I realize this is an old thread but I would like to pit Train against America for the title of “Most Stupid Lyrics”.
Which songs in particular?
The “pompatus of love” bit was lifted from an earlier R&B song, but appropriating one line and referencing it isn’t the same as ripping off an entire song. (Cecil wrote a column on this that gives the entire back story…and also spells the word in question correctly.)
For ripping off entire songs and refusing to give credit (or remuneration) to the originals, see Led Zeppelin. In the world of rock, they have no equal for this.
Can you give a short list for LZ, or provide a link? Just curious.
“The Tropic of Sir Galahad” sounds like the long-lost sequel to Henry Miller’s Tropic of Cancer, the notoriously sexually open book that was banned in the US for many years. Maybe it concerned the exploits of Sir Galahad in Castle Anthrax, years before Monty Python and the Holy Grail was even conceived of.
There is a sorta weird connection, in that the title of the novel “Tropic of Cancer” doesn’t really make much sense, either. Miller wasn’t connecting it to the geographical feature with that name which marks the most northerly extent at which the sun can be directly overhead
In other words, Miller liked the sound of it, and had in mind the disease, not the astronomical and astrological sign and its astronomical significance. The only way he’s an improvement on “America” is that there really IS something called the Tropic of Cancer, while there isn’t an actual Tropic of Sir Galahad.
America songlyrics`s finest trick is to provide a secret to the listener’s perception. Albums “Silent Letter”, “Alibi”, “View from the Ground” and “Your Move” are good examples of that.
Steve Miller does the same. Album “Book of Dreams”.
Led Zeppelin stole the following:
There might actually be a real answer to this. Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote a poem called “Sir Galahad,” a great deal of which is a description of a strange vision that Galahad has, not unlike the vision that is described in the rest of the song “Tin Man.” Sir Galahad is moved to go on a quest by his vision, just like the Tin Man was on a quest for a heart (which he didn’t have-- the reference is to the MGM movie, not the original book). Anyway, the song is a series of free associations regarding visions and quests inspired by visions, and an invitation to stick with the narrator if you believe him, and he’ll take you somewhere. Maybe into the desert on a horse with no name.
Perfect, RivkahChaya.
I disagree. I think SMB had many good songs even better than the ones you mentioned: Living in the USA, My Dark Hour, Your Saving Grace, Going to Mexico, Don’t Let Nobody Turn You Around, Evil, and an excellent cover of Come On in My Kitchen.
Back in college, I did photography for the student paper, so I saw a lot of concerts. Most of them suffered from the usual rock concert problems – over loud, muffled lyrics, crappy sound systems (with a special shout out to Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes who not only sucked, but had a roadie who threatened to smash my camera). America, on the other hand, had the cleanest production I’ve ever heard for a concert. Very enjoyable and I didn’t have tinnitus afterwards.
Who did he rip off?
Steve Miller made lots of great music if you were listening.
Kow Kow Calculator
Babys callin me home
Steve Miller did indeed have many good songs – but next to nothing after Number 5.
Regarding the ‘alligator lizards in the air’ lyric, IIRC the song’s writer said it refers to cloud formations he watched as a boy while his father changed a flat tire.
Apropos of nothing much, I was one of the first people in the country to hear music by America. A high school friend had joined the army and just prior to his discharge was stationed in Germany, where America was becoming popular after becoming known in the Netherlands, where they had moved from England to hone their craft. This was somewhere around early '71. My friend brought their album home to the U.S. and played if for me, telling me that they were being groomed to become the next big thing in music in the U.S. I liked their sound but thought it was kind of lightweight and didn’t pay much attention to his claims of their impending success.
I was wrong. 
Agreed. But I want you to listen to this:
That first album was really good. And commercially perfect in the post-CSN world. (Never understood why anybody thought they sounded like Neil Young.) Three writers, three lead singers, solid harmonies, lots of guitar with Stills as a big influence, and hooks all over the place.
“There were plants and birds and rocks and things”.
THINGS, I tell you! Unspeakable things, beyond the ken of mortal man! Out there, in the desert! Mark my words, young man, and beware!
? Horse with no name sounded exactly like Neil Young fronting CSN. Not even an asterisk there.
Tropic of Sir Galahad aside, I mean I understand from personal experience the effects of the ingestion of illegal substances on conversations much less the writing of song lyrics. The 70’s were definitely a unique era. So I don’t really have an answer for that particular lyric, nor probably does the writer. At any rate I did want to use this discussion to mention a couple of my personal favorites out a long list of awesome lyrics. The first being a Bob Seger line from Night Moves as follows: “Working on mysteries without any clues.” Another one would be from Bob’s song Against the Wind as follows: “I wish I didn’t know now what I didn’t know then.”
Clever word plays both. His lyrics are one of the reasons his songs endure as classics. His passion in performance being another. His songs evoke such such strong memories for me. Which is what great songs do.
Whoa, a zombie hijack! That’s a pretty interesting first post, GeeWillickers!
(It’s a zombie because this thread hasn’t been posted in for over 2.5 years. It’s a hijack because it’s not discussing the subject of the original thread.)
Welcome to the Straight Dope Message Board, GeeWillickers. Have fun poking around and posting! 