# “Throwaway” Lines in Songs That Make You Say WTF? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [November 5, 2020, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwaway-lines-in-songs-that-make-you-say-wtf/924823 "2020-11-05T10:13:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2020, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwaway-lines-in-songs-that-make-you-say-wtf/924823/1 "2020-11-05T10:13:11Z")
I’m listening to Mel Torme singing “P.S. I Love You” on my Echo. There’s a disturbing line in the bridge: _Write to the Browns as soon as you’re able/They came around to call/ **I burned a hole in the dining room table** /And let me see, I guess that’s all._ If I got a letter saying that, I might hurry home without bothering to write to the Browns. My desire to know the extent of the damage to the table would NOT be quenched by an afterthought “I love you.” What other songs make _YOU_ say “WTF?” ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2020, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwaway-lines-in-songs-that-make-you-say-wtf/924823/2 "2020-11-05T12:54:17Z")
I think the assumption is that it’s a cigarette burn. I love [Billie Holiday’s version](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouO_iqY_gRk). ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2020, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwaway-lines-in-songs-that-make-you-say-wtf/924823/3 "2020-11-05T13:04:20Z")
I have never been a fan of the Steve Miller band. One line, in particular, that piques my disdain, is how he claims himself to speak of"_a pompatous of love._". It’s such a dumb line, even [Cecil](https://www.straightdope.com/21342137/in-steve-miller-s-the-joker-what-is-the-pompatus-of-love) did a column on it. Tripler Steve Miller? No thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2020, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwaway-lines-in-songs-that-make-you-say-wtf/924823/4 "2020-11-05T13:34:48Z")
A little sadder A little madder Somebody get me a ladder ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_was_in_Saudi)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2020, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwaway-lines-in-songs-that-make-you-say-wtf/924823/5 "2020-11-05T13:40:13Z")
Hey kids! Shake it loose together. **The spotlights hitting something that’s been known to change the weather.** Well kill the fatted calf tonight so stick around. —Benny & the Jets ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2020, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwaway-lines-in-songs-that-make-you-say-wtf/924823/6 "2020-11-05T14:32:55Z")
MacArthur’s Park is melting in the dark All the sweet, green icing flowing down Someone left the cake out in the rain I don’t think that I can take it 'Cause it took so long to bake it And I’ll never have that recipe again -Donna Summer WTF!? ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2020, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwaway-lines-in-songs-that-make-you-say-wtf/924823/7 "2020-11-05T14:46:22Z")
I still can’t get past, “Don’t bring me down…GROOS.” 😕 ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2020, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwaway-lines-in-songs-that-make-you-say-wtf/924823/8 "2020-11-05T14:57:06Z")
“I would swallow my pride I would choke on the rind _ **But the lack thereof** _ would leave me empty inside” The lack thereof? That’s some angsty rock and roll lyrics right there. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2020, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwaway-lines-in-songs-that-make-you-say-wtf/924823/9 "2020-11-05T15:31:31Z")
Robert Plant blurting “below!”(?) near the end of “Rock n’Roll”. The Turtles were known for their irreverent lyics, like in “Happy Together”: _So happy together_ _ **How is the weather** _ _So happy together_ _We’re happy together_ _So happy together_ _Happy together_ _So happy together_ _So happy together (ba-ba-ba-ba ba-ba-ba-ba)_ And in the even better (IMO) “Elenore”: _Elenore, gee, I think you’re swell_ _And you really do me well_ _ **You’re my pride and joy, et cetera** _ _Elenore, can I take the time_ _To ask you to speak your mind?_ _Tell me that you love me better_ ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2020, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwaway-lines-in-songs-that-make-you-say-wtf/924823/10 "2020-11-05T15:37:47Z")
At the very end of Queen’s “One Vision”: “Gimme fried chicken!” ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2020, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwaway-lines-in-songs-that-make-you-say-wtf/924823/11 "2020-11-05T16:26:44Z")
> [@Tripler](#): > > I have never been a fan of the Steve Miller band. One line, in particular, that piques my disdain, is how he claims himself to speak of" _a pompatous of love._ ". It’s such a dumb line, even [Cecil](https://www.straightdope.com/21342137/in-steve-miller-s-the-joker-what-is-the-pompatus-of-love) did a column on it. > > Tripler > Steve Miller? No thank you. You and I are generally of a like mind **Trips** , but we have to disagree on this one. Assuming I can understand the lyrics at all (another plus for Steve Miller), then I’d rather they just make up a word instead of forcing in some pointless word just to make a rhyme. Even singing ‘Da da da’ would be better than some of the other real words jammed into the songs you see in the other posts here. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2020, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwaway-lines-in-songs-that-make-you-say-wtf/924823/12 "2020-11-05T16:37:49Z")
