I listened again to that song
And discovered for years I got it wrong
I put my trust in words misheard
Proving to the cool kids I was a nerd
So now I shall listen more carefully
Paying attention to lyrics and not just melody
Padre
Lyrics
Jumping Those Jiggles Out
Jim Adams’ challenge this week was to write about a song with Hop/Jump/Leap/Pounce/Spring in the lyrics. The Wiggles Shake Your Sillies Out is a great hopping and jumping song. I was first introduced to this song at my eldest daughter’s wedding. While it might seem an odd piece for a wedding, it seemed totally appropriate to mark the big day for my daughter who is a children’s librarian.
Lyrics:
Let’s shake our sillies out
We’re going to shake, shake, shake our sillies out
Shake, shake, shake our sillies out
Shake, shake, shake our sillies out
Wibble our wobbles away
Well, we’ve shaken our sillies out
How about we nod our naughties out?
We’re going to nod, nod, nod our naughties out
Nod, nod, nod our naughties out
Nod, nod, nod our naughties out
Wibble our wobbles away
Now, can we clap our crazies out?
Let’s all clap
We’re going to clap, clap, clap our crazies out
Clap, clap, clap our crazies out
Clap, clap, clap our crazies out
Wibble our wobbles away
Can you show me how high you can jump?
Let’s all jump
We’re going to jump, jump, jump our jiggles out
Jump, jump, jump our jiggles out
Jump, jump, jump our jiggles out
Wibble our wobbles away
Well, all that jumping made us really tired
Let’s have a stretch and a yawn
We’re going to stretch, yawn, stretch and yawn again
Stretch, yawn, stretch and yawn again
Stretch, yawn, stretch and yawn again
Wibble our wobbles away
We’re going to shake, shake, shake our sillies out
Shake, shake, shake our sillies out
Shake, shake, shake our sillies out
Wibble our wobbles away, hey
Source: Musixmatch
Shake Your Sillies Out lyrics
© Kohaw Music Inc., Wiggly Tunes Pty. Ltd., Homeland Publishing
Padre
Cranberry Coffee
I have to admit that I am a big fan of the Cranberries’ music. The song Zombie is a powerful one in my life. But this week Jim Adams’ challenge was to use a coffee themed song and Wake Up and Smell the Coffee fits. The song is the title song from the band’s fifth album. The album was released in October 2001and sold 170,000 copies in the US album and 1,300,000 copies worldwide. Various band members have said the song is about waking up to realities, such as life isn’t all about work. It is a call to live in the moment, and also to take stock of your life.
Lyrics:
I, I went to hell
I might as well learn by my mistakes
I at twenty-four, was insecure, do whatever it takes
Come on and wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up
Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up
It’s time, smell the coffee, the coffee
Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up
Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up
This time, smell the coffee, the coffee
She’s only got one reason to live, this is your life
She’s only got one message to give, give it tonight
She’s so gorgeous, I’ll do anything
She’s so gorgeous, I’ll lose everything
Everything
Come on and wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up
Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up
It’s time, smell the coffee, the coffee
Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up
Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up
This time, smell the coffee, the coffee
She’s only got one reason to live, this is your life
She’s only got one message to give, give it tonight
She’s so gorgeous, I’ll do anything
She’s so gorgeous, I’ll lose everything
She’s so gorgeous, I’ll do anything
She’s so gorgeous, I’ll lose everything
Everything
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Dolores Mary O’riordan / Noel Hogan
Wake Up and Smell the Coffee lyrics © Juztol Ltd., Universal/island Music Ltd.
Padre
Donald’s Trousers?
Jim Adams’ challenge this week is to write about a song containing weather references such as – Breeze/Cloud/Sky/Wind. Andy Stewart’s Donald Where’s Your Troosers? which was first released in 1960, takes the wind very much into consideration as a Scotsman faces all weathers in his kilt. The song reached number 37 in the UK and number 1 in Canada. It was re-released in 1989, it became an even bigger hit, reaching number 4 in the UK.
Donald Where’s Your Troosers?
I’ve just come down from the Isle of Skye
I’m no very big and I’m awful shy
And the lassies shout when I go by
Donald, where’s your troosers?
Let the wind blow high, let the wind blow low
Through the streets in my kilt, I’ll go
All the lassies say hello
Donald, where’s your troosers?
A lassie took me to a ball
And it was slippery in the hall
And I was feared that I would fall
For I had nae on my troosers
Let the wind blow high, let the wind blow low
Through the streets in my kilt, I’ll go
All the lassies say hello
Donald, where’s your troosers?
Now I went down to London Town
And I had some fun in the underground
The ladies turned their heads around
Saying, Donald, where are your trousers?
Let the wind blow high, let the wind blow low
Through the streets in my kilt, I’ll go
All the lassies say hello
Donald, where’s your troosers?
