Lyrics That Resonate

Okay, this has nothing to do with politics and everything to do with the song that popped into my head while I just took a shower, but there are few lyrics in the history of rock with this much mystique and opacity that suggest specificity in so many diverse minds - oh, heck, read the lyrics, you’ll recognize the song and know what I mean:

There is no pain, you are receding
A distant ship’s smoke on the horizon
You are only coming through in waves
Your lips move, but I can’t hear what you’re saying

When I was a child, I caught a fleeting glimpse
Out of the corner of my eye
I turned to look, but it was gone
I cannot put my finger on it now
The child is grown, the dream has gone

Now, brilliant is an overused word, but in this case it applies - there’s a reason “Comfortably Numb” usually comes in the top ten in most classic rock surveys.  Good stuff, yes, when you’re an alienated teenager, but still meaningful to a middle-aged man…

19 Responses to “Lyrics That Resonate”

1. 1 Peter Says:
   August 28th, 2007 at 10:45 pm

   Here are some lyrics from classic rock songs — can you identify the songs?

   1) I wish I was kissing / the lips I am missing
   2) You ain’t a beauty, but hey you’re all right
   3) No tears, no fears, no ruined years, no clocks
   4) Jewels and binoculars hang from the head of a mule
   5) now my life has changed in oh so many ways

2. 2 Peter Says:
   August 28th, 2007 at 10:50 pm

   Needless to say, no prizes for the winner and using a search engine is for cheaters.

3. 3 Mark Says:
   August 28th, 2007 at 10:53 pm

   Hmmm…off the top of my head, 2 is of course “Thunder Road” by the Boss, and 4 is “Visions of Johanna”, I believe, by Bob Dylan…

4. 4 Mark Says:
   August 28th, 2007 at 11:02 pm

   I’m ashamed to say I had to use a search engine for the rest (even 1 and 5- ach! How could I have missed those!)…

5. 5 Peter Says:
   August 28th, 2007 at 11:18 pm

   Good for you! I thought the Visions of Joanna line would be too obscure.

   Incidentally, if you have the old LP of the Stones’ “Get Yer Ya-Yas Out,” you will see that it features a mule with jewels and binoculars.

6. 6 Mark Says:
   August 28th, 2007 at 11:31 pm

   I can picture the mule now! A great live album…

7. 7 Fargus Says:
   August 29th, 2007 at 12:12 am

   I know 1 and 5 right away, but not the others. Heck, I’m only 26 here! The other three, I wouldn’t have known if you’d've put a gun to my head.

8. 8 DBrooks Says:
   August 29th, 2007 at 10:35 am

   Someone will have to Help me with #5.

9. 9 peter Says:
   August 29th, 2007 at 10:51 am

   Fargus: you’re just a pup — I’m twice your age — so you get a free pass here.

   DBrooks: “Help” - the Beatles

10. 10 peter Says:
    August 29th, 2007 at 10:52 am

    whoops, I guess I missed the pun in post 8. It’s still early here in California.

11. 11 peter Says:
    August 29th, 2007 at 12:22 pm

    Here’s another question for you — an easy one — what was the name of Rocky Rocoon’s girlfriend?

12. 12 DBrooks Says:
    August 29th, 2007 at 1:00 pm

    Her name was McGill, and she called herself Lil, but everyone knew her as Nancy.

13. 13 peter Says:
    August 29th, 2007 at 1:12 pm

    If there were a prize here, DBrooks would win it –

14. 14 DBrooks Says:
    August 29th, 2007 at 3:47 pm

    My dubious “prize” is being old enough to remember this stuff.

15. 15 peter Says:
    August 29th, 2007 at 4:52 pm

    Hey, I remember seeing the Beatles on Ed Sullivan — then I saw three of them live (George and Ringo at the Bengladesh Concert, John with Yoko in Madison Square Garden) — so I’ll claim the prize for being old enough to remember this stuff!

    I remember being in third grade and hearing “She Loves You” for the first time — and telling one of my classmates that “these guys will never be bigger than the Dave Clark Five” — one of many things I’ve gotten wrong in my life…

16. 16 Mark Says:
    August 29th, 2007 at 9:34 pm

    You saw every Beatle but the easiest one to see!

    I saw Paul at Texas Stadium in the late 1980s…Flowers In The Dirt tour (probably the last Paul album to make any kind of impact). Excellent show, with lots of Beatles tunes, some decent Wings stuff, and a minimum of dreck…

17. 17 Fargus Says:
    August 29th, 2007 at 10:22 pm

    My dad worked with Ringo, making music, one time years ago. Not, like, in a big way. Ringo did some sessions at my dad’s studio, and my dad did some production work. But I still think it’s cool.

18. 18 Mark Says:
    August 29th, 2007 at 11:29 pm

    I met a guy here in Austin through some mutual friends who was the founder of a concert lighting company called High End Systems that did some work on some big rock tours and set up a lot of stuff for Paul McCartney. I went over to his house one New Year’s Day after staying up all night on New Year’s Eve…it is a shrine to Paul and Linda, including signed photos, rare memorabilia such as the “Butcher cover” LP, original Beatles Boots and dolls, lunchboxes, a bass of Paul’s (autographed, natch)…it was quite impressive for this music fan…

19. 19 young but concerned Says:
    February 2nd, 2008 at 11:07 am

    yay!!! classic rock music!
    what about this one…
    ” I’d rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints”
    if you dont get that one…..you live under a rock.

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