Feb 26, 2010

Favorite Song Lyrics

I don't know about you, but sometimes I find myself waiting patiently while I listen to a song. Waiting for that one perfect line. The entire song might be great, but I get an extra rush when I hear that one particular lyric that I love so much. So without further exposition, here are some random favorite song lyrics.  I'll try to link to the actual songs as well, so you can dig it further.

"The only thing I'll ever ask of you, ya gotta promise not to stop when I say 'when'"*
 - Everlong by Foo Fighters

*I know that it is followed by "She sang" after the pause, but I like it this way.  Seems more...exciting.


"I've always been a guy with a sweet tooth, and that girl's just like a...king-sized candy baaaar"
 - Milkshake 'n Honey by Sleater-Kinney

"And don't you just love the leader of the band? Equal parts Butthead and Peter Pan"
 - New Thing Now by Shawn Colvin

"The coffee is strong at the Cafe Du Monde, and the donuts are too hot to touch.  But just like a fool, when those sweet goodies cool, I eat till I eat way too much"
 - The Wino and I Know by Jimmy Buffett

"I must admit I felt a little uneasy when she bent down to tie the laces of my shoe"
 - Tangled Up In Blue by Bob Dylan

"Ghosts appear and fade away...come back another day"
 - Overkill by Colin Hay

"And all I do is miss you, and the way we used to be.  All I do is keep the beat...and bad company"
 - Romeo and Juliet by Dire Straits

"Hear the voices in my head.  I swear to God it sounds like their snoring"
 - Flagpole Sitta by Harvey Danger

 "Two pints of booze, tell me are you a badfish too?"
 - Badfish by Sublime

"She was a really cool kisser and she wasn’t all that strict of a Christian"
 - Stuck Between Stations by The Hold Steady

"I got soul, but I'm not a soldier..."
 - All These Things That I've Done by The Killers

Just a quick handful there by twiddling with my iPod.  How about you? Any particular favorites you got?

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Note: Remember to play the Bug-Eyed Trivia Challenge every day. What? No Lady Gaga?

28 comments:

Barlinnie said...

For some strange reason I recently found myself listening to the intro from 'Wonderwall' by Oasis, over and over again. It was hypnotic.

Heff said...

Being somewhat of a musician, I never even hear the lyrics in songs, much less pay attention to them. With what I listen to, that's probably a good thing.

Verdant Earl said...

Jimmy - I can dig that. Great song!

Heff - Gia is a singer, but she comes from a family of musicians. So she is firmly set in both worlds. The other day we were listening to a live recording of something and she mentioned that the guitar was out of tune. Something I would never have caught because I was listening to the singer. Well, right after the song ended the guitarist apologized for the borrowed guitar he was using that was out of tune. Nice.

RW said...

One of mine is from Steely Dan from Time Out Of Mind...

"Tonight when I chase the dragon
The water will change to cherry wine
And the silver will turn to gold
(in) Time
out of mind"

I'm old.

Kate said...

"She's filing her nails while they're dragging the lake."
Watching The Detectives - Elvis Costello

Limpy said...

"She was a damn good dancer but she wasn't all that great of a girlfriend"

I know The Hold Steady too.

"She woke up sunny side down and I was still thinkin' I was too proud to flip her over" Gravity's Gone by The Drive-By Truckers

white rabbit said...

I know you're not a Deadhead but I have to nominate 'Lady with a Fan' for lyrics...

'Let my inspiration flow in token rhyme, suggesting rhythm,
That will not forsake me, till my tale is told and done...'

All the way to the end...


'Since the end is never told, we pay the teller off in gold,
In hopes he will return, but he cannot be bought or sold'.


Perfect.

Mrs. Hall said...

From Seven Nation Army by the White Stripes:
"I'm going to Wichita
Far from this opera for evermore
I'm gonna work the straw
Make the sweat drip out of every pore
And I'm bleeding, and I'm bleeding, and I'm bleeding
Right before the lord
All the words are gonna bleed from me
And I will sing no more"

I love these lyrics because he is talking about escaping all the drama. And shutting down his thoughts or 'all the words are gonna bleed from me', because my brain is always fucking talking.
My muse is always chattering and my thoughts are spinning.


