What's your favorite lyric from a song?


Just curious what stays with people...
arthursmuck
From Mark Hollis hauntingly beautiful self-titled album, these are the complete lyrics from the 6'21" song, "Inside Looking Out."

Feel my skin Lord
Feel my luck tumbling down
Left no life no more

Turn my seasons turn
Lived in much younger times
Left no life no more
For me to shine


From Robert Plant's, Band of Joy, album...this was actually derived from a traditional song, but I think he's changed the lyrics a bit.

Cindy got religion
She had it once before
She spilled it on a Saturday
Upon a hardwood floor

From the dark and cynical Jim White project, Chainsaw of Life, by Hellwood (White, Dowd, & Willie B) - lyrics by Johnny Dowd, "Thank you, Lord":

Thank you Lord
Oh thank you for the hurricane
I see your boundless love
In the faces etched with pain

Thank you Lord
Oh thank you for the memories of the ark
You are the shining light we see
When we’re drowning in the dark

Thank you Lord for Jesus
And the rope from which he hung
And thank you for the cross
Upon which they nailed your son

Thank you thank you for our leaders
With their blind and stupid eyes
Your mysterious wisdom
Is embedded in their lies

Thank you for the rich man
Who gets richer by the hour
For the professor of higher learning
Hidden in his ivory tower

Thank you for the earthquake
For the fire and devastation
And the suffering that results
From your inscrutable equation

And thank you Lord oh thank you
Your mercy falls like rain
That destroyed the mighty levy
That held back Lake Pontchartrain

So thank you for Katrina
And the mighty towers that fall
Thank you oh thank you
We thank you one and all
Jax, your lyrics reminded me of (one of many) priceless Randy Newman lyrics. God's song from the album sail away:

Cain slew Abel Seth knew not why
For if the children of Israel were to multiply
Why must any of the children die?
So he asked the Lord
And the Lord said:

"Man means nothing he means less to me
than the lowiliest cactus flower
or the humblest yucca tree
he chases round this desert
cause he thinks that's where i'll be
that's why i love mankind

I recoil in horror from the foulness of thee
from the squalor and the filth and the misery
How we laugh up here in heaven at the prayers you offer me
That's why i love mankind"

The Christians and the Jews were having a jamboree
The Buddhists and the Hindus joined on satellite TV
They picked their four greatest priests
And they began to speak
They said "Lord the plague is on the world
Lord no man is free
The temples that we built to you
Have tumbled into the sea
Lord, if you won't take care of us
Won't you please please let us be?"

And the Lord said
And the Lord said

"I burn down your cities--how blind you must be
I take from you your children and you say how blessed are we
You must all be crazy to put your faith in me
That's why i love mankind
You really need me
That's why i love mankind"
Thanks, Edorr. Back atcha, from Tom Waits:

Well I don't go to church on Sunday
Don't get on my knees to pray
Don't memorize the books of the Bible
I got my own special way
I know Jesus loves me
Maybe just a little bit more
I fall down on my knees every Sunday
At Zerelda Lee's candy store

Well it's got to be a chocolate Jesus
Make me feel good inside
Got to be a chocolate Jesus
Keep me satisfied

Well I don't want no Anna Zabba
Don't want no Almond Joy
There ain't nothing better
Suitable for this boy
Well it's the only thing
That can pick me up
Better than a cup of gold
See only a chocolate Jesus
Can satisfy my soul

When the weather gets rough
And it's whiskey in the shade
It's best to wrap your savior
Up in cellophane
He flows like the big muddy
But that's ok
Pour him over ice cream
For a nice parfait

Well it's got to be a chocolate Jesus
Good enough for me
Got to be a chocolate Jesus
Good enough for me

Well it's got to be a chocolate Jesus
Make me feel so good inside
Got to be a chocolate Jesus
Keep me satisfied
While we are on the subject, the quintessential God lyric is of course John Lennon's "God". No cynism here, just lots of existential anxiety - very beautiful lyrics indeed:

God is a concept,
By which we can measure,
Our pain,
I'll say it again,
God is a concept,
By which we can measure,
Our pain,
I don't believe in magic,
I don't believe in I-ching,
I don't believe in bible,
I don't believe in tarot,
I don't believe in Hitler,
I don't believe in Jesus,
I don't believe in Kennedy,
I don't believe in Buddha,
I don't believe in mantra,
I don't believe in Gita,
I don't believe in yoga,
I don't believe in kings,
I don't believe in Elvis,
I don't believe in Zimmerman,
I don't believe in Beatles,
I just believe in me,
Yoko and me,
And that's reality.
The dream is over,
What can I say?
The dream is over,
Yesterday,
I was dreamweaver,
But now I'm reborn,
I was the walrus,
But now I'm John,
And so dear friends,
You just have to carry on,
The dream is over.
Lovely, indeed, Edorr.

Speaking of Zimmerman....

Oh God said to Abraham, "Kill me a son"
Abe says, "Man, you must be puttin' me on"
God say, "No." Abe say, "What ?"
God say, "You can do what you want Abe, but
The next time you see me comin' you better run"
Well Abe says, "Where do you want this killin' done ?"
God says. "Out on Highway 61".