Your Favorite Lyrics

[mozo-pg]

XTC LYRICS
"Dear God"

, hope you got the letter, and...
I pray you can make it better down here.
I don't mean a big reduction in the price of beer
but all the people that you made in your image, see
them starving on their feet 'cause they don't get
enough to eat from God, I can't believe in you

Dear God, sorry to disturb you, but... I feel that I should be heard
loud and clear. We all need a big reduction in amount of tears
and all the people that you made in your image, see them fighting
in the street 'cause they can't make opinions meet about God,
I can't believe in you

Did you make disease, and the diamond blue? Did you make
mankind after we made you? And the devil too!

, don't know if you noticed, but... your name is on
a lot of quotes in this book, and us crazy humans wrote it, you
should take a look, and all the people that you made in your
image still believing that junk is true. Well I know it ain't, and
so do you, dear God, I can't believe in I don't believe in

I won't believe in heaven and hell. No saints, no sinners, no
devil as well. No pearly gates, no thorny crown. You're always
letting us humans down. The wars you bring, the babes you
drown. Those lost at sea and never found, and it's the same the
whole world 'round. The hurt I see helps to compound that
Father, Son and Holy Ghost is just somebody's unholy hoax,
and if you're up there you'd perceive that my heart's here upon
my sleeve. If there's one thing I don't believe in

it's you....

[Birdy]

Richard Shindell---"Reunion Hill"

Must've been in late September
When last I climbed Reunion Hill
I fell asleep on Indian Boulder
And dreamed a dream I will not tell

I came home as the sun went down
One eye trained upon the ground
Even now I find their things
Glasses, coins, and golden rings



It's ten years since that ragged army
Limped across these fields of mine
I gave them bread, I gave them brandy
Most of all, I gave them time

My well is deep, the water pure
The streams are fed by mountain lakes
I cleaned the brow of many a soldier
Dousing for my husband's face

I won't forget our sad farewell
And how I ran to climb that hill
Just to watch him walk across the valley
And disappear into the trees



Alone there in a sea of blue
It circles every afternoon
A single hawk in God's great sky
Looking down with God's own eyes

He soars above Reunion Hill
I pray he spiral higher still
As if from such an altitude
He might just keep my love in view


Must've been in late September
When last I climbed Reunion Hill

[Birdy]

James Keelaghan--"Cold Missouri Waters"

My name is Dodge, but then you know that
It's written on the chart there at the foot end of the bed
They think I'm blind, I can't read it
I've read it every word, and every word it says is death
So, Confession - is that the reason that you came
Get it off my chest before I check out of the game
Since you mention it, well there's thirteen things I'll name
Thirteen crosses high above the cold Missouri waters

August 'Forty-Nine, north Montana
The hottest day on record, the forest tinder dry
Lightning strikes in the mountains
I was crew chief at the jump base, I prepared the boys to fly
Pick the drop zone, C-47 comes in low
Feel the tap upon your leg that tells you go
See the circle of the fire down below
Fifteen of us dropped above the cold Missouri waters

Gauged the fire, I'd seen bigger
So I ordered them to sidehill and we'd fight it from below
We'd have our backs to the river
We'd have it licked by morning even if we took it slow
But the fire crowned, jumped the valley just ahead
There was no way down, headed for the ridge instead
Too big to fight it, we'd have to fight that slope instead
Flames one step behind above the cold Missouri waters

Sky had turned red, smoke was boiling
Two hundred yards to safety, death was fifty yards behind
I don't know why I just thought it
I struck a match to waist high grass running out of time
Tried to tell them, Step into this fire I set
We can't make it, this is the only chance you'll get
But they cursed me, ran for the rocks above instead
I lay face down and prayed above the cold Missouri waters

And when I rose, like the phoenix
In that world reduced to ashes there were none but two survived
I stayed that night and one day after
Carried bodies to the river, wonder how I stayed alive
Thirteen stations of the cross to mark to their fall
I've had my say, I'll confess to nothing more
I'll join them now, because they left me long before
Thirteen crosses high above the cold Missouri waters
Thirteen crosses high above the cold Missouri shore

[Birdy]

http://youtu.be/38hDJQ6yVrE

[Birdy]

Greg Brown--"Brand New Dodge"

Money comes out of Dad's billfold.
Hankies come out of Mom's purse.
The engine hardly makes a sound
even when you put it in reverse.
It's got a push-button transmission,hardtop convertible, 4-door.
It's November of '63
and the brand new Dodge is a '64.

