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Post by daniel on Nov 18, 2007 13:52:40 GMT -5
Well, I never questioned Archer about the single issue, as he's forgotten more about music (especially the Beatles) than I've ever known! It's just made me laugh how he'd always point that fact out every time Summer Rain came on the station. I guess the jukebox in the song had a 45 bootleg of the song.  |
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Post by Laura--I wuv u all :) on Dec 19, 2007 16:58:54 GMT -5
Here are some holiday ones: "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"-"There'll be scary ghost stories"  ? Wait a minute--Halloween was 2 months ago! "The First Noel"-"On a cold winter's ni-ight that wa-as so deep". Huh?!?!?! Sounds like someone was desperate to find words that rhyme and/or fit the rhythm. (I think this song may have been translated out of another language, but I'm not absolutely sure.) And finally I have to mention the Jackson 5's version of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer". They did a good job on it, but it drives me nuts that they use "reindeers" as the plural of "reindeer". ("then how the reindeers loved him") There is no such word as "reindeers"! If you have more than one reindeer, the word is still "reindeer". And most versions of this song get it right. I know it sounds like I'm being anal retentive here, but c'mon... (Oh, and BTW, I know Cheech Marin said "reindeers" in the Cheech & Chong comedy record "Santa Claus and His Old Lady", but that's a COMEDY record, so the grammatical error is a little easier to take.) |
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Post by Laura--I wuv u all :) on Dec 19, 2007 17:06:22 GMT -5
Oh, I've got another one:
"I'll Be Home for Christmas"-most versions of this song have "presents on the tree". I have only gotten one present that was actually ON the tree before I opened it (a gift certificate in an envelope). Now if someone gives you an ornament or a candy cane, you can put that on the tree...but if ALL the presents were on the tree, that poor ol' tree would be weighted down! However, I have also heard it sung "presents by the tree", and that makes more sense.
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Post by Dawn on Dec 21, 2007 11:55:55 GMT -5
Here are some holiday ones: "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"-"There'll be scary ghost stories" ? Wait a minute--Halloween was 2 months ago! "The First Noel"-"On a cold winter's ni-ight that wa-as so deep". Huh?!?!?! Sounds like someone was desperate to find words that rhyme and/or fit the rhythm. (I think this song may have been translated out of another language, but I'm not absolutely sure.) And finally I have to mention the Jackson 5's version of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer". They did a good job on it, but it drives me nuts that they use "reindeers" as the plural of "reindeer". ("then how the reindeers loved him") There is no such word as "reindeers"! If you have more than one reindeer, the word is still "reindeer". And most versions of this song get it right. I know it sounds like I'm being anal retentive here, but c'mon... (Oh, and BTW, I know Cheech Marin said "reindeers" in the Cheech & Chong comedy record "Santa Claus and His Old Lady", but that's a COMEDY record, so the grammatical error is a little easier to take.) I always wondered about that "scary ghost stories" lyric also. I guess it could be referring to "A Christmas Carol," but that's the only Christmas-related ghost story I know of. I agree about The First Noel's lyrics not fitting the meter of the song very well in places. I looked it up, and it was originally written in English, so the odd relation of lyrics to meter was apparently intentional. Another part of the song that bugs me is when singers pronounce the line "They looked up" as "look-ed up." That definitely sounds like a stretch to make the lyrics fit. |
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Post by Laura--I wuv u all :) on Dec 27, 2007 20:45:02 GMT -5
I love this thread! Analyzing song lyrics is fun, isn't it? Here's another one: "Heartless" by Heart: How exactly does one go about "sinning in the name of rock & roll"? If anyone here knows, please tell us, just in case any of us ever decide we want to sin in the name of rock & roll. That might be fun.  |
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Post by Laura--I wuv u all :) on Dec 29, 2007 17:42:57 GMT -5
I'll tell you something funny I heard the other night--this doesn't really fall into this category, it falls into the category of "someone singing the wrong words": I went to a place where they do live band karaoke. (I LOVE live band karaoke!!!!) Anyway, the MC started out the evening by singing "Sweet Home Chicago" with the band, and I SWEAR I heard him sing: "2 and 2 is 8." |
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Post by alandhopewell on Jan 11, 2008 11:14:37 GMT -5
Here are some holiday ones: "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"-"There'll be scary ghost stories" ? Wait a minute--Halloween was 2 months ago! "The First Noel"-"On a cold winter's ni-ight that wa-as so deep". Huh?!?!?! Sounds like someone was desperate to find words that rhyme and/or fit the rhythm. (I think this song may have been translated out of another language, but I'm not absolutely sure.) And finally I have to mention the Jackson 5's version of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer". They did a good job on it, but it drives me nuts that they use "reindeers" as the plural of "reindeer". ("then how the reindeers loved him") There is no such word as "reindeers"! If you have more than one reindeer, the word is still "reindeer". And most versions of this song get it right. I know it sounds like I'm being anal retentive here, but c'mon... (Oh, and BTW, I know Cheech Marin said "reindeers" in the Cheech & Chong comedy record "Santa Claus and His Old Lady", but that's a COMEDY record, so the grammatical error is a little easier to take.) I always wondered about that "scary ghost stories" lyric also. I guess it could be referring to "A Christmas Carol," but that's the only Christmas-related ghost story I know of. I agree about The First Noel's lyrics not fitting the meter of the song very well in places. I looked it up, and it was originally written in English, so the odd relation of lyrics to meter was apparently intentional. Another part of the song that bugs me is when singers pronounce the line "They looked up" as "look-ed up." That definitely sounds like a stretch to make the lyrics fit. There's an old English tradition of telling ghost stories on Christmas Eve night...perhaps while guzzling Old English 800.  |
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Post by Laura--I wuv u all :) on Mar 14, 2008 11:47:15 GMT -5
I've got another one:
"Spiders and Snakes"-Jim Stafford: "...and I said, 'This frog's for you!' And she said, 'I don't like spiders and snakes...'" But that was neither a spider nor a snake--it was a frog! Maybe the song should be called "Frogs and Snakes"?
