Broadway Lyrics that Make No Earthly Sense

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 6/23/10 at 5:09pm

What are YOUR favorite inane, random musical lyrics that make zero sense whatsoever? Obviously there are the classics, like Wicked's infamous "bridges you cross you didn't know you've crossed until you cross" line. But I'm also a fan of the oft-overlooked "love's not a three-way street" from Rent. If anything, Roger would be trying to tell Mimi that love is not a one-way street, that she has to love herself, not just him. Two-way, even. But three way street? I mean, what?

Yours?

[byebyebaby12]

Posted: 6/23/10 at 5:13pm

My favorite
"The Jets are gonna have their DAY TONIGHT"
It took me forever to notice that.

"I wasn't born with the rose and the pearl" Never made sence to me.

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 6/23/10 at 5:14pm

Three way is referring to Mimi, Roger, and Benny.


I think, anyway.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/23/10 at 5:14pm

The third in that scenario is Benny. Rent does have a lot of nonsensical lyrics in it, though.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 6/23/10 at 5:24pm

Three-way street actually makes sense in the context. But a lot of other lyrics in RENT are a joke.

Hmmm. The Woman in White had some crazy ones.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/23/10 at 5:28pm

The crossed bridges line from Wicked makes sense to me. I don't know why people are so confused by it.

[byebyebaby12]

Posted: 6/23/10 at 5:30pm

^Me too.

[TreyKenyon]

Posted: 6/23/10 at 5:31pm

I was just gonna type the same thing Mister Matt.

Translation: There are life-changing events (bridges you've crossed) that changed you in ways you don't know, until you look back on said event (you didn't know you've crossed, until you've crossed)

[newintown]

Posted: 6/23/10 at 5:32pm

Several form Spring Awakening that are not only terrible rhymes, but don't really make sense:

"But I know / There's so much more to find / Just in looking through myself" (Through? Not "inside?")

"Still, I know / To trust my own true mind" (instead of my false mind?)

"Name the stars and know their dark returning" (what's a dark returning?)

"Oh, we'll work that silver magic, / Then we'll aim it all the wall."

"Where I go, when I go there / No more whispering anymore / Only hymns upon your lips / A mystic wisdom, rising with them, to shore" (again, please?)

"the earth will wave with corn / the grey-fly choir will mourn / and mares will neigh / with stallions that they mate / foals they've borne"

Etc.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/23/10 at 5:33pm

Me too, on the bridges line. I know Wicked has a lot of inane lyrics, but I never thought that was of them.

"Come be how you want to and see how bright we shine" on the other hand...

I still don't understand why Elphaba and Galinda sing about the Hoi Polloi.
Updated On: 6/23/10 at 05:33 PM

[newintown]

Posted: 6/23/10 at 5:34pm

"Hoi polloi." Why do so many lyricists try to work this one in to their songs? And usually incorrectly?

[threetwoone]

Posted: 6/23/10 at 5:35pm

These lines in Chess always confused me:

"Don't try to tempt me,
You've no hope.
I don't like women,
And I don't take dope."

Is he saying that he is a homosexual male? It seems really strange for the context of the song...

[VonTussleGirl]

Posted: 6/23/10 at 5:36pm

newintown: Generally, if there's a line you don't understand in Spring Awakening, it's probably about masturbation.

[newintown]

Posted: 6/23/10 at 5:37pm

That does explain a lot.

[byebyebaby12]

Posted: 6/23/10 at 5:37pm

"We all have our junk and my junk is you" Is just plain ridiculous.

[TreyKenyon]

Posted: 6/23/10 at 5:43pm

Is that As Long As Your Mine" lyric even close to be grammatically correct?? And does anyone sitting in the Gershwin know what the heck "hoi polloi"?? lol

Not to attack Sondheim here, but

"It's that woman, it's that Armfeldt"
"Oh, the actress??"
"No, the GHOUL!!"

I couldn't understand what was being said, and when I did I was shocked that he couldn't get a better rhyme. I mean "ghoul"?!
When did a Halloween creature become synonymous with a slutty actress?

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/23/10 at 5:43pm

Threetwoone, he's either gay or misogynist, but the context is he's saying there's nothing anyone can do to corrupt him.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/23/10 at 5:44pm

I was going to make the same comment about Spring Awakening. And I always thought the Wicked lyric reference made (wordy) sense, too.

Let's face it, though, for almost any lyric that one person finds perplexing, another totally understands it.

[bluebubbles]

Posted: 6/23/10 at 5:49pm

Updated On: 6/2/11 at 05:49 PM

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/23/10 at 5:51pm

Even the Wicked lyricist doesn't know what Hoi Polloi is.

A ghoul is a monster or a goblin. That's what she's saying Desiree is.

[byebyebaby12]

Posted: 6/23/10 at 5:52pm

To piss off Mommy and Daddy?

[newintown]

Posted: 6/23/10 at 5:53pm

Another definition of "ghoul" is "grave robber," which I thought would be an odd take from Anne on Desire's attempt to steal Frederik...

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/23/10 at 6:02pm

OK....so I was sitting here thinking: really? people don't know what 'hoi polloi' means? And I was going to post something about stupidity, and decided to OFFICIALLY look it up.


I'll be! I'VE been wrong about its meaning! I've thought it had the exact OPPOSITE meaning of what it actually is! I guess you DO learn something new every day!!!

Thanks BWW!

[TreyKenyon]

Posted: 6/23/10 at 6:08pm

I guess "ghoul" can work lol but I just get an image of a goblin or a troll.

With all the great words to describe Desiree (vixen, jezebel, trollop etc.), "ghoul" just seems so random and out of place. That said, it's needed to make the rhyme with "fool"....still not a fan though haha

[Weez]

Posted: 6/23/10 at 6:09pm

Woah! I thought that too! You really DO learn something new every day!

"We all have our junk and my junk is you" Is just plain ridiculous.

It may be true, but at least it makes sense. In a really clumsily-phrased kinda way. :3