Songs of Complacence and Conformity

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Talking Heads, "Don't Worry About the Government"
Beatles, "Across the Universe"
Parliament, "Fantasy is Reality"
Randy Newman, "My Life is Good"
Styx, "I'm OK"
Rolling Stones, "Hang Fire" (admit it, Brits, you know it's true)
Howard Jones, "Life in One Day"(I absolutely hate this track. In fact, the worst song ever recorded on every level imagineable. 2nd worst = "New Song")
Trooper, "Raise a Little Hell"
Queen, "Keep Yourself Alive", "Fight from the Inside", "More of that Jazz" (note latter two written by the drummer, who in drummer-like fashion wrote many odes to laziness and stupidity ["Drowse", "I'm in Love With My Car", "Fun It"]. Guitarist occupied lyrical patch twixt Hunter/Davies, singer Bolan/Turbonegro/Bernard Matthews ("One Vision" obv., but "Body Language"! "Long, long, legs...mmmm, great thighs!") The really interesting writer was the bass player though, whose every line dripped with spite, contempt and futility ("Who Needs You", "Spread Your Wings", "I Want to Break Free"). One imagines him gnashing teeth and stamping feet in studio as "Another One Bites the Dust" and "Back Chat" are transformed from vengeful homicidal fantasies into riotous disco camp-outs and also their greatest tunes
Billy Joel, "Angry Young Man"
Prince, "Dance On"
Don Henley, "Sunset Grill"

― dave q, Thursday, 6 February 2003 10:06 (twenty-three years ago)

Still undecided about 'real meaning' of B McFerrin "Don't Worry Be Happy"

― dave q, Thursday, 6 February 2003 10:07 (twenty-three years ago)

(3rd worst track ever - "No One is to Blame", 4th worst = "Like To Get to Know You Well", 5th worst = "Things Can Only Get Better". Howard Jones is officially the most contemptible and unlistenable artist in history - why did Townshend, Spector (Glitter even!) have to disgrace themselves out of pop history when this fucking idiot still exists? As simpering pod people go, Jones makes Moby look like Chris Morris)

― dave q, Thursday, 6 February 2003 10:48 (twenty-three years ago)

'I'm Straight' - Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers?

― Andrew L (Andrew L), Thursday, 6 February 2003 10:51 (twenty-three years ago)

'Roll Um Easy' by Little Feat vs 'Take it Easy' by the Eagles

― Andrew L (Andrew L), Thursday, 6 February 2003 10:54 (twenty-three years ago)

Avril Lavigne -- "Complicated" Don't be different! Don't try something new! Life's like this! Don't be complicated! Don't change! You're scaring me!

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Thursday, 6 February 2003 10:55 (twenty-three years ago)

'One of the Crowd' by Them Pet Shop Boys:

When I go fishing with my rod
I often get that urge
To fall asleep a sleep so deep that
No-one notices me

Don't want anyone to know my name
Don't want to get a fax
Don't want to meet the Royal Family
Just 'cause I've paid my tax

Don't wanna be seen or heard
Don't want to shout out loud
I want to be part of the herd
One of the crowd

Dressing individually doesn't impress me
I think that it's pathetic
Following fashion, I just like it
Don't I?

Don't wanna be seen or heard
Don't want to shout out loud
I want to be part of the herd
One of the crowd

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Thursday, 6 February 2003 10:56 (twenty-three years ago)

If Avril's so dumb why do smart people like Colin not understand her lyrics? ;)

Do all songs about how genre-x isn't dead fit into this?

― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 6 February 2003 11:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Oh, I know what she WANTS to say, Tom, but I'm talking about what she actually SAYS.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Thursday, 6 February 2003 11:05 (twenty-three years ago)

She's saying "Don't be a twat when you're with other people when you're not with me". Sensible advice IMO even if it's advice I never take myself.

― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 6 February 2003 11:09 (twenty-three years ago)

How could we forget Bruce Hornsby and his Range's 'THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS?' I don't care if the lyric was actually anti-complacent - it was the ultimate 80s anthem of indifference.

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Thursday, 6 February 2003 11:13 (twenty-three years ago)

Colin's analysis is dead on for Kelly's "Shut Up!" though!

(even though it's a top record)

― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 6 February 2003 11:20 (twenty-three years ago)

Just looked up the lytics, and realize that the word I heard as "from" is being reported web-wide as "'round". That would make a world of difference.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Thursday, 6 February 2003 11:30 (twenty-three years ago)

Online lyric banks are grebt! When I was writing up "Square Dance" for FT the other day I looked up the lyrics and one site had "Go to Beirut and do a show there" transcribed as "Go to BAYREUTH and do a show there"!!! Which had me in conceptual wonderland for minutes.

― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 6 February 2003 11:42 (twenty-three years ago)

'(even though it's a top record)'

As are most of the ones I mentioned - I wasn't being derogatory (except in cases noted)

― dave q, Thursday, 6 February 2003 11:53 (twenty-three years ago)

Howard Jones had a B-Side called "You Jazzy Nork".

― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 6 February 2003 12:22 (twenty-three years ago)

Dead Kennedys - At my job

― M Carty (mj_c), Thursday, 6 February 2003 12:22 (twenty-three years ago)

And! to fit this thread's theme - the B-Side of "Things Can Only Get Better" (which was the first single I ever bought) was called "Why Look For The Key?".

― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 6 February 2003 12:23 (twenty-three years ago)

Rush, "The Trees"
Ricky Skaggs, "Don't Get Above Your Raising"
It's A Beautiful Day, "The Dolphins"
Boston, "Peace of Mind" (I have nothing against c&c per se [as per this thread], but this song goes way too far - if punk really was a reaction to stadium rock then this bit of enervated hippie mindlessness would've justified a revolution all by itself)

― dave q, Thursday, 6 February 2003 13:33 (twenty-three years ago)

The Beach Boys - Disney Girls (1957)

Patti Page and summer days
On old Cape Cod
Happy times making wine
In my garage

Country shade and lemonade
'Guess I'm slowing down
It's a turned back world
With a local girl
In a smaller town

Open cars and clearer stars
That's what I've lacked
But fantasy world and Disney girls
I'm coming back

etc.

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 6 February 2003 13:40 (twenty-three years ago)

Oh - I read it as 'commonplace' not 'complacence'. I didn't mean to diss that song.

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 6 February 2003 13:42 (twenty-three years ago)

The Beach Boys, "All This Is That"

― Amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 6 February 2003 14:08 (twenty-three years ago)

Modern Lovers "I'm Straight" viewed through the college scene of the early 70s is actually WAY non-conformist.

Complacent and Conformed Tunes:

"Don't Rock My Boat" Bob Marley
"We Didn't Start the Fire" Billy Joel
The Entire Eagles Catalogue
"TV Man" Talking Heads

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Thursday, 6 February 2003 16:18 (twenty-three years ago)

Horace gets the Modern Lovers.

― Matt Maxwell (Matt M.), Thursday, 6 February 2003 16:21 (twenty-three years ago)

My dim memories of Sting's "All This Time" are coming to the fore, why?

― Amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 6 February 2003 16:23 (twenty-three years ago)

Nipper: it's always good to mention that song, but I don't think it does work for complacency. cf. a book called The Message on THE POWER OF LYRICS

― the pinefox, Thursday, 6 February 2003 16:27 (twenty-three years ago)

I was thinking about 'All This Time' this week. I like it. I don't think I see special complacency in it.

― the pinefox, Thursday, 6 February 2003 16:27 (twenty-three years ago)

"Stealin', Stealin'" by the Memphis Jug Band circa 1929: "Pretty mama don't ya tell on me/I'm stealin' back to my same old used to be."
different sort of complacence, but a terrific song that I never get sick of hearing.

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Thursday, 6 February 2003 16:43 (twenty-three years ago)

All of The Jam, but especially "Smithers-Jones"

― felicity (felicity), Thursday, 6 February 2003 16:44 (twenty-three years ago)

"If you don't like my peaches, please don't shake my tree" a great number of R&B songs, including "Matchbox" by Carl Perkins (performed by the great Jerry Lee Lewis on Live at the Star Club)

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Thursday, 6 February 2003 16:48 (twenty-three years ago)

PF: Close Reading!

How could we forget Bruce Hornsby and his Range's 'THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS?' I don't care if the lyric was actually anti-complacent - it was the ultimate 80s anthem of indifference.

ie the song sounded affluent and easy, and was adopted as such!

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Thursday, 6 February 2003 16:48 (twenty-three years ago)

Horace, in the same vein, Randy Newman's "Rollin'."

― Amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 6 February 2003 16:49 (twenty-three years ago)

Nipper: I know and knew what you said, and was responding to that. I feared you might respond as though I didn't and wasn't. And this has indeed happened.

I maintain (again) that the song did not sound complacent. Perhaps the real reason is that anyone hearing even its chorus would go "oh, I get it - IRONY!!"

― the pinefox, Thursday, 6 February 2003 17:02 (twenty-three years ago)

"If you don't like my peaches, please don't shake my tree" a great number of R&B songs, including "Matchbox" by Carl Perkins (performed by the great Jerry Lee Lewis on Live at the Star Club)

aha! Steve Miller Band "The Joker" sudden lyric sense-making shocker!

