Great Pop Questions

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Fraser's is the thread that bred.

Nick said "What's the best unanswered question in pop?" I don't care about the answer but I do care about the questions.

One that's surely troubled me in the past:

"Is She Really Going Out With Him?"

― Tom, Wednesday, 28 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Is that all there is?

― Nick, Wednesday, 28 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"Where Were You?" by the Mekons is not only genius from start to finish, it is also packed to the gills with great pop questions.

Oh, and The Stockholm Monsters: "How Corrupt Is Rough Trade?"

Worst questions ever? "Who are you? Oooh oooh oooh oooh". And Therapy?

― Tim, Wednesday, 28 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I hearby nominate:

"Who Killed Bambi?" by the Pistols.

― Alex in NYC, Wednesday, 28 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Ooh, as a runner-up:

"Why Does it Hurt When I Pee?" by Frank Zappa (off JOE'S GARAGE ACT.I)

― Alex in NYC, Wednesday, 28 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Several that sprung to mind:

"Is it always like this?" - The Cure, "Siamese Twins"
"How can you expect to be taken seriously?" - Pet Shop Boys
"Where did our love go?" - The Supremes
"How many licks does it take 'til you get to the center of the...?" - Lil' Kim
"Where do we go now?" - Guns 'N Roses, "Sweet Child O' Mine
"Did you forget about me?" - Alanis Morrisette, "You Oughta Know"

The question I'd most like to never hear again is:
"Where do broken hearts go?" - Whitney Houston

― Dan Perry, Wednesday, 28 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Shellac, "Didn't We Deserve A Look At The Way You Really Are?"

I don't think much of the song (or the band) but that always seemed a good question.

― Mark Richardson, Wednesday, 28 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

How Soon Is Now? How Do You Sleep? Are "Friends" Electric? For How Much Longer Must We Tolerate Mass Murder?

plus: May We Bang You? (Parliament, _Gloryhallastoopid_)

What Is There Is Uselessness to Cause You Distress? (AMM, _AMMMusic - 1966_)

climactic buzzcocks threesome: Ever Fallen in Love ? What Do I Get? and [deepest of all] Why Can't I Touch It?

― mark sinker, Wednesday, 28 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

My favourite pop questions are the classics: "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?"; "Why Do Fools Fall In Love?"; "Why was I born too late?"

Let's face it: "Who Do You Think You Are?" will never match those.

― Greg, Wednesday, 28 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)


"Where The Hell is Bill?" - Camper Van Beethoven

"Didja Get Any Onya?" - Frank Zappa

"Would Ya Go All The Way For The USA?" - Zappa (not a song title, but a 

good question)

"Who'sat playin' that nasty song?" (Nasty boys!)- Janet Jackson

"Do you really want to hurt me?" - Culture Club

"Why do fools fall in love?" - I don't know only

― , Wednesday, 28 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"Where have all the good times gone?" (Kinks) "Who do you love?" (who's the originator?) "Are you gonna go my way?" (Lenny Kravitz) "What came first, the chicken or the egg?" (probablly many but the Beastie Boys are what I'm think 'bout) "Have you ever asked yourself, who holds the key that winds up Big Ben?" (Clash) ...and my alltime favorite: "Who can it be now?" (Men at Work)

― Tim Baier, Wednesday, 28 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

'Who gave birth to the funk?'-Joe Tex

― Michael Bourke, Wednesday, 28 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Aaaaah, how could one forget "Are You Experienced?"

― Tim Baier, Wednesday, 28 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

All my favorites have been listed already, but here's another one I just thought of:

"WHY DON'T YOU LIKE ME?" from "Don't" off Dinosaur Jr's Bug.

― Larms, Wednesday, 28 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"has anybody seen the bridge ?" - Camper Van Beethoven

"who took the ram from the rama-lama-ding-dong ?" - Le Tigre

"WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEENNNN ?" (imagine this screamed at the top of his lungs) - the Jimmy Castor Bunch

"who got the keys to the jeep ?" - Missy 'Misdemeanor' Elliott

"my God ! what have I done ?" - Talking Heads

― Patrick, Wednesday, 28 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

For true pop thrills, there can only be one:

Michael Bolton - Can I Touch You... There?

― Tim, Wednesday, 28 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

why are you being so reasonable now? - gedge

what difference does it maaaaa-hey-ake? - moz

aren't you the one? with yr razzmatazz and yr nites on the town - jarvis

will this do?

― carsmilesteve, Wednesday, 28 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"What's he building in there?"

Mr. Tom Waits

― OK Computer, Wednesday, 28 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Who put the BOMP in the Bomp-sh-bomp-sh-bomp?