And we're rolling slow down Main Street -
the asphalt and gravel crunch.
Church is finally over
and we're going to have our Sunday lunch.
And then I will play football
with my buddies down in park.
Later I'll dream about my girlfriend
as I lie alone in the dark.

She's got short red hair and blue eyes
and her swimsuit's also blue
and her little brother is retarded,
but Jesus loves him, too.
And Jesus loves our president,
even though he is a Catholic.
There's a lot for a boy to think about
as he walks along the railroad tracks.

And my sister won't get carsick
'cause we're going only half a mile
and the car still has that new car smell
and dad looks like he might smile
and the world is big and full of Autumn
and I'm hungry as can be
and we're in our brand new '64 Dodge
November of '63

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

Re: Elton John lyrics to "Greatest Discovery": that would actually be Bernie Taupin...

[gryphs also]

Gorka...Keelaghan....Brown...some very find folk fans here!

[SteveSly]

We could make a whole thread of Bernie Taupin lyrics IMO. One of my favorites from him:



When I think of those East End lights, muggy nights
The curtains drawn in the little room downstairs
Prima Donna lord you really should have been there
Sitting like a princess perched in her electric chair
And it's one more beer and I don't hear you anymore
We've all gone crazy lately
My friends out there rolling round the basement floor

And someone saved my life tonight sugar bear
You almost had your hooks in me didn't you dear
You nearly had me roped and tied
Altar-bound, hypnotized
Sweet freedom whispered in my ear
You're a butterfly
And butterflies are free to fly
Fly away, high away, bye bye

I never realized the passing hours of evening showers
A slip noose hanging in my darkest dreams
I'm strangled by your haunted social scene
Just a pawn out-played by a dominating queen
It's four o'clock in the morning
Damn it listen to me good
I'm sleeping with myself tonight
Saved in time, thank God my music's still alive

And I would have walked head on into the deep end of the river
Clinging to your stocks and bonds
Paying your H.P. demands forever
They're coming in the morning with a truck to take me home
Someone saved my life tonight, someone saved my life tonight
Someone saved my life tonight, someone saved my life tonight
Someone saved my life tonight
So save your strength and run the field you play alone

Steve Sly

[rcarlberg]

We could make a whole thread of Bernie Taupin lyrics IMO.

Indeed we could. One of the best.

[Tangram]

Elton John--"The Greatest Discovery"


"The Greatest Discovery"

Peering out of tiny eyes
The grubby hands that gripped the rail
Wiped the window clean of frost
As the morning air laid on the latch

A whistle awakened someone there
Next door to the nursery just down the hall
A strange new sound you never heard before
A strange new sound that makes boys explore

Tread neat so small those little feet
Amid the morning his small heart beats
So much excitement yesterday
That must be rewarded must be displayed

Large hands lift him through the air
Excited eyes contain him there
The eyes of those he loves and knows
But what's this extra bed just here

His puzzled head tipped to one side
Amazement swims in those bright green eyes
Glancing down upon this thing
That make strange sounds, strange sounds that sing

In those silent happy seconds
That surround the sound of this event
A parent smile is made in moments
They have made for you a friend

And all you ever learned from them
Until you grew much older
Did not compare with when they said
This is your brand new brother
This is your brand new brother
This is your brand new brother

Bernie Taupin has some great ones.

[TheLoony]

Deep Purple - "You're Gemini and I don't know which one I like the most" always kills me. Glover and Gillan came up with some clever stuff.

Queensryche - Operation:Mindcrime. Even more relevant today.

Fates Warning - Parallels. I may be a stranger to relationships, but I've been there once or twice and this album has killer lyrics.

Dio has loads, but naming them would be too much.

[rcarlberg]

but naming them would be too much.

Apparently.

Those of us who have no idea will only get to imagine.

[SteveSly]

Dio has loads, but naming them would be too much.

