Big hits with creepy, gruesome, fucked up lyrics

morning broke out the backside of a truck-stop the end of a line a real, rainbow-likening, luck stop where you could say I
became chronologically "fucked up" put ten bucks in just to get the tank topped off then, i found a place it's dark and it's rotted
it's a cool, sweet kinda-place where the copters won't spot it and i destroyed the map, i even thought i forgot it, however,
every-day i'm dumping the body it'd be better for us if you don't understand it'd be better for me if you don't understand yea
On a narrower level, the Tragically Hip's "Locked in the Trunk of a Car" was a huge Canada-wide hit. Can you top this?

and i found a place it's dark and it's rotted it's a cool, sweet kinda-place where the copters won't spot it and i destroyed the
map, i even thought i forgot it, however, every-day i'm dumping the body it'd be better for us if you don't understand it'd be
better for us if you don't understand it'd be better for me if you don't understand

let me out let me out let me out let me out let me out let me out let me out

they don't know how old i am, they found armour in my belly from the 16th century, conquistador, i think they don't know
how old i am, they found armour in my belly passion out of machine-revving tension, lashing out at machine-revving tension,
brushing by the machine revving tension

morning broke out the backside of a truck-stop the end of a line a real, rainbow-likening, luck stop where you could say I
became chronologically "fucked up" put ten bucks in just to get the tank topped off then, i found a place it's dark and it's rotted
it's a cool, sweet kinda-place where the copters won't spot it and i destroyed the map, i even thought i forgot it, however,
every-day i'm dumping the body it'd be better for us if you don't understand it'd be better for me if you don't understand yea

and i found a place it's dark and it's rotted it's a cool, sweet kinda-place where the copters won't spot it and i destroyed the
map, i even thought i forgot it, however, every-day i'm dumping the body it'd be better for us if you don't understand it'd be
better for us if you don't understand it'd be better for me if you don't understand

let me out let me out let me out let me out let me out let me out let me out

Creepy, creepy song about paranoid surveillance of a loved one.

"Sweetest Taboo" - anal sex
"Dancing on the Ceiling" - cocaine
Clay Aiken's song about spying on naked dudes - peeping tomism

the list goes on. "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" and songs like that are fairly benign, but still kinda screwed up, no? Like, the way Hazlewood used Ol Blue Eyes's daughter to make a tune about S&M a huge hit?

Little children, you better not tell on me I'm tellin' you
Little children, you better not tell what you see And if you're good
I'll give you candy and a quarter
If you're quiet like you oughta be
And keep a secret with me

Similar lyrics show up on Gilbert O'Sullivan's "Alone Again (Naturally)." I always thought it was a cutesy-fun upbeat 70s ditty until I stopped to listen to the lyrics. Now it weirds me out.

In a little while from now
If I'm not feeling any less sour
I promise myself to treat myself
And visit a nearby tower
And climbing to the top will throw myself off
In an effort to make it clear to who
Ever what it's like when you're shattered
Left standing in the lurch at a church
Where people saying: "My God, that's tough
She's stood him up"
No point in us remaining
We may as well go home
As I did on my own
Alone again, naturally

To think that only yesterday
I was cheerful, bright and gay
Looking forward to well wouldn't do
The role I was about to play
But as if to knock me down
Reality came around
And without so much, as a mere touch
Cut me into little pieces
Leaving me to doubt
Talk about God and His mercy
Or if He really does exist
Why did He desert me in my hour of need
I truly am indeed Alone again, naturally

It seems to me that there are more hearts
broken in the world that can't be mended
Left unattended
What do we do? What do we do?

Alone again, naturally
Now looking back over the years
And whatever else that appears
I remember I cried when my father died
Never wishing to hide the tears

And at sixty-five years old
My mother, God rest her soul,
Couldn't understand why the only man
She had ever loved had been taken
Leaving her to start with a heart so badly broken
Despite encouragement from me
No words were ever spoken
And when she passed away
I cried and cried all day
Alone again, naturally
Alone again, naturally

Hey little girl is your daddy home
Did he go away and leave you all alone
I got a bad desire
I'm on fire

Tell me now baby is he good to you
Can he do to you the things that I do
I can take you higher
I'm on fire

Sometimes it's like someone took a knife baby
edgy and dull and cut a six-inch valley
through the middle of my soul

At night I wake up with the sheets soaking wet
and a freight train running through the
middle of my head
Only you can cool my desire
I'm on fire

ok what is this song about i ask you

there was also "dirty old man" by the three degrees!