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Post by alandhopewell on Mar 17, 2008 12:39:52 GMT -5
I've got another one: "Spiders and Snakes"-Jim Stafford: "...and I said, 'This frog's for you!' And she said, 'I don't like spiders and snakes...'" But that was neither a spider nor a snake--it was a frog! Maybe the song should be called "Frogs and Snakes"? Picky, picky, picky....  |
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Post by Laura--I wuv u all :) on Jul 2, 2008 15:35:20 GMT -5
(This should actually go under the "repetitive songs" thread, but I can't find it. It's not an example of a "stupid" line, just a "too often-repeated" line.)
Even though I love John Mayer (and I'm going to see him in concert tomorrow night--can't wait!!!!), his latest single, "Say", definitely falls into the "repetitive" category. The chorus is "Say what you need to say," repeated ad nauseum. It's a pretty song from a musical standpoint, but I think he "needed to say" a little bit more. Maybe it will be more interesting when I hear him do it live--sometimes live versions do make a song more interesting.
Sorry again that this is in the wrong thread!
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Post by edehl on Jul 2, 2008 19:30:29 GMT -5
Here's an obscure one: Rupert Holmes' song "Him". The opening lines (to an otherwise very cool tune) are hideous. Who sings about "smokes"? And your girlfriend forgetting to hide them?
Over by the window, there's a pack of cigarettes.
Not my brand you understand,
Sometimes the girl forgets
She forgets to hide them
I know who left those smokes behind
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Post by H2IZCOOL on Jul 2, 2008 20:50:18 GMT -5
Here's an obscure one: Rupert Holmes' song "Him". The opening lines (to an otherwise very cool tune) are hideous. Who sings about "smokes"? And your girlfriend forgetting to hide them? Over by the window, there's a pack of cigarettes. Not my brand you understand, Sometimes the girl forgets She forgets to hide them I know who left those smokes behind I don't know, Edehl. That song was 1980. I think there were still a lot more people who smoked then than smoke now. I know, for instance that I didn't find the words as odd then as I would if the song had been recorded this year. |
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Post by gremashlo on Jul 2, 2008 21:18:57 GMT -5
"Ride My See-Saw" by the Moody Blues...the opening is incredible, but everytime I hear it I KNOW that the insanely stupid title/opening lyric will bring the whole thing crashing down...
What--"Ride My Big Wheel" didn't have the proper meter? "Ride My Huffy" lacked panache? "Ride My Sch-Winn"?
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Post by dave910 on Jul 2, 2008 23:20:32 GMT -5
(This should actually go under the "repetitive songs" thread, but I can't find it. It's not an example of a "stupid" line, just a "too often-repeated" line.) Even though I love John Mayer (and I'm going to see him in concert tomorrow night--can't wait!!!!), his latest single, "Say", definitely falls into the "repetitive" category. The chorus is "Say what you need to say," repeated ad nauseum. It's a pretty song from a musical standpoint, but I think he "needed to say" a little bit more. Maybe it will be more interesting when I hear him do it live--sometimes live versions do make a song more interesting. Sorry again that this is in the wrong thread! Actually, Laura, you're in the ballpark. I enjoy John Mayer, but that current hit "Say" is repetitive as hell!  BTW, I hope you enjoy the show! |
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Post by H2IZCOOL on Jul 3, 2008 9:57:43 GMT -5
I enjoy listening to the lite rock of Bread now and again and think that David gates is a great writer. I have several personal favorites among Bread songs and enjoy the combination of very mellow music and clever lyrics. But then there is "Sweet Surrender." This is a typical example of lazy song writing. Picking phrases for no other reason than the fact that they rhyme. I mean -- "You keep your rights, I'll take your nights." Come on, give me a break! Tasting defeat, but oh what a sweet surrender" Is nearly as bad. |
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? Wait a minute--Halloween was 2 months ago! 
BTW, I hope you enjoy the show!