Worst Prog Lyric Ever
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URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=30647
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Topic: Worst Prog Lyric Ever
Posted By: jplanet
Subject: Worst Prog Lyric Ever
Date Posted: November 02 2006 at 23:37
The chorus on Asia's "One Step Closer":
"One step closer, much closer than before".
Ok, so if you take one step...and you find yourself MUCH closer to something, then it's safe to say that you weren't really very far away from it to begin with. Not that it's not worth singing about...but I mean, you'd figure that it would be a worthwhile accomplishment if you had to take many steps to get much closer...
ANYway...
------------- https://www.facebook.com/ShadowCircus/" rel="nofollow - ..::welcome to the shadow circus::..
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Replies:
Posted By: Chris S
Date Posted: November 02 2006 at 23:43
Paatos on Timeloss
" I am a flower.....smell me....."
------------- <font color=Brown>Music - The Sound Librarian
...As I venture through the slipstream, between the viaducts in your dreams...[/COLOR]
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Posted By: skatechilli
Date Posted: November 03 2006 at 00:22
"I'm Dying" - Spock's Beard
"I had mustard today, I can't eat it no more."
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Posted By: The Whistler
Date Posted: November 03 2006 at 00:24
Er, does "Senior citizens wish they were young" count?
------------- "There seem to be quite a large percentage of young American boys out there tonight. A long way from home, eh? Well so are we... Gotta stick together." -I. Anderson
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Posted By: ClemofNazareth
Date Posted: November 03 2006 at 00:28
Genesis (too many to list, but this one in particular). From "Match of the Day" off Spot the Pigeon:
"each side’s eleven men with numbers on their backs... there’s the reds and there’s the greens, they’re accompanied by three men dressed in black."
Thanks for the eloquent description of a soccer match!
------------- "Peace is the only battle worth waging."
Albert Camus
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Posted By: Ivan_Melgar_M
Date Posted: November 03 2006 at 00:32
Circus of Heaven
Don't Kill the Whale
One of those two, not that most of the rest of Yes lyrics are good but this ones are bad and cheesy.
Iván
Almost forgot the infamous phrase...Cha Cha Cha.....Cha Cha
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Posted By: video vertigo
Date Posted: November 03 2006 at 00:54
Dinosaur by King Crimson good song but I can't listen to it because of the poor lyrics.
------------- "The rock and roll business is pretty absurd, but the world of serious music is much worse." - Zappa
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Posted By: razifa
Date Posted: November 03 2006 at 01:44
Here's another from Genesis
"I got sunshine in my stomach like I just rocked my baby to sleep"
------------- **********
**razifa**
**********
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Posted By: KoS
Date Posted: November 03 2006 at 01:48
"
I walk beside you
Wherever you are
Whatever it takes
No matter how far"

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Posted By: The T
Date Posted: November 03 2006 at 02:19
Saga "money talks" or "house of cards" from the album of the same title....
Everything seems like a teenager attempt at writing about serious themes...cliche, cliche ("it's all part of the game".....What game???)
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Posted By: soundsweird
Date Posted: November 03 2006 at 02:26
I think The Whistler's onto something; just about every Moody Blues album in the 60's and 70's has a GAWD-AWFUL spoken-word section (thanks to Graeme Edge, mostly) that makes me thank the inventor of the "skip" function....... 
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Posted By: The Whistler
Date Posted: November 03 2006 at 02:36
HEY! The Whistler's always onto something. 'Bout time he started getting credit...
------------- "There seem to be quite a large percentage of young American boys out there tonight. A long way from home, eh? Well so are we... Gotta stick together." -I. Anderson
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Posted By: nousommedusolei
Date Posted: November 03 2006 at 02:45
"You...Have your own special way..."
------------- I don't believe in demons
I don't believe in devils
I only believe in you
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Posted By: Legoman
Date Posted: November 03 2006 at 02:47
Eight Days a Week
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Posted By: martinprog77
Date Posted: November 03 2006 at 03:15
jplanet wrote:
The chorus on Asia's "One Step Closer":
"One step closer, much closer than before".
Ok, so if you take one step...and you find yourself MUCH closer to something, then it's safe to say that you weren't really very far away from it to begin with. Not that it's not worth singing about...but I mean, you'd figure that it would be a worthwhile accomplishment if you had to take many steps to get much closer...
