jenglisbe
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Post by jenglisbe on Feb 7, 2024 13:32:17 GMT -5
With the well-deserved focus on "Fast Car" as of late, I've certainly been praising it as one of the best-written songs of all-time. I mean that beyond the lyrics, but the lyrics are what really elevate it as it tells a story of the effects of generational poverty and addiction. It's a story you rarely get in popular music. There is also a subtle use of the changing of pronouns at the end that is terrific too. (Musically it's also profound with that repeated guitar line echoing the repeating of the family story.) It's truly one of the best-written songs of all-time. I'll post the full lyrics below.
With that being said, please post songs in this thread that you think are among the best-written ever lyrically. This discussion isn't intended to be about songs with 1-2 great lines, or songs that are catchy; it's about songs with really good lyrics from beginning to end.
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colson
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Post by colson on Feb 7, 2024 13:40:07 GMT -5
The "classic" songs that immediately come to mind to me are John Lennon's "Imagine", Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On", Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come".
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jenglisbe
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Post by jenglisbe on Feb 8, 2024 11:28:26 GMT -5
The next song I will add to this thread is "The Roof" by Mariah Carey. It describes the apparently true situation of Mariah hooking up with Derek Jeter. The lyrics Mariah writes here are very poetic, insightful, and even clever (the rhyming of Moet and liberated). Even the ad-libs are stunning.
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dbhmr
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Post by dbhmr on Feb 8, 2024 12:36:49 GMT -5
Other than Joni Mitchell's, "Both Sides Now" the ones that come to mind are all more contemporary and idk if people would think they're "all-timers" but...idc
Florence & The Machine, "Heavy In Your Arms" Nickel Creek, "The Lighthouse's Tale" Lana del Rey, "How to Disappear" Jhene Aiko, "Spotless Mind" Kelly Clarkson, "Tightrope" Troye Sivan, "Good Side"
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Envoirment
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Post by Envoirment on Feb 8, 2024 12:42:41 GMT -5
Billie Holiday - "Strange Fruit"
The weight of the song/lyrics is so immense.
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🇯🇲 lucy88 🇯🇲
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Post by 🇯🇲 lucy88 🇯🇲 on Feb 8, 2024 16:11:19 GMT -5
My personal picks are these from Madonna:
"This Used To Be My Playground" "Love Tried To Welcome Me" "Live To Tell" "Oh Father" "Words"
Their lyrics just so resonate so well with me, especially when I was going thru rough times in my life. Pretty dark and cryptic.
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leonagwen
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Post by leonagwen on Feb 8, 2024 18:48:04 GMT -5
My personal picks are these from Madonna: "This Used To Be My Playground" "Love Tried To Welcome Me" "Live To Tell" "Oh Father" "Words" Their lyrics just so resonate so well with me, especially when I was going thru rough times in my life. Pretty dark and cryptic. "Rain" is another good song lyrically.
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Luckie Starchild
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Post by Luckie Starchild on Feb 8, 2024 23:33:52 GMT -5
Bruce Springsteen - "Born to Run"
In the day we sweat it out on the streets Of a runaway American dream At night we ride through the mansions of glory In suicide machines Sprung from cages on Highway 9 Chrome wheeled, fuel injected, and steppin' out over the line Oh, baby this town rips the bones from your back It's a death trap, it's a suicide rap We gotta get out while we're young 'Cause tramps like us, baby, we were born to run Yes, girl, we were
Wendy, let me in, I wanna be your friend I wanna guard your dreams and visions Just wrap your legs 'round these velvet rims And strap your hands 'cross my engines Together we could break this trap We'll run 'til we drop, baby, we'll never go back Oh, will you walk with me out on the wire? 'Cause, baby, I'm just a scared and lonely rider But I gotta know how it feels I want to know if love is wild Babe, I want to know if love is real Oh, can you show me
Beyond the Palace, hemi-powered drones Scream down the boulevard Girls comb their hair in rearview mirrors And the boys try to look so hard The amusement park rises bold and stark Kids are huddled on the beach in the mist I wanna die with you, Wendy, on the street tonight In an everlasting kiss
The highway's jammed with broken heroes On a last chance power drive Everybody's out on the run tonight But there's no place left to hide Together, Wendy, we can live with the sadness I'll love you with all the madness in my soul Oh, someday, girl, I don't know when We're gonna get to that place Where we really wanna go and we'll walk in the sun But 'til then, tramps like us Baby, we were born to run
Oh honey, tramps like us Baby, we were born to run Come on with me, tramps like us Baby, we were born to run
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Luckie Starchild
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Post by Luckie Starchild on Feb 8, 2024 23:46:14 GMT -5
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countryfan43
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Post by countryfan43 on Feb 9, 2024 12:07:56 GMT -5
I love “Note To Self” by Randy Houser. Super great lyrics but unfortunately radio did not take it that far.