― JM, Wednesday, 28 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"Charlie, how your angels get down like that?" or "Do You Want To Touch Me?" by Gary Glitter (covered by Joan Jett) or "Tell me baby what's wrong?" from "Not What You Want" by Sleater-Kinney

― Sterling Clover, Wednesday, 28 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

and of course...

Who let the fucking dogs out?

― JM, Wednesday, 28 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

She's so lucky, She's a star. so Why do these fears come at night? -Ms. Spears from "Lucky"

― Kevin Enas, Wednesday, 28 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"Tell me why I never want to hear you say that I want it that way." Backstreet

― Sterling Clover, Thursday, 29 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Why must I be a teenager in love? (was that Dion & the Belmonts?)

Don't it make you feel good? (Stefan Dennis)

Psycho killer, qu'est-ce que c'est? (Talking Heads)

Don't they know it's the end of the world cos you don't love me anymore? (Um, can't remember but Sonia covered it. Hey, look, it's another terrible cover...)

― Madchen, Thursday, 29 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

On top of my head : all those people, all those lives, where are they now?

― fernando, Thursday, 29 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Oh, Fernando. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.

"And when you want to live, how d'you start? Where d'you go? Who d'you need to know?"

"So tell me, does she kiss / Like I used to kiss you?"

― Tom, Thursday, 29 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"Why did she do it?" "On the level purgatory (?) wise words are few. Oh, will these do?"

― Ally C, Thursday, 29 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Just thought of another one...

What is that, an extra bellybutton? (Short Dick Man by 20 Fingers)

Sorry.

― Madchen, Thursday, 29 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

WHAT YOU SAY?!?!?!

yikes. im sorry im the one who had to use that one.

― joshua l. clements, Thursday, 29 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

What becomes of the brokenhearted?

Do you have to stop writing to start living?

Where is my mind?

What's that switch over there for? What's that switch over there for? (Ah-ah-ah-ah OW ah-ah-ah-ah OW)

― Michael Jones, Thursday, 29 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

No one has yet mentioned the ultra-famous...

"what is this that stands before me ?"

― Patrick, Thursday, 29 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

What do we talk about when we talk about love?

Won't you let me walk you home from school?

― youn, Thursday, 29 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

how can i be sure?

when did you stop loving me, when did i stop loving you?

what's going on?

where is the love?

do you know the way to san jose?

where were you when i needed you?

what are you doing the rest of your life?

is it so strange?

are you that somebody?

and, of course, a tribe called quest's "what?" which is made up entirely of questions, like "what is a poet all balls, no cock?"

― fred solinger, Thursday, 29 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

One of my all-time favorites:

"is a dream a lie if it don't come true/or is it just somethin' worse ?"

― Patrick, Thursday, 29 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Do you like american music?

― Sterling Clover, Friday, 30 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

It'd be good if you were in a band and your sound guy was called Fernando . 'Cause during soundcheck you could say "can you hear the drums,Fernando?"

― Duane Zarakov, Friday, 30 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"Why must I be a teenager in love?" wasn't Dion (who did ask some heavy questions - like about dope in "Your Own Back Yard" ["what has that stuff done for you so far?"] and about Abraham, Martin & John in "Abraham, Martin & John" [has anybody here seen any of these men?]), it was Frankie Lyman, same guy who asked why fools fall in love. He shoulda listened to Dion asking what has that stuff etc, but he couldn't on account of being several years deceased by that time, for that very reason. Also does anyone know "Who Are the Mystery Girls?" or "What Is A Fisterris?"

― D.D.Zarakov, Friday, 30 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I have a confession to make - I always thought that your Dion and the Dion I mentioned were completely different people, but lo! They are one and the same.

http://www.billboard.com/feature/010109dion.asp

― Madchen, Friday, 30 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I am not a smiths freak!! Although I was one of them 5 or 6 years ago, I have to confess :)

Back to the topic : Who stole the soul?

― fernando, Friday, 30 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"Why do I give valuable time to people who I'd much rather kick in the eye?"-The Smiths, of course

― Eibba, Saturday, 31 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Q: WHAT DO YOU WANNA DO WITH YOUR LIFE!?!?

A: I wanna rock.

― JM, Saturday, 31 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

It's so hot in here...what are they trying to hatch?

― DG, Sunday, 1 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Just remembered this one:

"If you had such a dream, Would you get up and do the things you've been dreaming?" - Belle and Sebastian, "I Could Be Dreaming".

― Robin Carmody, Friday, 6 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

one month passes...

i don't know if anyone has said this one yet. but it surely is sarah vaughan asking (the last time, version on "sarah vaighan with clifford brown - april in paris") "....what have you done to my heart?"

― gonçalo, Thursday, 17 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Shirley Bassey - Where Do I Begin?

― Geoff, Friday, 18 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Who Knows Where The Time Goes?

― Robin Carmody, Friday, 18 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Do you know where you're going to?