Just a loud mouth Yankee I went down to Mexico.
I didn't have much time to spend, about a week or so.
There I lightly took advantage of a girl who loved me so.
But I found myself a-thinkin' when the time had come to go...

CHORUS:
What am I doin' hangin' round?
I should be on that train and gone.
I should be ridin' on that train to San Antone,
What am I doin' hangin' round?

She took me to the garden just for a little walk.
I didn't know much Spanish and there was no time for talk.
Then she told me that she loved me not with words but with a kiss.
And like a fool I kept on thinkin' of a train I could not miss...

[and so on...]

I always wondered how the hell anyone "lightly took advantage"?

I remember
We were flying low
And hit something in the air

Laying here, looking at the ceiling
Someone lays a sheet across my chest
Something warm is flowing down my fingers
Pain is flowing all thru my back

I try to move my arm and there's no feeling
And when I look I see there's nothing there
The face beside me stopped its holy bleeding
The girl I knew has such a distant stare

I remember
We were flying low
And hit something in the air
I remember
We were flying low
And hit something in the air

Then I looked straight at the attendant
His face is pale as it can be
He bends and whispers something softly
He says there's no chance for me

I remember
We were flying low
And hit something in the air
I remember
We were flying low
And hit something in the air

Life is flowing out my body
Pain is flowing out with my blood
The sheets are red and moist where I'm lying
God in Heaven, teach me how to die

I remember
We were flying low
And hit something in the air
I remember
We were flying low
And hit something in the air

Ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh
Ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh
Ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh
Ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh

Every boy wants a girl
He can trust to the very end
Baby, that's you
Won't you wait but 'til then

When I see lips beggin' to be kissed (Stop!)
I can't stop (Stop!) I can't stop myself
(Stop! Stop!)

Lightnin's striking again
Lightnin's striking again

Nature's takin' over my one-track mind
Believe it or not, you're in my heart all the time
All the girls are sayin' that you'll end up a fool
For the time being, baby, live by the rules

When I settle down
I want one baby on my mind
Forgive and forget
And I'll make up for all lost time

If she's put together fine and she's readin' my mind (Stop!)
I can't stop (Stop!) I can't stop myself
(Stop! Stop!)

Lightnin's striking again
Lightnin's striking again and again and again and again

Lightnin's striking again
Lightnin's striking again

There's a chapel in the pines
Waiting for us around the bend
Picture in your mind
Love forever, but 'til then

If she gives me a sign that she wants to make time (Stop!)
I can't stop (Stop!) I can't stop myself
(Stop! Stop!)

Lightnin's striking again
Lightnin's striking again and again and again and again
Lightnin's striking again and again and again and again

I had NO IDEA. Seriously. I have to go listen to that again and rethink Mark Seymour's tank top. Dammit.

rachel_watt: what inspired you to write throw your arms around me?
y_mark_seymour: I was in love.

madmuzefan: hey mark - big hunters and collectors fan - your song throw your arms was the first song I ever downloaded from napster (don't worry - have bought the CD) - can you tell me what the motivation for it was?
y_mark_seymour: Actually, I thought I'd just answered that question, so I'll elaborate. I had a very serious girlfriend, who introduced me to artists like Van Morrison and Randy Newman. These artists are quite old, older than me in fact.
y_mark_seymour: But their music is very inspiring.
y_mark_seymour: They are great songwriters. I aspired to writing songs as well as them. So throw your arms around me was stylistically similar.

and barry it was huge downunder.

its nearly the national anthem down here btw.

I used to wake up in the morning
I used to feel so bad
I got so sick of having sleepless nights
I went and told my dad

He said, 'Son now here's some little something'
And stuck them on my wall
And now my nights ain't quite so lonely
In fact I, I don't feel bad at all

Pictures of Lily made my life so wonderful
Pictures of Lily helped me sleep at night
Pitcures of Lily solved my childhood problems
Pictures of Lily helped me feel alright

Pictures of Lily
Lily, oh Lily
Lily, oh Lily
Pictures of Lily

And then one day things weren't quite so fine
I fell in love with Lily
I asked my dad where Lily I could find
He said, 'Son, now don't be silly'

'She's been dead since 1929'
Oh, how I cried that night
If only I'd been born in Lily's time
It would have been alright

Pictures of Lily made my life so wonderful
Pictures of Lily helped me sleep at night

For me and Lily are together in my dreams
And I ask you, 'Hey mister, have you ever seen'
'Pictures of Lily?'

