Lyrics that confuse the heck out of you

[K8eeyore]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 2:02pm

I'm not talking about songs with horrible lyrics in general, I mean good songs that suddenly have a phrase that make you ask 'What is that supposed to mean?'

For example, in ACL's "One-Finale", where they sing 'This is what you call traveling. . .' I've never been able to figure out that line. Love the song, don't get the line.

Any others you can think of?

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 2:08pm

I always took that line as meaning traveling across the stage. As they sing that line, isn't that the moment when they are in pairs with their arms linked strolling across the stage?

[philcrosby]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 2:11pm

The other thing to remember is that "ONE" is supposed to be a song like MAME or HELLO DOLLY, where the chorus is supporting a leading lady who is not yet there. A lot of that counterpoint melody is supposed to make the song sound like the lead line is missing. And it does.

When "ONE" is done as the finale, however, it is all about the chorus.

[Calvin]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 2:19pm

About half of the folksy things Kim says in Miss Saigon.

[K8eeyore]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 2:19pm

Yeah, I thought it might refer to a part of choreography, but why would the chorus sing about their dance pattern in a MAME or HELLO, DOLLY type of song? I don't know. . .maybe it's just me.

But are there other lyrics that bug people?

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 2:23pm

The point is that they're backing up the big female star. Because the finale is all about the chorus, you don't see or hear the star - it's just the chorus. They're backing her up. We don't know what she's singing about, and we don't know what show the song "One" is from. It makes perfect sense.

[morosco]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 2:28pm

GYPSY Some People:

"...Goodbye, to blueberry pie..."

Huh?

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 2:35pm

Blueberry pie, meaning a house-wife type thing. A country, low profile, quaint life at home baking.

Basically, "I will not stay at home and settle for something less."

[Julian2]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 2:53pm

Any Dream Will Do
Don't Cry For Me Argentina

For explanation why, do a search with my screenname.

[morosco]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 5:57pm

"Blueberry pie, meaning a house-wife type thing. A country, low profile, quaint life at home baking.

Basically, "I will not stay at home and settle for something less." "

Ah. Now it makes sense. Thanks munkustrap178 for making that lyric finally work for me!

[roquat]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 6:03pm

From the three-performance flop GEORGY (which was nominated for SIX TONY AWARDS????!!!!)

How'd ya do, and where's your monkey-doo?
How'd ya do, how'd ya do--oooh.
I'm a goat and you're my doggie--doo.
How'd ya do, how'd ya do--ooooh.
In a yellow sky, you know the sun is blue!
So how'd ya do, how'd ya do-do?

This somehow got recorded, I listened to it exactly once about five years ago, and I still cannot get it out of my mind (trust me, the melody is even more inane than the lyrics.) Anyone have ANY idea at all what this means? Anyone know anything about the show? ANYONE????

[jasonf]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 6:06pm

I've posted about this before, and I still don't quite get it. In West Side Story Anita sings:

"A boy who kills cannot love
A boy who kills has no heart."

Doesn't she know Bernardo killed Riff? Regardless of the situation, these are generic lyrics that, when applied specifically, don't seem to make any sense.

[Broadwayboy2631]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 6:12pm

"God I'm a dancer, a dancer dances" from ACL wtf what else would a dancer do. Why does she feel the need to say this?
Updated On: 12/6/06 at 06:12 PM

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 6:24pm

Broadwayboy, she's not stating it to say, "Dancers dance." Zach tried to make her into a big acting star. She's not. She'a a dancer. That's what she does for a living. Does that help?

jasonf, I've always taken it as Anita doesn't give a damn who killed who, all she knows is that the man she loved was killed by the boy Maria loves.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 6:50pm

Any Dream Will Do - Joseph's claim to fame is that he can interpret dreams. Any dream will do....

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 6:59pm

"How'd ya do, and where's your monkey-doo?
How'd ya do, how'd ya do--oooh.
I'm a goat and you're my doggie--doo.
How'd ya do, how'd ya do--ooooh.
In a yellow sky, you know the sun is blue!
So how'd ya do, how'd ya do-do?"

Now you see why it was a flop.

[wiggum2]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 7:46pm

In Don't cry for me Argentina
I've never understood "at sixes and sevens with you"

[teh_pretty]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 7:53pm

"I've never understood "at sixes and sevens with you"

Sixes and sevens is an expression for confusion or disagreement. So she's saying that the people are at sixes and sevens with her because they don't understand why she has done what she's done.
Updated On: 12/6/06 at 07:53 PM

[gumbo2]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 8:03pm

Still, there are other lyrics in Any Dream Will Do that don't make a whole lot of sense. Like drawing back a curtain, someone weeping...it's just so strange.

[overthemoon419]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 8:25pm

I always felt that "God, I'm a dancer; a dancer dances!" was a way of saying that dancing is who she is. Her life doesn't feel whole without dancing. She's a dancer, and even if it means being broke or whatever, a dancer dances, because that's what she was born to do.

[jasobres]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 8:34pm

I've always been bothered by the lyric "And just to clear the air/I ask forgiveness/For the things I've done you blame me for" from "For Good" in Wicked. I don't even think that's proper English.

[balletandbroadway]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 8:45pm

In Happy New Year in Rent

"Last week I wanted just to dissapear/ My life was dust"

My life was dust? what the heck?

[ashley0139]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 9:01pm

In Les Mis:
"When I get free, you won't see me here for dust."

What? Of course you wouldn't see him for dust. Am I missing a meaning of that line?

[jasobres]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 9:04pm

^ Must've been a literal translation of the original French lyric.

[DRSisLove]

Posted: 12/6/06 at 9:25pm

Thank Goodness "Wicked"

"there are bridges you didn't know you crossed, until you crossed"