Although Dio is my favorite vocalist off all time, lyrically I always thought he was very inconsistent. For every “Heaven And Hell” he wrote a lot of lyrics full of cliché’s that, although sounding like making big statements, in the end don’t say much of anything. He did have his moment though.

Steve Sly

[Lou]

The Psychodots had a gaggle of songs with brilliant (IMHO) lyrics. The following is a personal favorite...

Playing Dead

This song ain't got no meaning
and my life ain't got no plot
once upon a time, I was clever
but this time I'm not

I know a very rotten person
I know a mean little girl
I think she's gonna live forever
she was made for this world

And we went stomping through the ruins
as she was making snide remarks
I hadn't slept in 48 hours I looked at her, she looked like a shark

And then the Devil appeared, and I knew my time was up
Hypnotized staring into the headlights, nothing left to corrupt

(Chorus)
I'd start a revolution, if I could just get out of bed
But why add to the confusion?
Everything is better if I just keep on playing dead

I left my brain in Colorado
I left my balls in old Detroit
I left my future in Athens, Ohio
back when I still had a choice

I wrote a letter to my parents
said, "I'm a mess, and I wanna come home"
But my mother disappeared like Salvador Dali, and now I'm on my own

At mile 23 of a 26 mile foot race, I had to make a judgement call
Is it really worth the blisters? That's when I started to crawl

And then my angels appeared, and I knew my time was up
Hypnotized staring into the Great White Light
Wish I could bottle this stuff!

(Chorus)

What's my life about?
Is it really about money?
No one has enough, even in the land of milk and honey

You want some of mine?
So rob me 'til I'm blind
Reap all that I sow
And I'll just let it go

Before you start to shoot, I'd like to say
"Gee, that's a nice 3-piece suit!"
And do you want my coat
and all the songs I ever wrote?

You have an honest face
but you're a member of the human race
so let's cut to the chase
and hold my hand while we both fall from grace

(Chorus)

This song ain't got no meaning
and my life ain't got no plot
once upon a time, I was clever
but this time I'm not

[TheLoony]

Although Dio is my favorite vocalist off all time, lyrically I always thought he was very inconsistent. For every “Heaven And Hell” he wrote a lot of lyrics full of cliché’s that, although sounding like making big statements, in the end don’t say much of anything. He did have his moment though.

Steve Sly

True that. I'll take H&H, Rainbow Rising, Magica(Probably a album that many either don't know or don't like) and some early solo songs but there are many that make me wonder. I'd have to go looking but I was listening to either Master of the Moon or Strange Highways a while back and thinking what the hell was he talking about?

The last lyrics of H&H are some of my favorites of all time.

They say that life's a carousel
Spinning fast, you've got to ride it well
The world is full of Kings and Queens
Who blind your eyes then steal your dreams
...it's Heaven and Hell, oh well

And they'll tell you black is really white
The moon is just the sun at night
And when you walk in golden halls
You get to keep the gold that falls
It's Heaven and Hell

[SteveSly]

True that. I'll take H&H, Rainbow Rising, Magica(Probably a album that many either don't know or don't like) and some early solo songs but there are many that make me wonder. I'd have to go looking but I was listening to either Master of the Moon or Strange Highways a while back and thinking what the hell was he talking about?

The last lyrics of H&H are some of my favorites of all time.

Big fan of "Magica" here. I also saw the tour (the last time I saw live Dio unfortunately) and he did almost the whole album in order. I thought it was great, but we had some people who we were with who were bored out of their skull because they had come to hear the "hits", and they left before it was over. Lyrically "Magica" is definitely one of his better efforts. "Strange Highways" on the other hand would be an example of opposite. It is probably my least favorte Dio album and some of the writing is pretty bad IMO.

I also love the closing section of "Heaven And Hell". Dio at his best.

Steve Sly

[trurl]

Although Dio is my favorite vocalist off all time, lyrically I always thought he was very inconsistent. For every “Heaven And Hell” he wrote a lot of lyrics full of cliché’s that, although sounding like making big statements, in the end don’t say much of anything. He did have his moment though.

Steve Sly

At least you knew his tiger was clean.

[TheLoony]

Clean AND mean. Don't forget.