ANYway...
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------------- Nothing can last
there are no second chances.
Never give a day away.
Always live for today.
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Posted By: martinprog77
Date Posted: November 03 2006 at 03:27
Posted By: Jim Garten
Date Posted: November 03 2006 at 03:41
All the world now join hands as one
The first time since the world has begun
  
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Jon Lord 1941 - 2012
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Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: November 03 2006 at 11:14
'Hard luck mouse this is the end of your road. The signpost inside me, let me bear your heavy load'
'I need a shower, have a nap. I'll meet you in the bar, must have a rap'
Thanks for that Genesis!
'The Season of the button' Marillion. I dunno, sounds kinda crap to me..
------------- Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy!
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Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: November 03 2006 at 11:15
Jim Garten wrote:
All the world now join hands as one
The first time since the world has begun
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Jim dont those words stir your very soul!?
------------- Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy!
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Posted By: sleeper
Date Posted: November 03 2006 at 11:26
Worst lyrics I have ever heard there.
------------- Spending more than I should on Prog since 2005
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Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: November 03 2006 at 11:40
Maybe she just had big teeth!
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Posted By: el böthy
Date Posted: November 03 2006 at 12:41
king of Siam wrote:
"
I walk beside you
Wherever you are
Whatever it takes
No matter how far"

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DT has some reeaaaaaaaaaaally cheesy lyricds in their ballads... and that one is not even among the worst!
...what about the answer lies with you?
------------- "You want me to play what, Robert?"
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Posted By: heyitsthatguy
Date Posted: November 03 2006 at 23:57
el böthy wrote:
king of Siam wrote:
"
I walk beside you
Wherever you are
Whatever it takes
No matter how far"

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DT has some reeaaaaaaaaaaally cheesy lyricds in their ballads... and that one is not even among the worst!
...what about the answer lies with you?
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*ahem*
Thats alright Im okay It happens every single day Its all the same But Im not blind
Its all about you not me Its all about the things That youre expecting me to be Theres not enough time to live And all that youre expecting me to give
Its all about you not me Its all about you not me
Though Desmond Child partially wrote them, that has to be DT's worst song lyrically BY FAR (and musically almost)
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Posted By: salmacis
Date Posted: November 04 2006 at 16:28
It has to be said, lyrics aren't the genre's strong point. That said, here are a few particular clunkers.
I agree wholeheartedly with that nonsensical Flower Kings track 'Elaine'- 'smiling like a horse'? That almost begs for a reply of 'don't fancy yours much mate'....
Greg Lake's classic 'Everyday a little sadder, madder, someone get me a ladder' is laughably poor. His 'Taste Of My Love' is full of poor double entendres that even David Coverdale would have demurred at!
Rick Wakeman is another regular in the hall of shame. His 'crocodile teeth, lizard's head, bloodshot eyes stained ocean red' screams of pompousness and preposterousness even by prog standards! The 'so they went and took the urine out of me' in the 'comedy' number 'The Breathalyser' is rather terrible too.
Talking of preposterous, I felt Genesis' 'Fireside Song' from their debut was way OTT- 'Once upon a time there was confusion, disappointment, fear and disillusion'. Sounds like 6th formers attempting songs (and I was one until a few months ago- I never attempted a song you'd be pleased to know) which of course, they were at the time.
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Posted By: Ghandi 2
Date Posted: November 04 2006 at 18:09
"Little babies' eyes, eyes, eyes, eyes. Little babies' eyes, eyes, eyes, eyes. Little babies' eyes, eyes, eyes, eyes. Little babies' eyes, eyes, eyes, eyes."
Radiohead scores another masterpiece! A lot of Radiohead's lyrics from Kid A onward are terrible, actually. Especially on Amnesiac and Hail to the Theif. Another sampler "Yesterday I woke up sucking a lemon...[repeated 4 times]" "There are doors that lock
And doors that don't"
I think Thom had a stroke and forgot how to make words.
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Posted By: billbuckner
Date Posted: November 04 2006 at 20:52
Got no truck with the la-di-da Keep my bread in an old fruit jar Drive you out in a motor-car Getting fat on your lucky star just making Easy money.
