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Killer verses
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Subject: RE: Killer verses From: Little Hawk Date: 09 Sep 07 - 02:24 PM "And my belly's cravin', I've got a shakin' in my head Feel like I'm dyin' and I wish I was dead If I live till tomorrow, that'll be a long time And I'll reel, and I'll fall, and I'll die on Codi'ne And it's reel, and it's real, one more time..." - Buffy Sainte-Marie "Sometimes I recall what others have said Love is for lovers, in love and full grown Life's for the living, and death's for the dead And the death of a heart is a fathom unknown." - Buffy Sainte-Marie "Now that the pride of the sires receives charity Now that we're harmless and safe behind laws Now that my life's to be known as your heritage Now that even the graves have been robbed Now that our own chosen way is a novelty Hands on our hearts, we salute you your victory Choke on your blue, white and scarlet hypocrisy Pitying the blindness that you've never seen That the eagles of war whose wings lent you glory They were never no more than carrion crows Drove the wrens from their nest, stole their eggs, changed their story The mockingbird sings it, it's all that she knows And, "Ah, what can I do?" say a powerless few With a lump in your throat and a tear in your eye Can't you see that their poverty's profiting you? My country 'tis of thy people you're dying." - Buffy Sainte-Marie That last song was a devastatingly powerful comment in the historical time in which it was recorded, and it got her blacklisted off all North American radio stations for at least 10 years (at the most crucial point in her musical career), courtesy of the US government pulling some quiet strings by means of the FBI, etc....as Lyndon Johnson reportedly said, "Methinks the lady protests too much". |
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Subject: RE: Killer verses From: Santa Date: 09 Sep 07 - 03:54 PM How do you like my feather bed and how do you like my sheets? and how do you like my lady gay who lies in your arms asleep? |
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Subject: RE: Killer verses From: Little Hawk Date: 09 Sep 07 - 04:23 PM "Oh, it's fine I like your bed And it's better I like your sheets But it's best I like the fair young maid Who lies in my arms asleep, who lies in my arms asleep..." That's got to be the nerviest comeback of all time by the good Matty Groves. Mind you, a man can afford to be nervy when his imminent and violent death appears to be a virtual certainty! ;-) Still, I have to admire the lad's pluck to come up with those lines, given the situation. One wonders if Lady Arlen was literally "asleep" through the brief verbal exchange between Matty and Lord Arlen...I think probably not. More likely, she was momentarily just at a loss for words. Joan Baez does a killer version of it on one of her live at Carnegie Hall albums. |
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Subject: RE: Killer verses From: john f weldon Date: 09 Sep 07 - 05:44 PM ...ah yes, the joy of the witty rejoinder. Alas that you then end up dead. What Matty should have said... "Hey man, is this your bed? And your lovely wife so dear? My mistake! Just hand me my pants, And I'll get the hell out of here!" |
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Subject: RE: Killer verses From: GUEST Date: 10 Sep 07 - 12:10 AM She don't want to hear no secrets With her white silk scarves And her black Spanish hat She knows there ain't no way I can deny her Yes her blue velvet perfume Filling up the night The guards are all asleep That watch the tower The moon light held her breast As she easily undressed In my darkest hour Arlo Guthrie |
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Subject: RE: Killer verses From: GUEST Date: 10 Sep 07 - 11:16 PM The crowd without a face Begins to fill the space In the arena Flashlights at his feet The lion from the street Awaits the Christians Bob Seger When posting as a GUEST, you must use a consistent "handle" or you risk having your posts deleted. Thanks. |
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Subject: Lyr Add: EMPTYHANDED (George Papavgeris) From: Big Mick Date: 23 Sep 07 - 01:01 AM I may have missed it, but how's this for a killer lyric: My arms and back are strong, and I have worked all hours that the good Lord gave But for my efforts I have had so very little in return This soil is too unyielding to the plough Too hard to soften with the sweat that trickles from my brow The crop so weak that there is almost nothing left to burn. My savings went to buy this land, but all it's good for is to bury me Unless I find a way to make it pay that could be very soon The future that I dreamed as a young man Is withered like the crops beneath the unrelenting sun The very one that makes this such a lovely afternoon. So what would happen if I just went right on walking till I disappeared And would they miss me if I had a mind the countryside to roam They followed me with hopes for Paradise The one thing I can't do right now is look them in the eyes I wish this road would swallow me and never take me home. Then there is the chorus It's not the setting sun that makes my face look red You rich will never understand it And if I walk as if my shoes were made of lead It's the shame of coming back home emptyhanded. George Papavgeris is one of the most talented songwriters working today, and in the long view will be remembered as a man who captures the essence of everyday, working folks life experience. As a labor organizer, and activist, I believe his fame and respect will long outlive him. |
