Songs with lyrics which make no f-ing sense

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Pretty much any Pere Ubu.

True, but sometimes a lot of his/their stuff falls into place quite nicely and actually does make a bit of sense...in an abstract non linear way.

Same can said about Captain Beefheart, especially some of his later stuff.

 

[blindbaby]

True, but sometimes a lot of his/their stuff falls into place quite nicely and actually does make a bit of sense...in an abstract non linear way.

Same can said about Captain Beefheart, especially some of his later stuff.

David Thomas does/did a lot of improvisational lyricism on albums; especially on, "The Art Of Walking". I was in no way negatively criticizing them; I actually found a lot of it to be genius in its own right (they had a sound like nobody else).

I always loved the song "Arabian Nights..."ants, the little ants....and they work very hard all day, work very hard all day..." lol

 

[blindbaby]

@yoga≈surfing

True story...

About 35 years ago, some friends and I entered an Air Band contest at a local redneck night club. I was the singer/guitarist and I went up onstage wearing a hockey glove on my strumming hand. We did The Velvet Underground - I Heard Her Call My Name, and Pere Ubu - Arabian Nights (vocal version).

We had the entire crowd in an uproar, ready to kill us. People were booing us to no end and were throwing ice at us. Two people even rushed the stage and mooned us.

Because we were the only airband that showed up that night, we were automatically promoted to the next round. The owner of the club pleaded with us not to do something like that again and were willing to buy us a bunch of drinks just to do something somewhat normal. We were like, "what the fuck" and so we did Motley Crue the next round. We finished 2nd in the competition to ACDC.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

@yoga≈surfing

True story...

About 35 years ago, some friends and I entered an Air Band contest at a local redneck night club. I was the singer/guitarist and I went up onstage wearing a hockey glove on my strumming hand. We did The Velvet Underground - I Heard Her Call My Name, and Pere Ubu - Arabian Nights (vocal version).

We had the entire crowd in an uproar, ready to kill us. People were booing us to no end and were throwing ice at us. Two people even rushed the stage and mooned us.

Because we were the only airband that showed up that night, we were automatically promoted to the next round. The owner of the club pleaded with us not to do something like that again and were willing to buy us a bunch of drinks just to do something somewhat normal. We were like, "what the fuck" and so we did Motley Crue the next round. We finished 2nd in the competition to ACDC.

Sort of crazy and a bit risky considering the venue & crowd....but it ended up kind of awesome.

 

[handicappers]

that one Chicago song

da na na na da tsss da na na na na tsss

should I try to do some more 25 or 6 2 4

 

[BritishDolfan]

that one Chicago song

da na na na da tsss da na na na na tsss

should I try to do some more 25 or 6 2 4

I'm not sure that counts as "mostly in English"

 

[handicappers]

I'm not sure that counts as "mostly in English"

 

[BritishDolfan]

Another couple where the meaning isn't necessarily an issue, but the way of putting it is, shall we say, not all that sensible. Both by Dylan, both as sung by Joan Baez, because I prefer her versions:


Love Minus Zero / No Limit

It's All Over Now, Baby Blue

 

[tnapucco]

 

[shopson67]

I love Queen but this one is overplayed and mostly makes no sense.

It makes perfect sense. It's a mini-musical, the story of a man who just committed a murder, laments to his mother, the "opera section" being his trial of sorts.

 

[Clayton]

Contrary to popular belief, this song does have lyrics, and they do make some sense. Eduardo just got real mumbly with it.

Right, its one of my favorite songs. I'm usually compelled to sing it every time it comes on my Pearl jam playlist so I learned the lyrics a long time ago.

I am generally under the impression that the "I don't know whether I'm the boxer or the bag" is not actually what the original lyric is supposed to be. It doesn't make sense in the context of the song that at any point he would think he is a boxer because he is clearly having the worst day of his life. It probably should be "I don't know if my brother will be in a box or a bag" or something similar.

 

[TheDayMan]

Right, its one of my favorite songs. I'm usually compelled to sing it every time it comes on my Pearl jam playlist so I learned the lyrics a long time ago.

I am generally under the impression that the "I don't know whether I'm the boxer or the bag" is not actually what the original lyric is supposed to be. It doesn't make sense in the context of the song that at any point he would think he is a boxer because he is clearly having the worst day of his life. It probably should be "I don't know if my brother will be in a box or a bag" or something similar.

“Box or a bag” makes perfect sense. That’s what I’ve always gone with.