Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

Songs with Clever Lines

Forum|Forum|6 years ago
May 2, 2020
237 replies
65355 views

So which lines jump out at you as especially clever or well written?

To start: "We have to shout above the din of our Rice Crispies" ("Synchronicity II," the Police)

"Is her power all in her club sandwich?" ("Waitress," Tori Amos)

This topic has been closed for replies.

LouLit01

Conversationalist ⭐

This should be a fun category!

Sitting in an English garden

Waiting for the sun

If the sun don't come you get a tan

From standing in the English rain.

I am the Walrus

The Beatles

L

ls1873

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

WAVE UPON WAVE OF DEMENTED AVENGERS MARCH CHEERFULY OUT OF OBSCURITY AND INTO THE DREAM......FROM THE SONG SHEEP BY PINK FLOYD.

LouLit01

Conversationalist ⭐

B-B-B-baby, baby, baby, why you want to treat me this way
You know I'm still your lover boy, I still feel the same way
That's when she told me a story 'bout free milk and a cow
She said no hug-ee no kiss-ee until I get a weddin' vow
My honey, my baby, don't put my love upon no shelf
She said don't hand me no lines and keep your hands to yourself

Keep Your Hands to Yourself

The Georgia Satellites

BeatleloverKT

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

You shook me all night long AC/DC

All their songs have clever lyrics, imo but this one, with references of a woman

to a car, is their best, imo

1

1968Hoya46

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

”Wish I didn’t know now what I didn’t know then”.

Against The Wind (nice turn of phrase by Bob Seger)

MaVolta

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

Just Dropped In - Kenny Rogers & The First Edition

I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in

“When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.” - Jimi Hendrix

MaVolta

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

You're So Vain - Carly Simon

You're so vain
You probably think this song is about you

“When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.” - Jimi Hendrix

LouLit01

Conversationalist ⭐

I hope Neil Young will remember

A southern man don't need him 'round anyhow

Sweet Home Alabama

Lynyrd Skynyrd

TheGent2U

Contributor ⭐⭐⭐

Re "Sweet Home, Alabama": Neil and the original Skynyrd were on good terms. He actually played this song with them, live, at least once.

LouLit01

Conversationalist ⭐

Ah, but I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now

My Back Pages

Bob Dylan

MaVolta

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

This entire song is well written. The lyrics are poignant and deliver a powerful message. But, I'll go with these lines from the third verse to this one - - -

Sound of Silence - S & G

"Fools" said I, "You do not know
Silence like a cancer grows
Hear my words that I might teach you
Take my arms that I might reach you"
But my words like silent raindrops fell

“When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.” - Jimi Hendrix

MaVolta

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

Whiter Shade of Pale - Procol Harum

And so it was that later
As the miller told his tale
That her face, at first just ghostly
Turned a whiter shade of pale

“When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.” - Jimi Hendrix

LouLit01

Conversationalist ⭐

Smuggler's Blues

Glen Frey

Here's your ticket, baby

Take your suitcase in your hand

Here's a little money, now

Do it just the way we planned

You be cool for 20 hours

And I'll pay you 20 grand

LouLit01

Conversationalist ⭐

Lawyers Guns and Money

Warren Zevon

I went home with a waitress the way I always do
How was I to know she was with the Russians, too?

I was gambling in Havana, I took a little risk
Send lawyers, guns, and money
Dad, get me out of this!

LouLit01

Conversationalist ⭐

Time

Pink Floyd

Far away
Across the field
Tolling of the iron bell
Calls the faithful to their knees
To hear the softly spoken magic spell

BeatleloverKT

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

Continuing with the amazing songs of Pink Floyd.

Today I choose “Have a Cigar“

Come in here, dear boy, have a cigar

You’re gonna go far

You’re gonna fly high

You’re never gonna die

You’re gonna make it if you try

They’re gonna love you

And the best line of the song, imo:

We call it “Riding the gravy train”

LouLit01

Conversationalist ⭐

And the best line of the song, imo:

We call it “Riding the gravy train”

I like...

By the way, Which one's Pink?

1

1968Hoya46

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

Out past the cornfields where the woods got heavy

Out in the back seat of my '60 Chevy

Workin' on mysteries without any clues

Workin' on our night moves

We weren't in love oh no far from it

We weren't searchin' for some pie in the sky summit

We were just young and restless and bored

I used her, she used me

But neither one cared

We were getting our share.

Night Moves: Bob Seger

Seger's nostalgic reminiscence of adolescence, with all its passion, clumsy uncertainty, selfishness and learning. I think he's a great (and perhaps underrated) wordsmith who can really paint a picture.

BeatleloverKT

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

DarcyFarrowAuthor

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

"Ah, but let's not forget that the folks of Toledo unselfishly gave us the scale.
No springs, honest weight, that's the promise they made,
so smile and be thankful next time you get weighed."

("Saturday Night in Toledo, Ohio," John Denver)

Sign up

Login with SSO

Login to the community

Login with SSO