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Post by The Brazilian Guy 🇧🇷 on Feb 9, 2024 13:31:37 GMT -5
Not really an all-timer, but a personal favorite "contemporary" song
Crashed on the floor when I moved in This little bungalow alone with some strange new friends Stay up too late, and I'm too thin We promise each other it's til the end Now we're spinning empty bottles It's the five of us With pretty eyed boys girls die to trust I can't resist the day No, I can't resist the day
Jenny screams out and it's no pose Cause when she dances she goes and goes And beer through the nose on an inside joke And I'm so excited, I haven't spoken And she's so pretty, and she's so sure Maybe I'm more clever than a girl like her The summer's all in bloom The summer is ending soon
It's alright and it's nice not to be so alone But I hold on to your secrets in white houses
Maybe I'm a little bit over my head I come undone at the things he said And he's so funny in his bright red shirt We were all in love and we all got hurt I sneak into his car's cracked leather seat The smell of gasoline in the summer heat Boy, we're going way too fast It's all too sweet to last
It's alright And I put myself in his hands But I hold on to your secrets in white houses Love, or something ignites in my veins And I pray it never fades in white houses My first time, hard to explain Rush of blood, oh, and a little bit of pain On a cloudy day, it's more common than you think He's my first mistake
Maybe you were all faster than me We gave each other up so easily These silly little wounds will never mend I feel so far from where I've been So I go, and I will not be back here again I'm gone as the day is fading on white houses I lie, put my injuries all in the dust In my heart is the five of us In white houses
And you, maybe you'll remember me What I gave is yours to keep In white houses In white houses In white houses
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Post by childeroland on Feb 9, 2024 16:18:55 GMT -5
Bob Dylan "North Country Blues" Come gather 'round friends and I'll tell you a tale Of when the red iron pits ran a-plenty But the cardboard-filled windows and old men on the benches Tell you now that the whole town is empty
In the north end of town my own children are grown But I was raised on the other In the wee hours of youth my mother took sick And I was brought up by my brother
The iron ore poured as the years passed the door The drag lines an' the shovels they was a-humming 'Till one day my brother failed to come home The same as my father before him
Well, a long winter's wait from the window I watched My friends they couldn't have been kinder And my schooling was cut as I quit in the spring To marry John Thomas, a miner
Oh, the years passed again, and the giving was good With the lunch bucket filled every season What with three babies born, the work was cut down To a half a day's shift with no reason
Then the shaft was soon shut, and more work was cut And the fire in the air, it felt frozen 'Till a man come to speak, and he said in one week That number eleven was closing
They complained in the East, they are paying too high They say that your ore ain't worth digging That it's much cheaper down in the South American towns Where the miners work almost for nothing
So the mining gates locked, and the red iron rotted And the room smelled heavy from drinking Where the sad, silent song made the hour twice as long As I waited for the sun to go sinking
I lived by the window as he talked to himself This silence of tongues it was building 'Till one morning's wake, the bed it was bare And I was left alone with three children
The summer is gone, the ground's turning cold The stores one by one they're all folding My children will go as soon as they grow Well, there ain't nothing here now to hold them
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Glass Joe
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Post by Glass Joe on Feb 10, 2024 9:32:32 GMT -5
Not really an all-timer, but a personal favorite "contemporary" song