Also "Avenues and Alleyways" by Tony Christie.

Young girl, get out of my mind! My love for you is way out of line!
Better run, girl! You're much too young, girl!

With all the charms of a woman, you've kept the secret of your youth.
You led me to believe you're old enough to give me love -
And now it hurts to know the truth. [chorus]

Beneath your perfume and make-up, you're just a baby in disguise.
And though you know that it's wrong to be alone with me,
That come on look is in your eyes. [chorus]

So hurry home to your Mama: I'm sure she wonders where you are.
Get out of here before I have the time to change my mind -
'Cause I'm afraid we'll go too far. [chorus]

If you hear something late at night
Some kind of trouble. some kind of fight
Just don't ask me what it was
Just don't ask me what it was
Just don't ask me what it was

I think it's because I'm clumsy
I try not to talk too loud
Maybe it's because I'm crazy
I try not to act too proud

They only hit until you cry
And after that you don't ask why
You just don't argue anymore
You just don't argue anymore
You just don't argue anymore

Yes I think I'm okay
I walked into the door again
Well, if you ask that's what I'll say
And it's not your business anyway
I guess I'd like to be alone
With nothing broken, nothing thrown

Just don't ask me how I am
Just don't ask me how I am
Just don't ask me how I am

CHORUS:
Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer
Ain't a-gonna need this house no more
Ain't got time to fix the shingles
Ain't got time to fix the floor
Ain't got time to oil the hinges
Nor to mend the windowpane
Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer
He's a-gettin' ready to meet the saints

This ole house is a-gettin' shaky
This ole house is a-gettin' old
This ole house lets in the rain
This ole house lets in the cold
On his knees I'm gettin' chilly
But he feel no fear nor pain
'Cause he see an angel peekin'
Through a broken windowpane
CHORUS

This ole house is afraid of thunder
This ole house is afraid of storms
This ole house just groans and trembles
When the night wind flings its arms
This ole house is gettin' feeble
This old house is needin' paint
Just like him it's tuckered out
But he's a-gettin' ready to meet the saints
CHORUS

This ole house dog lies a-sleepin'
He don't know I'm gonna leave
Else he'd wake up by the fireplace
And he'd sit there and howl and grieve
But my huntin' days are over
Ain't gonna hunt the coon no more
Gabriel done brought in my chariot
When the wind blew down the door

Young child with dreams
Dream, ev'ry dream on your own
When children play
Seems like you end up alone

Papa says he'd love to be with you
If he had the time
So you turn to the only friend you can find
There in your mind

Shilo, when I was young
I used to call your name
When no one else would come
Shilo, you always came
And we'd play

Counting the years
Keeping my dreams to myself
‘Til a young girl with fire
Made me trust somebody else

Held my hand out, I let her take me
Blind as a child
All I saw was the way that she made me smile
She made me smile

Shilo, when I was young
I used to call your name
When no one else would come
Shilo, you always came
But you'd stay

Had a dream, and it filled me with wonder
She had other plans
"Got to go," says, "you know that I understand"
I understand

Shilo, when I was young
I used to call your name
When no one else would come
Shilo, you always came
Come today

Had a dream, and it filled me with wonder
She had other plans
"Got to go," says, "you know that I understand"
I understand

Shilo, when I was young
I used to call your name
When no one else would come
Shilo, you always came
Come today

and the weird thing is most of those songs became movies or TV shows!

Strangely, quite a lot of these songs have creepy lyrics but happy sounding music. Wierd.

Your Feet's Too Big by Fats Waller.

dude takes no prisoners

Murder Ballads, Nick Cave? Nope.

under your thumb by godley and creme. absolutely *terrifying* song. particularly the spoken-word bit ("so i picked up an old newspaper/to read/and i noticed something very strange/indeed"). it scared me shitless as a kid and still freaks me out today. plus: it has no drums. at all. just that relentless train-track bass. brrrrrr.

does anyone have it on 7"?