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Subject: RE: Killer verses From: Stewie Date: 23 Sep 07 - 02:26 AM From Geeshie Wiley's 'Skinny leg blues': I'm gonna cut your throat, baby, I'll look down in your face (x2) Hey, I'll look down in your face I'm gonna let some lonesome graveyard be your restin' place --Stewie. |
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Subject: RE: Killer verses From: Don Firth Date: 23 Sep 07 - 03:42 PM You stole my wife, You horsethief!! (sung by Walt Robertson) Don Firth |
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Subject: RE: Killer verses From: Jock O' Dreams Date: 23 Sep 07 - 05:38 PM Ye see yon Birkie caud a Lord, Wha struts and stares and a' that, Though hundreds worship at his word He's but a coof for a' that. For a' that and a' that His ribband, star and a' that A man o' independent mind He looks an' laughs at a' that From Robbie Burns - A Mans a Man I want this on my Grave Stone !! or at least the last two lines! |
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Subject: RE: Killer verses From: Susanne (skw) Date: 23 Sep 07 - 06:17 PM 'Your father's gone campaigning' Was their way of not explaining That soldiers are the living proof Of our inhumanity Pete St John, Tunes of Glory (aka Margaret and Me) |
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Subject: RE: Killer verses From: BK Lick Date: 23 Sep 07 - 06:42 PM Like some ragged owlet with its wings expanded Nailed to some garden gate or boardin' Thus will I by some men all my life be branded Never hurted none this side of Jordan Pull off your old coat and roll up your sleeves Life is a hard road to travel, I believes |
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Subject: RE: Killer verses From: John O'L Date: 23 Sep 07 - 09:58 PM And poor uncle Vlad whom the doc declared mad For refusing to leave his beloved Leningrad She stood in the doorway tearful and sad As they frog-marched him off to the Gulag (The Death Of The Bear - Donal McDonald) Well my daddy used to talk about them long nights at the walls And how they used to strap 'em in the chair The kids down from the college and they'd bring their beer 'n all An' when the lights went out a cheer rose in the air (Ellis Unit One - Steve Earle) And what did it say? "It is that," "It is this" "This goes here, here is there" "It is not," "Yes it is." It was dulling your senses, Your eyes they were bound Have you ever my friends been looking around? (Miserere - The Cat Empire) |
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Subject: RE: Killer verses From: Pauline L Date: 24 Sep 07 - 12:22 AM One, two! One, two! And through and through The Vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head He went galumphing back. |
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Subject: RE: Killer verses From: Pauline L Date: 24 Sep 07 - 12:44 AM Her eyes grew wide for a moment, she drew one last deep breath Then her finger moved in the moonlight -- Her musket shattered the moonlight -- Shattered her breast in the moonlight and warned him with her death. |
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Subject: RE: Killer verses From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego Date: 24 Sep 07 - 12:57 PM To Don Firth: Did Walt Robertson introduce that two-liner as "The world's shortest folk song?" It definitely rings a bell... Back in time, there were songs that were, eventually, done to death. An old chestnut that springs to mind is, "Oh, Mary, Don't You Weep." It was a song I never did, but to which I felt compelled to add a verse one evening, after a particularly lame performance by some preening wanna-be. To wit: "River Jordan's deep and wide, Clean rest rooms on the other side..." Oh, well; it worked that time... |
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Subject: RE: Killer verses From: Joe_F Date: 24 Sep 07 - 08:43 PM I have seen a fiery gospel writ in burnished rows of steel: As ye deal with My contemners, so with you My grace shall deal. Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with his heel, Since God is marching on. |
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Subject: RE: Killer verses From: Don Firth Date: 24 Sep 07 - 09:02 PM Yes, indeed he did, TJ. Prior to Walt's discovery of "The World's Shortest Folk Song," he would sometimes introduce the following as "The World's Shortest Love Song:" My sweetheart's the mule in the mines;Don Firth |
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Subject: RE: Killer verses From: Pauline L Date: 24 Sep 07 - 11:13 PM Big Mick, thanks for posting all the lyrics to George Papavgeris's song. It's very powerful and very personal. I have two alternate verses to the same song, and they're both about dying. The sailors in their life belts were rescued from the sea But the wicked captain perished with the Golden Vanity, A giant wave came over and it swept him out to sea, Now he's sinking in the lowlands, lowlands, lowlands, Now he's sinking in the lowlands low. and And the boy bowed his head; down sank he, And he said farewell to the Golden Vanity As she lay along the lowland, lowland low As she lay along the lowland sea. |
