Questions tagged [lyrics]

For questions regarding the words to a song, their interpretation and meaning.

The words to a song are referred to as lyrics, and those words are usually meant to convey a story or mood. In some cases this is not true; for instance Yes' lyricist/vocalist Jon Anderson has stated that some words are used merely because they fit the pattern or rhythm of a song.

In some cases, lyrics have codified meanings and the artist can choose whether to identify their true intention. Famously, Carly Simon has refused to divulge exactly who the song You're So Vain was about, and The Eagles have been similarly vague about the meaning behind Hotel California.

Lyrics, for our purposes, will refer to words to songs, their meanings and their interpretations (when no canonical reference to the lyricist's explanation can be found).

333 questions
24
votes
1 answer

Are there any records of the "rest" of the verses from "Hallelujah"?

According to the most popular version of the story, when Leonard Cohen wrote "Hallelujah", he wrote about 80 separate verses src before paring down to the 4 he used in his studio recording. He subsequently mixed in different verses in his live…
KutuluMike
  • 496
  • 1
  • 4
  • 10
13
votes
3 answers

Who decides whether a record should be labelled "Parental Advisory"?

Who decides whether a record should be labelled "Parental Advisory"? Are there any agreed-upon standards? If not, what individuals in the production chain are the people who actually decide whether a record should be labelled as such?
user16
12
votes
1 answer

"I wanna know have you ever seen the rain?" What did the singer really want to express?

I am wondering what John Fogerty wanted to express in this line in Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?": I wanna know have you ever seen the rain? Maybe the author liked someone and wanted to start a conversation? Or…
Dejian15
  • 135
  • 1
  • 1
  • 8
10
votes
1 answer

Was the radio intro in "Protect Ya Neck" real or created for the song?

The probably most famous song of the Wu-Tang Clan "Protect Ya Neck" from the album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) starts with this radio talk: Caller: "So whassup man?" DJ: "Coolin' man" C: "Chillin' chilin'? Yo, you know I had to call, you know…
Alex
  • 883
  • 9
  • 21
10
votes
6 answers

What is meant by "Run me like a river"?

I recently got Madden 17. Like any EA sports game, it has a soundtrack of "EA Trax", which are usually terrible. Luckily, you can disable them one-by-one in case any of them happen to be okay. One of the last songs I disabled before turning the…
DCShannon
  • 495
  • 2
  • 4
  • 16
9
votes
1 answer

Some incomprehensible words of James Brown – Funky President

This song keep playing in my mind since the time when I played some game where this song was. Lyric web sites say different versions. I gather up all the versions in one. Cold anyone please clarify or make possible suggestions to those…
Qeeet
  • 193
  • 1
  • 4
8
votes
1 answer

Lyrics: "But they die just the same in your video game"

I have been looking for an answer to this. I am not sure if I can ask this here but I really don't know where else to ask this question. From which artist or song are these lyrics? "Ain't no kind of glory in killing. People you can't even see But…
0MM0
  • 183
  • 4
8
votes
2 answers

What is Ma Rainey saying on a fragment of "Trust No Man"

Here is the link to the beautiful song Trust no man by Ma Rainey: http://youtu.be/xoZmWPb7r1o What is she saying from 1:50 to 2:15? The lyrics I have found omit this part.
Mikey Spivak
  • 1,893
  • 1
  • 12
  • 18
7
votes
1 answer

What does Ed Sheeran say at the beginning of "Gold Rush"?

I was listening to the album, and solely in the right side (for one second) there’s someone saying something before Ed breaks into the actual course. Here’s the song on YouTube.
6
votes
3 answers

Full lyrics of favorite camp song (called "Gypsy Song") containing "… faria faria-O"

I’m looking for the English lyrics to a song I learned at summer camp. It was called "Gypsy Song". The refrain was Set the forest and mountains ringing with faria faria-O
Emy
  • 69
  • 3
6
votes
2 answers

Meaning of the line "reds and the pinks" in Love Stinks

This is probably a dumb question, but I just googled it and I couldn't find an answer. J. Geils band, song Love Stinks, there's a line "I've had the blues, the reds and the pinks". I've had the blues probably means what it sounds like and the song…
userLTK
  • 163
  • 4
6
votes
3 answers

Songs where melody and lyrics dont't fit (by design)

Some days ago I had a conversation with a friend during which we talked about certain songs whose melody did not fit with their lyrics. By not fitting we meant songs which, by their melody, would create an at least predomintantly positive mood (e.g.…
Tacticus
  • 171
  • 1
  • 6
5
votes
1 answer

The lyrics of Souad Massi's song "Mesk Elil"; who can help?

Who can help to find the English version of Souad Massi's song "Mesk Elil"?
A-fan
  • 59
  • 2
4
votes
2 answers

Looking for the lyrics of a traditional American song

Some years ago I got to sing an arrangement of a traditional American song which was translated to Catalan; the song should be called something like "The Eagle". I've been looking for the original lyrics in English, but I cannot find the original…
Johanovski
  • 43
  • 2
4
votes
1 answer

The number of victims in the song Empire of the Clouds from Iron Maiden

My new favorite Iron Maiden song is the Empire of the Clouds, but I don't understand a thing in the lyrics. This is the part in question: "And in a country churchyard, laid head to the mast 1840 souls, who came to die in france" This implies to me…
Jeff
  • 41
  • 1
1
2 3 4 5 6 7