To wear the kilt is my delight
It is not wrong, I know it’s right
The Highlanders would get a fright
If they saw me in the trousers
Let the wind blow high, let the wind blow low
Through the streets in my kilt, I’ll go
All the lassies say hello
Donald, where’s your troosers?
The lassies want me every one
Well, let them catch me if they can
You can not take the breaks off a Highland man
And I don’t wear the troosers
Let the wind blow high, let the wind blow low
Through the streets in my kilt, I’ll go
All the lassies say hello
Donald, where’s your troosers?
Donald, where’s your troosers?
Donald, where’s your troo…
Oh, well, that’s the way we sing the song in Scotland
But of course the song might have more international appeal
Sung something like this
One, two, three, four
Well, I’ve just come down from the Isle of Skye
I’m not very big and I’m awful shy
The lassies shout when I go by
Hey, Donald, where’s your troosers?
Let the wind blow high, let the wind blow low
Through the streets in my kilt, I’ll go
All the lassies shout, go, go
Hey, Donald, where’s your troosers?
Oh, man, I’m all rock and roll
And I’m a-moving and a-grooving to save my soul
Grab your kilt and go, go, go
Hey, Donald, where’s your troosers?
Let the wind blow high, let the wind blow low
Through the streets in my kilt, I’ll go
Oh, yeah, go, go, go
Hey, Donald, where’s your troosers?
Hey, Donald, where’s your troosers?
Yeah, hey, Donald
Hey, just a minute, what are you doing there?
(Man, I’m rocking it, man, man, I’m really moving it, man)
Well just you stop rocking it and moving it, man
The song should be sung just exactly like this
I’ve just come down from the Isle of Skye
I’m not very big and I’m awful shy
And the lassies shout when I go by
Donald, where’s your troosers?
Let the wind blow high, let the wind blow low
Through the streets in my kilt, I’ll go
All the lassies say hello
Donald, where’s your troosers?
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Andy Stewart
Padre
If You Could Read My Mind
Jim Adams’ challenge this week is to tell about a song with Brain/Mind/Think in the title or lyrics. Gordon Lightfoot’s “If You Could Read My Mind” is a such a song. It reached number 1 on the Canadian Singles Chart in 1970 and then number 5 on Billboard and number 30 in the UK.
Lyrics:
If You Could Read My Mind, ©1969 by Gordon Lightfoot
If you could read my mind, love,
What a tale my thoughts could tell.
Just like an old time movie,
'Bout a ghost from a wishing well.
In a castle dark or a fortress strong,
With chains upon my feet.
You know that ghost is me.
And I will never be set free
As long as I'm a ghost that you can't see.
If I could read your mind, love,
What a tale your thoughts could tell.
Just like a paperback novel,
The kind the drugstores sell.
Then you reached the part where the heartaches come,
The hero would be me.
But heroes often fail,
And you won't read that book again
Because the ending's just too hard to take!
I'd walk away like a movie star
Who gets burned in a three way script.
Enter number two:
A movie queen to play the scene
Of bringing all the good things out in me.
But for now, love, let's be real;
I never thought I could feel this way
And I've got to say that I just don't get it.
I don't know where we went wrong,
But the feeling's gone
And I just can't get it back.
If you could read my mind, love,
What a tale my thoughts could tell.
Just like an old time movie,
'Bout a ghost from a wishing well.
In a castle dark or a fortress strong.
With chains upon my feet.
But stories always end,
And if you read between the lines,
You'd know that I'm just tryin' to understand
The feelin's that you lack.
I never thought I could feel this way
And I've got to say that I just don't get it.
I don't know where we went wrong,
But the feelin's gone
And I just can't get it back!
Padre
Snoopy Vs. The Red Baron
Jim Adams has challenged us to write about a song that contains the words Chat/Laugh/Rant/Scream/Talk. I have picked a song about another challenge – the classic duel between the Red Baron and the Peanuts’ Snoopy in 1966. The Royal Guardsmen’s song was written by Phil Gernhard & Dick Holler and was released in November 1966. It tells how Charles Schultz’s comics depicted Snoopy imagining himself as a WWI fighter pilot, battling the Red Baron Manfred von Richthofen.
The song sparked all kinds of images for me as a pre-teen on its release, and I thought it would be a fun addition today.
Lyrics:
After the turn of the century
In the clear blue skies over Germany
Came a roar and a thunder men had never heard
Like the screamin’ sound of a big war bird
Up in the sky, a man in a plane
Baron von Richthofen was his name
Eighty men tried, and eighty men died
Now, they’re buried together on the countryside
Ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty or more
The Bloody Red Baron was rollin’ up the score
Eighty men died tryin’ to end that spree
Of the Bloody Red Baron of Germany
In the nick of time, a hero arose
A funny-lookin’ dog with a big black nose
He flew into the sky to seek revenge
But the Baron shot him down (Curses, foiled again!)
Ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty or more
The Bloody Red Baron was rollin’ up the score
Eighty men died tryin’ to end that spree
Of the Bloody Red Baron of Germany
Now, Snoopy had swore that he’d get that man
So he asked the Great Pumpkin for a new battle plan
He challenged the German to a real dogfight
While the Baron was laughin‘, he got him in his sight
That Bloody Red Baron was in a fix
He tried everything, but he’d run out of tricks
Snoopy fired once, and he fired twice
And that Bloody Red Baron went spinnin’ out of sight
Ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty or more
The Bloody Red Baron was rollin’ up the score
Eighty men died tryin’ to end that spree
Of the Bloody Red Baron of Germany
Well, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty or more
The Bloody Red Baron was rollin’ up the score
Padre
Spiders and Snakes
Jim Adams’ challenge this week is to write about a song which includes: Alligator/Crocodile/Lizard/Snake/Turtle. I have gone with snakes, as the first one to come to mind was Loretta Lynn’s cover of Spiders and Snakes. The song was originally recorded by Jim Stafford and was performed by him both as a solo and as a duet with Dolly Parton. I was Number 3 on Billboard in 1974 and reached Number 1 in Canada. I like the lyrics as they do so sound like teenaged courting.
Lyrics:
I remember when Mary Lou
Said, “You wanna walk me home from school?”
Well, I said, “Yes, I do”
She said, “I don’t have to go right home
And I would kinda like to be alone some if you would”
I said, “Me, too” haha
And so we took a stroll
Wound up down by the swimming hole
And she said, “Do what you wannna do”
I got silly and I found a frog
In the water by a hollow log
And I shook it at her
And I said, “This frog’s for you”
Haha, and she said
“I don’t like spiders and snakes
And that ain’t what it takes to love me
You fool, you fool
I don’t like spiders and snakes
And that ain’t what it takes to love me
Like I wanna be loved by you”
Well, I think of that girl from time to time
I call her up when I got a dime
I say, “Hello, baby”
She say, “Ain’t you cool”
Ha, say, “Do you remember when?
And would you like to get together again?”
She said, “I’ll see you after school”
I was shy and so for a while
Most of my love was touch and smile
‘Til she said, “Come on over here”
I was nervous, as you might guess
Still looking for something to slip down her dress
And she said, “Let’s make it perfectly clear”
She said
“I don’t like spiders and snakes
And that ain’t what it takes to love me
You fool, you fool
I don’t like spiders and snakes
And that ain’t what it takes to love me
Like I wannna be loved by you”
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Jim Stafford / David Bellamy
Padre
Sweet Betsy (Bessie)
Sweet Betsy (Bessie) from Pike is an American folk song. There are several variations of it (like with many traditional songs). It does meet Jim Adams’ lyrical challenge to write about a song that includes Bird/Cat/Dog/Fish/Pet. Well our Betsy surely has an old yellow dog!
Padre
Lyrics:
Did you ever hear tell of sweet Bessie from Pike?
She crossed the high mountains with her lover Ike,
With a tall yoke of oxen, and an old yellow dog,
A big shanghai rooster, and an old spotted hog.
[One evening quite early they camped on the Platte,
‘Twas near by the road on a green shady flat,
Where Bessie, sore-footed, lay down to repose,
With wonder Ike gazed on his Pike County rose.]
[The shanghai ran off and their cattle all died,
That morning the last piece of bacon was fried;
Poor Ike was discouraged and Bessie got mad;
The dog drooped his tail and looked wondrously sad.]
They stopped at Salt Lake to enquire the way,
Old Brigham he swore that sweet Bessie would stay,
Sweet Bessie got scared, run away like a deer,
Old Brigham he pawed up the ground like a steer.
[Sweet Bessie got up in a great deal of pain,
Declared she’d go back to Pike County again;
But Ike gave a sigh, and they fondly embraced,
And they traveled along with his arm ’round her waist.]
[This Pike County couple got married of course,
But Ike became jealous, obtained a divorce.
Sweet Bessie, well satisfied, said with a great shout,
“Good-by, you big lummox, I’m glad you backed out!”]
Source: https://mnheritagesongbook.net/the-songs/addition-song-with-recordings/sweet-bessie-from-pike/
Happy
Jim Adams’ lyrical challenge this week is to write about a song which contains the words: Fiancé/Husband/Lover/Wife.
“Ugly Woman” by the Calypso group Roaring Lion came out in 1934. Jimmy Soul’s adaptation “If you want to be happy” was released in 1963, and hit number one on the Billboard chart, as well as the R&B singles chart.
