Wait, What Was That? Songs

[DMAFl]

Every now and then a song comes along with a normal word or phrase that is kind of unexpected , or that might  even be confusing.  Not talking about all of the famous "misheard" lyrics, but clear lyrics that make us go "Huh?". Two examples: "Darlin' Be Home Soon" is the only song I know to use the word "dawdle.". And when the Police sing that they will be  watching every breath I take I think that this stalker must be very sleep deprived.    Are there any words or lyrics that throw or threw you for a loop?

[BeatleloverKT]

Abacab by Genesis. Another great song that I love, but he sings about turning on a pillow and truthfully, I don't know what the song even means!

[1968Hoya46]

Rather than select each song individually, it's pretty safe to include most of Dylan's songbook in this topic. It's like trying to decipher a TS Eliot poem. Great stuff.

[DMAFl]

My Back Pages sounds like he took a few words from different sentences in different books and strung them all together. But somehow it sounds like something very deep. The music is so nice. Honorable mention, his use of the word "foundational." Edit:This was supposed to be a reply to the Dylan post but I see that it is floating around here by itself.

[BeatleloverKT]

Rock the casbah by the Clash. It is, one of my favorite songs of all time. But there's a lot of jibberish in there, like "You have to let that raga drop" Really, what is a raga? 

[MaVolta]

What a great topic!  The Beatles were really good at this, so here's another one.

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

And if you're curious, here' the story behind the song - 

https://www.songfacts.com/facts/the-beatles/lucy-in-the-sky-with-diamonds

The Beatles, and others, did often use symbolism or metaphors in their songs, but sometimes the audience would read into them things that they didn't even think about. 

[MaVolta]

Another example, which Lennon said actually was "gobbledygook," is this one - - -

Come Together - The Beatles

https://www.songfacts.com/facts/the-beatles/come-together

[DMAFl]

Lolol my son once asked me what all those things meant in the song. I told him that if we ever ran old flattop maybe he would explain

[BeatleloverKT]

You know my name (Look up the number) by the Fab 4️⃣ Another Beatles masterpiece filled with non-sensical mumblings. They were, as in everything they did, the Masters!

[Raynyky]

One of my favorites from McCartney's Ram album: Monkberry Moon Delight

So I sat in the attic, a piano up my nose,
And the wind played a dreadful cantata. (cantata, cantata)
Sore was I from a crack of an enemy's hose
And the horrible sound of tomato. (tomato, tomato)

Catch up! (catch up!)
Super fury
Don't get left behind. (get left behind)
Catch up (catch up!)
Super fury (super fury)
Don't get left behind. (get left behind, get left behind, get left behind)

When a rattle of rats had awoken
The sinews, the nerves and the veins.
My piano was boldly outspoken
In attempts to repeat this refrain.

So I stood with a knot in my stomach,
And I gazed at that terrible sight,
Of two youngsters concealed in a barrel,
Smoking monkberry moon delight, (om pah om pah pah) ho!

[DMAFl]

When I first heard "School's Out" by Alice Cooper it  really surprised me to hear, "we can't even think of a word that rhymes".  

[BeatleloverKT]

Grey Seal by Elton John. A great song, as per what I read, even Bernie Taupin doesn't know what it means lol

[DMAFl]

They don't get much musical recognition, but T Rex mentioned them. From Ride a White Swan "Wear a tall hat like the Druids in the old days. "

[DMAFl]

Jeepster by TRex is a guy singing the praises of the one he loves.  There is some quirky symbolism in there.  The line " She's got the universe reclining in her hair"  is, to me anyway, one of the most beautiful dreamy ways to express admiration and it has stuck with me all these years.  You can't picture it but you can feel it.   But that line before it " She slides so good with bones so fair.".   What is that even about?   

[BeatleloverKT]

Karma Chameleon by Culture Club

Never could figure out what this great song is about!

[BeatleloverKT]

Karma Chameleon by Culture Club

All my life have never known what this

song means but I love it!

[Raynyky]

The Slider-T.Rex

Great song have no idea what it means.

I could never understand
The wind at all
Was like a ball of love
I could never never see

The cosmic sea
Was like a bumblebee
And when I'm sad
I slide

I have never never kissed
A car before It's like a door
I have always always
Grown my own before

All schools are strange
And when I'm sad
I slide

I have never never
Nailed a nose before
That's how the garden grows
I could never understand

The wind at all
Was like a ball of love
And when I'm sad
I slide

Watch now I'm gonna slide

[1968Hoya46]

Daydream: Spoonful (Tomorrow I'll pay the dues for dropping my load, a pie in the face for being a sleepy bull dog). I didn't get it in 1966, don't get it now and I guess never will.

[1968Hoya46]

Smoke Gets In Your Eyes: Platters, others (So I chaffed them and I gaily laughed to think that they could doubt my love). I had listened to this song for decades without knowing what "chaffed" meant. Finally looked it up: to tease, poke fun at.

[BeatleloverKT]

I am the walrus by the Fab 4️⃣ The entire song fits this thread

[DMAFl]

How could this even have happened?  Bet not very many tribute bands include it on their concert setlists.

[LouLit01]

---

@BeatleloverKT wrote:

I am the walrus by the Fab 4️⃣ The entire song fits this thread

---

How about this one...

Talk to me about this one...

She's not a girl who misses much
Do do do do do do, oh yeah
She's well-acquainted with the touch of the velvet hand
Like a lizard on a window pane

The man in the crowd with the multicolored mirrors
On his hobnail boots

Lying with his eyes while his hands are busy
Working overtime

A soap impression of his wife which he ate
And donated to the National Trust

I need a fix 'cause I'm going down
Down to the pits that I left uptown
I need a fix 'cause I'm going down

Mother Superior jumped the gun
Mother Superior jumped the gun
Mother Superior jumped the gun
Mother Superior jumped the gun
Mother Superior jumped the gun
Mother Superior jumped the gun

Happiness is a warm gun (bang, bang, shoot, shoot)
Happiness is a warm gun, momma (bang, bang, shoot, shoot)

When I hold you in my arms (ooh, oh, yeah)
And I feel my finger on your trigger (ooh, oh, yeah)
I know nobody can do me no harm (ooh, oh, yeah)
Because

Happiness is a warm gun, yes it is (bang, bang, shoot, shoot)
Happiness is a warm, yes it is, gun (happiness, bang, bang, shoot, shoot)
Well, don't you know that happiness is a warm gun momma?
(Happiness is a warm gun, yeah)

I'm afraid to speculate, frankly.

[BeatleloverKT]

@LouLit01 Yours is even better!!

[BeatleloverKT]

Doo doo doo doo doo (Heartbreaker) by the Stones. I never understood the whole "doo" thing, and what it means to the song

[DMAFl]

I remember hearing this, that is a really good one !