Good Songs Spoiled By Just One Line

What's Hot
BillDLBillDL Frets: 7029
edited October 2021 in Music
Does anybody else have any particular songs that you really like, but one line in the lyric, the bridge section, or a vocal "motif" or similar, spoils the enjoyment?

I quite like Africa by Toto, but my hackles go up when it gets to the line:
"As sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti".
A gallant attempt has been made to try and compress that line in there to get something that almost rhymes with "solitary company" from two lines before, but there are too many syllables and it struggles to maintain the meter of the song".  I find it quite disturbing to hear.

Another one for me is "I Can See Clearly Now".  I just prefer the original Jimmy Cliff version to the Johnny Nash version, but it's close.  One thing I find really aggravating is how long the airy, floating section of music lasts after "Look straight ahead, there's nothing but blue skies".  I feel that it is twice as long as it needs to be and is too drawn out.

I'm not even going to discuss what the following lyrical ramblings do to me every time I am in Asda on my way home from work and I hear this music being played for the entertainment of the nightshift shelf stackers who seem to enjoy joining in:

A lovely day (lovely day, lovely day, lovely day, lovely day)
(Lovely day, lovely day, lovely day, lovely day)
ad nauseum
OR
And I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
ad nauseum.
2reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
«1345678

Comments

  • MrTeeMrTee Frets: 499
    Van halen "why can't this be love?"
    'Only time will tell if we can stand the test of time'
    4reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • TanninTannin Frets: 5267
    edited October 2021
    Almost any song that mindlessly uses "babe" or "baby". OK, that's one word not one line, but it's a real vibe killer.

    Add to that any and all spurious injections of "oh yeah". Oh yeahs range from weak but largely unobjectionable all the way through to truly awful. Paul Rodgers, great singer that he is in other respects, is one of the worst offenders.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 4reaction image Wisdom
  • octatonicoctatonic Frets: 33725
    BillDL said:

    "As sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti".

    That is the best line of that song.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 8reaction image Wisdom
  • ColsCols Frets: 6953
    Tannin said:
    Almost any song that mindlessly uses "babe" or "baby". OK, that's one word not one line, but it's a real vibe killer.

    Add to that any and all spurious injections of "oh yeah". Oh yeahs range from weak but largely unobjectionable all the way through to truly awful. Paul Rodgers, great singer that he is in other respects, is one of the worst offenders.
    Sooooo…. not a Led Zeppelin fan then?
    1reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • Wanking on the Moon.



    Ooops, that's the Change a Letter of a Song Thread I should be on.

     3 
    Only a Fool Would Say That.
    6reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • RolandRoland Frets: 8590
    octatonic said:
    BillDL said:

    "As sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti".

    That is the best line of that song.
    Some would say it is poetic imagery. Some would say it is pretentious. Either way it has too many syllables for the flow of the song.
    Tree recycler, and guitarist with  https://www.undercoversband.com/.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 4reaction image Wisdom
  • Philly_QPhilly_Q Frets: 22515
    There's a line in a song by The Darkness which not only spoiled the song, it actually put me off the band and I've barely listened to them since.  The song is English Country Garden and the line goes:

    "My cock and Farmer Giles' prizewinning marrow"

    I'm sure some will find that hilarious, I'm sure I overreacted, but I was already hugely disappointed with that second album and that line was so pathetic, so infantile... I'm still pissed off.
    3reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • prowlaprowla Frets: 4896
    ...cheek to cheek...
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • octatonicoctatonic Frets: 33725
    Roland said:
    octatonic said:
    BillDL said:

    "As sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti".

    That is the best line of that song.
    Some would say it is poetic imagery. Some would say it is pretentious. Either way it has too many syllables for the flow of the song.
    Which is precisely why it is the best line in the song.
    Wittingly or unwittingly.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • munckeemunckee Frets: 12254
    Wanking on the Moon.



    Ooops, that's the Change a Letter of a Song Thread I should be on.