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Subject: RE: Killer verses From: Pauline L Date: 24 Sep 07 - 11:43 PM Lizzie Borden took an ax Gave her father forty whacks When she saw what she had done She gave her mother forty-one |
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Subject: RE: Killer verses From: GUEST,PeadarOfPortsmouth Date: 25 Sep 07 - 01:29 PM Great way to leave a lady the morning after... "When will you return again, and when may we get married?" (2X) "When broken shells make Christmas bells, we might then get married." |
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Subject: RE: Killer verses From: GUEST,Henryp Date: 25 Sep 07 - 05:31 PM But now you may stare as you like and there's nothing to scan; And brushing your elbow unguessed-at and not to be told They carry back bright to the coiner the mintage of man, The lads that will die in their glory and never be old. From A Shropshire Lad by A E Housman |
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Subject: RE: Killer verses From: terrier Date: 25 Sep 07 - 08:00 PM The Highwayman again... Back, he spurred like a madman, shrieking a curse to the sky With the white road smoking behind him, and his rapier brandished high! Blood red were his spurs i' the golden noon; wine red was his velvet coat When they shot him down on the highway Down like a dog on the highway And he lay in his blood on the highway, with a bunch of lace at his throat. Alfred Noyes |
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Subject: RE: Killer verses From: JohnInKansas Date: 25 Sep 07 - 10:17 PM Undertaker came to get me And my wife said through her tears I wish you wouldn't haul him off He ain't been this stiff in years. (Dead Willy Blues, done by Mike Cross ... and possibly others) John |
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Subject: RE: Killer verses From: Mark H. Date: 26 Sep 07 - 04:00 AM He used to carry his guitar in a gunny sack And sit beneath the tree by the railroad track With the old engineer sittin' in the shade, Groovin' to the rhythm that the driver made. People passin' by used to stop and say, "My my my my my, that Johnny boy can play!" |
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Subject: RE: Killer verses From: GUEST,Henryp Date: 26 Sep 07 - 12:01 PM Had we never lov'd sae kindly, Had we never lov'd sae blindly, Never met -- or never parted, We had ne'er been broken-hearted. Ae Fond Kiss from Robert Burns' final letter to Agnes McLehose, written in December 1791 |
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Subject: RE: Killer verses From: terrier Date: 26 Sep 07 - 03:32 PM Cold, cold now those ruby lips,I oft hae kissed sae fondly and closed for ay' the sparkling glance that dwelt on me sae kindly and mould'ring now in silent dust, the heart that lo'ed me dearly, But still within my bosoms core will live my Highland Mary. Robert Burns |
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Subject: RE: Killer verses From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego Date: 26 Sep 07 - 07:19 PM If it isn't in a song, it ought to be: "If I'd shot you when I thought about it, I'd be out by now!" |
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Subject: RE: Killer verses From: Amos Date: 26 Sep 07 - 09:20 PM "Well, the boss took the nickels off a dead man's eyes Just to buy Coca-Colas and Eskimo Pies." A |
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Subject: RE: Killer verses From: Amos Date: 26 Sep 07 - 09:25 PM And, "Ain't it enough to break your heart? Ya gotta work all day, and ight its dark..." (Art Thieme, "Hard Times in the Mill") |
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Subject: RE: Killer verses From: GUEST,Fantum Date: 27 Sep 07 - 07:45 AM From a parody of El PASO Blacker than night were the eyes of my Doris Dark was her hair and her breasts were so white So soft and warm and by heck they were big uns A pale shade of white like wet tripe in moonlight |
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Subject: RE: Killer verses From: GUEST,Neil D Date: 27 Sep 07 - 09:21 AM Well its go boys go They'll time your every breath And every day your in this place Your two days nearer death Still you go... From "The Chemical Workers Song" as performed by Great Big Sea |
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Subject: RE: Killer verses From: GUEST,Neil D Date: 27 Sep 07 - 09:29 AM "The Chemical Workers' Song" was written by Ron Angel |
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Subject: RE: Killer verses From: llareggyb (inactive) Date: 27 Sep 07 - 10:20 AM While mistranslating some songs on another thread Fun With Mangled Lyrics I found a true killer last line to Carrickfergus (trust German to be right to-the-point): "Come all you young men and put me down." Presumably with one of those "humane killers" vets used on large animals? No doubt, many who've heard this song too often, would agree.... |
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