What are the cleverest lyrics ever written?

Bill Llewellyn · Post by **Bill Llewellyn** » 8 Jul 2004 6:21 am

Not to compete with Mike Perlowin's "dumbest lyrics" thread

but I'm sure we all have songs whose lyrics really impressed us.

So what's your favorite?

John Pelz · Post by **John Pelz** » 8 Jul 2004 6:57 am

I suppose it's just a matter of time before someone mentions Bob Dylan, so here goes. Brutal, scathing lyrics, but "Idiot Wind" is tops, and pure poetry to me. Or "Blind Willie McTell." Or "Jokerman." Or "Señor." Or...or...or... (Flame-proof suit is on.) In a more traditional vein, though, I've always thought that Lefty Frizzell's, "Don't Think It Ain't Been Fun, Dear" was pretty clever...

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 8 Jul 2004 8:13 am

"Mares eat oats and does eat oats and little lambs eat ivy, a kid'll eat ivy too"....

next time around: "Marzie dotes and dozey dotes and little amsy-divy, a kid'll-e divy too".

Quite popular..........way back......when...
I can't remember that far back any more.[This message was edited by Ray Montee on 08 July 2004 at 09:23 AM.]

Ben Slaughter · Post by **Ben Slaughter** » 8 Jul 2004 8:52 am

In today's country stuff, Brad Paisley has some of the cleverest lyrics I've ever heard. "Me Neither," "It Never Would Have Worked Out Anyway," "Sleeping on the Foldout," "I'm Gonna Miss Her." Songs I wish I'd writen. The stuff on his albums that doesn't make the radio is way more country and way more clever than the stuff most folks hear.

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Ben
Zum D10, NV400, TubeFex, POD, G&L Guitars, etc, etc.

Tom Moorman · Post by **Tom Moorman** » 8 Jul 2004 9:58 am

‘If I said you had a beautiful body, would you hold it against me’

Belamy Brothers Classic

c c johnson · Post by **c c johnson** » 8 Jul 2004 10:55 am

dip dip dittem datem wattem choo.

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 8 Jul 2004 11:09 am

"Wearin nuthun but uh towel and a smile...."

"Drivin' nails in my coffin"

"....just what part of no don't you understand?"

"Expealadosius"

"I'm my own grandpa!"

I don't remember the exact words but Travis Tritt had a beauty. Something about ".....someone who gives or (cares)..." Sorry I don't remember, just know I thought it very clever.

"Three little fishies sittin on a dam. Boop boop didum dadum whadum choo. Swim little fishies. Swim if ya can, and de fwam and de fwan all over tha dam"

"City Lights"

"Ole Dogs and children and watermelon wine"

"Put a nickle in; in tha nickolodien"

Most of the entire song: "Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes"

"Steelin' the Blues"

"I was lookin back to see......"

"Movin' on"

"I been every where"

"Sleepin at tha foot of tha bed" (or should this one be in Mike's thread

"You ask me how I know HE lives? He lives within my heart!"

Walter Stettner · Post by **Walter Stettner** » 8 Jul 2004 11:14 am

Almost everything that Tom T. Hall wrote! His songs telling stories always have me listening closely!

Kind Regards, Walter
www.austriansteelguitar.at.tf

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Rick McDuffie · Post by **Rick McDuffie** » 8 Jul 2004 12:08 pm

"There's a wren in a willow wood..."

from "Love Song" by Kenny Loggins

In my opinion, one of the most clever, perfect lyrical lines ever written. I love the triple alliteration, especially as driven home by the silent "w" in wren.

Wouldn't have had the same impact if he had said, "there's a thrush in a willow wood."[This message was edited by Rick McDuffie on 08 July 2004 at 01:09 PM.]

Gary C. Dygert · Post by **Gary C. Dygert** » 8 Jul 2004 12:44 pm

"Kickin' and a-gougin' in the mud and the blood and the beer." A Boy Named Sue, Shel Silverstein.

Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 8 Jul 2004 2:51 pm

How about Ray Stevens' Guitarzan (and his jungle band.)?

Bill Llewellyn · Post by **Bill Llewellyn** » 8 Jul 2004 3:21 pm

"Since my phone still ain't ringin', I assume it still ain't you."

From the Randy Travis song "Is it Still Over".
http://www.countrygoldusa.com/is_it_still_over.asp [This message was edited by Bill Llewellyn on 08 July 2004 at 09:06 PM.]

Ken Lang · Post by **Ken Lang** » 8 Jul 2004 7:23 pm

"It's all over, all over again."

Nate LaPointe · Post by **Nate LaPointe** » 8 Jul 2004 7:27 pm

"You make me.....you make me complete.....you make me completely miserable."

and

"You make me happy, you make me haaaaaappppyyy, you make me happy.....to be alone."[This message was edited by Nate LaPointe on 08 July 2004 at 08:29 PM.]

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 8 Jul 2004 7:46 pm

"When Coke was still cola and a joint was a bad place to be..."

"She's acting single, I'm drinking doubles..."

