476899/38 "2008-12-15T00:11:01Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Again, though, those are deliberate repetitions. They’re emphasis, not tautology. > > “We need to create a plan forward” is a tautology; it’s not at all distinct from “We need to create a plan.” (“This ever-changing world in which we live in” is both tautological and retarded.) “Why are we here? Because we’re here” delivers a message substantially different from “We’re here.” I think I understand now. Just can’t think of anything that applies. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tautologies-in-songs/476899/39 "2008-12-15T00:49:45Z")
> [@Vox\_Imperatoris](#): > > Except that it incorrectly calls proverbs “cliches” throughout the whole song. :smack: Those look like cliches to me. In fact, I think that’s sort of the point. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tautologies-in-songs/476899/40 "2008-12-15T01:02:14Z")
Go to the bottom of [this](http://www.spiderrobinson.com/music.html) page and click on “Belabouring the Obvious” (MP3). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tautologies-in-songs/476899.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tautologies-in-songs/476899.md?page=3)