Earth, Wind, and Fire, "I'll Write a Song For You"Open our music book, that only few can look, and I'll write a song for you
Weezer, "Across The Sea"Tenacious D, "Tribute"
― Famous Athlete, Monday, 16 December 2002 04:46 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Famous Athlete, Monday, 16 December 2002 04:50 (twenty-one years ago) link
There's a Minutemen example (at least one) that I can't think of.
― Paul Eater (eater), Monday, 16 December 2002 04:55 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 16 December 2002 04:58 (twenty-one years ago) link
― webcrack (music=crack), Monday, 16 December 2002 05:10 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Charlie (Charlie), Monday, 16 December 2002 05:12 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 16 December 2002 05:14 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Paul Eater (eater), Monday, 16 December 2002 05:15 (twenty-one years ago) link
― robin carmody (robin carmody), Monday, 16 December 2002 05:17 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Charlie (Charlie), Monday, 16 December 2002 05:32 (twenty-one years ago) link
one of the aforementioned minutemen songs is "self-referenced".
― dan (dan), Monday, 16 December 2002 05:38 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Douglas, Monday, 16 December 2002 06:02 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Melissa W (Melissa W), Monday, 16 December 2002 06:22 (twenty-one years ago) link
― brains (cerybut), Monday, 16 December 2002 07:52 (twenty-one years ago) link
― tigerclawskank, Monday, 16 December 2002 10:17 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Melissa W (Melissa W), Monday, 16 December 2002 10:20 (twenty-one years ago) link
― michael (michael), Monday, 16 December 2002 10:27 (twenty-one years ago) link
And does Pixies' Tony's Theme count? It's got that neat 'this is a song about a superhero called Tony. it's called Tony's Theme'-intro.
― jg, Monday, 16 December 2002 10:29 (twenty-one years ago) link
― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Monday, 16 December 2002 10:30 (twenty-one years ago) link
Billy Bragg – New EnglandI was 21 years when I wrote this song, I’m 22 now but won’t be for long
― H (Heruy), Monday, 16 December 2002 10:33 (twenty-one years ago) link
!!!
― gazuga (gazuga), Monday, 16 December 2002 11:13 (twenty-one years ago) link
― man, Monday, 16 December 2002 11:34 (twenty-one years ago) link
― weatheringdaleson (weatheringdaleson), Monday, 16 December 2002 12:13 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Monday, 16 December 2002 13:56 (twenty-one years ago) link
This Song will be here when you're oldThis Song will heat you when you're coldBelieve you when I don'tThis Song will heal from your soul
This Song will help you find a place to liveAnd teach you not to take but giveThis Song will help you on your dying doubtsThis Song song will send your lover flowersRest by this Song and the peace it bringsBeautiful song it has wings
― James Ball (James Ball), Monday, 16 December 2002 14:24 (twenty-one years ago) link
certainly in the running, but robin you clearly have yet to avail yrself of the wonderless wonder that is "escapology" the album, all of which makes "strong" sound like "who knows where the time goes."
― Marcello Carlin, Monday, 16 December 2002 14:29 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 16 December 2002 14:35 (twenty-one years ago) link
I always hear "Deacon Blues" as a sort of joke on that.
― hstencil, Monday, 16 December 2002 14:37 (twenty-one years ago) link
"This song will hold you in its armsThis song will fill you with its charms"
― hstencil, Monday, 16 December 2002 14:38 (twenty-one years ago) link
― minna (minna), Monday, 16 December 2002 14:40 (twenty-one years ago) link
Judy Is Punk - Ramones
― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Monday, 16 December 2002 14:58 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Lee G (Lee G), Monday, 16 December 2002 15:08 (twenty-one years ago) link
There was time in winterThere was parsley on my plateI couldn't leave The RestaurantSo I left the middle 8
It's kinda clever.