― felicity (felicity), Thursday, 6 February 2003 17:47 (twenty-three years ago)

Jonathan sounds completely stoned on "I'm Straight".

― chris sallis, Thursday, 6 February 2003 18:22 (twenty-three years ago)

I have a feeling that he was way into antihistamines during the 70s

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Thursday, 6 February 2003 18:28 (twenty-three years ago)

John S. Hall. "Take Stuff from Work."

― janni (janni), Thursday, 6 February 2003 18:34 (twenty-three years ago)

Kinks - This Is Where I Belong

― dan (dan), Thursday, 6 February 2003 18:45 (twenty-three years ago)

Descendants: "Suburban Home." "I wanna be stereotyped! I wanna be classfied!"

― mike a (mike a), Thursday, 6 February 2003 19:52 (twenty-three years ago)

But dave, "Peace Of Mind" is about being non-conformist in your complacency. Actually, it's about choosing a life that's more satisfying and less stressful despite it being unconventional (quitting Polaroid to be a rock star), which isn't really all that complacent either. Also, it's better than any punk song.

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Thursday, 6 February 2003 21:42 (twenty-three years ago)

The Kinks, "Shangri-La"

― Amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 6 February 2003 21:45 (twenty-three years ago)

Jackson Browne's "The Pretender" rules this thread. Weird how this song and "Take It Easy" both espouse the same don't-worry-be-happy philosophy, yet he actually DOES sound complacent on "Take It Easy" but sounds completely disgusted with everything on "The Pretender."

― My name is Kenny (My name is Kenny), Thursday, 6 February 2003 21:59 (twenty-three years ago)

I think because in "Take It Easy" he was singing about his (young) self and in "The Pretender" he was projecting fears about what he might become onto other people.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 6 February 2003 22:02 (twenty-three years ago)

The Kinks, "Shangri-La"

That's one of my favourite social satire songs of Ray Davies because though surely the main thrust of the lyric is mocking, it has a wonderful tone of wistful affection seeping through too. Dr.C will probably tell me it's not supposed to be snide at all though.

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 6 February 2003 22:15 (twenty-three years ago)

I think Davies was singing about members of his own family on many of these songs, so there's bound to be an admixture of mockery and affection. I actually think this song is light on the satire and heavy on the understanding, if not affection. I don't get the sense that he's criticizing the protagonist for his modest aspirations, but he is appreciating the irony that once you've achieved them, there's little to do but rot.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 6 February 2003 22:18 (twenty-three years ago)

What's this 'admixture' - is like.. a mixture?

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 6 February 2003 22:25 (twenty-three years ago)

Er, yeah. I was typing really fast.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 6 February 2003 22:29 (twenty-three years ago)

Lynyrd Skynyrd - "Sweet Home Alabama"

― Aaron M, Friday, 7 February 2003 00:22 (twenty-three years ago)

Has anyone mentioned "Hip to be Square"?

― Kris (aqueduct), Friday, 7 February 2003 01:31 (twenty-three years ago)

Bob Geldof's 'Great Song Of Indifference':

I dont mind if the government falls
Implements more futile laws
I dont care if the nation stalls
I dont care at all

I dont care if they tear down trees
I dont feel the hotter breeze
Sink in dust in dying seas
I dont care at all

I dont mind if culture crumbles
I dont mind if religion stumbles
I cant hear the speakers mumble
And I dont mind at all

I dont care if the Third World fries
Its hotter there I'm not surprised
baby I can watch whole nations die
And I dont care at all

Dick Cheney cranks up his rallies with renditions of 'Eye of the Tiger' by Survivor, so I'd nominate that too.

― Momus (Momus), Friday, 7 February 2003 01:54 (twenty-three years ago)

twenty years pass...

John Mayer - Waiting on the World to Change

― waiting for a czar to fall (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 1 March 2023 23:20 (three years ago)

Don't go chasing waterfalls....

― m0stly clean (Slowsquatch), Friday, 3 March 2023 02:50 (three years ago)

I was trying to think of some songs like this, but it was too difficult, and nobody else was doing it anyway.

― Halfway there but for you, Friday, 3 March 2023 17:04 (three years ago)

Josh Turner- Everything is Fine

― INDEPENDENTS DAY BY STEVEN SPILBERG (President Keyes), Friday, 3 March 2023 17:14 (three years ago)

lol xpost

― hootenanny-soundtracking clusterfucks about milking cows (Neanderthal), Friday, 3 March 2023 17:14 (three years ago)

Every fucking Morgan Wallen song.

― Malevolent Arugula (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 3 March 2023 17:15 (three years ago)

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