Grammatical Errors in Recorded Music...

Hi John,

While the following is not quite a grammatical error, your post reminds me of an example of lyrics that say something other than what is meant. From the Beatles’ "If I Fell," which btw is probably my favorite Beatles song from their early period:

If I give my heart to you
I must be sure
From the very start
That you would love me more than her.

Best regards,
-- Al

Hi Al, 
I have noticed that ambiguous sentence in the past! I'm sure that it means what most people think it means, but it can be taken both ways...
John

From "L.A. Woman" by The Doors, there's this howler:

"If they say I never loved you
You know they are a liar"

Even when I was a kid this one made me shake my head

-- Howard
.

hodu,
That's a great one! I've always noticed it on that song.

I can’t get no satisfaction............

Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport

When I think of Hendrix I always think of...

"scuze me while I kiss dis guy"

DeKay

Too many to post...…….


not that this is always a bad thing. Latitude is always welcome, In my book, for the purpose/the song...get it?

There's a difference, I'd suggest, between plain old bad writing -- like the bit by The Doors I cited above -- and something done for effect. No one hearing Dylan sing "I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more" would be led to believe by the double negative that he fully intends to put in more time laboring for Maggie. (Or for her brother, or for her pa, for that matter.)

"Satisfaction," one of the great rock 'n' roll songs of all time, is similar, I think. Though it may not please the English teachers, it's right on the beam, and wouldn't have been nearly as good any other way.

Gosh. Well, what about Dylan’s Lay Lady Lay? Was that for effect, too?