― Adam Bruneau, Monday, 16 December 2002 15:57 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Phil (phil), Monday, 16 December 2002 16:23 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Phil (phil), Monday, 16 December 2002 16:24 (twenty-one years ago) link
In this kind of songMiddle bits are so predictableBut you came alongYou were not at all predictable
― Paul Eater (eater), Monday, 16 December 2002 16:47 (twenty-one years ago) link
"Michelle" by The Beatles is arguable.
― Amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 16 December 2002 17:36 (twenty-one years ago) link
Aaah yes, "It's short and sweet and to the point...."(?). Good call Jody ("Can't say that I blame you...."), I'm going to have to dig that one out and blow the dust off it when I get home now!
― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Monday, 16 December 2002 17:40 (twenty-one years ago) link
lyrics:
"there's only two songs in me, and I just wrote the thirddon't know where I got the inspiration or how I wrote the wordsspent my whole life just digging up my music's shallow gravefor the two songs in me and the third one I just made"
― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 16 December 2002 17:51 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Matt C., Monday, 16 December 2002 17:51 (twenty-one years ago) link
― gygax!, Monday, 16 December 2002 18:07 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 16 December 2002 18:12 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Zora (Zora), Monday, 16 December 2002 18:16 (twenty-one years ago) link
go little record go it is named by some guy named joe and the words are the letters of the words said electrically played for outer space and those of they who paid this song is twice ocurred and now its time to go away on holiday.
― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Monday, 16 December 2002 18:32 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Monday, 16 December 2002 18:48 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Arthur (Arthur), Monday, 16 December 2002 18:59 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 16 December 2002 23:44 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Jay K (Jay K), Monday, 16 December 2002 23:49 (twenty-one years ago) link
Soft Machine - "Moon in June""Just before we go on to the next part of our songLet's all make sure we've got the time"
Also: King Crimson "Happy with What You Have to Be Happy With"
― Joe (Joe), Monday, 16 December 2002 23:52 (twenty-one years ago) link
And are we going to count all of the songs that start out with someone saying "This one is for all the [ladies/guys/whathaveyou]"?
― flightsatdusk (flightsatdusk), Monday, 16 December 2002 23:57 (twenty-one years ago) link
― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 15:53 (eighteen years ago) link
Billy Bragg – New EnglandI was 21 years when I wrote this song, I’m 22 now but won’t be for longNicked from Paul Simon: Leaves That Are Green
Second verse, Same as th first,Judy Is Punk - RamonesNicked from Herman's Hermits (et al): I'm Henry The Eighth I Am
― harvey.w (harvey.w), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 15:58 (eighteen years ago) link
- True to the Game, Ice Cube
― tremendoid (tremendoid), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 16:05 (eighteen years ago) link
― Seb (Seb), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 16:36 (eighteen years ago) link
― Fetchboy (Felcher), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 16:41 (eighteen years ago) link
I think this song was top 5 in the USA too.
― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 16:42 (eighteen years ago) link
How does it feel?Your night light, your curling ironLit up by the sweat of others,For many's the dayBut not from November to May
The floor is litteredWith woodchips and apple coresAnd hulls (holes?) of acornsThere is a chattering sound
Because they were squirrels; real squirrels.(And there were thousands)This isn't some kind of metaphor,Goddamn, this is real
― latebloomer: the Clonus Horror (latebloomer), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 16:45 (eighteen years ago) link
Oh I love her, and I just can't live without herAnd I've got the urge to tell the world about herBut our love's a secret and can't see the light of dayBut I went and wrote this love song anywayHer name is [twang]Her eyes are [twang]Her hair is just like [twang]And she measures [twang]Oh someday, I'll fill in the lines when she and I are freeAnd we'll walk in the sunshine, [twang] and me
Still fitting (I think) but less awesome, though not by much:
1. "Another Irish Drinking Song," DaVinci's Notebook,2. "Title of the Song," DVN,3. "Meaningless Songs In Very High Voices" by Hee Bee Gee Bees, once they sing "The world is very very big and bacon comes from a pig but it's you I really want on my plate,"4. "The Most Offensive Song Ever" from Kenny and Mr Hankey ("'Cause you can *mmph mmph mmph mmph* and still be a virgin, Mary!"), 5. "Silly Love Songs," Wings, and6. "That's Evolution!" by Wally Pleasant ("Jesse Pickerel[sp?], why don't you just take it away! [musical interlude] Oh, Jesse, give it back!")
