Nonsense lyrics
Nonsense lyrics
A discussion over in the "This is England lyrics" thread got me thinking about Joe's penchant for inscrutable lyrics during CTC, his wilderness years, and even into the Rock Art days. I suppose it's true that they were such a turnoff to people because Joe had a reputation as a more incisive lyricist. But what do you think of nonsense lyrics in general? Lennon clearly had a habit, and a lot of those songs are considered classics, if not masterpieces. Is your aversion because of what I surmise, or do you more basically dislike surrealism in lyric writing?
"Suck our Earth dick, Martians!" —Doc
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Re: Nonsense lyrics
I'm pretty tolerant of even pretty banal "let's fall in love, wouldn't that make the world wonderful" lyrics if the music is strong enough. I have a bit of an aversion to stuff that is overly earnest or preachy—a stereotypical Gen X allergy to sincerity that I'm still trying to break—but that's about it.
"Grab some wood, bub.'" - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft
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Re: Nonsense lyrics
I agree with Doc, lyrics are just a bonus for me. I like loads of "falling in love" songs. To me it's all about the tune or I would just read poetry. Don't get me wrong though, I love a great lyric.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑16 Aug 2017, 1:22pmI'm pretty tolerant of even pretty banal "let's fall in love, wouldn't that make the world wonderful" lyrics if the music is strong enough. I have a bit of an aversion to stuff that is overly earnest or preachy—a stereotypical Gen X allergy to sincerity that I'm still trying to break—but that's about it.
There's a tiny, tiny hopeful part of me that says you guys are running a Kaufmanesque long con on the board
Re: Nonsense lyrics
There's often a poetry to the images and sounds of good "nonsense" lyrics. The opening to Mondo Bongo is a great example —
I was patrolling a Pachinko
New nude noodle model parlor
in the nefarious zone
Hanging out with insects
under ducting
The CIA was on the phone
Re: Nonsense lyrics
Marconi plays the mamba, listen to the radio, don't you remember
We built this city, we built this city on rock an' roll
I feel that there is a fascistic element, for example, in the Rolling Stones . . .
— Morton Feldman
I've studied the phenomenon of neo-provincialism in self-isolating online communities but this place takes the fucking cake.
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— Morton Feldman
I've studied the phenomenon of neo-provincialism in self-isolating online communities but this place takes the fucking cake.
— Clashy
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Re: Nonsense lyrics
Heston takes one in the chest!
"Grab some wood, bub.'" - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft
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Re: Nonsense lyrics
Now I'll take a dig for the song itself but the lyrics are great, on paper they could be a Strummer song. Didn't the Clash II have a song called Rock and Roll City? Not too far away.
Who rides the wrecking ball into rock guitars?
There's a tiny, tiny hopeful part of me that says you guys are running a Kaufmanesque long con on the board
Re: Nonsense lyrics
This is pretty much where I stand. I'm actually notoriously bad about even noticing lyrics and generally only do when they are egregiously bad. Nonsense lyrics are usually neutral and occasionally pleasantly evocative (see: The Killers) which can give them a sort of pseudo weight.Heston wrote: ↑16 Aug 2017, 1:32pmI agree with Doc, lyrics are just a bonus for me. I like loads of "falling in love" songs. To me it's all about the tune or I would just read poetry. Don't get me wrong though, I love a great lyric.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑16 Aug 2017, 1:22pmI'm pretty tolerant of even pretty banal "let's fall in love, wouldn't that make the world wonderful" lyrics if the music is strong enough. I have a bit of an aversion to stuff that is overly earnest or preachy—a stereotypical Gen X allergy to sincerity that I'm still trying to break—but that's about it.
Look, you have to establish context for these things. And I maintain that unless you appreciate the Fall of Constantinople, the Great Fire of London, and Mickey Mantle's fatalist alcoholism, live Freddy makes no sense. If you want to half-ass it, fine, go call Simon Schama to do the appendix.
Re: Nonsense lyrics
So then why all the criticism of Strummer?
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Re: Nonsense lyrics
We hate The Clash. (Plus I just hate that line in "This Is England.")
"Grab some wood, bub.'" - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft
Re: Nonsense lyrics
Because he had the ability to be an amazing lyricist and chose to not be.
Look, you have to establish context for these things. And I maintain that unless you appreciate the Fall of Constantinople, the Great Fire of London, and Mickey Mantle's fatalist alcoholism, live Freddy makes no sense. If you want to half-ass it, fine, go call Simon Schama to do the appendix.