Crashed on the floor when I moved in This little bungalow alone with some strange new friends Stay up too late, and I'm too thin We promise each other it's til the end Now we're spinning empty bottles It's the five of us With pretty eyed boys girls die to trust I can't resist the day No, I can't resist the day
Jenny screams out and it's no pose Cause when she dances she goes and goes And beer through the nose on an inside joke And I'm so excited, I haven't spoken And she's so pretty, and she's so sure Maybe I'm more clever than a girl like her The summer's all in bloom The summer is ending soon
It's alright and it's nice not to be so alone But I hold on to your secrets in white houses
Maybe I'm a little bit over my head I come undone at the things he said And he's so funny in his bright red shirt We were all in love and we all got hurt I sneak into his car's cracked leather seat The smell of gasoline in the summer heat Boy, we're going way too fast It's all too sweet to last
It's alright And I put myself in his hands But I hold on to your secrets in white houses Love, or something ignites in my veins And I pray it never fades in white houses My first time, hard to explain Rush of blood, oh, and a little bit of pain On a cloudy day, it's more common than you think He's my first mistake
Maybe you were all faster than me We gave each other up so easily These silly little wounds will never mend I feel so far from where I've been So I go, and I will not be back here again I'm gone as the day is fading on white houses I lie, put my injuries all in the dust In my heart is the five of us In white houses
And you, maybe you'll remember me What I gave is yours to keep In white houses In white houses In white houses I’m really glad to see this song get brought up. I absolutely agree! This song is amazing on all aspects! Lyrically, musically, and emotionally, so great in all those ways when you look at it.
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irice22
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listening to Kesha. Always.
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Post by irice22 on Feb 10, 2024 11:02:36 GMT -5
While "White Houses" flopped, it's quite astonishing to me how many people remember the song. If you loved it, you reallllly loved it.
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Post by Devil Marlena Nylund on Feb 10, 2024 11:41:36 GMT -5
I'd been thinking on if I could reply to this topic for the last few days. It's tough to think of something that comes close to "Fast Car" since its release. I'm sure there are plenty from the 60s and 70s but in the 90s or later? But here's a few songs from recent years that I've always thought were really well-written and capture parts of the human experience:
Brandi Carlile's "Sugartooth" is a song about opoid addiction who eventually ends his own life. It's an example of a song that isn't relatable exactly but the way its written and presented makes you able to feel it. It's something Brandi does well in her songs I think. A few others she has that I like the lyrics of are "That Year," "Fulton County Jane Doe" and "Wasted," which is the source of one of my tattoos.
"If We Were Vampires" by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit is another song with great lyrics in that it contextualizes time and relationships. To me, the key line is "maybe time running out is a gift." It's such a powerful line to me. You appreciate someone because you know it's not forever.
And Kathleen Edwards. Her song "House Full of Empty Rooms" so accurately depicted the gradual breakdown of my relationship shortly after that it became a go-to song for me in those last days before me and my ex broke up. It's like that point between realizing it hasn't been working out and having to actually end it.
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Ling-Ling
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Post by Ling-Ling on Feb 10, 2024 12:00:43 GMT -5
I immediately thought of "Down From Dover," "Coat Of Many Colors," "To Daddy" by Dolly Parton. All devastating songs. That woman was so much more than "Jolene" and "IWALY."
