Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

Songs with Clever Lines

Forum|Forum|6 years ago
May 2, 2020
237 replies
65404 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)

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DarcyFarrowAuthor

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

Norgwegian Wood (Beatles): "So I lit a fire" [in the fireplace or did he burn the house down?]

MaVolta

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

Norgwegian Wood (Beatles): "So I lit a fire" [in the fireplace or did he burn the house down?]

That entire song is a bit "tilted" IMO. 🙃

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

MaVolta

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

This song paints a portrait of someone who literally painted portraits. These lines are the ones that really stand out, for me. (one of my favorite songs of all time)

Portraits hung in empty halls
Frameless heads on nameless walls
With eyes that watch the world and can't forget

Vincent - Don McLean

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

LouLit01

Conversationalist ⭐

Positively 4th Street

Bob Dylan

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

cm9889168

Community Champion ⭐

I've mentioned his song in a few other posts:

"We Didn't Start The Fire" by Billy Joel

"Wheel of Fortune", Sally Ride, heavy metal, suicide
Foreign debts, homeless vets, AIDS, crack, Bernie Goetz
Hypodermics on the shores, China's under martial law
Rock and roller cola wars, I can't take it anymore"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFTLKWw542g

LouLit01

Conversationalist ⭐

'Cause I've been rocked into ruin, I've been discoed to death
I've been funk rocked and punk rocked 'til I can't catch my breath
I've been reggaed 'til I'm ragged, I've been new waved 'til I'm blind
But I've got a solution for my funky state of mind

Passing Lane

The Charlie Daniels Band

BeatleloverKT

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

Lucy in the sky with diamonds Fab 4️⃣

The incredible imagery that is the

Beatles is on full display during this

masterpiece:

”Picture yourself on a train in a station

With plasticine porters with looking glass ties

Suddenly someone is there at the turnstile

The girl with the kaleidoscope eyes”

DarcyFarrowAuthor

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

Iris (U2):

"The darkness just lets us see who we are"

Raynyky

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

Up To No Good Livin’-Chris Stapleton

Wish I could come home from workin'
And not have ya checkin' my breath
I'm tired of her turning her questions
Into the Gettysburg Address

There's no reason why she shouldn't trust me
The fact that she don't makes me mad
Can't count all the times that I begged her
Honey, just let my past be the past

I used to drink like a fish and run like a dog
Done a whole lotta **bleep** not permitted by law
People call me the Picasso of painting the town
And I've finally grown up
I finally changed from that someone I was to somebody I ain't
But she finds it hard to believe that she's turned me around
Though I'll probably die before I live all mine
Up to no good livin' now

Gave up on bringing her flowers
And that just kept making things worse
I ain't been guilty of nothin'
Of being the man she deserves

I used to drink like a fish and run like a dog
Done a whole lotta **bleep** not permitted by law
People call me the Picasso of painting the town
And I've finally grown up
I finally changed from that someone I was to somebody I ain't
But she finds it hard to believe that she's turned me around
You know I'll probably die before I live all mine
Up to no good livin' now

I used to curse like a sailor and howl at the moon
And I woke up some mornings with I don't know who
But I never dreamed back then that I'd have to pay for it now
You know I'll probably die before I live all mine
Up to no good livin' now
Yeah I'd hate to die before I live all mine
Up to no good livin' now

LouLit01

Conversationalist ⭐

A Simple Desultory Philippic - S & G

Thanks for this one, MaVolta. So many names I haven't thought of in years.

LouLit01

Conversationalist ⭐

Brain Damage

Pink Floyd

The lunatic is in my head
The lunatic is in my head
You raise the blade, you make the change
You re-arrange me 'til I'm sane
You lock the door
And throw away the key

There's someone in my head but it's not me

And if the cloud bursts, thunder in your ear
You shout and no one seems to hear
And if the band you're in starts playing different tunes
I'll see you on the dark side of the moon

MaVolta

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

It's not just the lyrics to this one, but the way Mick sings it just cracks me up!