Re: Nonsense lyrics
Ca plane pour moi is the greatest song ever...
Wham
bang
mon chat "Splash" gite sur mon lit a bouffe
Sa langue en buvant trop mon whysky
Quand a moi peu dormi
vide
brime
J'ai du dormir dans la goutiere
Oil j'ai un flash
ouh
ouh
ouh.
En 4 couleurs
allez op
un matin
Une louloute est v'nue chez moi
Poupee de cellophane
cheveux chinois
Sparadrap
une gueule de bois
A bu ma biere dans un grand verre en caoutchouc
(Ouh
ouh
ouh) comme un indien dans son igloo
Ca plane pour moi
ca plane pour moi
Moi
moi
moi
moi
ca plane pour moi
(Ouh
ouh
ouh) ca plane pour moi
Allez hop
la mama
quel panard
quelle vibration
De s'envoyer sur le paillasson
lime
ruine
vide
comble
You are the king of the divan
qu'elle me dit en passant
(Ouh
Ouh
Quh) I'm the king of the di - van
Ca plane p6ur mai
ca glane gour moi
. . .
Allez hop
t'occupes
t'inquietes
touches pas ma planete
It's not today que le ciel me tombera sur la tete
Et que la colle me manquera
(Ouh
Ouh
Ouh) ca plane pour moi
Ca plane pour moi
ca plane pour moi
. . .
Allez hop
ma nana s'est tiree
s'est barree
Enfin c'est marre
a tout casse
l'evier
le bar
Me laissant seul comme un grand connard
(Ouh
Ouh
Ouh) le pied dans le plat
Ca plane pour moi
ca plane pour moi
Wham
bang
mon chat "Splash" gite sur mon lit a bouffe
Sa langue en buvant trop mon whysky
Quand a moi peu dormi
vide
brime
J'ai du dormir dans la goutiere
Oil j'ai un flash
ouh
ouh
ouh.
En 4 couleurs
allez op
un matin
Une louloute est v'nue chez moi
Poupee de cellophane
cheveux chinois
Sparadrap
une gueule de bois
A bu ma biere dans un grand verre en caoutchouc
(Ouh
ouh
ouh) comme un indien dans son igloo
Ca plane pour moi
ca plane pour moi
Moi
moi
moi
moi
ca plane pour moi
(Ouh
ouh
ouh) ca plane pour moi
Allez hop
la mama
quel panard
quelle vibration
De s'envoyer sur le paillasson
lime
ruine
vide
comble
You are the king of the divan
qu'elle me dit en passant
(Ouh
Ouh
Quh) I'm the king of the di - van
Ca plane p6ur mai
ca glane gour moi
. . .
Allez hop
t'occupes
t'inquietes
touches pas ma planete
It's not today que le ciel me tombera sur la tete
Et que la colle me manquera
(Ouh
Ouh
Ouh) ca plane pour moi
Ca plane pour moi
ca plane pour moi
. . .
Allez hop
ma nana s'est tiree
s'est barree
Enfin c'est marre
a tout casse
l'evier
le bar
Me laissant seul comme un grand connard
(Ouh
Ouh
Ouh) le pied dans le plat
Ca plane pour moi
ca plane pour moi
Let fury have the hour, anger can be power
D'you know that you can use it?
-- There's no fairytale ending with cocaine.
D'you know that you can use it?
-- There's no fairytale ending with cocaine.
Re: Nonsense lyrics
Hoy was a Skrewdriver fan for two years.
I feel that there is a fascistic element, for example, in the Rolling Stones . . .
— Morton Feldman
I've studied the phenomenon of neo-provincialism in self-isolating online communities but this place takes the fucking cake.
— Clashy
— Morton Feldman
I've studied the phenomenon of neo-provincialism in self-isolating online communities but this place takes the fucking cake.
— Clashy
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Re: Nonsense lyrics
"Man, loved that gritty sound when they reformed in '84" - Hoy
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a bowl of soup
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a rolling hoop
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a ton of lead
Wiggle - you can raise the dead
Pex Lives!
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a rolling hoop
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a ton of lead
Wiggle - you can raise the dead
Pex Lives!
Re: Nonsense lyrics
he writes a paragraph about snare drum techniques
I feel that there is a fascistic element, for example, in the Rolling Stones . . .
— Morton Feldman
I've studied the phenomenon of neo-provincialism in self-isolating online communities but this place takes the fucking cake.
— Clashy
— Morton Feldman
I've studied the phenomenon of neo-provincialism in self-isolating online communities but this place takes the fucking cake.
— Clashy