# Worst lyric rhymes **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [September 1, 2021, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-lyric-rhymes/949876 "2021-09-01T04:57:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2021, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-lyric-rhymes/949876/21 "2021-09-01T11:45:24Z")
How about The Red Hot Chili Peppers rhyming “three of these” and “Pleiades” in their song “Can’t Stop”? I usually appreciate 3 syllable rhymes, but that just seems like the most contrived rhyme ever. Clever or contrived? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2021, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-lyric-rhymes/949876/22 "2021-09-01T11:47:40Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Bob Dylan forced a rhyme with “sweet” in “The Mighty Quinn” with the improbable construction, “cup of meat”. How is that forced? “Sweet” and “meat” rhyme. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2021, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-lyric-rhymes/949876/23 "2021-09-01T11:52:25Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > How is that forced? “Sweet” and “meat” rhyme. Cup of meat?? ---
**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:** [September 1, 2021, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-lyric-rhymes/949876/24 "2021-09-01T12:11:15Z")
That’s what the recipe called for. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2021, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-lyric-rhymes/949876/25 "2021-09-01T12:12:36Z")
I remember hearing a dumb song where “beat too much” was supposed to rhyme with “cover up”. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2021, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-lyric-rhymes/949876/26 "2021-09-01T12:23:22Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Cup of meat?? Don’t knock it till ya try it [https://www.myrecipes.com/extracrispy/this-smoothie-contains-meat](https://www.myrecipes.com/extracrispy/this-smoothie-contains-meat) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2021, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-lyric-rhymes/949876/27 "2021-09-01T12:29:40Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > No, that would be rhyming “school” with “golden rule”. Is there a single song in the history of man that doesn’t use that? Sure, you can rhyme “fool”, but “golden rule” has to be used first. I can’t even think of a single song off the top of my head that uses it. I’m sure there are plenty of obvious examples, but none come to me. (Wait – School Days, by Chuck Berry just came to mind. Then … nothing.) Love as a subject comes up orders of magnitude more often in lyrics than school or rules. I agree, it’s a trite rhyme, though. ---
**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:** [September 1, 2021, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-lyric-rhymes/949876/28 "2021-09-01T12:37:04Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > > [@Smapti](#): > > > > How is that forced? “Sweet” and “meat” rhyme. > > Cup of meat?? It’s a brilliant line, turning a cliche on its head and surprising the listener. One of the many reasons why Dylan’s songwriting is acclaimed. Not everything in the world is describing a literal object. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2021, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-lyric-rhymes/949876/29 "2021-09-01T13:00:56Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > I think Steve Miller wins for _taxes/facts is_ in _Take the Money and Run_. > [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > Almost just as dung-worthy: > > _Abra, abra, cadabra, I wanna reach out and grab ya_ Yes, I came here to post these, which are both terrible, but I’ll add one, from Chuck Berry, Rock and Roll Music: > You must admit they have a rockin’ band > Man, they were blowing like a hurricane And, he pronounces hurricane like hurr-i-can. Even if that’s how hurricane were pronounced, “can” doesn’t rhyme with “band”. It’s just awful. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2021, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-lyric-rhymes/949876/30 "2021-09-01T13:10:35Z")
Oh, yeah, I gotta agree with “Abracadabra/reach out and grab ya.” Just sounds so terribly forced, and for no good reason. At least band/hurricane is unexepected and has reasonable imagery (and I like it on the page – but not sung with the forced -“can” altered pronunciation–unless it’s dialectal, or something.) For me, “can/band” is a cromulent rhyme. It’s the tortured pronunciation to make it fit that couplet that grates. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2021, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-lyric-rhymes/949876/31 "2021-09-01T13:59:06Z")
Way overused: “self” and “shelf.” No one in real life uses the expression “up on the shelf” to describe being neglected, but songwriters use it all the time because they can’t think of another word that rhymes with “self.” Awful and forced? “Centerfold”: _Take your car, yes we will_ _We’ll take your car and drive it_ _We’ll take it to a motel room_ _And take 'em off in private_ The first two lines are just stupid, all so they could rhyme something with “private.” ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2021, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-lyric-rhymes/949876/32 "2021-09-01T14:25:24Z")
Does anyone ever feel _blue_ outside of song lyrics? ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2021, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-lyric-rhymes/949876/33 "2021-09-01T14:31:39Z")
Or, are you really true? ---
**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:** [September 1, 2021, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-lyric-rhymes/949876/34 "2021-09-01T14:33:58Z")
Walk with me / talk with me. 🤢 ---
**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:** [September 1, 2021, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-lyric-rhymes/949876/35 "2021-09-01T14:38:55Z")
I walk into an empty room and suddenly my heart goes boom. **NO !** ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2021, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-lyric-rhymes/949876/36 "2021-09-01T14:41:42Z")
_Roses are red and violets are purple_ _Sugar is sweet and so is maple surple_ Roger Miller/Dang Me [Dana Carvey sings “Choppin’ Broccoli”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mXIL_LKvvI) ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2021, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-lyric-rhymes/949876/37 "2021-09-01T14:51:55Z")
Man, I remember watching this on _Turkey Television._ ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2021, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-lyric-rhymes/949876/38 "2021-09-01T15:13:39Z")
That would be Springsteen’s **Born in the USA.** The end of the second line is _just coverin’ up,_ if that makes any difference. ---
**Author:** ![2\_More\_Bits](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/2_more_bits/32/4148_2.png) [@2\_More\_Bits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2_More_Bits)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2021, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-lyric-rhymes/949876/39 "2021-09-01T15:19:50Z")
A masters take on the subject: [Harry Nilsson/ How To Write A Song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt8kY2V54iM) ---
**Author:** ![veryfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/87869e/32.png) [@veryfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/veryfrank)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2021, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-lyric-rhymes/949876/40 "2021-09-01T15:33:40Z")
In “This Kind of Music” Jonathan Richman unleashes this classic: “That guy’s playing drums on the card ta-bile I left my guitar in the laundry pile.” He rhymes “table” with “pile” but he does it so up-front and gleefully that I can’t help but give it a pass. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-lyric-rhymes/949876.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-lyric-rhymes/949876.md?page=3)