"Caress me baby, like the wind caress the trees..."

Milton C. Willmann · Post by **Milton C. Willmann** » 8 Jul 2004 8:55 pm

"The Last Word In Lonesome Is Me"

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Milton C. Willmann

Colin Goss · Post by **Colin Goss** » 8 Jul 2004 11:38 pm

He's got a way with women because he's just got away with mine.

The sun shines brighter than Doris Day

When you leave, walk out backwards so I'll think you're coming in.

Matt Dawson · Post by **Matt Dawson** » 9 Jul 2004 2:11 am

To my mind there's a fine line between clever lyric and crass pun - Elvis Costello has sailed close to this line on occasion. When I hear an entire song built out of one single clever idea, it makes me wonder how hard the writer had to squeeze his idea to get a whole song out.

In the country genre, my vote goes to Nick Lowe "All men are liars".

A nice bouncy cover by Dar Williams is at: http://bekkoame.ne.jp/~aabb/audio/liars.mp3
Featuring fabulous guitar by Doug Wainoris

All Men are Liars

All men, all men are liars,
Their word ain't worth no more than worn out tires,
Hey girls! Bring rusty pliars to pull this tooth,
'Cos all men are liars …….and that’s the truth !

Do you remember Rick Astley?
He had a big fat hit, it was ghastly
He said 'I'm never gonna give you up, or let you down'
Well I'm here to tell you that Dick's a clown.
Though he was just a boy when he made that vow,
I'd bet it all, he knows by now
All men………….

Of all God's creatures man must be,
The most slimy and slippery,
Here comes the naked ape in his monkey suit,
With the little moustache he grew, the ugly brute
When he's not choking on his words he ate
He's sweating on getting his story straight
All men……..

Cheers
Matt

It would be interesting to know how many forumites are (like me) songwriters first and steelers second? When I took up steel 25 years ago my ambition was to get good enough to play simple authentic steel on my song demos. I'm still working on it!

[This message was edited by Matt Dawson on 09 July 2004 at 03:12 AM.][This message was edited by Matt Dawson on 09 July 2004 at 04:41 AM.]

Ron Page · Post by **Ron Page** » 9 Jul 2004 5:44 am

Sorry I can’t credit the writers of these…

Gene Watson’s “When we were down to nothin’”… nothin’ sure looked good on you.

George Strait’s “Let’s Fall To Pieces Together” … why should we both fall apart..

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HagFan

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 9 Jul 2004 5:52 am

"I put a golden band on the right left hand this time"...

Roy Ayres · Post by **Roy Ayres** » 9 Jul 2004 6:48 am

Willie Nelson's fabulous poetic line about cowboys: "Always in search of and one step in back of themselves and their slow-moving dreams."

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 9 Jul 2004 9:07 am

"She Hates Me" by Puddle of Mud. It ain't country, but all ya gotta do is hear it once.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 9 Jul 2004 2:03 pm

Probably anything by Cole Porter or Steven Sondheim

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 9 Jul 2004 2:19 pm

"I Lobster and Never Flounder"
(AKA "The Fish Song")

I was the cook, ----she was the waitress
Down at Salty Sams seafood cafe
Somewhere between the clam juice and the seaweed salad
some little shrimp... lured her away

Oh, I Lobster, n' never Flounder
He wrapped his line around her
and they drove off in his Carp

Oh, I Lobster n' never Flounder
I Octopus his face in,
Eel only break her heart.

I said "just Squid and leave me for that piano Tuna
If you want to Trout something new"
She was the Bass I ever had and my life has no Porpoise
Oh by golly I love her, yes I do

(Speaking):

#1 I swordfish she'd come back to me!

#2 Aw, if she did, she'd just throw ya the same ole' line: "Not
tonight, dear, I have a haddock."

#1 But I've kelpt her picture in my walleye all these years, just for the
halibut. I wonder if she's kept mine in her perch.

#2 Well, we'd better quit sea-horsin' around here-these people look like
they're goin' into a state of shark!

#1 Did you say a state of shark?!

#2 Shore did!

Both Frankly scallop, I don't give a clam!

Oh, I Lobster, n' never Flounder
He wrapped his line around her
and they drove off in his Carp

Oh, I Lobster n' never Flounder
I Octopus his face in,
Eel only break her heart

Eel only break her heart!

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Lee, from South Texas
Down On The Rio Grande

[This message was edited by Lee Baucum on 09 July 2004 at 03:22 PM.]

Donna Dodd · Post by **Donna Dodd** » 9 Jul 2004 4:25 pm

I agree with all that have been listed so far - especially What part of No . . . and If the phone doesn't ring . . .

Here are a few of my favorites:

"When the perfect stranger became my perfect wife" Freddie Weller(?)

"As surely as the seasons, she's changing to a woman; and, I've lived enough to call myself a man" Kris Kristofferson from Jody and the Kid

"looking out my window, staring through the Pain (Pane) " KT Osland from Wall of Tears
[This message was edited by Donna Dodd on 09 July 2004 at 05:26 PM.]