# Your favorite spoken-word segment in a song **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 13, 2020, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-spoken-word-segment-in-a-song/915218 "2020-07-13T15:13:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-spoken-word-segment-in-a-song/915218/41 "2020-07-14T01:32:35Z")
[![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/mR5hFONQfqg/hqdefault.jpg "Screaming Blue Messiahs - Sweet Water Pools") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mR5hFONQfqg) Screaming Blue Messiahs - Sweet Water Pools “You want a cigarette?” “Sure!” “Hey, those are my guys!” ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-spoken-word-segment-in-a-song/915218/42 "2020-07-14T01:40:48Z")
Two from The Clash: Ghetto Defendant (with Allen Ginsberg) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/7q5kzU9_l30/maxresdefault.jpg "Ghetto Defendant (Remastered)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7q5kzU9_l30) Overpowered by Funk (with Futura) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/nnteP054Ej8/maxresdefault.jpg "Overpowered by Funk (Remastered)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnteP054Ej8) ---
**Author:** ![Zelski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c67d28/32.png) [@Zelski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zelski)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-spoken-word-segment-in-a-song/915218/43 "2020-07-14T03:27:29Z")
My first Discourse post… A long time ago (2003), we had a thread about spoken introductions, of which all rules-following responses should fit for this thread. [Here is that thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-name-that-tune-game-id-artist-and-track-by-its-spoken-introduction/201020). ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-spoken-word-segment-in-a-song/915218/44 "2020-07-14T05:59:19Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > How about Leon Russell’s Jumpin’ Jack Flash/Youngblood medley? I can’t help but follow along every time–loudly! God, yes. That’s the only cut from that album that I ever listened to more than once, and 49 years later I still love it. Terrific arrangement, great groove, and Leon’s schtick - for some reason “and I crawled and I snuck” still makes me grin. Excllent choice. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-spoken-word-segment-in-a-song/915218/45 "2020-07-14T11:20:09Z")
All I know is that There were rumours he was into field hockey players There were rumours So he applied basically He was gone the next day ---
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-spoken-word-segment-in-a-song/915218/46 "2020-07-14T12:26:15Z")
The spoken finale of Rigoletto: **"La maledizione!"** ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-spoken-word-segment-in-a-song/915218/47 "2020-07-14T13:31:21Z")
Yeah! “I’m so horny, the crack of dawn better look out around me. Heh-heh-heh.” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-spoken-word-segment-in-a-song/915218/48 "2020-07-14T17:08:32Z")
_My first impulse was to run up on you and do a Rambo_ _Whip out the Jammy and flat blast both of you_ _But I didn’t wanna mess up this thirty-seven hundred dollar lynx coat_ _So instead… I chilled._ [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/9dZW1C3neao/maxresdefault.jpg "Oran "Juice" Jones - The Rain") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dZW1C3neao) ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-spoken-word-segment-in-a-song/915218/49 "2020-07-14T17:58:17Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > …I also like Orson Welles volunteering to do an intro Reading bits of Edgar Allan Poe for later pressings of the Alan Parsons Project tales of mystery and imagination. Yes! I came in here to post that. Two great bits (and from the latter, the chillingly evocative line, “…and the dead are, but for a moment, motionless”): [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/J8BKQ5MTFQY/maxresdefault.jpg "A Dream Within A Dream (1987 Remix)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8BKQ5MTFQY) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/dYoABkaHAzE/maxresdefault.jpg "The Fall Of The House Of Usher: Prelude (1987 Remix)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYoABkaHAzE) I also like the mysterious, German-sounding guy in this techno tune (start at 1:29:10): [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/WYp9Eo9T3BA/maxresdefault.jpg "Best of Shingo Nakamura 01 (2-Hour Melodic Progressive House Mix)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYp9Eo9T3BA) ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-spoken-word-segment-in-a-song/915218/50 "2020-07-14T18:00:55Z")
Also “my baby looked at me with her great big blue bedroom eyes” is just fun to say! ---