― Nackles (Nackles), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 17:04 (eighteen years ago) link
So, "Sunny Days" by Lighthouse: "it was four in the afternoon when I wrote this tune."
― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 17:11 (eighteen years ago) link
This is the song against itselfIt's of two minds of its ownThe discussion brough to logical conclusionIt follows throughBut is not true
We'll just write a song against itselfWhy do you act like you don't knowWhat in the world i'm talking about?It follows throughYou have no clue
― danski (danski), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 17:12 (eighteen years ago) link
― danski (danski), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 17:14 (eighteen years ago) link
― pinder (pinder), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 17:26 (eighteen years ago) link
"Cause this song has no title/just words and a tune."
― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 17:33 (eighteen years ago) link
― AaronK (AaronK), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 17:48 (eighteen years ago) link
― daavid (daavid), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 18:09 (eighteen years ago) link
Well I can't tell you anything You don't already knowI keep on tryingI should just let it go
I keep on singingYour eyes, they just rollIt sounds like someone else's song From a long time ago
You already know the story And the chords are just the sameYou already know I love youAnd I sound like what's his name
But you can't stop meI want you to knowI know it sounds like someone else's song From a long time ago
(played like faux-Hank Williams on the record, and like Led Zepplin live)
Also,
Steve Goodman/David Allan Coe, "You Never Even Called Me By My Name" (extended ambiguity about whether it's a song to a rejecting lover or to a rejecting public, then spoken-word interlude about how Goodman told Coe it was the perfect country song, and Coe said it couldn't be the perfect country song if it didn't say anything about getting drunk, or mama, or prison, or trucks, or trains, followed by Goodman's response -- a final verse involving all of the foregoing).
Bright Eyes, "Take It Easy, Love Nothing" (If you stay too long inside my memory / I will put you in a song tied to a melody / And I'll keep you there so you can't bother me)
Shari Lewis, "The Song That Never Ends" (This is the song that ne-ver ends / Yes it goes on and on my friends / Some people started singing it not knowing what it was / And they'll continue singing it forever just because / This is the song that ne-ver ends . . . )
― Vornado, Wednesday, 6 July 2005 18:23 (eighteen years ago) link
― Will(iam), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 18:26 (eighteen years ago) link
― Marxism Goes Better With Coke (Charles McCain), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 20:45 (eighteen years ago) link
― Hurting (Hurting), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 20:49 (eighteen years ago) link
― Marxism Goes Better With Coke (Charles McCain), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 20:51 (eighteen years ago) link
― matlewis, Wednesday, 6 July 2005 20:59 (eighteen years ago) link
"borrowed tune" ("i'm singing this borrowed tune/i took from the rolling stones..."
― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 7 July 2005 03:50 (eighteen years ago) link
― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 7 July 2005 03:52 (eighteen years ago) link
The Drugs - Pop Song ("This is our number one pop song choor-us/we're hoping that it makes a million dollars for us")
― kit brash (kit brash), Thursday, 7 July 2005 14:17 (eighteen years ago) link
― k/l (Ken L), Thursday, 7 July 2005 14:22 (eighteen years ago) link
I believe Chicago's "25 or 6 to 4" is actually about trying to write a song, no?
Maybe I'm waaay offbase...
― PappaWheelie (PappaWheelie), Thursday, 7 July 2005 14:27 (eighteen years ago) link
― mike h. (mike h.), Thursday, 7 July 2005 14:31 (eighteen years ago) link
And, of course, Weird Al to thread, cf. "This song is just six words long."
