[Roger Slater]

I've always admired this particular part of Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car," for its swift story telling:

You see my old man's got a problem
He live with the bottle that's the way it is
He says his body's too old for working
His body's too young to look like his
My mama went off and left him
She wanted more from life than he could give
I said somebody's got to take care of him
So I quit school and that's what I did

[James Brancheau]

That's a fantastic song. Inspired- proof of inspiration. Thanks for reminding me.

[James Brancheau]

Strictly lyrics is difficult, for me. I have trouble separating the music from the words. There's A Light That Never Goes Out is majestic, for me. And the lyrics are good, but the music, and Morrissey's voice, put that into another category.

[John Isbell]

I would like to have written this:

There's no love song finer;
But how strange
The change
From major to minor,
Ev'ry time we say goodbye.

But then, I'd like to have been Ella singing those lines as well, with an orchestra.

Update. Here's a link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nP-8dzS1_rM
There's a quote from her pianist in the comments: "It's never going to be that good again. It just isn't available."

[Roger Slater]

That's my favorite Cole Porter song. Pretty much perfect.

[Jesse Anger]

Adam Duritz has some killer lines

Step out the front door like a ghost
into the fog where no one notices
the contrast of white on white.
And in between the moon and you
the angels get a better view
of the crumbling difference between wrong and right.
I walk in the air between the rain
through myself and back again
where? I don't know
Maria says she's dying
through the door I hear her crying
why? I don't know.


Also this:

I am color blind
Coffee black and egg white
Pull me out from inside
I am ready, I am ready, I am ready,
I am taffy stuck and tongue tied
Stutter shook and uptight
Pull me out from inside
I am ready, I am ready, I am ready,
I am fine
I am covered in skin
No one gets to come in
Pull me out from inside
I am folded and unfolded and unfolding
I am color blind
Coffee black and egg white
Pull me out from inside
I am ready, I am ready, I am ready,
I am fine
I am fine
I am fine

[Michael F]

I heard "Hotel California" again today on the local classic rock station. Every time I hear this verse I covet it:

Her mind is Tiffany twisted, she got the Mercedes Benz
She got a lot of pretty, pretty boys that she calls friends
How they dance in the courtyard, sweet summer sweat
Some dance to remember, some dance to forget

[John Isbell]

Hi Michael,

The story went that the Hotel California the Eagles came to on tour had become a Church of Satan. And the lyrics bear this out somewhat.
Coincidentally, that was your 666th post...

Cheers,
John

[Kyle Norwood]

There are many lines from Robin Williamson of the Incredible String Band that I wish I'd written:

Ah, if I were a witch's hat,
Sitting on her head like a paraffin stove,
I'd fly away and be a bat,
Across the air I would rove.

***

Ask the snail beneath the stone,
Ask the stone beneath the wall,
Are there any stars at all?

Like an eagle in the sky--
Tell me if air is strong!

***

Your wish is not granted unless it's a fish.
Your wish is not granted unless it's a dish.
A fish on a dish? Is that what you wish?

[John Isbell]

I very much like "Ask the snail beneath the stone..."