**Author:** ![Scarlax](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlax/32/2927_2.png) [@Scarlax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlax)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-spoken-word-segment-in-a-song/915218/51 "2020-07-14T18:15:43Z")
Boyz II Men - End of the Road. “Girl…” So good. So genre defining of 90s r&b ---
**Author:** ![Scarlax](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlax/32/2927_2.png) [@Scarlax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlax)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-spoken-word-segment-in-a-song/915218/52 "2020-07-14T19:34:32Z")
Not sure if it is entirely in the spirit of this thread when a performance is most or all spoken word, but here’s a few more that I enjoy. Arlo Guthrie - Alice’s Restaurant William Shatner -Rocketman Baz Luhrmann - “Everybody’s Free” (the sunscreen song) ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-spoken-word-segment-in-a-song/915218/53 "2020-07-14T21:03:24Z")
Two for **Scarlax** : King Missile - Detachable Penis [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/mIUk08iYZKE/hqdefault.jpg "King Missile- Detachable Penis") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIUk08iYZKE) Bongwater - David Bowie Wants Ideas [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avtk9_XLbHA) ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-spoken-word-segment-in-a-song/915218/54 "2020-07-14T22:37:52Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > Also “my baby looked at me with her great big blue bedroom eyes” is just fun to say! You’re preaching to the choir. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-spoken-word-segment-in-a-song/915218/55 "2020-07-14T23:35:52Z")
Shocked that nobody has mentioned the Moody Blues. Departure, which precedes Ride My See-Saw on their 2nd album, narrated by drummer Graeme Edge: _Be it sight, sound, the smell, the touch._ _There’s something,_ _Inside that we need so much,_ _The sight of a touch, or the scent of a sound,_ _Or the strength of an oak with roots deep in the ground._ _The wonder of flowers, to be covered, and then to burst up,_ _Through tarmack, to the sun again,_ _Or to fly to the sun without burning a wing,_ _To lie in the meadow and hear the grass sing,_ _To have all these things in our memory’s hoard,_ _And to use them,_ _To help us,_ _To find…!_ The laughing at the end then seamlessly segues into See-Saw. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-spoken-word-segment-in-a-song/915218/56 "2020-07-15T00:28:08Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > Shocked that nobody has mentioned the Moody Blues. Post 7. ---
**Author:** ![sweepkick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/87869e/32.png) [@sweepkick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweepkick)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-spoken-word-segment-in-a-song/915218/57 "2020-07-15T03:00:30Z")
Henry Rollins on “Bottom”, off of Tool’s first full-length album “Undertow”: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/O7VmBC19P5M/maxresdefault.jpg "TOOL - Bottom (Audio)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7VmBC19P5M) ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-spoken-word-segment-in-a-song/915218/58 "2020-07-15T13:47:09Z")
The Electric Light Orchestra’s “Eldorado Overture”: _The dreamer, the unwoken fool,_ _In dreams, no pain will kiss the brow._ _The love of ages fills the head._ _The days that linger there in prey of emptiness,_ _Of burned out dreams._ _The minutes calling through the years._ _The universal dreamer rises up above his earthly burden._ _Journey to the dead of night._ _High on a hill in Eldorado…_ [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUo7a0v3CDI) ---
**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:** [July 15, 2020, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-spoken-word-segment-in-a-song/915218/59 "2020-07-15T14:10:30Z")
From the Rolling Stones’ “Emotional Rescue” “Yes, you could be mine, tonight and every night I will be your knight in shining ahhhhrmeh Coming to your emotional rescue …I will be your knight in shining ahhhhrmeh Riding across the desert on a fine Arab chahhhhhgeh” _Must_ be said with a lascivious English accent ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-spoken-word-segment-in-a-song/915218/60 "2020-07-15T14:25:53Z")
Cornershop’s “When the Light Appears, Boy” features Allen Ginsberg reading his poem of the same name and it’s really good. Ginsberg just SOUNDS dissolute and run down over this kind of funk groove. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-spoken-word-segment-in-a-song/915218.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-spoken-word-segment-in-a-song/915218.md?page=4)