The Spider and the Fly - The Rolling Stones

Sittin', drinkin', sinkin', drinkin'
Wonderin' what I'd do when I'm through tonight
Smokin', mopin', maybe just hopin'
Some little girl will pass on by
Don't wanna be alone but I love my girl at home
I remember what she said (what she said)
She said, "my, my, my, don't tell lies,
Keep fidelity in your head
My my my, don't tell lies,
When you're done you should go to bed
Don't say hi, like a spider to a fly
Jump right ahead and you're dead"

Sit up, fed up, low down, go round
Down to the bar at the place I'm at
Sittin', drinkin', superficially thinkin'
About the rinsed-out blonde on my left
But then I said "hi" like a spider to a fly
Rememberin' what my little girl said

She was common, flirty, she looked about thirty
I would have run away but I was on my own
She told me later she's a machine operator
She said she liked the way I held the microphone
Then I said "hi" like a spider to a fly
Jump right ahead in my web

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Keith Richards / Mick Jagger

The Spider and the Fly lyrics © Abkco Music, Inc

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

BeatleloverKT

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

Taxman Fab 4️⃣ Another genius take on

taxes, of all things, who can’t relate?

”If you drive a car, I’ll tax the street

If you try to sit, I’ll tax your seat

If you get too cold, I’ll tax the heat

If you take a walk, I’ll tax your feet”

Raynyky

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

Strawberry Fields Forever-Beatles

Every line is great!

Let me take you down
'Cause I'm going to Strawberry Fields
Nothing is real
And nothing to get hung about
Strawberry Fields forever

Living is easy with eyes closed
Misunderstanding all you see
It's getting hard to be someone
But it all works out
It doesn't matter much to me

Let me take you down
'Cause I'm going to Strawberry Fields
Nothing is real
And nothing to get hung about
Strawberry Fields forever

No one I think is in my tree
I mean it must be high or low
That is you can't, you know, tune in
But it's all right
That is, I think, it's not too bad

Let me take you down
'Cause I'm going to Strawberry Fields
Nothing is real
And nothing to get hung about
Strawberry Fields forever

Always, no, sometimes think it's me
But you know I know when it's a dream
I think, er, no, I mean, er, yes
But it's all wrong
That is I think I disagree

Let me take you down
'Cause I'm going to Strawberry Fields
Nothing is real
And nothing to get hung about
Strawberry Fields forever
Strawberry Fields forever
Strawberry Fields forever

LouLit01

Conversationalist ⭐

I woke up in a Soho doorway

A policeman knew my name

He said, You can go sleep at home tonight

If you can get up and walk away

I crawled back to the Underground

And a breeze blew back my hair

I remember throwing punches around

And preaching from my chair

Who Are You?

The Who

cm9889168

Community Champion ⭐

"We Didn't Start The Fire" by Billy Joel

(this is always my pick for lyrics)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFTLKWw542g

TheGent2U

Contributor ⭐⭐⭐

From Paul Simon: https://youtu.be/QOvs3rCFI2A

"A Simple Desultory Philippic"

I been Norman Mailered, Maxwell Taylored
I been John O'Hara'd, McNamara'd
I been Rolling Stoned and Beatled 'til I'm blind
I been Ayn Randed, nearly branded
A Communist, 'cause I'm left-handed
That's the hand I use, well, never mind

I been Phil Spectored, resurrected
I been Lou Adlered, Barry Sadlered
Well, I paid all the dues I want to pay
And I learned the truth from Lenny Bruce
And of all my wealth won't buy me health
So I smoke a pint of tea a day

I knew a man his brain so small
He couldn't think of nothin' at all
He's not the same as you and me
He doesn't dig poetry, he's so unhip that
When you say Dylan, he thinks you're talkin' about Dylan Thomas
Whoever he is
The man ain't got no culture
But its alright, Ma, everybody must get stoned

I been Mick Jaggered, silver daggered
Andy Warhol, won't you please come home?
I been mothered, fathered, aunt and uncled
Been Roy Haleed and Art Garfunkeled
I just discovered somebody's tapped my phone

Folk rock

I lost my harmonica, Albert

LouLit01

Conversationalist ⭐

Gold Coast slave ship bound for cotton fields

Sold in the market down in New Orleans

Scarred old slaver know he's doing alright

Hear him whip the women just around midnight

Brown Sugar

The Rolling Stones

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