20 First Lines
I'm tagged myself for the music meme from Eine Kleine Nichtmusik.
Like Rob, I'm a luddite and still have everthing on CD. I used the highly non-scientific method of picking up the first 20 CDs I set eyes upon (mostly the ones I've been listening to recently), then rolling a d20 to choose the song, rerolling if I selected an instrumental, or one where the first line contains the song title.
So here's the list of first lines.
1. Too easy to explain, too easy to explain
2. Transient jet lag ecto mimed bison
3. Going up, coming down, and she counts every day
4. Even after all the days are gone
5. The ways, the ins and outs of heaven elude us to the end
-- Mostly Autumn: Heroes Never Die
6. Coraz bilzej moment, gdy nie poznan juz siebie
7. József Attila: Reménytelenül
8. He captured and collected things and put them in a shed
-- Porcupine Tree: The Creator Has A Mastertape
9. Is there anything good inside of you
-- Frank Zappa: Andy
10. Queen of Light took her bow, And then she turned to go
-- Led Zeppelin: The Battle of Evermore
11. Every day I have to look to the sun
12. You're burning my heart, you're burning my mind
13. Every time I leave you say you won't be there.
-- Queensrÿche: Jet City Woman
14. I still have questions with no answers
-- Queensrÿche: A Junkie's Blues
15. The stars are shining bright up here
16. Is this happening, is this fantasy?
-- Blackmore's Night: All Because Of You
17. Thoughts blow around in your head like a wind that pretends
-- Mostly Autumn: Answer the Question
18. Lookin' 'round for a feelin' I love the rhythm and blues
-- Journey: Lay It Down
19. It's killing you, you're killing me, I'm clinging on to my sanity
20. Morning people take the news, a paper window on the world.
-- Renaissance: Can You Hear Me?
Yes I know there's some real cheese in there. Most, if not all, are from artists known more for the music than the lyrics, and some are very obscure. There's no Morrissey or Pulp to be found in this lot. And no, I don't know what the two non-English ones mean.
As with Rob's list, if you think you can identify any, put your suggestions in the comments box. I'll post the answers in a couple of weeks. No cutting-and-pasting the lines into Google: that's cheating!
Update: I've goofed on #7. The line I quoted was a title, and doesn't form part of the actual lyrics. The first line is actually "Az ember végül homolos". Strictly speaking it's not valid anyway, because it's spoken rather than sung. Full marks to Chadders anyway for recognising the poem!.
Posted by TimHall at June 23, 2006 11:19 PM | TrackBackTim,
Bizarrely enough ( the astonishing thing is I actually remember this poem from english classes at school, yeah we had a great teacher! ;-( ), "J�zsef Attila: Rem�nytelen�l" is a poem by Attila entitled (well, usually translated as) "Hopelessness" or "Without Hope". Check out :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attila_J%C3%B3zsef
or (for the poem itself, search for "without hope")
http://www.hungarianquarterly.com/no148/p36.html
God knows about the other one. My polish, I confess, is not what it should be...
You know, of all people I would have expected you know about Hungarian prog-rock.
Posted by: Tim Hall on June 24, 2006 10:05 PMRob, I'm disappointed in you. I thought you'd get #9
Posted by: Tim Hall on June 27, 2006 01:10 PM8 = The Creator has a Mastertape - Porcupine Tree is the only one I knew immediately. Some of the others sound familiar, but I'm not going to cheat! Cracking track/cracking album/cracking band. Speak to you on Sunday's Mostly chat! Cheers.
Posted by: Doug Baynton on June 27, 2006 06:40 PMYes Doug, you've got it. I'm surprised you didn't get at least one other, though.
Posted by: Tim Hall on June 27, 2006 07:18 PMI know number 6 must be Closterkeller as you don't have any other albums by Polish bands. Still trying to work out the Polish though. Unless it involves ordering beer or food I'm out of my depth and I don't think they sing about that. Actually I can't think of any songs about ordering food and drink except 'Two Pints of Lager and a Packaet of Crisps' by Splodgenessabounds.
Posted by: Chris on June 29, 2006 07:30 PMNo other songs about beer? What about the German metal band Tankard?
Or the final lines (in multiple languages) from Pink Floyd's "Not Now John".
Posted by: Tim Hall on June 29, 2006 07:39 PMBuilding on your two hints that (a) there is a Zappa line in here somewhere and (b) you were surprised I didn't get #9, I dug out all my Zappa CDs and eventually located line #9 in "Andy" on "One Size Fits All". I think that was my most recent Zappa acquisition, which might explain why I don't know the lyrics that well yet.
Perhaps I should hint to you that you might find my #25 easy then, but if you don't have the album it won't help much.
Posted by: Rob on July 3, 2006 06:30 PMYes, you've got it. It's the one with the classic line "Andy Devine has a thong rind".
I've added in a couple of answers I've received by email or IRC.
Posted by: Tim Hall on July 3, 2006 08:46 PMCan it be that 16 is Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody? Can't do any of the others, alas. Interesting! I shall watch to see what they all were.
(Here via Rob, BTW)
Posted by: udge on July 4, 2006 07:06 PMNo, it isn't :) I'll risk the wrath of their fans, but it's something rather cheesier than Queen (And it's not The Darkness either)
Posted by: Tim Hall on July 4, 2006 07:20 PMCheesemore's Night - 'All Because Of You'. I much preferred Geordie's ditty of the same name way back in the 70s :-)
And on the QueenSRYCHE front, students of style will note both 'Jet City Woman' and 'A Junkie's Blues' in there, 13 & 14.
18 is Journey's 'Lay It Down' and 20 is Renaissance's 'Can You Hear Me' from 'Novella'- the latter had me struggling, even though I recognised the lyrics. First I thought it was Genesis(!) and then when Annie H's voice entered my mind I initially thought of 'Paper Lads' or whatever that single was was called.
And 17 is Mostly Awful's 'Answer The Question'
Yes, you've got six song titles correct :)
Posted by: Tim Hall on July 6, 2006 06:36 PMDo I win a goldfish and a baloon? ;-)
I know who #2 is (I just cheated so I won't spoil it) but I can't help thinking Yes would be a better answer - it definitely has a touch of the Jon Andersons about it. ;-)
Steve, I would have expected you, of all people, to get #11.
BTW, I'm currently listening to Fish's "Fellini Days", and it almost sounds as if he's singing "So Pannini". Why is he singing about bread?
Posted by: Tim Hall on July 6, 2006 08:19 PM>> Steve, I would have expected you, of all people, to get #11.
Hangs head in shame...
>> Why is he singing about bread?
It's only rock and rolls ;-)
Posted by: Steve Jones on July 16, 2006 07:37 PM