Thursday 5 September 2002
Favorite lyrics
The topic of lyrics has come up in conversation with a few people recently… So, for the sheer hell of it, here’s a handful of my favorites - it’s a short list, because most of my favorite bits don’t uncouple well from the rest of the music.
In no particular order:
CONGRATULATIONS STOP WISH I COULD BE THERE STOP Tell me something I don’t know. Is there anything left to know? STOP STOP STOP STOP
...I’ve got this epic problem / this epic problem’s not a problem for me / and inside I know I’m broken / but I’m working as far as you can see / and outside it’s all production / it’s all illusion set scenery
— Fugazi, “Epic Problem”
there once was a king and the king had a plan and the plan had a fist and the fist knew a man and the man had a mouth and the mouth spoke at meetings and the meetings always started with the shareholders’ greeting
— Bob Wiseman, “Libelous”
This used to be real estate / now it’s only fields and trees / Where / where is the town / now / it’s nothing but flowers
— Talking Heads, “Nothing But Flowers”
What did I give to you? / what did you give to me? / a nothing-trail of silences that warp in the rain / you said I don’t really know the reason / it’s just not the same / but oh what a vacant breath when / when you say my name
— Sarah Slean, “Weight”
When I win the lottery
gonna donate half my money to the city
so they have to name a street or a school or a park after me
— Camper Van Beethoven, “When I Win The Lottery”
and I got another factory back home
got a barbecue, a pink Mustang, fenders chrome
at nine o’clock I sit there in my chair
and I don’t know why I lose my hair
and then I go to
and then I go to
and then I go to sleep
— Wall Of Voodoo, “Factory”
All over town they’ve got these like messenger girls what ride around on innertubes / their asses are all scraped up / their eyes cold kick me off the bus y’all.
— Shudder To Think, “Gang Of $”
Think of it this way:
you could either be successful or be us.
— Belle & Sebastian, “Get Me Away From Here I’m Dying”
In the film they made us / a little more articulate / a little less afraid or something / with a lot more attitude and grace / And we danced like we never really could dance / in a scene designed to make you think of the old days / We’re not the outlaws here
— Wooden Stars, “Outlaws”