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• Господин Умљеновић •
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Post by • Господин Умљеновић • on Feb 10, 2024 12:42:01 GMT -5
Jewel • Foolish games
You took your coat off, stood in the rain You're always crazy like that And I watched from my window Always felt I was outside looking in on you You're always the mysterious one with Dark eyes and careless hair You were fashionably sensitive But too cool to care You stood in my doorway, with nothing to say Besides some comment on the weather
In case you failed to notice, in case you failed to see This is my heart bleedin' before you, this is me down on my knees
These foolish games are tearing me apart And your thoughtless words are breakin' my heart You're breaking my heart
You're always brilliant in the morning Smoking your cigarettes and talking over coffee Your philosophies on art, Baroque moved you You loved Mozart and you'd speak of your loved ones As I clumsily strummed my guitar
You'd teach me of honest things Things that were daring, things that were clean Things that knew what an honest dollar did mean I hid my soiled hands behind my back Somewhere along the line, I must've gone off track with you
Excuse me, think I've mistaken you for somebody else Somebody who gave a damn, somebody more like myself
These foolish games are tearing me You're tearing me, you're tearing me apart And your thoughtless words are breaking my heart You're breaking my heart You took your coat off, stood in the rain You're always crazy like that
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And this lyrical/musical/mood masterpiece
Heroin by Lana Del Rey
Topanga is hot tonight, the city by the bay Has movie stars and liquor stores and soft decay The rumblin' from distant shores sends me to sleep But the facts of life can sometimes make it hard to dream
Life rocked me like Mötley Grabbed me by the ribbons in my hair Life rocked me ultra softly Like the heavy metal that you wear
I'm flyin' to the moon again, dreamin' about heroin How it gave you everything and took your life away I put you on an aeroplane, destined for a foreign land I hoped that you'd come back again And tell me everything's okay, hey, babe, yeah
Topanga's hot today, Manson's in the air And all my friends have gone, 'cause they still feel him here I wanna leave, I'll probably stay another year It's hard to live when absolutely nothing's clear
Life rocked me like Mötley Bad beginnin' to my new year Life rocked me ultra softly Like the heavy metal that you hear
I'm flyin' to the moon again, dreamin' about heroin And how it gave you everything and took your life away I put you on the aeroplane, destined for a foreign land I thought that you'd come back again To tell me everything's okay, hey, babe, yeah
winter in the city Somethin' 'bout this weather made these kids go crazy (It's hot) even for February Somethin' 'bout this sun has made these kids get scary Oh, writin' in blood on my walls and shit Like, oh, oh my God Jumpin' off from the walls into the docks and shit Oh-ho-ho-ho, I'd be lyin' if I said I wasn't sick of it Baby (baby), come on (come on), come on (come on)
I'm flyin' to the moon again, dreamin' about marzipan Taking all my medicine to take my thoughts away I'm getting on that aeroplane, leavin' my old man again I hope that I come back one day To tell you that I really changed, baby
somethin' 'bout the city Don't know what it is, it makes my head get crazy Oh, makes me feel like I can change Oh-ho-ho-ho, all of my evil ways and shit Mmm-mmm-mmm, mmm-mmm-mmm Oh, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't sick of it
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Luckie Starchild
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Post by Luckie Starchild on Feb 10, 2024 18:16:38 GMT -5
And what Luckie says goes
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SPRΞΞ
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Post by SPRΞΞ on Feb 10, 2024 19:22:02 GMT -5
White Rabbit - Jefferson Airplane Time in a Bottle - Jim Croce
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daneeis
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Post by daneeis on Feb 10, 2024 19:45:23 GMT -5
Breakdown by Mariah Carey, especially the first verse.
"You called yesterday to basically say that you care for me but that you're just not in love immediately, I pretended to be feeling similarly and lead you to believe......
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newpower
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Post by newpower on Feb 10, 2024 22:27:43 GMT -5
This B-side from Pet Shop Boys has one of saddest lyrics…
Your Funny Uncle A windy day The cars in slow formation Not far away A final destination One mother's son His father's distant gaze, regretting Where they went wrong He always found it too upsetting Me and my friend We lived our lives completely From start to end You and your friend, so sweetly With strength and pride In spite of everything, and swimming Against the tide To obstinately hope of winning And at the end Your funny uncle staring At all your friends With military bearing And stopped to stand To smile and speak of you directly Goodbye, shake hands Like you did everything correctly To wipe away the tears No more pain, no fear No sorrow or dying No waiting or crying These former things have passed away Another life begins today
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🇯🇲 lucy88 🇯🇲
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Post by 🇯🇲 lucy88 🇯🇲 on Feb 11, 2024 0:44:00 GMT -5
Another fave that deserves a mention. I love the message behind. It speaks on men who do not want to accept parental responsibilities. My mother and her siblings grew up with absentee fathers, so I am definitely feeling the lyrical content.
