slg1013 Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 One that I didn't understand as kid was Arlo Guthrie's "Coming into Los Angeles"... "bringing in a couple of keys". Always thought he was talking about car/house keys. In the other category, there was "Walking in a Lake" by the Missing Persons. "Nobody walks in a lake"... still makes sense to me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StanC Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 "there's a bathroom on the right. . . ." (Bad Moon Rising) Quote Stan Gig Rig: Yamaha S90 XS; Hammond SK-1; Rehearsal: Yamaha MOX8 Korg Triton Le61, Yamaha S90, Hammond XK-1 Retired: Hammond M2/Leslie 145, Wurly 200, Ensoniq VFX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Threadslayer Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 In The Spinners song "Games People Play", the singer says "12:45" as in the time but I've heard people sing it as Colt 45. That's the Suge Knight remake. Quote Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect. -Mark Twain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Schmieder Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Actually, Bernie Taupin wrote most of EJ's lyrics so they indeed are about women. EJ didn't mind. And why would he? It's hard not to enjoy singing about love, after all. He just assumed people knew. Quote Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1, Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Schmieder Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 I never knew "D'yer Mak'er" by LZ was meant to be a phonetic version of a particular pronunciation of Jamaica! I always thought it was about mutual sexual pleasure: "do" your "maker". Quote Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1, Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moj Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 I never knew "D'yer Mak'er" by LZ was meant to be a phonetic version of a particular pronunciation of Jamaica! I always thought it was about mutual sexual pleasure: "do" your "maker". It was that, too. The "Oh, Oh, Oh, Oooh.." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuzikTeechur Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 "the algebra has a devil in a sidecar for me...." "big old Jed in a lighthouse, don't carry me too far away..." As far as tumbling to song meanings later in life, although I knew what "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" was about, I gave some thought to the title sometime later and got the meaning of "I can see paradise by the dashboard light." Kind of like when Jake Blues said "Honey when you bend back I can see Christmas; when you bend over I'm looking straight into the New Year!" or something to that effect. Quote Muzikteechur is Lonnie, in Kittery, Maine. HS music teacher: Concert Band, Marching Band, Jazz Band, Chorus, Music Theory, AP Music Theory, History of Rock, Musical Theatre, Piano, Guitar, Drama. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scales Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 I got majorly confused on the Doobie Brothers "Black Water" as a kid. "I like to hear some funky dixieland pretty mamma come and take me by the hand." I thought he was singing "I like to hear some funky dixie lampren mamma come and take me by the hand". I asked my parents, "what's a lampren?" Always wondered why they gave me that strange look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Schmieder Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard... "went down to see the coroner". Yep, I thought it was about a southern lynching and a white boy going down to give witness to what he saw go down... Quote Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1, Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cphollis Posted November 8, 2018 Share Posted November 8, 2018 Zombie thread alert. Sorry, had to resurrect. Most of these examples are BI -- Before Internet. These days, you can find perfectly captured lyrics (although not chords!) and check out Urban Dictionary for those obscure cultural references you might have missed along the way. For whatever reason, I was always clued into the drug/sex/gender references in songs when growing up in the 60s and 70s. Must have been that I grew up a bit south of San Francisco, and I was surrounded by plenty of counterculturalists willing to enthusiastically share their interpretation of lyrics. And hand me a joint in the process at a tender age. Including playing certain records backwards looking for deep hidden meanings, that was a thing. Turn Me On Dead Men. Shamefully, it was only a few years ago that someone clued me in to what Steely Dan referred to. I just thought it was super-cool band name. Oh well. I fear that in AI (After Internet) the fun of subtle innuendo in music might be lost. Quote Want to make your band better? Check out "A Guide To Starting (Or Improving!) Your Own Local Band" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synthaholic Posted November 8, 2018 Share Posted November 8, 2018 "there's a bathroom on the right. . . ." (Bad Moon Rising) I just recently read that this is so misunderstood, Fogarty sometimes sings it live for fun. For the longest time I thought Louis Armstrong, in What a Wonderful World, was singing ...and the dogs say goodnight instead of ...and the dark, sacred night. It STILL sounds like it to me. Quote The fact there's a Highway To Hell and only a Stairway To Heaven says a lot about anticipated traffic numbers People only say "It's a free country" when they're doing something shitty-Demetri Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Wright Posted November 8, 2018 Share Posted November 8, 2018 I thought it was "one toe" when I was a kid. "Awaitin' for the train that goes home, sweet Mary Hopin' that the train is on time Sittin' downtown in a railway station One toke over the line" :idk Quote . