Tag Archives: lyrics

Music, Pop Culture

Lyrics of the Day: Queen’s “Doing Alright”

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Queen Circa 1973

Today, November 24th, marks the 19th anniversary of the passing of Queen’s lead vocalist, Freddie Mercury; who, seriously was like a god to me. In memory of Freddie’s passing I wanted to post the lyrics to my very favorite Queen song, “Doing Alright” off of their self titled, 1973 debut. Even though Freddie didn’t write the lyrics to this song, it having been composed by Brian May and Tim Staffell, of May and Roger Taylor’s former band, Smile, no one could have sung it any better than Fred. This song is amazing, especially the part where the band goes from a jazz breakdown into a full on, righteous metal shred. You should download it on iTunes right now if you don’t already own it. RIP Freddie!

Yesterday my life was in ruin
Now today I know what I’m doing
Got a feeling I should be doing all right
Doing all right

Where will I be this time tomorrow?
Jumped in joy or sinking in sorrow
Anyway I should be doing all right
Doing all right

Should be waiting for the sun
Looking round to find the words to say
Should be waiting for the skies to clear
There ain’t time in all the world

Should be waiting for the sun
And anyway I’ve got to hide away

Yesterday my life was in ruin
Now today God knows what I’m doing
Anyway I should be doing all right
Doing all right

Music, Pop Culture

MacArthur’s Park is Melting in The Dark

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A Cake in the Rain
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Holy shit. I was just in the local bodega buying a bottle of dish washing liquid and a housewarming gift for some friends I’m visiting later (pot holder / oven mitt / dish towel set – so cute!) and Donna Summer’s extended disco dance mix of “MacArthur Park” came on. And I almost lost my shit right in there the store, because that song is just insane. You know, it’s Donna’s version that goes on for, like, 20 minutes and just takes off on its own little journey? Hot damn, what a great fucking song.

When I was a kid in the ’60s, listening to Richard Harris’s overwrought, melodramatic version of this arguably enigmatic song, I thought the lyrics were meant to be taken literally, and I could not comprehend why the fuck someone would leave a fucking cake out in the rain. I mean, what the hell? It used to just kill me; wondering why the person singing had left what must have obviously been a very delicious cake (hence the degree of chagrin caused by this  careless act) out in the rain? And why would they “never have that recipe again”? What did it all mean, and why did it feel like the world was ending over some fancy pastry every time Harris sang that line? Even back then, I was a big fan of cake, so “MacArthur Park” never failed to cause me significant emotional distress. Because, anyone can see that cake left out in the rain is bad news.

Of course, now that I’ve lived life to adulthood, and had the opportunity to have my heart stomped-on and ground into tiny pieces of detritus, I understand that the lyrics to “MacArthur Park” are a metaphor for tragically lost love. It’s a sad song, for sure.

Even now, I would still rather have the cake.

Music, Pop Culture

When We Called Out for Another Drink, The Waiter Brought a Tray

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On This Date, June 24th, in 1967: Procol Harum’s “A Whiter Shade of Pale”  entered the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart where it would later peak at Number 5 (In the UK it hit #1 on June 8th).  Lyrically inspired a party the band members attended where everyone was tripping on LSD (I’m pretty sure The Beatles were at that party) the song was written by the band around a melody composed by the group’s organist, Matthew Fisher, who was inspired by the chord progression of Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Orchestral Suite in D,” composed between 1725 and 1739.  As of 2009, “A Whiter Shade Of Pale” is the most played song in the last 75 years in public places in the UK. What a great song.

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Music, Pop Culture

Lyrics of The Day: 10 CC's "The Worst Band In The World"

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It’s one thing to know it, but another to admit
We’re the worst band in the world
But we don’t give a….

If Garbo played guitar with Valentino on the drums
Then we’d be nothing more than a bunch of darma bums
So tune up, tune up

Well we’ve never done a days work in our life
And our records sell in zillions
It irrigates my heart with greed
To know that you adore me
Up yours, up mine
But up everybody’s that takes time –
But we’re working on it
Working on it (Ooh)

We never seen the van – leave it to the roadies –
Never met the roadies – leave them in the van
All because of circumstances way beyond control
We became the darlings of this thing called rock and roll, ooh

Here I am a record on a jukebox
A little piece of plastic with a hole, ooh
Play me
Buy me and you play me then my plastic turns to gold

Here we are together on your hi-fi
A little piece of plastic with a hole, oh
Fade me, fade me, fade me, fade me…..

Music, Pop Culture

Post Punk Single of The Day: The Stranglers’ “Golden Brown”

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“Never a Frown With Golden Brown”

On This Date, January 11th in 1982: The Stranglers released their nineteenth single, “Golden Brown” from their sixth studio album, La Folie. “Golden Brown” — written by keyboardist Dave Greenfield —  reached the #2 spot on the U.K. singles chart, is pretty obviously a love song about the pleasurable effects of heroin. Just take a casual glance at the lyrics.