Lyrics don't get any worse than these. Or do they?

dennisg
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Tue Dec 08, 2009 4:17 pm

From "Who put the bop in the bop-she-bop-she-bop" to "I want to rock and roll all night and party every day," rock history is littered with awful lyrics.

There are lyrics that mangle the English language, simply to cram in the right amount of syllables -- like America's "A horse with no name": "'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain."

And then there are lyrics that are so repetitious, you want to hang yourself with a guitar strap, like these lyrics from the immortal "Baby, please don't go" by Them, then remade by several other memory-challenged bands. What do you think of this for songwriting?

Baby, please don't go
Baby, please don't go
Baby, please don't go
Down to New Orleans
You know I love you so
Baby, please don't go


So revered was this verse that it appears three more times in the song.

And, of course, there are the cryptic lyrics. You know what I'm talking about. These are the lyrics by songwriters who, obviously influenced by Dylan, think that the quality of a song is directly proportional to the obscurity of its lyrics. Want proof? Here's an actual hit song:

At the party she was kindness in the hard crowd. 
Consolation for the old wound now forgotten. 
Yellow tigers crouched in jungles in her dark eyes. 
She's just dressing, goodbye windows, tired starlings.

Know what song that's from? "White room" by Cream. There are two other verses in the song that are equally as baffling. And those damned starlings -- and whatever the heck they symbolize -- make yet another appearance in the song.

Okay, boys and girls. Belly up to the bar and let 'er rip with short examples of the worst lyric writing you can find. This is your chance to rip Paul McCartney a new one. Or to choke the breath out of Air Supply. Or to push REO Speedwagon off a cliff. Let the horrible lyrics begin.

Most of all, have fun. Don't take anything personally.

- Beefy D


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neverfoundthetime
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Tue Dec 08, 2009 4:27 pm

Well this isn't awful but every time I arrive at this line I think the same thing: "Yeah, right!!"
From Pretty Woman by the big O:

"You look lovely as can be, are you lonely just like me?"
:-)


MarkM
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Tue Dec 08, 2009 4:35 pm

Maybe it was the chemicals....

But please.............this??????????





In-a-gadda-da-vida honey,
don'tcha know that I love you?
In-a-gadda-da-vida baby,
don'tcha know that I'll always be true?

Oh won'tcha come with me,
and take my hand?
Oh won'tcha come with me,
and walk this land?

Please take my hand...

Let me tell ya now.
In-a-gadda-da-vida honey,
don'tcha know that I love you?
In-a-gadda-da-vida baby,
don'tcha know that I'll always be true?

Oh won'tcha come with me,
and take my hand?
Oh won'tcha come with me,
and walk this land?

Please take my hand...

Let me tell ya.


Two,three,four!

In-a-gadda-da-vida honey,
don'tcha know that I love you?
In-a-gadda-da-vida baby,
don'tcha know that I'll always be true?




MarkM


tovo
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Tue Dec 08, 2009 5:35 pm

Walking like a man, hitting like a hammer
She's a juvenile scam, never was a quitter
Tasty like a raindrop, she's got the look

WHAT THE?????

(Roxette)

Just a quick story, right off topic sorry Dennis but it sticks in my memory. Per Gessle is the male part of the pop duo Roxette, a Swedish band. Per was travelling to the USA and going through customs when he was asked by the official what he did for a living. "I'm a musician" he replied. "Oh yeah, done anything I might know?" asked the official. "Well" replied Per, "You hear that song on the radio right now?....I wrote that". (The song was "it must have been love" from the movie Pretty Woman). Absolutely true story apparently. He related it on a chat show when I was living in Sweden. I thought it was cool.

(Sorry for the little diversion Dennis)


dennisg
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Tue Dec 08, 2009 6:03 pm

Don't apologize. It was a worthy digression.

- Beefy D


AndyT
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Tue Dec 08, 2009 6:35 pm

If you replace 'In-a-gadda-da-vida' with 'In the garden of Eden' It makes sense. The lyrics actually refer to walking in the garden of Eden with God. It's God singing.

Now... that's not quite the official answer to it, but pretty close. Doug Ingle said that Alcohol was responsible for slurring the lyrics and thats why it became what it was.


ANYWAY....

Songs that repeat over and over and over and over and over... You get the idea. They drive me nuts.


TGMatt
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Tue Dec 08, 2009 6:47 pm

snap

"rhythm is a dancer it's your soul companion you can feel it in the air,"
" oh yeah u can feel it"
" rhythm"
"rythm is a dancer"

" I'm serious as cancer when I say rhytm is a dancer"


dennisg
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Tue Dec 08, 2009 7:08 pm

TGMatt wrote:
snap

"rhythm is a dancer it's your soul companion you can feel it in the air,"
" oh yeah u can feel it"
" rhythm"
"rythm is a dancer"

" I'm serious as cancer when I say rhytm is a dancer"
Hah! I would have never thought to rhyme dancer with cancer. I would probably have gone with necromancer.

What song is that from, Matt? And who inflicted it on us?

- Beefy D


TGMatt
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Tue Dec 08, 2009 7:21 pm

the band was snap

the song rhythm is a dancer


I might add that

" my name is, my name is , my name is .. will the real slim shady pls stand up " kinda runs real close for me as well


the their is bros classic song

" when will I will I be famous "
" when will I will I get my picture in the papers"

truly ahead of theur time as it was 20 yes b4 Paris and Britney

and of course the timeless

"oh superman hahhahah hah hahahahaha"

and finally the immortal

" do the bartman.. I didn't do it nobody saw me do it you can't prove anything"



"


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neverfoundthetime
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Tue Dec 08, 2009 7:21 pm

Well how about a lovely song translated by the Italian writer clumsily into English (Zucchero with Rany Crawford)


I'll be the rain, and you'll be heaven crying
And my eyes will be filled with flowers
Upon the snowfields of white.

and ...

Time in the distance, will bring me to your side
From high up in heaven, diamante
We'll see peace with our eyes.

and...

We'll see them walking, the brides and soldiers
Dancing the dark, they melt together
Against the twilight
And all together we'll lift our voices
Singing the time, to play at soldiers
is gone forever
Domenica.

The tune is really good... I'm sure the Italian original is better...


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