Run For Your Life - THe Beatles
Let this be a sermon
I mean everything I've said
Baby, I'm determined
And I'd rather see you dead

Tonight's the night all right
And though I know you ain't quite sure
You're getting all excited 'cause you don't know what's in store

So what you've got to do
Is keep our little secret
Do what I tell you to
And leave the rest to me
I'm guaranteeing you
When I get in this kind of mood
I've got a little something I can introduce to you

A little boogie woogie in the back of my mind
'Cause when I'm inclined I know I can find
A little boogie woogie in the back of my mind

Hey today's the day I lay it on the line
The way to make you stay and keep me company
It's time to get my way 'cause night time is the right time
And when I'm feeling fine I like my action guaranteed

All right tonight's the night
I can't wait any longer
I'm turning out the light and locking up that door
You might put up a fight
But you'll be crying out for more
When you'll be getting what you really came here looking for

'Cause when I'm inclined I usually find
A little boogie woogie in the back of my mind

Gold coast slave ship bound for cotton fields
Sold in the market down in New Orleans
Scarred old slaver knows he's doing alright
Hear him whip the women just around midnight

Brown sugar how come you taste so good
Brown sugar just like a young girl should- ah hum oh..
Woo!

Drums beating, cold English blood runs hot
Lady of the house wonderin' where it's gonna stop
House boy knows that he's doing alright
You shoulda heard him just around midnight

Brown sugar how come you taste so good, now?
Brown sugar just like a young girl should, now - yeah!

Ah, get it on brown sugar, how come you taste so good, babe?
Ah, got me feelin' now for brown sugar, just like a black girl should yeah

Now I bet your mama was a tent show queen
And all here boyfriends were sweet sixteen
I'm no schoolboy but I know what I like
You shoulda heard me just around midnight

Brown sugar how come you taste so good, babe?
Ah, brown sugar just like a young girl should, yeah

I said yeah, yeah, yeah, woo!
How come you...how come you taste so good?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, woo!
Just like a...just like a black girl should
Yeah, yeah, yeah, woo!

[chorus]
Indiana wants me
Lord, I can't go back there
Indiana wants me
Lord, I can't go back there
I wish I had you to talk to

If a man ever needed dyin', he did
No one had the right to say what he said about you
And it's so cold and lonely here without you
Out there the law's a-comin'
I'm scared and so tired of runnin'

[repeat chorus]

It hurts to see the man that I've become
And to know I'll never see the morning sun shine on the land
I'll never see your smiling face of touch your hand
If just once more I could see you, our home and our little baby

[repeat chorus]

I wish I had you to talk to

I hope this letter finds its way to you
Forgive me, love, for the shame I put you through and all the tears
Hang on, love, to the memories of those happy years
Red lights are flashin' around me
Yeah, love, it looks like they found me

[repeat chorus twice to fade among sound effects of a shootout]

Oh GOD, mike a, that's the one song that, when I hear just the first second of it on some radio station, I have to turn off the radio completely for like five or six minutes, until I know I'm completely in the clear and I don't have to listen to that song anymore. Why TF is that song still getting played on the radio?? Have few people actually paid attention to the lyrics?? Because if they HAD paid attention, they would prob be VERY creeped out. Unless they were creepy themselves, which is... ugh, no way.

(Note: I do not know about this "Lemon Incest" song. Nor am I at ease with the notion of actually getting to know about it.)

Timothy
The Buoys

Trapped in a mine WHAT had caved in
And everyone knows the only ones left
Were Joe and me and Tim
When they broke through to pull us free
The only ones left to tell the tale
WAS Joe and me

Timothy, Timothy, where on earth did you go?
Timothy, Timothy, God why don't I know?

Hungry as hell no food to eat
And Joe said that he would sell his soul
For just a piece of meat
Water enough to drink TO DRINK for two
And Joe said to me, "I'll TAKE a swig
And then there's some for you."

Timothy, Timothy, Joe was looking at you
Timothy, Timothy, God what did we do?

I must have blacked out just 'round then
'Cause the very next thing that I could see
Was the light of the day again
My stomach was full as it could be
And nobody ever got around
To finding Timothy
Timothy...

(Grammatic error capitalization done by the sites author.)

Check out the story here.

Everytime I try to prove I love you
1, 2, 3 red light stops me
Baby you ain't right to stop me
1, 2, 3 red light stops me
Everytime I try to love you
1, 2, 3 red light stops me
Baby every night you stop me
1, 2, 3 red light
Stop the game (stop the game)
You got too much to lose (too much to lose)
If you stop me again
That's when we might end
So please don't refuse (please don't refuse)
Everytime I make a move to love you
1, 2, 3 red light don't stop me
Baby you ain't right to stop me
1, 2, 3 red light don't stop me
Everytime I try to prove I love you
1, 2, 3 red light don't stop me
When I know I'm right don't stop me
1, 2, 3 red light
Everytime I make a move to love you
1, 2, 3 red light don't stop me
Baby you ain't right to stop me
1, 2, 3, red light (fades out)

For extra creepiness, note that the 1910 Fruitgum Company weren't just a kiddie bubblegum band; they were a kiddie bubblegum band whose other big hit was "Simon Says." If they had only recorded the theme song to "Charles in Charge," life would be complete.