Here's a snippet I like:

Between the velvet lies
There's a truth that's hard as steel
The vision never dies
Life's a never ending wheel

[Galactic Bulldozer]

Reading this while listening to Colosseum's version of Rope Ladder to the Moon... which reminds me, who wrote the lyrics to Pressed Rat and Warthog?

[progeezer]

Reading this while listening to Colosseum's version of Rope Ladder to the Moon... which reminds me, who wrote the lyrics to Pressed Rat and Warthog?

Ginger Baker, IIRC and he recites it as well.

[Galactic Bulldozer]

Just to make sure as it was only when I saw the making of Disraeli Gears did I learn that Clapton had a lot of help with the lyrics to Tales of Brave Ulysses.

[rcarlberg]

Paul Simon again:

"Allergies"
My heart can stand a disaster
My heart can take a disgrace
But my heart is allergic to the women I love
And it's changing the shape of my face

Allergies, allergies
Something's living on my skin
Doctor please, doctor please
Open up it's me again

I go to a famous physician
I sleep in the local hotel
From what I can see of the people like me
We get better but we never get well

So I ask myself this question
It's a question I often repeat
Where do allergies go when it's after a show
And they want to get something to eat?


And now Randy Newman:

"Political Science"
No one likes us-I don't know why
We may not be perfect, but heaven knows we try
But all around, even our old friends put us down
Let's drop the big one and see what happens

We give them money-but are they grateful?
No, they're spiteful and they're hateful
They don't respect us-so let's surprise them
We'll drop the big one and pulverize them

Asia's crowded and Europe's too old
Africa is far too hot
And Canada's too cold
And South America stole our name
Let's drop the big one
There'll be no one left to blame us

We'll save Australia
Don't wanna hurt no kangaroo
We'll build an All American amusement park there
They got surfin', too

Boom goes London and boom Paris
More room for you and more room for me
And every city the whole world round
Will just be another American town
Oh, how peaceful it will be
We'll set everybody free
You'll wear a Japanese kimono babe
And there'll be Italian shoes for me

They all hate us anyhow
So let's drop the big one now
Let's drop the big one now

"Pretty Boy"
Have we got a tough guy here?
Have we got a tough guy from the street?
And he looks just like that dancing wop
In those movies that we've seen
With his cute little chicken shit boots on
And his cute little chicken shit hat
And his cute little chicken shit girlfriends
Ridin' along in back

What's been happening with you boys?
Are you having a nice time on your trip?
All the way from Jersey City
And you look pretty as a picture
Please don't hurt no one tonight
Please don't break no woman's heart
How 'bout it, you little prick?
How 'bout it?

Hope we're gonna get the chance
To show you 'round
Hope we're gonna get the chance
To show you 'round
Talk tough to me, Pretty Boy
Tell us all about the mean streets of home
Talk tough to me

[trurl]

My favorite Randy Newman lyric ever:


Gonna take off my pants
Gonna take off my pants
Gonna take off my pants
Gonna take off my pants
And your mama can't stop me
And your papa can't stop me
And the police can't stop me
No one can stop me
Gonna do it right now
Gonna do it right now
I'm gonna take off my pants
Gonna take off my pants
And your teachers can't stop me
And your priests can't stop me
And your firemen can't stop me
And the President can't stop me
Will you take off my pants?
Will you take off my pants?

[SteveSly]

Agreed, Newman is another great one.

Steve Sly

[SteveSly]

Been listening to a lot of Joe Jackson lately who is one of my favorite lyricists. This a great one from one of his more recent albums about the nature of his fading fame in the music buisness:

Hey, can you hear me now
As I fade away
And lose my ground?

Maybe you'd like to know
What I'd have to say
If I was still around

Now I'm made of smoke
You see through to me
It's the strangest joke

You can't touch the invisible man
Can't touch the invisible man
Can't stop the invisible man

Why do the lights go down
Or run to someone new?
Well, let them learn

I used to own this town
Now I'm watchin' you
Now it's my turn

Now I'm made of mist
Will you know
When you've been kissed?

Can't touch the invisible man
Can't touch the invisible man
Can't stop the invisible man

Now I'm almost free
Disappearing
Don't cry for me

You can't touch the invisible man