Do you like the things that life is showing you?

― Michael Daddino, Saturday, 19 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

three weeks pass...

Mike - What *is* that switch over there for? Is it some kind of muted flange effect?

― the pinefox, Sunday, 10 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"And what if I told you to fuck off?" - Crass

― tarden, Sunday, 10 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

do you really like it?

is it is it wicked?

― gareth, Monday, 11 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

four months pass...

"Who made who?" -- AC/DC

― Hank Baker, Monday, 22 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Do you know how to pony?

― Dan, Tuesday, 23 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Who wears the crown?

― Tim, Tuesday, 23 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

WOT? (capt. sensible)

― fritz, Tuesday, 23 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

When will they shoot?
-Ice Cube

― Mark, Tuesday, 23 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Are We Not Men?

― emil.y, Tuesday, 23 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Did you ever feel like youve been cheated ? Sex Pistols

― anthony, Tuesday, 23 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

What Does It Take (To Win Your Love?) - Jr. Walker & the All-Stars

― zaxxon25, Tuesday, 23 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Does anybody remember laughter?

― Arthur, Tuesday, 23 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

do you know the way to san jose?

can your monkey do the dog?

do you do you do you wanna dance?

do you want new wave or do you want the truth?

is this it?

― fritz, Tuesday, 23 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

fritz
there is a place in hell for people that get annoying songs in yr head

― anthonyeaston, Tuesday, 23 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

if it's "san jose" then at least I'm not alone

― fritz, Tuesday, 23 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Hot Chocolate, are you getting enough of happiness?

Happiness may be a euphemism for something or other. I'm not sure what though.

― Billy Dods, Tuesday, 23 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

WHO MAKES THE NAZIS?

― RW, Tuesday, 23 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

one month passes...

I'm a loser baby so why don't you kill me? ugh.

― Lindsey B, Saturday, 8 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

What if we give it away? - REM
What's that blue thing doing here? - They Might Be Giants
What will happen in the morning in the world, it gets so crowded that you can't look out the window in the morning, and all the friends that you once knew and left behind, they kept you safe and so secure among the book and all the records of your lifetime, what will happen in the morning when the world, it gets so crowded that you can't look out the window in the morning? - Nick Drake

― Prude, Saturday, 8 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Don't you know that crew-cuts and trainers are out again?

― OleM, Sunday, 9 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

NRBQ - "Who put the garlic in the glue?"

― dave q, Sunday, 9 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Digital Underground had Who Got the Gravy?...

― Ned Raggett, Sunday, 9 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Kozolek: "Why are you like this?"

Ween: "Quando? Quando?"

― Nitsuh, Sunday, 9 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

'who mistook the steak for chicken? who'm i gonna stick my dick in?' - moldy peaches

― Tracer Hand, Sunday, 9 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Can I Join Your Band?
How Does it feel (to be on your own?)

― turner, Sunday, 9 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Don't you know I'm hiding from the island?

― Robin Carmody, Monday, 10 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

four months pass...

Who put the bomp? (Barry Mann) Will you still love me tomorrow? (Shirelles) Who knows where the time goes? (Fairport Convention) Who wrote the book of love? (Monotones)

― Jason Gross, Tuesday, 23 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Who's Zoomin' Who?

― Dave225, Tuesday, 23 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Tell me, what's your zip code baby?

― Nate Patrin, Tuesday, 23 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

If this ain't love, then why does it feel so good?

― Judd Nelson, Tuesday, 23 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Who let the dogs out?

― Dan Perry, Tuesday, 23 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

is vic there?

― dbini, Tuesday, 23 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Momus - do you like Hitler?

― david h, Wednesday, 24 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

three months pass...

isnt life strange? the moody blues

no, it's very normal, life is.

― jim whitters, Thursday, 25 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

'Why does it hurt when my heart misses a beat?'

― Ray M, Thursday, 25 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Has it come to this? Oh wait, we spend most of our time answering that question.

― B-Rad, Thursday, 25 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Why do birds suddenly appear every time you are near?

― Colin Meeder, Thursday, 25 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

http://alain.baron4.free.fr/images/birds/birds_film_r1_c1.jpg

― Tracer Hand, Thursday, 25 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Tom Waits - What's he building in there?

― Indieholic Anonymous, Thursday, 25 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Colin and Tracer = comedy team of the year!

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 25 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

"why is it, that everytime I turn on da radio, I hear da same five songs, fifteen times a day, for three weeks? Funk dat!"

― Siegbran Hetteson, Thursday, 25 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

"How does it feel... to look in the mirror and realize that you're a fuckin ho?" - Ice-T

― Tracer Hand, Thursday, 25 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

"Now you wanna run around talkin bout guns like I ain't got none/What you think I sold 'em all?"

― best q ever, Thursday, 25 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

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