Wednesday, July 13, 2005

And if you know song lyrics

Driving home today, I heard the song “Tell Her No” by the Zombies. This song holds the distinction of being the second-most negative song (repeating the word “no”) after the Human Beinz “Nobody But Me.” But I also noticed that it might be the only top-40 song to kick off with the word “and”:

And if she should tell you “come closer”
And if she tempts you with her charms
The only other example I can think of is the beginning of “Funky Cold Medina” by Tone-Loc which starts “And we go a little something like this.” It’s debatable whether this is a lyric or just an introduction. Any other examples?

(Hey, I have a long commute. These are the kind of things I think about.)

7 comments:

  1. Anonymous12:06 PM

    Doesn't McCartney's "My Love" start "And when she goes away" or something like that? (my cd's are at home)
    Paddy

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  2. Yep, there's one!

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  3. Anonymous6:44 PM

    Well, it's not EXACTLY the same thing, but Joel Whitburn's 'Top Pop Records 1955 - 1972' lists 17 song titles starting with 'And'. The only ones I remembered were "And When I Died" (Blood, Sweat & Tears, 1969) & "And You and I" (Yes, 1972)

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  4. Yes yes and yes. I didn't even think of song titles first - how dumb is that? I'm particularly ashamed I didn't think of "And She Was." I *heart* the Talking Heads.

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  5. Josh Joplin's "I Am Not the Only Cowboy" self-consciously starts with "and":

    And it starts like this we crave to be kissed / by a moment complete in its happiness

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  6. "Closer to the Heart" by Rush

    And the men who hold high places
    Must be the ones who start...

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  7. Anonymous3:17 PM

    "Walk Away, Renee" by the Left Banke starts, "And when I see the sign ..."

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