― The Mad Puffin (The Mad Puffin), Thursday, 7 July 2005 14:34 (eighteen years ago) link
― Mickey (modestmickey), Thursday, 7 July 2005 14:49 (eighteen years ago) link
― marc h., Thursday, 7 July 2005 15:15 (eighteen years ago) link
Also Squirrel song ("This is a sad fucking song! We'll be lucky if I don't bust out crying") and Song Against Itself, both by Shellac.
― Posadist, Thursday, 7 July 2005 17:18 (eighteen years ago) link
― Posadist, Thursday, 7 July 2005 17:20 (eighteen years ago) link
― k/l (Ken L), Thursday, 7 July 2005 17:31 (eighteen years ago) link
― Mike Dixn (Mike Dixon), Thursday, 7 July 2005 18:36 (eighteen years ago) link
― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Friday, 8 July 2005 16:40 (eighteen years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B21qhoKbmNE
well, i wrote this songwith a vamp in the middleand i knew when i wrote itthat i'd written it for the fiddle
― no lime tangier, Thursday, 18 November 2021 04:06 (two years ago) link
Songs that get all meta and mention 'this song' in the lyrics
― Mr. Snrub, Thursday, 18 November 2021 06:18 (two years ago) link
This is the first verseThis is the first verseThis is the first verse, the first, the firstAnd this is the first verse, verse, first verseAnd this is the first verse, verseThis is the first verse
And this is the chorusOr perhaps it's a bridgeOr just another part of the song that I'm singing
And this is the second verseIt could be the last verseThis is the second verse, second verse, second verseIt could be the last verse, last verseAnd this is the second verseBut it's probably the last one
And this is the chorusOr perhaps it's a bridgeOr just another key changeNever mind, it doesn't hurtIt only means that I lost faith in this song'Cause it won't help me reach you
― Mr. Snrub, Thursday, 18 November 2021 06:38 (two years ago) link
Yes sir, already told you in the first verse and in the chorus,But I will give you one more chance...
― fetter, Thursday, 18 November 2021 08:16 (two years ago) link
songs that are about themselvesThere's something about THIS song ... Songs that reference themselves.
― Tracer Hand, Thursday, 18 November 2021 08:52 (two years ago) link
Now hear this Robert Zimmerman, I wrote a song for you...
― Zelda Zonk, Thursday, 18 November 2021 10:33 (two years ago) link
another from john hartford:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBZFebgYU_I
― no lime tangier, Tuesday, 28 December 2021 21:55 (two years ago) link
Love a tune that boasts about repeating the first verse, eg:Violent Femmes - Prove My Love / The Ramones - Judy is a Punk / Herman’s Hermits - I’m Henry the VII I am
― Agnes, Agatha, Germaine and Jack (Willl), Tuesday, 28 December 2021 22:21 (two years ago) link
^otm
― Heatmiserlou (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 28 December 2021 22:50 (two years ago) link
You criticize our method of how we make recordsYou said it wasn't art, so now we're gonna rip you apartStop, check it out my manThis is the music of a hip-hop bandJazz, well you can call it thatBut this jazz retains a new formatPoint, where you misjudged usSpeculated, created a fussYou've made the same mistake politicians haveTalkin' all that jazz
― Tracer Hand, Wednesday, 29 December 2021 14:40 (two years ago) link
#onethread
― dark end of the st. maud (sic), Wednesday, 29 December 2021 17:22 (two years ago) link
Radio stations I question their blackness, they call themselves black, but we'll see if they'll play this
― Texas Medicine v. Railroad Gin (morrisp), Wednesday, 29 December 2021 18:03 (two years ago) link
Smudge - I Don’t Want To Be Grant McLennan
― Agnes, Agatha, Germaine and Jack (Willl), Tuesday, 17 January 2023 06:33 (one year ago) link