"Be A Father To Your Child" by Da Bulldogs
Be a father if not why bother son A boy can make 'em but a man can raise one If you did it admit it and stick with it Don't say it ain't yours 'cause all women are not whores Ninety percent represent a woman that is faithful Ladies can I hear it? thank you. When a girl gets pregnant her man is gonna run around Dissin' her for nine months when it's born he wants to come around Talking that I'm sorry for what I did And all of a sudden he wants to see his kid She had to bear it by herself and take care of it by herself And givin' her money for milk won't really help Half of the fathers with sons and daughters don't even wanna take 'em But it's so easy for them to make 'em It's true, if it weren't for you then the child wouldn't exist After a skeeze, there's responsibilities so don't resist Be a father to your child You see, I hate when a brother makes a child and then denies it Thinking that money is the answer so he buys it A whole bunch of gifts and a lot of presents It's not the presents, it's your presence and essence Of being there and showing the baby that you care Stop sittin' like a chair and having your baby wonder where you are Or who you are----fool, you are his daddy Don't act like you ain't cause that really makes me mad, g. To see a mother and a baby suffer I've had enough of brothers who don't love the Fact that a baby brings joy into your life You could still be called daddy if the mother's not your wife Don't be scared, be prepared 'cause love is gonna getcha It will always be your child even if she ain't witcha So don't front on your child when it's your own 'Cause if you front now, then you'll regret it when it's grown Be a father to your child Put yourself in his position and see what you're done But just keep in mind that you're somebody's son How would you like it if your father was a stranger And then tried to come into your life and tried to change The way your mother raised ya----now, wouldn't that amaze ya? To be or not to be, that is the question When you're wrong, you're wrong, it's time to make a correction Harassin' the mother for being with another man But if the brother man can do it better than you can, Let him. don't sweat him, duke Let him do the job that you couldn't do. You're claimin' you was there, but not when she needed you And now you wanna come around for a day or two? It's never too late to correct your mistake So get yourself together for your child's sake And be a father to your child
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🇯🇲 lucy88 🇯🇲
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Post by 🇯🇲 lucy88 🇯🇲 on Feb 11, 2024 0:49:19 GMT -5
"Keep Ya Head Up" by 2Pac
Little somethin' for my godson Elijah and a little girl named Corin Some say the blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice I say the darker the flesh then the deeper the roots I give a holler to my sisters on welfare Tupac cares, if don't nobody else care And uh, I know they like to beat ya down a lot When you come around the block, brothas clown a lot But please don't cry, dry your eyes, never let up Forgive but don't forget, girl, keep your head up And when he tells you you ain't nuttin' don't believe him And if he can't learn to love you, you should leave him 'Cause sista you don't need him And I ain't tryin' to gas ya up, I just call 'em how I see 'em (you don't need him) You know me makes me unhappy? (What's that?) When brothas make babies And leave a young mother to be a pappy (oh, yeah, yeah, yeah) And since we all came from a woman Got our name from a woman and our game from a woman (yeah, yeah) I wonder why we take from our women Why we rape our women, do we hate our women? (Why? Why?) I think it's time to kill for our women (why? Why? Why? Why?) Time to heal our women, be real to our women And if we don't we'll have a race of babies That will hate the ladies, that make the babies (oh, yeah, baby) And since a man can't make one He has no right to tell a woman when and where to create one So will the real men get up I know you're fed up ladies, but keep your head up Keep ya head up, ooh, child, things are gonna get easier Keep-keep ya head up, ooh, child, things'll get brighter (ohh) Keep ya head up, ooh, child, things are gonna get easier Keep-keep ya head up, ooh, child, things'll get brighter Ayo, I remember Marvin Gaye, used to sing to me He had me feelin' like black was the thing to be And suddenly the ghetto didn't seem so tough And though we had it rough, we always had enough I huffed and puffed about my curfew and broke the rules Ran with the local crew, and had a smoke or two And I realize momma really paid the price She nearly gave her life, to raise me right (oh, yeah) And all I had to give her was my pipe dream (yeah, yeah, yeah) Of how I'd rock the mic, and make it to the bright screen I'm tryin' to make a dollar out of fifteen cents It's hard to be legit