When Lyrics Ruin The Mood In A Great (or Good) Song
Today’s post is from our friend HIM.
I know that Allyson and I differ on what matters most in a song. This has come up on several occasions. For me, the lyrics have to hit, and hit hard, even if the music that is moving them along is great. Granted, I still love some great and good songs that have lame lyrics. But here is just a sample of songs I enjoy that always stop me, mid-rocking, and make me pause.
Ratt, “Loving You is a Dirty Job,” Detonator (1990).
By this point, Ratt were past their fairly quick prime (don’t challenge me on this, as Pearcy also admits as much). But they still had some songs to offer on this album. This song had that classic swing, that sound you expected. Then, this: “But I've got the glue to glue it.” What? Really? You decided to just rhyme the word . . . with the same word?!? I still enjoy this album every couple of years. But this lyric just stops me. And I have mentioned this on this site several times. So, now I will stop.
Motorhead, “Ace of Spades,” Ace of Spades (1980).
I am being very, very careful here. This album is nearly perfect. It is what makes Iron Fist (1982) feel like a sorta’ letdown, even if it is still a great slab of metal/punk/Lemmy. But I always get irritable when I hear the throwaway line “And don’t forget the joker.” I get it. It fits with the song. But it feels out of place, like Lemmy was just riffing and decided to say something . . . in the middle of one of their best songs!?!
Rainbow, “Stone Cold,” Straight Between the Eyes (1982).
I still prefer Rainbow when they were doing the fantasy and elves thing with Dio. I also didn’t mind Bonnet on Difficult to Cure (1979). And, putting aside Joe Lynn Turner’s ghastly political turn in recent years, he was and is a marvelous AOR singer. Thing is, Blackmore was chasing hits and wanted them . . . NOW! So, JLT was as good as you could ask for with those marching orders. This is a great song, well-written and plotted. Then, this happens: “You put me in the deep freeze.” Wait, what? Did this song of love lost just lyrically suggest a place you store meat or use to perk up your muscles after a workout? And this was after the slightly less iffy “You're stone cold, ice cold.” Was there a question about what cold meant? I get it. This is me listening to a song and having thoughts. But those are not good lyrics. Not at all.
So, do any of you out there have other songs that make you “go head down, horns up” and then, suddenly, stop you in your tracks for a lyrical miss? I am sure some of you do. So, speak up and post about it.
One thing, though: you can’t—and I mean can’t—make fun of April Wine’s “Rock Myself to Sleep,” Fright Night (1985). That is a song that Brahms, Wagner, Beethoven, and Mozart wished they had written!