A song that could have been
Heard this song on the way home from work yesterday and the thought occurred to me that it is perhaps the number one song ever written to hold so much potential with its first verse only to sorely disappoint from that point forward. In short, it is the song that could have been:
Maybe I'm Amazed At The Way You Love Me All The Time
Maybe I'm Afraid Of The Way I Love You
Maybe I'm Amazed At The Way You Pulled Me Out Of Time
And Hung Me On A Line
Maybe I'm Amazed At The Way I Really Need You
My head begins to bob in time with the chords, my lips mouth the words and then...there's that high-pitched, frenetic screeching:
Maybe I'm a man and maybe I'm a lonely man who's in the middle of something that he doesn't really understand!! Maybe I'm a man and maybe you're the only woman who could ever help me!! Baby won't you help me to understand!!
Finger moves steadily toward radio dial -- I punch it and put an end to the disappointment and pain.
I'm starting to think this just may be the perfect frivolous subject for Rumpus. I throw it out there. Any other songs of this nature? Give me your songs which hold such promise as they begin, only to disappoint in the end. Give me your "Songs that could have been".
Maybe I'm Amazed At The Way You Love Me All The Time
Maybe I'm Afraid Of The Way I Love You
Maybe I'm Amazed At The Way You Pulled Me Out Of Time
And Hung Me On A Line
Maybe I'm Amazed At The Way I Really Need You
My head begins to bob in time with the chords, my lips mouth the words and then...there's that high-pitched, frenetic screeching:
Maybe I'm a man and maybe I'm a lonely man who's in the middle of something that he doesn't really understand!! Maybe I'm a man and maybe you're the only woman who could ever help me!! Baby won't you help me to understand!!
Finger moves steadily toward radio dial -- I punch it and put an end to the disappointment and pain.
I'm starting to think this just may be the perfect frivolous subject for Rumpus. I throw it out there. Any other songs of this nature? Give me your songs which hold such promise as they begin, only to disappoint in the end. Give me your "Songs that could have been".
posted by Wonderdog | 9:58 AM | Permalink
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21 comments
21 Comments:
CIV has always liked Maybe I'm Amazed. Most songs don't make much sense. But I'll submit one that bugs me.
Listen to Ray Charles sing I Can't Stop Loving You and tell me that the line "To live in memories of the lonesome times" fits. It doesn't. He should be remembering the good old times, not the lonesome ones.
Oh, wait. There's also Independence Day. which has the stupid line "Let the right be wrong" that makes no sense.
Hannity used to start his radio show with the refrain from that song, but I think it has been cut out. Not sure, though, as I've cut out listening to him. There's a guy made for TV (I assume, not being a viewer) and not for radio.
If you were just talking about melody, rather than words, I'll have to give this more thought. WD.
She was morning
And I was nighttime.
I one day woke up to find her lying
Beside my bed
A softly said
"Come take me."
The thing is, I love this song; it's probably my favorite Neil Diamond song, so it doesn't really fit your category. But the lyrics do go downhill and finally hit bottom here: "Song she sang to me, Song she *brang* to me . . ."
This is a tough one, actually. I think most pop songs either live up to their initial "promise" or are crappy from the beginning.
Paul McCartney is inane. John Lennon was whacked. Together they were brilliant. McCartney simply got sucked up in the morass of "stoking the star maker machinery behind the popular song" (Joni Mitchell).
My #1 inane song is "I want you to want me". Where is the barf bag?
MOST Neil Diamond songs are inane. He too was a stoker of the star maker machinery behind the popular song. I never had that problem with Bob Dylan songs. Give me some substance to those lyrics please.
A song that I love is Starry, Starry Night by Don McClean about Vincent, the one eared painter.
I'll take Neil Diamond over Bob Dylan almost every time -- though I'm partial to "Boots of Spanish Leather" and "Don't Think Twice" (the Peter, Paul, and Mary version).
I prefer the "stokers of the star maker machinery behind the popular song," since they have no qualms about providing enjoyable "things of the moment" and don't pretend (and usually fail) to offer profound commentary on modern life. The girls have been listening to a lot of Burt Bacarach lately, and they love it -- he is a master of the "star maker machinery behind the popular song." God bless him for it.
I do like Paul Simon, who is occasionally thoughtful and witty, and Bob Dylan, who is occasionally poetic, and Lyle Lovett, who is usually funny.
Oops, misspelled Burt Bacharach. Sorry, Burt.
CIV, I like your offerings.
As for the Ray Charles lyrics, maybe "live in memories of the loneseome times" is a reference to him wanting to limit his memories to times when he was not with her, i.e. try not to remember the good times with her cuz it's too painful?
As for the Independence Day lyrics, maybe the "right" are those who only THINK they're right in an arrogant sort of narrow-minded way.
And no, I'm not just talking about lyrics or melody by themselves -- but a combination of both. The song itself as a whole.