and still pay your rent And in the end it seems I'm headin' for the pen I try and find my friends, but they're blowin' in the wind Last night my buddy lost his whole family It's gonna take the man in me to conquer this insanity (no, no, no, no) It seems the rain'll never let up I try to keep my head up, and still keep from gettin' wet up You know, it's funny when it rains it pours They got money for wars, but can't feed the poor Said it ain't no hope for the youth and the truth is It ain't no hope for the future And then they wonder why we crazy I blame my mother for turning my brother into a crack baby We ain't meant to survive, 'cause it's a setup And even though you're fed up Huh, ya got to keep your head up Keep ya head up, ooh, child, things are gonna get easier Keep-keep ya head up, ooh, child, things'll get brighter (ohh) Keep ya head up, ooh, child, things are gonna get easier Keep-keep ya head up, ooh, child, things'll get brighter And uh To all the ladies havin' babies on they own I know it's kinda rough and you're feelin' all alone Daddy's long gone and he left you by ya lonesome Thank the Lord for my kids, even if nobody else want 'em (left you all by yourself) 'Cause I think we can make it, in fact, I'm sure And if you fall, stand tall and comeback for more 'Cause ain't nothin' worse than when your son Wants to know why his daddy don't love him no mo' You can't complain you was dealt this Hell of a hand without a man, feelin' helpless Because there's too many things for you to deal with Dying inside, but outside you're looking fearless While the tears is rollin' down your cheeks Ya steady hopin' things don't all down this week 'Cause if it did, you couldn't take it, and don't blame me I was given this world I didn't make it And now my son's gettin' older and older and cold From havin' the world on his shoulders While the rich kids is drivin' Benz I'm still tryin' to hold on to my survivin' friends And it's crazy, it seems it'll never let up, but Please, you got to keep your head up
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🇯🇲 lucy88 🇯🇲
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Post by 🇯🇲 lucy88 🇯🇲 on Feb 11, 2024 1:08:09 GMT -5
I can relate to this so much. I actually have been disrespected by men in the past. I've even been groped from behind once upon a time.
"U.N.I.T.Y." by Queen Latifah
Uh, U.N.I.T.Y., U.N.I.T.Y. that's a unity U.N.I.T.Y., love a black man from infinity to infinity (Who you calling a bitch?) U.N.I.T.Y., U.N.I.T.Y. that's a unity (You gotta let him know) (You go, come on here we go) U.N.I.T.Y., Love a black woman from (You got to let him know) infinity to infinity (You ain't a bitch or a ho) U.N.I.T.Y., U.N.I.T.Y. that's a unity (You gotta let him know) (You go, come on here we go) U.N.I.T.Y., Love a black man from (You got to let him know) infinity to infinity (You ain't a bitch or a ho)
Instinct leads me to another flow Everytime I hear a brother call a girl a bitch or a ho Trying to make a sister feel low You know all of that gots to go Now everybody knows there's exceptions to this rule Now don't be getting mad, when we playing, it's cool But don't you be calling out my name I bring wrath to those who disrespect me like a dame That's why I'm talking, one day I was walking down the block I had my cutoff shorts on right cause it was crazy hot I walked past these dudes when they passed me One of 'em felt my booty, he was nasty I turned around red, somebody was catching the wrath Then the little one said (Yeah me bitch) and laughed Since he was with his boys he tried to break fly Huh, I punched him dead in his eye and said "Who you calling a bitch?"
(Here we go) U.N.I.T.Y., U.N.I.T.Y. that's a unity (You gotta let him know) (You go, come on here we go) U.N.I.T.Y., Love a black woman from (You got to let him know) infinity to infinity (You ain't a bitch or a ho) (Here we go) U.N.I.T.Y., U.N.I.T.Y. that's a unity (You gotta let him know) (You go, come on here we go) U.N.I.T.Y., Love a black man from (You got to let him know) infinity to infinity (You ain't a bitch or a ho)
I hit the bottom, there ain't nowhere else to go but up Bad days at work, give you an attitude then you were rough And take it out on me but that's about enough You put your hands on me again I'll put your ass in handcuffs I guess I fell so deep in love I grew dependency I was too blind to see just how it was affecting me All I knew was you, you was all the man I had And I was scared to let you go, even though you treated me bad But I don't want my kids to see me getting beat down By daddy smacking mommy all around You say I'm nothing without ya, but I'm nothing with ya A man don't really love you if he hits ya This is my notice to the door, I'm not taking it no more I'm not your personal whore, that's not what I'm here for And nothing good gonna come to ya til you do right by me Brother you wait and see (Who you calling a bitch?)