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hardware Posted November 8, 2018 Share Posted November 8, 2018 Tarkus. But I kept listening anyways. Quote Magnus C350 + FMR RNP + Realistic Unisphere Mic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimboKeys Posted November 9, 2018 Share Posted November 9, 2018 Most of these examples are BI -- Before Internet. These days, you can find perfectly captured lyrics Not necessarily ... i've seen some laughably butchered lyrics on some of the lyrics sites. - Jimbo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synthoid Posted November 9, 2018 Share Posted November 9, 2018 I got majorly confused on the Doobie Brothers "Black Water" as a kid. "I like to hear some funky dixieland pretty mamma come and take me by the hand." I thought he was singing "I like to hear some funky dixie lampren mamma come and take me by the hand". The first time I heard the Doobies sing "Listen to the Music," I thought he was saying "Talked of feeling girly, day by day." Quote When an eel hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's a Moray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteinwayB Posted November 9, 2018 Share Posted November 9, 2018 The milk is sitting; the milk is sitting on the bathroom floor. (We built this city on rock and roll). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CountFosco Posted November 9, 2018 Share Posted November 9, 2018 Take your pants down, and make it happen. (Flashdance) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimboKeys Posted November 9, 2018 Share Posted November 9, 2018 Aw shucks - leave it downtown, Mrs. Geary. (Voices Carry) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EscapeRocks Posted November 9, 2018 Share Posted November 9, 2018 Why why why did you have to resurrect this thread.... It's taken me 3 years to get the Melanie skate key earworm out of my head..... and now it's back... Quote David Gig Rig:Roland Fantom 08 | Roland Jupiter 80 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cedar Posted November 9, 2018 Share Posted November 9, 2018 Wrapped up like a douche Yes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Aiken Posted November 9, 2018 Share Posted November 9, 2018 Dirty Deeds and the Dunder Cheese. Quote Moog The One, VV 64 EP, Wurlies 200A 140 7300, Forte 7, Mojo 61, OB-6, Prophet 6, Polaris, Hammond A100, Farfisa VIP, ,Young Chang 6', Voyager, E7 Clav, Midiboard, Linnstrument, Seaboard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polychrest Posted November 9, 2018 Share Posted November 9, 2018 Raised on Robbery -- Joni Mitchell He was sitting in the lounge of the Empire Hotel He was drinking for diversion He was thinking for himself A little money riding on the Maple Leafs Along comes a lady in lacy sleeves She says let me sit down You know, drinkin' alone's a shame (It's a shame it's a crying shame) Look at those jokers Losin' that damn hockey game For several decades I thought that this was just another Western Canadian taking a gratuitous cheap shot at Toronto Quote "I like rock and roll, man, I don't like much else." John Lennon 1970 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatricklov Posted November 9, 2018 Share Posted November 9, 2018 For the longest time I thought Louis Armstrong, in What a Wonderful World, was singing ...and the dogs say goodnight instead of ...and the dark, sacred night. It STILL sounds like it to me. Wow, I had no idea... there's my learned something new today moment. I thought it was "dogs say good night" too. Mine is No Doubts' song Spiderwebs. And it's all your fault I screen my phone calls No matter who calls I gotta screen my phone calls I thought Gwen Stefani was saying "I scream my balls off"... wow, that's odd since she's a girl, but then maybe that's the point... I dunno?!!? My friends had a good laugh about it. Quote MainStage; Hammond SK1-73; Roland XP-80, JV-90, JV-1080, JV-1010, AX-1; Korg microSAMPLER; Boss DR-880; Beat Buddy; Neo Instruments Ventilator; TC Electronic ND-1 Nova Delay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RABid Posted November 9, 2018 Share Posted November 9, 2018 "I'm a creep. I'm a willow." or Michael Jackson singing about working on a ranch. ... "Come on, dig a post hole. Don't stop 'til you dig enough. Come on, dig a post hole. Don't stop 'til you dig enough." Quote This post edited for speling. My Sweetwater Gear Exchange Page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuzikTeechur Posted November 9, 2018 Share Posted November 9, 2018 "the algebra has a devil in a sidecar...me... for me.. for MEEEEEEEEEEE" "Big ol' Jed in a lighthouse, don't carry me too far away..." Quote Muzikteechur is Lonnie, in Kittery, Maine. HS music teacher: Concert Band, Marching Band, Jazz Band, Chorus, Music Theory, AP Music Theory, History of Rock, Musical Theatre, Piano, Guitar, Drama. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotiDave Posted November 9, 2018 Share Posted November 9, 2018 When i was a kid, I thought Jackson Browne's "Rosie" was about a girl. Quote The baiting I do is purely for entertainment value. Please feel free to ignore it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devil71 Posted November 9, 2018 Share Posted November 9, 2018 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zalman Stern Posted November 9, 2018 Share Posted November 9, 2018 When i was a kid, I thought Jackson Browne's "Rosie" was about a girl. In fact, it's about how you really want to be the drummer ;-) I always heard the line near the start of Life During Wartime as "Heard about some great sex out by the highway..." and pictured a roadhouse brothel in the post-apocalyptic world the song was obviously set in. The Fez makes perfect sense as a duet for Akbar and Jeff. -Z- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sven Golly Posted November 9, 2018 Share Posted November 9, 2018 "Senses Working Overtime" by XTC. Hearing it on the radio, before I knew what the title was, I was singing along: "I've got one, two, three, four five. Six is working overtime" I always felt sorry for Six. Why the hell did the first five numbers not have to work too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roygBiv Posted November 9, 2018 Share Posted November 9, 2018 S'cuse me while I kiss this guy..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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