Best rock lyric ever?

[Richland123]

You get up every morning
From your alarm clock's warning
Take the 8:15 into the city
There's a whistle up above
And people pushin', people shovin'
And the girls who try to look pretty
And if your train's on time
You can get to work by nine
And start your slaving job to get your pay
If you ever get annoyed
Look at me I'm self-employed
I love to work at nothing all day

 

[Deleted member 268085]

When that song first came out I was convinced that Rundgren had plagiarized a tune my friend Geoff Weil had written a few years earlier

...even though they had almost nothing in common!

But the spirit. Whew!

The chorus — and, come to think of it, the verse also — of Geoff’s tune was

“I DONT WANNA GET NO JOB
THATS BECAUSE WORKING SUCKS”

effing brilliant

Taking me back to the Bus Boys!

[Verse 1]
I have to get up, get to the job (job)
I have to put my work clothes on (on)
I work in the kitchen, from 8 ‘til 10 (10)
Go home for a minute just to do it again (again)
How could I find peace of mind? (mind)
I’m not even living on my own time (time)
When something’s done wrong, what can I say? (say)
Someone could send me back home today

[Chorus 1]
I make the minimum wage
I said that I work I work for the minimum wage

 

[48thStreetCustom]

Woke up this morning, started to sneeze
Had a cigarette and a cup of tea
I looked in the mirror, what did I see
A nine stone weakling with knobbly knees

I did my knee bends, press ups, touched my toes
Had another sneeze and I blew my nose
I looked in the mirror, at my pigeon chest
I had to put on my clothes because it made me depressed

 

[48thStreetCustom]

I ride on the bus to the city every day
I sit on my seat and I dream myself away
I dream I'm on an island with that foxy lady, too
But when I awaken, I must be mistaken, I'm on Third Avenue
Won't you take me away and take away me
Won't you take me away and take away me

 

[noeinstein]

Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody

 

[Tom Bomb]

Everything you see on the movie screen is tame

Everything's going to be arranged … Too Much Blood​

 

[5StringBlues]

TEQUILA!

 

[GonePlaid]

TEQUILA!

Brevity!

 

[5StringBlues]

Brevity!

 

[b-b-b-bass]

We won't get fooled again.

 

[GonePlaid]

We won't get fooled again.

But, unfortunately, we will........

 

[b-b-b-bass]

But, unfortunately, we will........

OK, OK ! How about "Ain't no use jivin', ain't no use jokin', everything is broken." ?

 

[whero]

I was never really much of a Dire Straits fan - well, not after the first two albums, anyway - but I always did like the lyric:

Two men say they're Jesus; one of them must be wrong.

 

[P_Robyn]

Two of my favorites:

... Clearasil spattered fantasies

Shoot 'im 'fore he run now ...

 

[the harp unstrung]

I’d like this carved on my gravestone.
Oh, Wait! I’m not gonna have a gravestone!
OK...maybe carved on the li’l wooden box where they’ll keep my ashes...or not.
I’m not gonna have anything to say about it anyway...

 

[the harp unstrung]

 

[briandavismurph]

Not a poll and I know there is no correct answer. Just wondering what lyric you think is the best ever.

I'm specifically saying lyric as opposed to lyrics. Just one line, not a whole verse or chorus.

I went to see Nine Inch Nails last night and I think Trent Reznor came up with the best rock lyric ever. First line to the chorus of Closer: I want to **** you like an animal.

It's nasty, vulgar, offensive, dangerous, and menacing but it's also sexy, fun, and crazy. It's a song that is rough enough for the boys but still sexy enough for the girls to get into as well. A nice balance. And it was a wonderful experience to be in a room with thousands of women screaming that line at the top of their lungs.

I can’t stand up for falling down Elvis Costello

 

[GonePlaid]

I can’t stand up for falling down Elvis Costello

Yeah, but he gets to 'fall down' on Diana Krall.

 

[Bob_Ross]

Clearasil spattered fantasies

I always thought this line, from later in that same song, was incredibly evocative:

"Girls from all over the world
flock to write my name on the toilet walls
of the Whiskey-A-Go-Go"

 

[Hues]

I am a moron and this is my wife
She's frosting a cake with a paper knife