     3 
    Wanking in Memphis. 
    2reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Philly_Q said:
    There's a line in a song by The Darkness which not only spoiled the song, it actually put me off the band and I've barely listened to them since.  The song is English Country Garden and the line goes:

    "My cock and Farmer Giles' prizewinning marrow"

    I'm sure some will find that hilarious, I'm sure I overreacted, but I was already hugely disappointed with that second album and that line was so pathetic, so infantile... I'm still pissed off.
    I never really liked them 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • robertyroberty Frets: 10893
    17 by Rick James where he sings "she was only 17, but she was sexy" over and over again
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • drippycatdrippycat Frets: 139
    Sting gets a huge thumbs up from me in the 'That lyric just made me spasm in a place I don't mention in polite company' stakes.

    'Mephistopholes is not your name, I know what you're up to just the same'

    'I'll be the flag to your nation, I'll be the crop to your rotation'

    'Giant steps are what you take.... I hope my legs don't break'

    'I face the day with my head caved in
    Looking like something that the cat brought in'

    OTOH I do like some of his work very much.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • ColsCols Frets: 6953
    munckee said:
    Wanking on the Moon.



    Ooops, that's the Change a Letter of a Song Thread I should be on.

     3 
    Wanking in Memphis. 
    Or the Page and Plant classic, Wanking Into Clarksdale.
    1reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Cols said:
    munckee said:
    Wanking on the Moon.



    Ooops, that's the Change a Letter of a Song Thread I should be on.

     3 
    Wanking in Memphis. 
    Or the Page and Plant classic, Wanking Into Clarksdale.
    Wank By Pantera has an amazing solo though. 
    3reaction image LOL 1reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • EricTheWearyEricTheWeary Frets: 16253
    I like a bit of Brad Paisley but I'm never quite sure how much he has his tongue in his cheek. The lyric 
     There's a gun in my truck
    Oh thank God I'm still a guy
    From I'm Still a Guy seemed to cross a line. I watched a concert he did for the BBC and he introduced the song saying he knew people in the UK didn't like the line about guns - I still didn't know how serious he was being. Although the song as a whole if taken seriously would be misogynist and homophobic.   

    Tipton is a small fishing village in the borough of Sandwell. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • BoromedicBoromedic Frets: 4700
    Philly_Q said:
    There's a line in a song by The Darkness which not only spoiled the song, it actually put me off the band and I've barely listened to them since.  The song is English Country Garden and the line goes:

    "My cock and Farmer Giles' prizewinning marrow"

    I'm sure some will find that hilarious, I'm sure I overreacted, but I was already hugely disappointed with that second album and that line was so pathetic, so infantile... I'm still pissed off.
    That line is cringeworthy, but you're missing out on some good stuff on that album if you've avoided it since!

    My head said brake, but my heart cried never.


    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • KilgoreKilgore Frets: 8599
    OK, cards on the table. I've got a soft spot for Oasis anthemic pop rock.

    Now Noel is dab hand at naff lyrics but,
    Don't Look Back in Anger. 

    "Stand up beside the fireplace
    Take that look from off your face."

    Really winds me up. 


    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 2reaction image Wisdom
  • octatonic said:
    Roland said:
    octatonic said:
    BillDL said:

    "As sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti".

    That is the best line of that song.
    Some would say it is poetic imagery. Some would say it is pretentious. Either way it has too many syllables for the flow of the song.
    Which is precisely why it is the best line in the song.
    Wittingly or unwittingly.
    Geographically frustrating though
    Please note my communication is not very good, so please be patient with me
    soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
    youtube.com/@TheColourboxMusic
    2reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Philly_QPhilly_Q Frets: 22515
    edited October 2021
    Boromedic said:
    Philly_Q said:
    There's a line in a song by The Darkness which not only spoiled the song, it actually put me off the band and I've barely listened to them since.  The song is English Country Garden and the line goes:

    "My cock and Farmer Giles' prizewinning marrow"

    I'm sure some will find that hilarious, I'm sure I overreacted, but I was already hugely disappointed with that second album and that line was so pathetic, so infantile... I'm still pissed off.
    That line is cringeworthy, but you're missing out on some good stuff on that album if you've avoided it since!
    No, I thought the whole album was a load of wank.  I truly loved the first album and the second was a crushing disappointment.  I don't think I'll ever forgive them...  Their later stuff may (or may not) be great, musically, but Justin's wacky persona no longer entertains me, he just irritates me too much for me to buy his records.
    0reaction image LOL 1reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
Sign In or Register to comment.