MacArthur Park was written by the great songwriter Jimmy Webb. It is about the breakup with his girlfriend and the park in L.A. was where they spent a lot of time together. He says everything in the park was a visual reference to real things that he saw. Everything in the song was visible. There’s nothing in it that’s fabricated. The old men playing checkers by the trees, the cake that was left out in the rain, all of the things that are talked about in the song are things I actually saw. And so it’s a kind of musical collage of this whole love affair that kind of went down in MacArthur Park. … Back then, I was kind of like an emotional machine, like whatever was going on inside me would bubble out of the piano and onto paper.[[4]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacArthur_Park_(song)#cite_note-newsweek-4) > **[MacArthur Park (song)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacArthur_Park_(song))** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > "MacArthur Park" is a song written by American singer-songwriter Jimmy Webb that was recorded first by Irish actor and singer Richard Harris in 1968. Harris's version peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number four on the UK Singles Chart. "MacArthur Park" was subsequently covered by numerous artists, including a 1969 Grammy-winning version by country music singer Waylon Jennings and a number one Billboard Hot 100 disco arrange... So that is WTF. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2020, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwaway-lines-in-songs-that-make-you-say-wtf/924823/13 "2020-11-05T16:47:26Z")
Rick Springfield. “Jessie’s Girl:” “You know, I feel so dirty when they start talking cute I wanna tell her that I love her But the point is probably moot.” Really. Really ? You didn’t have a white board to just spitball for a while ? Were you so pressed for time that you left it at that, or did you somehow convince yourselves that you _totally_ nailed it ? Blecch. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2020, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwaway-lines-in-songs-that-make-you-say-wtf/924823/14 "2020-11-05T17:16:09Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > _Elenore, gee, I think you’re swell_ > _And you really do me well_ > _ **You’re my pride and joy, et cetera** _ A friend just named her daughter Eleanor, so we’ve been singing this to her a lot. The other day I asked the baby if she knew how special she was: “You’re named after the only song I know of with spelled-out punctuation in it!” ---
**Author:** ![Didi44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47c2d/32.png) [@Didi44](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Didi44)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2020, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwaway-lines-in-songs-that-make-you-say-wtf/924823/15 "2020-11-05T17:23:17Z")
It’s been explained and supported by the opening lyrics that the singer is too shy to approach or even call the girl. The line _How is the weather_ is all he’s be able to say directly to her. Everything is just in his hopeful imagination. Here is it directly from the writer: “Despite what the title implies, this is not a song about a couple in love. According to Gary Bonner, who wrote the song with Alan Gordon, the song is about unrequited love. Our desperate singer wants the girl to “imagine how the world could be so very fine,” proposing what would happen “if I should call you up.” The line in the fadeout, “How is the weather?” is when he realizes they will never be more than passing acquaintances, as he resorts to small talk to keep from bursting into tears. [\>\>](https://www.songfacts.com/facts/the-turtles/happy-together#)” _ **Imagine me and you, I do** _ _I think about you day and night, it’s only right_ _To think about the girl you love and hold her tight_ _So happy together_ _If I should call you up, invest a dime_ _And you say you belong to me and ease my mind_ _Imagine how the world could be, so very fine_ _So happy together_ ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2020, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwaway-lines-in-songs-that-make-you-say-wtf/924823/16 "2020-11-05T17:50:59Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > … then I’d rather they just make up a word instead of forcing in some pointless word just to make a rhyme. This is what i like about david bowie. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2020, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwaway-lines-in-songs-that-make-you-say-wtf/924823/17 "2020-11-05T17:52:35Z")
“i walk into an empty room and suddenly my heart goes boom.” ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2020, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwaway-lines-in-songs-that-make-you-say-wtf/924823/18 "2020-11-05T18:04:15Z")
Maybe not a “throwaway” line, but why would James Taylor’s friends hit him from behind? ---
**Author:** ![Acierocolotl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acierocolotl/32/6241_2.png) [@Acierocolotl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acierocolotl)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2020, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwaway-lines-in-songs-that-make-you-say-wtf/924823/19 "2020-11-05T18:09:06Z")
Is a whole song that’s just a throwaway going to count? The music isn’t my jam at all, but it occupied a bit of cultural space amongst friends and sucked the air out of any conversation when it came up. _I don’t want to see a ghost It’s the sight that I fear most I’d rather have a piece of toast Watch the evening news_ I think the rest of the song, minutes of it, is her going, “Life, oh life, oh life, oh life.” But seriously, I know that ghosts are scary and all and since they’re her greatest phobia, at least one more line analyzing it (and then celebrating “life” since that’s the song’s title) would not have gone amiss. ---
**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:** [November 5, 2020, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwaway-lines-in-songs-that-make-you-say-wtf/924823/20 "2020-11-05T18:56:00Z")
“Raindrops are falling on my head **And just like the guy whose feet are too big for his bed** **Nothing seems to fit** ” It’s a weird image to suddenly pop up, isn’t it? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwaway-lines-in-songs-that-make-you-say-wtf/924823.md?page=2)