Favorite Song Lyrics of All Time. What Say You?

I was thrilled and couldn’t agree more with many lyrics noted above. Here are a couple others that rattle around in me.

No, don't ask me to apologize
I won't ask you to forgive me
- Elvis Costello

I’m not giving in an inch to fear

- David Crosby

I agree with James McMurtry as a writer of great lyrics, although one would have to quote the entire song to fully appreciate the lyrics.  His are not one-liner lyrics. 

Greg Brown also writes great lyrics, again not one-liners and a couple of songs off his Poet's Game album are incredibly good.  The title track about the power of words and the ultimate futility of words is particularly good in the context of current events.  Another song on this album called "Brand New Dodge" describes a young boy riding in the new family car--a '64 Dodge they bought in November of '63.  It describes the innocence that of that time that is about to be shattered by the Kennedy assassination.  The only mention of Kennedy is the boy's description of the people he thinks Jesus loves which includes "And Jesus loves our president, even though he is a Catholic."  Actually, there is a one-liner from a song called "Jesus & Elvis" on the same album that describes the two miracle workers; the song opens with "Jesus had some water, said "wine would be better yet, Elvis picked up a guitar and made all the women wet."

2 songs--

1-She's so fine there's no telling where the money went! 

Robert Palmer -Simply irresistible 

2- You didn't have to stoop so low , Have you friends collect your records and then change your number .

Gotye -- Now your just somebody that I used to know 

Iggy Pop: Sixteen

I must be hungry
Because I go crazy
Over your leather boots
Now baby, I know
That's not normal

Frank Zappa: Camarillo Brillo

She had a snake for a pet and an amulet
And she was breeding a dwarf but she wasn't done yet
She had gray-green skin, a doll with a pin
I told her she was alright but I couldn't come in
(I couldn't come in right then...)

Neil Young: After the Gold Rush

I was lyin' in a burned out basement
With the full moon in my eyes
I was hopin' for replacement
When the sun burst through the sky
There was a band playin' in my head
And I felt like getting high
I was thinkin' about what a friend had said
I was hopin' it was a lie
Thinkin' about what a friend had said
I was hopin' it was a lie

Well, I dreamed I saw the silver space ships flyin'
In the yellow haze of the sun
There were children cryin' and colors flyin'
All around the chosen ones
All in a dream, all in a dream
The loadin' had begun
Flying Mother Nature's silver seed
To a new home in the sun
Flying Mother Nature's silver seed
To a new home

John Prine: Hello in There

We had an apartment in the city
Me and Loretta liked living there
Well, it'd been years since the kids had grown
A life of their own left us alone
John and Linda live in Omaha
And Joe is somewhere on the road
We lost Davy in the Korean War
And I still don't know what for, don't matter anymore

O Holy Night (Traditional)

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His Gospel is Peace
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother
And in His name, all oppression shall cease
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we
Let all within us Praise His Holy name
Christ is the Lord; O praise His name forever!
His power and glory evermore proclaim
His power and glory evermore proclaim

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things…..

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Once I lived the life of a millionaire
Spent all my money, I just did not care
Took all my friends out for a good time
Bought bootleg whiskey, champagne and wine

Then I began to fall so low
Lost all my good friends, I did not have nowhere to go
I get my hands on a dollar again
I'm going to hang on to it until that eagle grins

Because no, no, nobody knows you
When you're down and out
In your pocket, not one penny
And as for friends, you don't have any….