Lyrics:
If you want to be happy for the rest of your life
Never make a pretty woman your wife
So for my personal point of view
Get an ugly girl to marry you
If you want to be happy for the rest of your life
Never make a pretty woman your wife
So for my personal point of view
Get an ugly girl to marry you
A pretty woman makes her husband look small
And very often causes his downfall
As soon as he married her and then she starts
To do the things that will break his heart
But if you make an ugly woman your wife
A-you’ll be happy for the rest of your life
An ug-a-ly woman cooks meals on time
And she’ll always give you peace of mind
If you want to be happy for the rest of your life
Never make a pretty woman your wife
So for my personal point of view
Get an ugly girl to marry you
Don’t let your friends say you have no taste
Go ahead and marry anyway
Though her face is ugly, her eyes don’t match
Take it from me, she’s a better catch
If you want to be happy for the rest of your life
Never make a pretty woman your wife
So for my personal point of view
Get an ugly girl to marry you
Say man!
Hey baby!
I saw your wife the other day!
Yeah?
Yeah, an’ she’s ugly!
Yeah, she’s ugly, but she sure can cook, baby!
Yeah, alright!
If you want to be happy for the rest of your life
Never make a pretty woman your wife
So for my personal point of view
Get an ugly girl to marry you
If you want to be happy for the rest of your life
Never make a pretty woman your wife
So for my personal point of view
Get an ugly girl to marry you
If you want to be happy for the rest of your life
Never make a pretty woman your wife
So for my personal point of view
Get an ugly girl to marry you
If you want to be happy for the rest of your life
Never make a pretty woman your wife
So for my personal point of view
Get an ugly girl to marry you
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Carmela T. Guida / Frank J. Guida / Joseph F. Royster
If You Wanna Be Happy lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Wixen Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management
Padre
Blinded by the Light
Jim Adams’ challenge to Clear/Dark/Light as key lyrics in the songs we write about. He notes that the terms can be used to describe both the pronunciation of English ‘L’s and colours. In my chosen song the word ‘light’ is a metaphor*.
Blinded By The Light was written by Bruce Springsteen, and a cover of it by the British band Manfred Mann’s Earth Band reached number one on the Billboard chart. It made the top ten hit in the UK, New Zealand, and Canada as well.
I love the word play and metaphor in this song.
Lyrics:
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce
Another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce
Another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Madman drummer bummers
Indians in the summer
With a teenage diplomat
In the dumps with the mumps
As the adolescent pumps
His way into his hat
With a boulder on my shoulder
Feeling kinda older
I tripped a merry-go-round
With this very unpleasing
Sneezing and wheezing
The calliope crashed to the ground
The calliope crashed to the ground
But she was blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce
Another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce
Another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce
Another runner in the night
Some silicone sister
With her manager mister
Told me I got what it takes
She said, I’ll turn you on sonny to something strong
Play the song with the funky break
And go-kart Mozart
Was checking out the weather chart
To see if it was safe outside
And little Early Pearly
Came by in his curly-wurly
And asked me if I needed a ride
Asked me if I needed a ride
‘Cause she was blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce
Another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
She got down but she never got tight
She’s gonna make it to the night
She’s gonna make it through the night
But mama, that’s where the fun is
But mama, that’s where the fun is
[Solo]
Mama always told me not to look into the eyes of the sun
But mama, that’s where the fun is
Some brimstone baritone
Anticyclone rolling stone
Preacher from the east
Says, “Dethrone the Dictaphone
Hit it in its funny bone
That’s where they expect it least.”
And some new mown chaperone
Was standing in the corner
Watching the young girls dance
And some fresh-sown moonstone
Was messing with his frozen zone
Reminding him of romance
The calliope crashed to the ground
But she was blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce
Another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce
Another runner in the night
(Madman drummers bummers and Indians in the summer with a teenage diplomat
In the dumps with the mumps as the adolescent pumps his way into his hat)
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce
Another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce
Another runner in the night
(With a boulder on my shoulder feelin’ kinda older I tripped the merry-go-round
With this very unpleasing sneezing and wheezing the calliope crashed to the ground)
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce
Another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce
Another runner in the night
(And now Scott with a slingshot finally found a tender spot and throws his lover in the sand
And some bloodshot forget-me-not whispers daddy’s within earshot save the buckshot turn up the band.)
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce
Another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce
Another runner in the night
(Some silicone sister with her manager mister told me I got what it takes
She said I’ll turn you on sonny to something strong)
She got down but she never got tired
She’s gonna make it through the night
*For those wanting to decipher these lyrics there is a take on it at: https://genius.com/Manfred-manns-earth-band-blinded-by-the-light-lyrics.
Padre
Padre's Ramblings 