I love "Fire" from Bruce Springsteen, but the last two verses have never felt completely comfy to me, especially the last one. That's what bad lyrics do... they sort of stand out, instead of just blending into the song.
Good lyrics:
I'm driving in my car, I turn on the radio
I'm pulling you close, you just say no
You say you don't like it, but girl I know you're a liar
Cause when we kiss, fire
Good lyrics:
Late at night I'm taking you home
I say I wanna stay, you say you wanna be alone
You say you don't love me, girl you can't hide your desire
Cause when we kiss, fire
OK Lyrics:
You had a hold on me, right from the start
A grip so tight I couldn't tear it apart
My nerves all jumping acting like a fool
Well your kisses they burn but your heart stays cool
You don't really tear apart your own grip on something. And the "nerves all jumping acting like a fool" line is pretty vague. Bit of a cheap send up for "cool."
Running Out of Ideas:
Romeo and Juliet, Samson and Delilah
Baby you can bet their love they didn't deny
Your words say split but your words they lie
Cause when we kiss, fire
1. He couldn't think of any other famous lovers who would provide a better rhyme than Juliet and bet?
2. Did he choose two doomed lovers on purpose? Isn't he trying to persuade this woman? 3. Of course Delilah didn't hide how she felt... she was paid to seduce Samson. If Bruce knew anything about love stories, he'd know it's a good sign that this woman is denying her feelings. How else can you fill up 90 minutes of movie time? It's no good turning to famous love stories to help his cause.
3. The word "bet" is completely unnecessary, because he doesn't rhyme those parts of the verse in the previous verses. I guess he thought it was really punchy.
4. "Baby you can bet" is a throwaway line. It's a line you could put into just about any song on the planet, cause it's so non-specific. For example: "Baby youuuu can beeeet... I'm all out of love, what am I withooout you..." or "Oh daddy dear you know you're still #1, but daddy you can be-et that girls just wanna have fun!" or "But my haaaand was made strong, and this you can bet. We forward in this generation, triumphantly."
You see what I mean? Most of the rest of the lyrics in this song can not be transplanted to Air Supply, Cyndi Lauper, and Bob Marley.
...But it's still not as bad as "can I have some of your cookies." Mind you... "can I have some of your cookies" is so bad, it's almost good.
4 comments:
Yup - I can identify with that from my own meagre attempts at writing poems or lyrics. You get a catchy idea or phrase and start off really strong ... but then - nothing! So, you can leave it aside, make it something else, or wait and work long enough until more eventually unfolds...
Or you can just run off some generic crap lyrics and get it recorded while your fame will allow you to parlay the thing into more moola! yesss!
Ooh, ick, I've never even noticed those Springsteen lyrics.
And, okay, wait, what you're calling good lyrics seems to involve something of...a lack of consent?
They're good lyrics to me, in the sense that they're well constructed. I'm not talking about content.
As for the date rape element, well, what can I say -- it was written in the 70s. It was made popular by the Pointer Sisters' cover.
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