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April 23, 2020 11:06 am  #1


Clever Lyrics

Having nothing much else to do during this Covid lock-down, I got thinking about really unique song lyrics... that is, a clever lyric or phrase that gets you thinking.  They could be deadly serious, such as the phrase in John Prine's song "Sam Stone".  "There's a hole in Daddy's arm where the money goes."... You can't get much more descriptive than that.

And of course, they could be humorous such as Willie Nelson's "Red Headed Stranger".. where he sings "You can't hang a man for killin' a woman who's trying to steal his horse." The first time I heard that, I almost spilled my whiskey.

I'd put Roger Miller in the same class as Prine and Nelson. Many of his lyrics were absolutely brilliant.

So, just for fun, how about listing one or two lyrics that you believe to be particularly clever or descriptive.

Anyone?

 

April 23, 2020 12:04 pm  #2


Re: Clever Lyrics

I always thought this song was very cleverly written. Pretty gutsy for the mid 70s, when these kinds of references simply were never heard or even implied on TV or radio. It takes until the last few lines to discover what it's really about. 


 

 

April 23, 2020 4:51 pm  #3


Re: Clever Lyrics

Speaking of Roger Miller, I saw him on TV many years ago and before he sang a "real" song he just sang this verse "the moon's high and so am I and the stars are out and so will I be pretty soon." brillant
I was always amused at his song Dang Me "I like $14 having 27¢!

 

April 23, 2020 6:19 pm  #4


Re: Clever Lyrics

I always loved this verse in "Positively 4th Street:

I wish that for just one time
You could stand inside my shoes
And just for that one moment I could be you
Yes I wish that for just one time
You could stand inside my shoes
You'd know what a drag it is to see you

 

April 24, 2020 3:02 am  #5


Re: Clever Lyrics

Regarding the Roger Miller lyric, I've always thought it went "I lack $14 of having 27 cents".  I guess It could be either one.
I heard a parody song back in the mid 1950's a few times on the Seattle Top outlet, KJR (at the time) that went.....
"When I see my baby's blue jeans hanging on the line!".  Anybody remember the tune?  It runs through my mind whenever I put on my denim pants and why it stayed there I do not know!!

 

April 24, 2020 12:27 pm  #6


Re: Clever Lyrics

I didn't look it up Jim but wrestled over  "like" vs "lack". I guess being southern I went with "like".

 

April 24, 2020 1:11 pm  #7


Re: Clever Lyrics

I know that you can't roller skate in a buffalo herd, but I have no idea about this. However, I did a search and found a couple of posts discussing the issue at http://www.amiright.com/misheard/stories/rogermiller.shtml that may be of interest.

 

April 24, 2020 3:37 pm  #8


Re: Clever Lyrics

Any time I hear "Mr. Sandman", I often wonder which of the following two lines was written first.  Was the task to find a rhyme for Pagliacci, or was the Liberace line written first and Pagliacci became the rhyme for it.  Pretty clever either way.

Give him a lonely heart like Pagliacci
And lots of wavy hair like Liberace

 

April 25, 2020 8:13 am  #9


Re: Clever Lyrics

The entire song  "Killer Queen" by Queen is cleverly written.  

In my opinion, nearly every song of Steely Dan has clever lyrics.  Poetry.  Beautiful words that fit in place and mean what they say.

Last edited by It's me Karen (April 25, 2020 8:13 am)

 

April 25, 2020 9:40 am  #10


Re: Clever Lyrics

Speaking of poetry, I think Jethro Tull's The Mouse Police Never Sleep is very cleaver.
 

 

April 25, 2020 7:38 pm  #11


Re: Clever Lyrics

Nothing can hold a candle to Bob Dylan's second-to-the-last release, Murder Most Foul, his very first Billboard #1 hit.  It will compete with Don McLean's American Pie for legend, story-telling and cryptic/clever lyrics.  Wow!!!  Even the melody is haunting.

 

April 26, 2020 12:37 am  #12


Re: Clever Lyrics

"i flushed you from the toilet of my heart (hourt, as they say down south)"

--j.d. blackfoot

 

April 26, 2020 7:49 am  #13


Re: Clever Lyrics

Little Rich wrote:

Nothing can hold a candle to Bob Dylan's second-to-the-last release, Murder Most Foul, his very first Billboard #1 hit.  It will compete with Don McLean's American Pie for legend, story-telling and cryptic/clever lyrics.  Wow!!!  Even the melody is haunting.

I agree with you.  I had the same feeling about "American Pie".   Dylan's song is very haunting, and the way he relates it just adds to the emotion.   I've listened to it several times since it was first posted here.  It moved me so much I had to leave a comment on YouTube.

 

April 26, 2020 4:25 pm  #14


Re: Clever Lyrics

It's me Karen wrote:

Little Rich wrote:

Nothing can hold a candle to Bob Dylan's second-to-the-last release, Murder Most Foul, his very first Billboard #1 hit.  It will compete with Don McLean's American Pie for legend, story-telling and cryptic/clever lyrics.  Wow!!!  Even the melody is haunting.

I agree with you.  I had the same feeling about "American Pie".   Dylan's song is very haunting, and the way he relates it just adds to the emotion.   I've listened to it several times since it was first posted here.  It moved me so much I had to leave a comment on YouTube.

Did you notice one of the YouTube copies of this song has had +3,330,000 views.  Bob D. wrote the following message about one month ago when he posted it:

Pinned by BobDylanVEVO
Bob Dylan 1 month ago
Greetings to my fans and followers with gratitude for all your support and loyalty across the years. This is an unreleased song we recorded a while back that you might find interesting. Stay safe, stay observant and may God be with you. - Bob Dylan

 

April 26, 2020 5:27 pm  #15


Re: Clever Lyrics

Little Rich wrote:

It's me Karen wrote:

Little Rich wrote:

Nothing can hold a candle to Bob Dylan's second-to-the-last release, Murder Most Foul, his very first Billboard #1 hit.  It will compete with Don McLean's American Pie for legend, story-telling and cryptic/clever lyrics.  Wow!!!  Even the melody is haunting.

I agree with you.  I had the same feeling about "American Pie".   Dylan's song is very haunting, and the way he relates it just adds to the emotion.   I've listened to it several times since it was first posted here.  It moved me so much I had to leave a comment on YouTube.

Did you notice one of the YouTube copies of this song has had +3,330,000 views.  Bob D. wrote the following message about one month ago when he posted it:

Pinned by BobDylanVEVO
Bob Dylan 1 month ago
Greetings to my fans and followers with gratitude for all your support and loyalty across the years. This is an unreleased song we recorded a while back that you might find interesting. Stay safe, stay observant and may God be with you. - Bob Dylan

Yes.  That's the one I posted on.

 

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