(Here we go) U.N.I.T.Y., U.N.I.T.Y. that's a unity (You gotta let him know) (You go, come on here we go) U.N.I.T.Y., Love a black woman from (You got to let him know) infinity to infinity (You ain't a bitch or a ho) (Here we go) U.N.I.T.Y., U.N.I.T.Y. that's a unity (You gotta let him know) (You go, come on here we go) U.N.I.T.Y., Love a black man from (You got to let him know) infinity to infinity (You ain't a bitch or a ho)
What's going on in your mind is what I ask ya But like Yo-Yo, you don't hear me though You wear a rag around your head and you call yourself a "Gangsta Bitch" now that you saw Apache's video I saw you wilding, acting like a fool I peeped you out the window jumping girls after school But where did all of this come from? A minute ago, you was a nerd and nobody ever heard of ya Now you a wannabe... hard You barely know your ABC's, please There's plenty of people out there with triggers ready to pull it Why you trying to jump in front of the bullet (Young lady) Uh, and real bad girls are the silent type Ain't none of this work getting your face sliced Cause that's what happened to your homegirl, right? Bucking with nobody She got to wear that for life (Who you calling a bitch?)
(Here we go) U.N.I.T.Y., U.N.I.T.Y. that's a unity (You gotta let him know) (You go, come on here we go) U.N.I.T.Y., Love a black woman from (You got to let him know) infinity to infinity (You ain't a bitch or a ho) (Here we go) U.N.I.T.Y., U.N.I.T.Y. that's a unity (You gotta let him know) (You go, come on here we go) U.N.I.T.Y., Love a black man from (You must let him know) infinity to infinity (You ain't a bitch or a ho)
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jenglisbe
Diamond Member
Joined: January 2005
Posts: 34,522
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Post by jenglisbe on Feb 11, 2024 6:51:27 GMT -5
A lot of good one being mentioned. I was going to mention "Keep Ya Head Up" next but 🇯🇲 lucy88 🇯🇲 beat me to it :) I'll add Miranda Lambert's "Vice" to the conversation. I love that it's a woman singing about her sexual agency (among other things) and acknowledging her flaws. There are also a few lines that just really hit me hard.
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myhouse911
Gold Member
Joined: June 2010
Posts: 717
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Post by myhouse911 on Feb 14, 2024 6:34:02 GMT -5
Some really great mentions already here - great thread Jenglisbe. Some of my all-time favourites are:
Bruce Springsteen "Secret Garden" Jeff Buckley's version of "Hallelujah" Vanessa Carlton "White Houses" Tracy Chapman "Fast Car" Kacey Musgraves "Merry Go 'Round" Garth Brooks “The Dance” Fleetwood Mac “Storms” and “Beautiful Child” John Denver "Leaving on a Jetplane" and "Take Me Home, Country Roads" Joni Mitchell "River" Miranda Lambert "The House That Built Me" Tom Petty "Wildflowers" Lori McKenna - so many, the whole 'Lorraine' album (i.e The Luxury of Knowing, That's How You Know, Still Down Here) and 'Massachusetts' album (i.e Susanna, Make Every Word Hurt, How Romantic is That) are just spectacular.
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Post by Devil Marlena Nylund on Feb 14, 2024 7:43:44 GMT -5
Lori Mckenna has many great songs that encompass small town life so well. And perspective of a mother. The entire bird and rifle album for sure!
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jenglisbe
Diamond Member
Joined: January 2005
Posts: 34,522
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Post by jenglisbe on Feb 14, 2024 8:20:47 GMT -5
Speaking of Lori McKenna, I think the song "Stealing Kisses" she wrote (and was made famous by Faith Hill) is pretty stellar and looks at an issue we don't see tackled much in popular song:
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clsvltn
Gold Member
Joined: October 2019
Posts: 671
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Post by clsvltn on Feb 14, 2024 15:50:29 GMT -5
Goo Goo Dolls - Iris is my pick.,
The chorus is incredible.
And I don't want the world to see me 'Cause I don't think that they'd understand When everything's made to be broken I just want you to know who I am
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YourFaveIsAFlop
5x Platinum Member
Catch me in the fridge, right where the ice be
Joined: April 2014
Posts: 5,467
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Post by YourFaveIsAFlop on Feb 15, 2024 2:17:24 GMT -5
Not Ready to Make Nice by the Chicks Mama's Broken Heart by Miranda Lambert
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