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Posted By: Rosescar
Date Posted: November 05 2006 at 14:22
We can easily say Frank Zappa has the best lyrics in the whole prog genre.
So... Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream by KC, anyone?
------------- http://www.soundclick.com/rosescar/ - My music!
"THE AUDIENCE WERE generally drugged. (In Holland, always)." - Robert Fripp
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Posted By: Scapler
Date Posted: November 05 2006 at 14:49
jplanet wrote:
The chorus on Asia's "One Step Closer":
"One step closer, much closer than before".
Ok, so if you take one step...and you find yourself MUCH closer to something, then it's safe to say that you weren't really very far away from it to begin with. Not that it's not worth singing about...but I mean, you'd figure that it would be a worthwhile accomplishment if you had to take many steps to get much closer...
ANYway...
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Couldn't you just have a really big stride?
------------- Bassists are deadly
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Posted By: billbuckner
Date Posted: November 06 2006 at 08:53
With little exception (Red), King Crimson had mostly crap lyrics.
"I'm gonna write a chorus!"
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Posted By: VanderGraafKommandöh
Date Posted: November 06 2006 at 13:28
King Crimson are guilty of a lot of mediocre lyrics!
What on earth is a "one-hand clap"?
"I'm gonna learn my licks and play the bottle-neck slide" (or however it goes)
Argent... "hold your head up, hold you head up, hold you head up, hold your head high" (repeat however many times).
Even my beloved Peter Hammill is guilty...
Fishes can't fly Fishes can't fly Neither can I Neither can I

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Posted By: the icon of sin
Date Posted: November 06 2006 at 13:33
billbuckner wrote:
With little exception (Red), King Crimson had mostly crap lyrics.
"I'm gonna write a chorus!" |
That was taking the piss out of overly commercial pop music...
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Posted By: Ivan_Melgar_M
Date Posted: November 06 2006 at 13:56
Somebody mentioned Jourmney to the Centre of the Earth, at least in that case Wakeman has the excuse of the plot, but in the case of the excellent No Earthly Connection (Musically) he has no excuse for the cheesy concept and lyrics:
Knowing, Gift of music showing. Gift of love to show me the way to the little man. Teaching the way for the little man. Show the way the music stems from love. Music of my soul.
Maker. Let me meet my Maker. Let me see the man who will offer eternal life. Show me the way to eternal life. Reincarnete music of my soul. Music of my soul.
Love, let love guide the way, for man, to find his music. Love, let music be love, to guide man to his soul. (Music of my soul).
Sorry Rick....-..the lyrics are CHEESY.
Iván
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Posted By: PieceOfKake
Date Posted: November 07 2006 at 13:50
I have heard very few prog bands with good lyrics. Dream theater has maybe the most terrible lyrics ever.
http://www.seeklyrics.com/lyrics/Dream-Theater/Under-A-Glass-Moon.html - Lyrics for "Under the glass moon"
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Posted By: Revan
Date Posted: November 07 2006 at 19:29
So see how long I can last You can pretend that I don't exist for you And I can laugh about it now But I hated every minute I was waiting for your email And each day that you forgot to call Just made me feel so low So low Christmas 1998 I tried to call I just couldn't wait And your message was out of date So I left my voice on your machine But you did not respond OK OK OK you've won You make me feel so low So low
(feel so low by porcupine tree) I forgive him because the music is too beautifull
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Posted By: Arrrghus
Date Posted: November 07 2006 at 19:31
Umm, a lot of the lyrics in V by Spock's Beard are terribly cheesy (and terrible). Good thing the music is awesome.
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Posted By: Pnoom!
Date Posted: November 08 2006 at 08:31
salmacis wrote:
It has to be said, lyrics aren't the genre's strong point. That said, here are a few particular clunkers.
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That statement is untrue to such a large extent that it's hard to find a single word to put on it that will convey just how wrong it is. Certainly, it has it's weak lyrical moments, but I have NEVER heard a pop song with amazing lyrics, a rap song with amazing lyrics, a country song with amazing lyrics, a straight rock song by a non-prog band with amazing lyrics, come to think of it, I've never heard a song by a non-prog band that was truly EXCELLENT lyrically. Yes, there are a few songs out there that are good lyrically, and even some artists who were consistently good (and LARGE numbers of these are in proto-prog/prog related), but most of the truly great lyricists lie in Prog.