Kate, I also enjoy that Neil Diamond song and I see your point but I don't think it fits this category. While it has its problems lyrically, it starts out as a lovely song and ends as a lovely song.
Stewdog, you're not even paying attention to my narrow request! I mention "songs" and suddenly you're Casey Kasem -- talking about music in general and counting down the hits. Focus with me here. I'm looking for songs that hold promise but ultimately disappoint. Though, your reference to Van Gogh as the "one eared painter" is classic.
I have another: Billy Joel's "New York State of Mind" -- starts out like a classic, then meanders into weak references to the "New York Times" and "The Daily News".
I refuse to be hemmed in by your narrow rules. I will not be forced to paint inside the lines. You brought up music and I will prattle on as I see fit.
Kate Marie, Neil Diamond is a great 'entertainer' in the mold of an Elvis, but his songs are weak. Dylan is a poet with a guitar, a harmonica, and a grating set of pipes.
Stewdog,
That reminds me -- I'll take Elvis over Bob Dylan every time, too. :)
Songs that start out well but end badly? I have two that come to mind:
Kid Rock, "Lonely Road of Faith." This song starts out as a nice, thoughtful 70s-ish rock ballad that could have come off a Bad Company album, but it ends with Kid Rock shout-rapping as if he's just woken up in the middle of surgery. Eventually, he returns to the smooth guitars and singing, but by that point, he's lost me.
Kate Bush, "Get Out of My House." Let's just say it's hard to enjoy this creepy and haunting tune when it ends with the singer first mentioning a mule (a reference I've never understood) and then bellowing "heee-yawwwww!" like a mule until the music fades. WTF?
Jeff, you're cracking me up. I've never heard that Kate Bush song. I'm intrigued, though. I've gotta hear it once, anyway.
OK, I have it now. . and following the rules. I have the classic song that starts out well and goes to hell. It is from The Wedding Singer. Adam Sandler's "Somebody Kill me":
You don’t know how much I need you.
While you’re near me I don’t feel blue.
And when we kiss I know that you need me too.
I can’t believe I found a love that’s so pure and true.
But it all was bulls**t.
It was a go**am joke.
And when I think of you linda,
I hope you f-ing choke.
I hope you’re glad with what you’ve done to me.
I lay in bed all day long feeling melancholy.
You left me here all alone, tears running constantly.
Oh somebody kill me please,
Somebody kill me plee-ase,
I’m on my knees,
Pretty pretty please kill me.
I want to die.
Put a bullet in my head.
Bonny Taylor's Total Eclipse of the Heart. That woman's voice simply falls apart in that song. It is painful. And the song goes on. . and on. . and on, just like, say, Bennie and the Jets, which I would also nominate.
Jeff, I think I dodged a bullet there. I hadn't realized until I saw your name that I had completely opened the door to the diminutive kilt-wearer.
That was a close call.
Stewdog, don't bring up Adam Sandler songs. I just got that "Forgetful Lucy" song out of my head 3 months after seeing 50 First Dates.
Wonderdog. Please. Don't make me explain to you that there is no MAN in that McCartney song. Whining metrosexual, maybe (and that's being generous). As to Ray Charles' I Can't Stop Loving You - I believe the line is, "to live in memories, all the lonesome time". Don't rely on some of the lyrics websites for accuracy. A song that starts out well and ends badly? The Pina Colada Song. Come on, why don't those two get into a big old fight right there at O'Malley's? They're both a couple of cheaters and will never be able to trust each other again anyway so what are they trying to salvage?
- Dirtbiker for W
"The Pina Colada Song. Come on, why don't those two get into a big old fight right there at O'Malley's? They're both a couple of cheaters and will never be able to trust each other again anyway so what are they trying to salvage?"
-- LOL
KM: Send me an e-mail from an account that can receive large attachments and I'll pop the Kate Bush song over to you.
W'dog: Did you really think I would so frivolously break our uneasy truce regarding He Who Must Not Be Named? Sigh. So much distrust and misunderstanding in the world, so much...
Thanks, Jeff! I'll do that. Looking forward to experiencing the mule-like bellowing.
DB,
No, I'm not into health foods -- I am into champagne. And just who likes "making love at midnight" anyway? I mean I'm not saying that I haven't but it's not like it was intentional.
"Wait...wait...wait...11:59...wait...
...okay, now!"
That's just bizarre.
Jeff,
Thanks for exhibiting restraint and aplomb under the pressure of my itchy trigger finger -- things could have gotten very ugly very quickly had you acted in haste.
Dirtbiker for W, I have listened to Ray Charles singing many, many times and have not heard it the way you wrote it. But I will try one more time.
Another entry: I'm Not In Love. Lose the "Big boys don't cry" already. Blech.
I have one, Spandau Ballet's
TRUE. Starts out interesting and then just gets stupid. Take your ticket to the world and find someplace where they don't have recording equipment.
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