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Song lyric question

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Forum Name: Prog Bands, Artists and Genres Appreciation
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Topic: Song lyric question

Posted By: ElwoodHerring
Subject: Song lyric question
Date Posted: March 16 2006 at 13:42

Do you ever listen to the lyrics of some songs and hear something different to what you expect? Sometimes I wonder if the song writer had something else in mind and changed the lyrics at the last minute. For example, have you ever listened to the song "39" by Queen, and at the line
"For many a lonely day sailed across the milky seas"

I always hear in my mind "For many a lonely day sailed across the milky WAY"

It certainly would rhyme better, and the song is supposed to be about space travel, so "way" makes more sense to me.

Another one that intrigues me is the Yes song "Foot Prints" where instead of
My eyes see the coming revolution
My eyes see the glory of the world

In my mind I always hear
My eyes see the coming revolution
My eyes see the glory of the LORD

I think the writer (Jon Anderson) is betraying his thoughts here and steering close to his religious beliefs. I hear religious leanings in other Yes songs, but this one stands out particularly.

Does anyone have any other examples, or is it just me overanalysing?

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[IMG]http://www.herring.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/DRMkillb.JPG">
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4816930.stm - Right the Copyright Wrongs (Bill Thompson's BBC blog - essential reading!)

Replies:

Posted By: Winter Wine
Date Posted: March 16 2006 at 13:56

ElwoodHerring wrote:

Another one that intrigues me is the Yes song "Foot Prints" where instead of
My eyes see the coming revolution
My eyes see the glory of the world

That's what I hear when I'm listening to the song so it must be just you It's a DAMN good song anyway!

One song though that I did have a mix up with was 'The Revealing Science of God'

I could swear that in the half spoken half sung intro Jon and Chris say 'Raped into corners' instead of 'Late into Corners' , And I'm not messing I thought it was that for years.

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My computer's broke

Posted By: Rosescar
Date Posted: March 16 2006 at 14:00

I have it at times, but can't think of examples right now.

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http://www.soundclick.com/rosescar/ - My music!

"THE AUDIENCE WERE generally drugged. (In Holland, always)." - Robert Fripp

Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: March 16 2006 at 14:18

ElwoodHerring wrote:

Do you ever listen to the lyrics of some songs and hear something different to what you expect? Sometimes I wonder if the song writer had something else in mind and changed the lyrics at the last minute. For example, have you ever listened to the song "39" by Queen, and at the line
"For many a lonely day sailed across the milky seas"

I always hear in my mind "For many a lonely day sailed across the milky WAY"

It certainly would rhyme better, and the song is supposed to be about space travel, so "way" makes more sense to me.

Another one that intrigues me is the Yes song "Foot Prints" where instead of
My eyes see the coming revolution
My eyes see the glory of the world

In my mind I always hear
My eyes see the coming revolution
My eyes see the glory of the LORD

I think the writer (Jon Anderson) is betraying his thoughts here and steering close to his religious beliefs. I hear religious leanings in other Yes songs, but this one stands out particularly.

Does anyone have any other examples, or is it just me overanalysing?

With Foot prints, perhaps you're subconsciously thinking of "Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord". Of course, it's possible that's what JA was thinking of when he wrote the lyric.

Posted By: Firepuck
Date Posted: March 16 2006 at 14:18

When Peter Gabriel III came out back in the 1980 the song 'Games Without Frontiers' was getting a lot of air play on the local radio stations here in Canada.

The chorus is 'jeux sans frontieres' - pardon my French. The radio DJ introduced the song as Peter Gabriel's new song ' She's so popular'.

If you didn't know any better you would think the DJ was correct, it does sound like Gabriel is singing she's sooo pop-u-lar.

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Kryten : "'Pub'? Ah yes, A meeting place where humans attempt to achieve advanced states of mental incompetence by the repeated consumption of fermented vegetable drinks."

Posted By: ElwoodHerring
Date Posted: March 16 2006 at 14:21

Winter Wine wrote:

ElwoodHerring wrote:

Another one that intrigues me is the Yes song "Foot Prints" where instead of My eyes see the coming revolution My eyes see the glory of the world

That's what I hear when I'm listening to the song so it must be just you It's a DAMN good song anyway!

One song though that I did have a mix up with was 'The Revealing Science of God'

I could swear that in the half spoken half sung intro Jon and Chris say 'Raped into corners' instead of 'Late into Corners' , And I'm not messing I thought it was that for years.

Slight misunderstanding I think - I don't mean what you actually hear with your ears, I'm on about what you expect to hear - I know the lyrics in each case, they just sound like they might have been something else at one time and the writer changed his mind!

For instance, if I said "This is going to cost you a hundred ..." your mind automatically races ahead and is expecting the word "pounds" (or dollars if you're an american I suppose). But then if the last word turns out to be "pigs" your brain does a double-take. That's what I'm on about here.

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[IMG]http://www.herring.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/DRMkillb.JPG">
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4816930.stm - Right the Copyright Wrongs (Bill Thompson's BBC blog - essential reading!)

Posted By: ElwoodHerring
Date Posted: March 16 2006 at 14:24

Firepuck wrote:

When Peter Gabriel III came out back in the 1980 the song 'Games Without Frontiers' was getting a lot of air play on the local radio stations here in Canada.

The chorus is 'jeux sans frontieres' - pardon my French. The radio DJ introduced the song as Peter Gabriel's new song ' She's so popular'.

If you didn't know any better you would think the DJ was correct, it does sound like Gabriel is singing she's sooo pop-u-lar.

Firepuck, if you've actually read that book Godel, Escher, Bach (as I have three or four times!) then surely YOU know what I'm on about here!

Posted By: Firepuck
Date Posted: March 16 2006 at 14:42

ElwoodHerring wrote:

Firepuck, if you've actually read that book Godel, Escher, Bach (as I have three or four times!) then surely YOU know what I'm on about here!

[/QUOTE]

Hey Elwood, you've read it more than me, I've only managed two reads - and still I agree with you!

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Kryten : "'Pub'? Ah yes, A meeting place where humans attempt to achieve advanced states of mental incompetence by the repeated consumption of fermented vegetable drinks."