Song lyrics... WTF?

[Motherland]

I have an 'older' taste in music, despit my age... as well as having quite a diverse taste. I always like to download new (to me) songs that are by bands Ive 'heard of' but never 'heard'. I downloaded 'Happy Jack' by the Who a couple days ago (Ive already heard a lot of Who, from the 'Tommy era' as I call it, since albums such as Tommy and Who's Next are so different from their earlier works). I found the lyrics kinda strange... so I went and looked them up... they were even weirder than I first thought...  

Happy Jack wasnt old, but he was a man/
He lived in the sand of the Isle of Man/
The kids, would all sang, he would take the wrong key/
So they rode on his head in the furry donkey/

The kids couldnt hurt jack, they tried tried tried,/
They broke things on his back,/
They lied lied lied lied/,

....


So they rode on his head in the furry donkey? I looked all over, the results were all the same- So they rode on his head in the furry donkey... WTF is that supposed to mean?
Love the song though. I have very wide tastes, from this mid-Sixties very light pop sound, to early 80's and even mid 2000's Maiden. Dont like much of anything made after 1980 though, except Iron Maiden and a couple of other bands that formed during the 70's and continued making music into the 80's.

[DiabloTX]

Non-sensical lyrics are just that; non-sensical and none were more prevailant than in the 60's.

Besides, explain to me the meaning of the song "Remember Tomorrow" by Iron Maiden via it's lyrics.

[Nilsen]

Originally posted by DiabloTX

Besides, explain to me the meaning of the song "Remember Tomorrow" by Iron Maiden via it's lyrics.

When tomorrow comes remember today (or the past)?

Dont forget?

[DiabloTX]

Originally posted by Nilsen
When tomorrow comes remember today (or the past)?

Dont forget?

LAWLZ Nils, according to Paul Di'Anno, it's a song about his father...but you'd never guess that reading the lyrics.

[Nilsen]

nuttz

[DREDIOCK]

Speaking of which.

Does anyone know the lyrics to the Beatles song.
"I want you" ?

[storch]

what's the frequency kenneth?

[Airscrew]

Originally posted by storch
what's the frequency kenneth?

gawd I hate that song...

[storch]

I agree but what are the lyrics?

[Thruster]

"So they rode on his head in the furry donkey... WTF is that supposed to mean?"

I bet if you asked Townsend or some one from his hometown they could give you an answer. My guess is it's some kind of "English" idiom.

You see, although they claim to speak "English" and even named their country after the language, they don't speak real English all the time. They have all sorts of odd terms they use for stuff. Money is pounds, pounds are stones, cookies are biscuits,  biscuits are scones, fanny's are....
Well you get the point.

They were probably describing a perfectly normal English pastime like making cheerio's or something. Who knows? I get the impression that they rarely even understand what each other are saying. If you ever listen to them speak to each other you'd understand. They talk way too fast and use substitute words for EVERYTHING.

Don't get me wrong, I like the English. My in-laws are English and having seen Spinal Tap over 20 times I feel I can speak with some authority on the subject.
Even their most popular author shares the Who's penchant for nonsensical verse. Try reading some of that Shakespeare stuff. Come on, 400 years later and we still can't understand WTF he's talking about.

They've got good rhythm and do make cute babies but as linguists go....Suffice it to say that I prefer the Queen's English just as I learned it back in Dallas.

And Dred, although the lyrics you asked about are deeply moving and profound, it's the next song on that record that really gets me with it's poignant examination on modern man's struggle to remain true to his nature.
That was some real good writin'.

[Airscrew]

Originally posted by storch
I agree but what are the lyrics?

"What's the frequency, Kenneth?" is your Benzedrine, uh-huh
I was brain-dead, locked out, numb, not up to speed
I thought I'd pegged you an idiot's dream
Tunnel vision from the outsider's screen
I never understood the frequency, uh-huh
You wore our expectations like an armored suit, uh-huh

I'd studied your cartoons, radio, music, TV, movies, magazines
Richard said, "Withdrawal in disgust is not the same as apathy"
A smile like the cartoon, tooth for a tooth
You said that irony was the shackles of youth
You wore a shirt of violent green, uh-huh
I never understood the frequency, uh-huh

"What's the frequency, Kenneth?" is your Benzedrine, uh-huh
Butterfly decal, rear-view mirror, dogging the scene
You smile like the cartoon, tooth for a tooth
You said that irony was the shackles of youth
You wore a shirt of violent green, uh-huh
I never understood the frequency, uh-huh
You wore our expectations like an armored suit, uh-huh
I couldn't understand
You said that irony was the shackles of youth, uh-huh
I couldn't understand
You wore a shirt of violent green, uh-huh
I couldn't understand
I never understood, don't **** with me, uh-huh

[JB88]

alligator lizards in the airrrr.  in the airrrrrr...... - america, ventura highway

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by JB88
alligator lizards in the airrrr.  in the airrrrrr...... - america, ventura highway

Well, there is such thing as alligator lizards, but last I checked, they  don't fly...so perhaps we can write that one off to good LSD.

[Blooz]

Blinded by the Light

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6AFCJ1dLdg

[Dace]

Perfect example of non-sensical but well fitting lyrics is "Dig A Pony.

"Happy Jack" is another good example.