But it can be stopped though. All the interior and exterior drama can be stopped by working the hell out of the straw. Or, for me, really hitting the yoga mat. Until my muscles are screaming, the sweat is pouring and the poses are nailed.

Which his awesome all around!

Slyde said...

"my humps, my humps, my lovely lady lumps"

it's like scripture.....

Mrs. Hall said...

@Slyde-GAWD I love that song. ANd those lyrics, i sing them with my kids and we all stick out our butts and do the booty dance!

hee hee ehehee

booty DANCE!!

RW said...

^^this is why^^

Avitable said...

I can't think of anything even though I know there are random songs where I love lyrics.

Maybe it's because I have Ke$ha blasting in the background and can't concentrate.

sybil law said...

Everlong has so many great lyrics - I honestly just love that fricking song.
"Breathe out... so I can breathe you in... Hold you in.."
Damn I love it!
I am so fricking glad you put Dire Straits on here. Love them.
Hmmm..
I know there are a bajillion songs I love the lyrics to... I am gonna have to come back.

LegalMist said...

I like White Rabbit's GD nomination for pure poetry.

And I submit more Grateful Dead, for its great advice on enduring a crappy day: "Nothin' left to do but smile, smile, smile."

And then there's The Refreshments, nominated for most astute observation: "Everybody knows, that the world is full of stupid people...." Makes me chuckle every time.

Paticus said...

Springsteen comes to mind first(after the Grateful dead, but they have been fairly well represented)
"Poor man wanna be rich, rich man wanna be King, and a King ain't satisfied till he rules everything."-Badlands

I'll probably be back with some more.

Verdant Earl said...

RW - old schmold. I dig Steely Dan sometimes.

KAte - that's a good one!

Limpy - I don't know that song, I'll check it out.

Wabbit - yeah, but I don't hate the Dead either. That's a good one.

Holly - That song is very evocative for me. I heard it on the radio on every trip back and forth to the hospital before my father passed away. It always makes me think of him.

Slyde - that song IS you!

Holly - ooooookay.

RW - I hear ya.

Avitable - I wouldn't know a Ke$ha song if I was hit over the head with it.

Sybil - it's such a great song about longing and passion.

LM - I don't think I've ever heard the Refreshments.

Verdant Earl said...

Paticus - I can't believe I left off Bruce. He's Gia's favorite artist. My favorite of his is "I hid in the clouded wrath of the crowd, when they said 'sit down' I stood up" - Growin' Up.

Bruce Johnson said...

"I must admit I felt a little uneasy when she bent down to tie the laces of my shoe"
- Tangled Up In Blue by Bob Dylan

Quite possibly the best ballad ever written.

Kevin McKeever said...

One of my all-time favs:

"Don't put your heart out on your sleeve when your remarks are off-the-cuff."
-- Riot Act, Elvis Costello

Verdant Earl said...

Bruce - I agree, that's why I included it.

Uncool - Elvis has soooo many great lines in his songs. Tough to choose, but that's a great one.

Mrs. Hall said...

Earl get bloggy blog hugs from Holly.

Verdant Earl said...

Holly - Ah it's okay. But thanks. And you get hugs for pwning Slyde on his blog today. You fracking rule!

Mrs. Hall said...

Yes, yes I do indeed fracking rule ;)!!

Artful Kisser said...

Great list Earl. Totally agree about the Dire Straits line - as soon as I hear that line I can flip the station! Any line in Lucinda Williams' 'Essence' gets me hawt in the pants otherwise I do love 'Marie you are the wild blue sky and men do foolish things, you turn kings into beggars and beggars into kings' from Tom Waits' 'All the world is green'.

Verdant Earl said...

AK - Tom Waits is all-around excellent.

Water Logged Canine said...

What?! No fuckin' Who?

marty mankins said...

"If you should die before me/Ask if you could bring a friend" - Still Remains by Stone Temple Pilots

Raine said...

"I'd have to write a thousand songs to make you comprehend how beautiful you are" - Secondhand Serenade

"The beer I had for breakfast wasn't bad so I had one more for dessert." - Johnny Cash

"If there's no one beside you when your soul embarks then I'll follow you into the dark" - Deathcab for Cutie