Top 5 Nonsense Lyrics
When I first got into music I did just that, focused on the chords, notes and rhythms being played. Appreciating lyrics came later and eventually lyrics were defining lots of my favorite artists. Sometimes lyrics are poetic and terrific and sometimes they are just ridiculous and, perhaps, improvised on the spot. Still, sometimes that nonsensical jibber-jabber is exactly what I’m looking for and it ends up being the most memorable part of the song. Here are my top five instances where nonsense made sense.
#5) Tomorrow Never Knows- The Beatles
The only Beatles song that breaks my “I don’t like the Indian-sounding Beatles songs” rule. A great Ringo drum beat (tremendously rare), some nice sitar-noodling (unseen outside of Norwegian Wood) and then pseudo-mystical nonsense lyrics that don’t get under my skin. “Tomorrow Never Knows” is a perfect storm. I think its fairly obvious that these lyrics are not based on any kind of Buddhist or Hindu doctrine. More likely, they are based or a particularly groovy pot trip. It doesn’t make an ounce of sense but it must have taken at least an ounce to write.
That ignorance and hate
May mourn the dead
It is believing
It is believing
But listen to the
color of your dreams
It is not living
It is not living
#4) I am the Walrus- The Beatles
Usually this one would be further up the list, but I think the idea of “I am the Walrus” was to be nonsense. Unless that is also nonsense? Or maybe John Lennon thought if he wrote a nonsensical song, then dressed nonsensically, and added it all to a nonsensical movie- the combined nonsense could be reversed to actually make sense because it is just so consistently nonsensical, thereby following a guideline of being strictly nonsensical, that it made sense… Or maybe it just doesn’t make sense. Either way, I like the crazy imagery and they had animal costumes decades before animal collective. Also, I think Coo Coo Kachoo beats out the “Na Na Na Na’s” of Hey Jude for best sound-lyrics.
Sitting on a cornflake, waiting for the van to come.
Corporation tee-shirt, stupid bloody Tuesday.
Man, you been a naughty boy, you let your face grow long.
I am the eggman (woo), they are the eggmen (woo), I am the walrus,
Coo coo, kachoo.
#3) A Day in the Life- The Beatles
In “I am the Walrus” they were playful with the nonsense, in “A Day in the Life” they are completely serious about it. A much harder thing to pull off. What the hell is John Lennon talking about? Better question: Why am I emotionally impacted by it? Its just a great song all around and the bizarro lyrics don’t hamper it at all. Not only that but they translate the nonsense into the music: out of the blue changes, the enormous swells of an orchestra wearing wizard-hats (a little Beatles trivia for you), and the never-could-be-any-other-way ending. It might not mean a thing but, really, who cares?
I read the news today oh, boy
Four thousand holes in blackburn, lancashire
And though the holes were rather small
They had to count them all
Now they know how many holes it takes to fill the albert hall
I’d love to turn you on
#2) Strawberry Fields- The Beatles
Another classic Beatles song. I guess those four lads were good at writing nonsense. This is one of my favorite Beatles lines period. It just captures the whole fleeting nostalgia of having your past gradually slip away from your present and future. You were a little kid just a few years ago and now you’re left pointing fingers, asking how and feeling pretty much out of the loop with everything. The best you can say is that the whole thing didn’t make sense.
Always no sometimes think it’s me, but you know I know when it’s a dream.
I think I know I mean “Yes,” but it’s all wrong.
That is I think I disagree.
#1) Ballad of a Thin Man- Bob Dylan
The Beatles almost got the perfect game but, alas, Bobby D beats them to it. “Ballad of a Thin Man” is definitely one of my top 5 Dylan tunes, but thats a different list for a different day. Maybe, I’m just getting back at DJ here for being moronic enough to say Bob Dylan “can’t sing for shit”. In any case, this is just a great song and really just so fucking cool. And I’m not the kind of guy who just says ‘fuck’ in between words, either. I mean it. This song is fucking cool. There’s no way around it and I won’t hear anything to contrary.
Oh, but, yeah, the lyrics don’t make any sense.
Now you see this one-eyed midget
Shouting the word “NOW”
And you say, “For what reason?”
And he says, “How?”
And you say, “What does this mean?”
And he screams back, “You’re a cow
Give me some milk
Or else go home”
08/19/2009
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don’t know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Susan
http://disturbialyrics.net