Then there's the Zombies' "Time Of The Season," which...well, just listen to this fine cover version.

Also, I just went and read the lyrics to Sade's "The Sweetest Taboo," and they were exactly as banal and un-butt-sexy as I recalled. I mean, if we're just playing Rorschach test with titles here, what about "I Want It That Way"? "I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)"? Hell, "Brown Eyed Girl" is just obvious.

And lastly, as Stephin Merritt once noted, the Book of Love, aka the Internet, is filled with things that we're all young to know. "Lemon Incest" is one of them. And I can't even understand French.

Indeed: "What's your name? Who's your daddy? Is he rich like me?"

Hmmmm......

Thank you, Google:

Give It To You

You say it's been too long (that's right)
since you had some
you say I turn you on
like fire that's burning deep inside
you think that I'm the one
you see in your dreams
I know what you mean
yeah (you know what I'm saying)

its creepin around in my head
me holding you down in my bed
you don't have to say a word
I'm convinced you want this

baby I know I can give it to you
can't deny, I'll do you right
just let me know and I'll give it to you
show me where, I'll taste you there
baby you know that I'll give it to you
your body needs a man like me
anything goes when I give it to you
without a doubt I'll turn you out
the feelin is fine
giving you everything of mine

I'm the place to be
and soon you'll see
I don't care who leads
as long as we do hortizontaly
anyone can make you sweat
but I can keep you wet

its creepin around in my head
me holding you down in my bed
I can't wait to give you some
I'm convinced you need it
Baby, I know I can give it to you
Can't deny, I'll do you right (I can do...)
Just let me know, and I'll give it to you
Show me where, I'll taste you there (I can taste you there)

Baby, you know that I'll give it to you
Your body needs a man like me (man like me)
Anything goes when I give it to you
Without a doubt (without a doubt) I'll turn you on (turn you on)
The Feelin' is fine
Givin' you everything of mine

It's creepin' around in my head (in my head)
Holding you down in my bed
You don't have to say a word (uh)
Just relax, I'll do the work
I can't wait to give you some
I'm convinced you need one,

Baby I know I can give it to you (I can)
Can't deny, I'll do you right (I can't deny it)
Just let me know, and I'll give you (yeah)
Show me where, I'll taste you there (show me where... I'll taste you there)

Baby you know I'll give it to you (oh)
Your body needs a man like me (I know you want it)
Anything goes when I give it to you (You know I'll... know I'll)
without a doubt I'll turn you out (... know I'll give you)
I want to satisfy your every wish and mine (just let me know)

Baby, I know just what you need (I know just what you need)
(oh no, no, no) No one could ever do you like I do you right baby
(I.. I .. Could do it right)
There's nothing we can't do cause we do it right baby
we can do... give it to you... baby
The feelin' is fine giving you everything of mine

***

This is definitely of the I-wanna-sex-you-up school of songwriting, but I don't think there's anything untoward happening here. It kinda depends on how you interpret the prechorus:

its creepin around in my head
me holding you down in my bed

which could either be read as "me, holding you down, in my bed", or, more likely, "me, holding you, down in my bed". It's a clumsy lyric (commas are hard to sing, yo) and I'm surprised that Jordan didn't catch more flak for it.

However, Jordan does go on to say:

just let me know and I'll give it to you
show me where, I'll taste you there

so he's definitely requesting consent and some direction.

So, syrupy sex jam, yes. Date rape anthem? Unlikely.

On an unrelated note, lunch is in an hour - thai or falafel?

"... she stuck her head out the window and screamed, and screamed..."

A wonderfully atmospheric piece of work. M.R. James meets Giorgio Moroder.
I've always wondered if it was partly inspired by the Stones' revoltingly misogynistic Under My Thumb.

yup. me too. but don't think G&C would ever have given a straight answer to that kind of question. or indeed any other.

i saw kevin godley on some C4 music programme a couple of months ago, pontificating. he has aged *brilliantly*. he's this mad old swearing mancunian video pioneer cum mentalist, and he RULES.