I will say it right now, in non-instrumental songs, lyrics are the most important part for me. More important than the music, the vocals, it's the lyrics. Granted, prog music is better than most other music for me because of its complexity, but the lyrics are what do it for me. Roger Waters, Peter Gabriel, Peter Hamill, Ian Anderson, if you can find me a better lyricist than ANY of these outside of prog, I will be shocked. 
Not many people in music could get inside the head of someone as well Hamill. Not many people could tell a story like Gabriel. Not many people could write Thick as a Brick. Not many people could do political satire like Waters.
I am a better lyricist than almost anybody outside prog. This is not to brag, as I don't consider it an accomplishment. I will be truly proud of my abilities when I am (if ever) as good a lyricist as those four above. All of whom, you might notice, are prog.
So to say that lyrics are prog's weak point is merely to criticize the lyrics of non-prog to death.
Other examples of great lyricists:
Peter Sinfield
Christian Vander
That Strawbs guy
That Rush guy
Gentle Giant's people when they were on form
Whoever was doing the most around Caravan's Grey and Pink
John Anderson when he's on form
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Posted By: salmacis
Date Posted: November 08 2006 at 14:54
There are exceptions to the rule of course, but I'd hardly have called most of Jon Anderson's lyrics 'great'. That's not to say that I don't like their mystical tweeness. But they don't make much sense!The fact that there are so many replies to this thread implies it's not only me that sees the weakness in the genre's lyrics at times. For me, the musicianship is far more important when it comes to prog. Not to say I don't like the lyrics, but does 'Thick As A Brick' REALLY mean that much??
But goodness- you haven't heard lyricists of any other genre that are excellent lyrically?? I'm very perturbed by that statement....People like Lennon/McCartney, Dylan, Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, Randy Newman, Stevie Wonder etc. are better than almost anyone in prog for lyrics. You don't hear too many people singing the praises of stuff like 'craving penetrations offer links with the self instructors sharp and tender love' the same way you do any of the above. And really, with good reason.
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Posted By: Pnoom!
Date Posted: November 08 2006 at 16:43
salmacis wrote:
There are exceptions to the rule of course, but I'd hardly have called most of Jon Anderson's lyrics 'great'. That's not to say that I don't like their mystical tweeness. But they don't make much sense!The fact that there are so many replies to this thread implies it's not only me that sees the weakness in the genre's lyrics at times. For me, the musicianship is far more important when it comes to prog. Not to say I don't like the lyrics, but does 'Thick As A Brick' REALLY mean that much??
But goodness- you haven't heard lyricists of any other genre that are excellent lyrically?? I'm very perturbed by that statement....People like Lennon/McCartney, Dylan, Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, Randy Newman, Stevie Wonder etc. are better than almost anyone in prog for lyrics. You don't hear too many people singing the praises of stuff like 'craving penetrations offer links with the self instructors sharp and tender love' the same way you do any of the above. And really, with good reason.  |
You note Lennon/McCartney who is Proto-prog, I believe, which I specifically mentioned as a source of good lyricists, though it you look at Beatle's lyrics, they often aren't that good (and often not very original, as half are on the same subject, really...)
I will read some of the works of the other lryicists you noted, and see what I think...
EDIT:
Bob Dylan:
Pros - very well written on occasion, not all on same subject, broke past the love song, often political (on issues that matter!  )
Cons - too much weak material, not as much imagery as I would like, too narrative
Verdict: good, belongs in my list of lyricists who are not the best, but who are good (the sidenote of my earlier post)
Neil Young:
Cons - some lines feel like they are there only to rhyme, a lot of it is weak
Verdict: even better than Dylan, but has written too many sets of bad lyrics to earn a spot in my best lyricists list, in the same one as Dylan
I'll look at the others later.
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Posted By: Pnoom!
Date Posted: November 08 2006 at 17:14
Also, you say that the number of posts here shows just how bad prog generally is lyrically, when, in reality, you would get just as many or more for any other genre (at least from me, but I hope from everybody else as well).
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