Bad lyrics in great songs.

Songwriting, songwriters, etc

Moderators: admin, mdc, TAXIstaff

jeffe
Committed Musician
Committed Musician
Posts: 831
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2007 5:29 am
Gender: Male
Location: Chichester, England.
Contact:

Bad lyrics in great songs.

Post by jeffe » Mon Apr 02, 2007 4:18 am

We've all been picking apart each others songs on here. Praising some whilst criticising others.What about all those big hits?There's a lot with questionable lyrics in them. Lyrics that don't fit.We're not the only ones that don't get it right all the time.I'll start off with an example.'Chasing cars' by Snow Patrol has the following line in it:"Show me a garden that's bursting into life".There doesn't appear to be any relation in that line, to the rest of the song. In fact. I've seen this line criticised on a few music web sites.For those of you who don't know the song. It was a massive hit.The music and vocals are fantastic, and that was what sold it for me.Even though that line is irrelevant. It didn't stop it from being the smash hit it was.Got some more examples?
It's been said that I have Murderous eyes.

jchitty
Serious Musician
Serious Musician
Posts: 4266
Joined: Tue Jun 23, 2009 5:20 pm
Contact:

Re: Bad lyrics in great songs.

Post by jchitty » Mon Apr 02, 2007 4:35 am

Quote:We've all been picking apart each others songs on here. Praising some whilst criticising others.What about all those big hits?There's a lot with questionable lyrics in them. Lyrics that don't fit.We're not the only ones that don't get it right all the time.I'll start off with an example.'Chasing cars' by Snow Patrol has the following line in it:"Show me a garden that's bursting into life".There doesn't appear to be any relation in that line, to the rest of the song. In fact. I've seen this line criticised on a few music web sites.For those of you who don't know the song. It was a massive hit.The music and vocals are fantastic, and that was what sold it for me.Even though that line is irrelevant. It didn't stop it from being the smash hit it was.Got some more examples?Here's a song which I think has a few bad lyrics....."Like Red On A Rose." I am a big Alan Jackson fan. I love just about any song he sings, but that was a song that had me going 'What?"I just don't think it was one of his better songs. I don't think he wrote that one, forgot who did.Anyway, the lyrics in question were something like (can't remember them exactly):"And I love you like all little children love penniesAnd I love you like good times of which I've known many"I just think the songwriter was looking for a word to rhyme with many, and he came up with this 'all little children love pennies" line because he couldn't think of anything else.....it just sounds kind of goofy to me, but as I say, I can't be too critical of anyone who gets a hit song on the radio, hehe. People obviously liked it.I think that if I'd written that song though, TAXI screeners would have said something like, "well do all little children REALLY love pennies" and what does that line have to do with the overall idea of your song?

jeffe
Committed Musician
Committed Musician
Posts: 831
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2007 5:29 am
Gender: Male
Location: Chichester, England.
Contact:

Re: Bad lyrics in great songs.

Post by jeffe » Mon Apr 02, 2007 4:43 am

And I love you like my good old friend called Benny.No.And I love you like cartman loves his buddy Kenny.No.And I love you like my prized collection of pennies.No.Aha.And I love you like all little children love pennies.That'll do.
It's been said that I have Murderous eyes.

jchitty
Serious Musician
Serious Musician
Posts: 4266
Joined: Tue Jun 23, 2009 5:20 pm
Contact:

Re: Bad lyrics in great songs.

Post by jchitty » Mon Apr 02, 2007 4:49 am

Quote:And I love you like my good old friend called Benny.No.And I love you like cartman loves his buddy Kenny.No.And I love you like my prized collection of pennies.No.Aha.And I love you like all little children love pennies.That'll do. LOL, good stuff.

arkjack
Committed Musician
Committed Musician
Posts: 886
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2006 6:00 am
Gender: Male
Location: Valley Forge Penna.
Contact:

Re: Bad lyrics in great songs.

Post by arkjack » Mon Apr 02, 2007 5:41 am

I was thinking of a bunch of Jethro Tull songs from the 70's that had odd lyrics... some a whole album side.... with alot of jammin.........

jeffe
Committed Musician
Committed Musician
Posts: 831
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2007 5:29 am
Gender: Male
Location: Chichester, England.
Contact:

Re: Bad lyrics in great songs.

Post by jeffe » Mon Apr 02, 2007 6:01 am

Good heavens!I remember him. One example of his was 'Aqualung'.I'm still trying to work out what the song has got to do with the title. There's only one line in there that really says anything about the title and that's"Deep sea diver sounds".Perhaps if I had one of his cups of tea I might understand it better, but I don't think so.
It's been said that I have Murderous eyes.

mixopenta
Impressive
Impressive
Posts: 227
Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2007 12:55 am
Gender: Male
Contact:

Re: Bad lyrics in great songs.

Post by mixopenta » Tue Apr 03, 2007 1:37 am

Not to mention Jon Andersons lyrics in some (or all) of Yes epics:Close to the edge"A seasoned witch could call you from the depths of your disgrace,And rearrange your liver to the solid mental grace,And achieve it all with music that came quickly from afar,Then taste the fruit of man recorded losing all against the hour".Does anybody have a clue...?

jeffe
Committed Musician
Committed Musician
Posts: 831
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2007 5:29 am
Gender: Male
Location: Chichester, England.
Contact:

Re: Bad lyrics in great songs.

Post by jeffe » Tue Apr 03, 2007 1:46 am

That's the guy that did some work with Vangelis. I've got a single of theirs called "I'll find my way home". Come to think of it. It is a bit out of tune.I remember thinking that my record was slightly warped, but it was perfect. It was just his voice that was warped.
It's been said that I have Murderous eyes.

jeffe
Committed Musician
Committed Musician
Posts: 831
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2007 5:29 am
Gender: Male
Location: Chichester, England.
Contact:

Re: Bad lyrics in great songs.

Post by jeffe » Tue Apr 03, 2007 2:13 am

Quote:Not to mention Jon Andersons lyrics in some (or all) of Yes epics:Close to the edge"A seasoned witch could call you from the depths of your disgrace,And rearrange your liver to the solid mental grace,And achieve it all with music that came quickly from afar,Then taste the fruit of man recorded losing all against the hour".Does anybody have a clue...? I reckon he had been eating too much Alphabetti Spaghetti.
It's been said that I have Murderous eyes.

User avatar
Casey H
King of the World
King of the World
Posts: 14185
Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2004 3:22 pm
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Contact:

Re: Bad lyrics in great songs.

Post by Casey H » Tue Apr 03, 2007 2:22 am

Quote:Not to mention Jon Andersons lyrics in some (or all) of Yes epics:Close to the edge"A seasoned witch could call you from the depths of your disgrace,And rearrange your liver to the solid mental grace,And achieve it all with music that came quickly from afar,Then taste the fruit of man recorded losing all against the hour".Does anybody have a clue...? That's because back then nobody exhaled.

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 18 guests