cool songs with indecipherable lyrics
 

Pixies - Rock Music

Kyuss - Mondo Generator

Anything written by Jon Anderson.

That's a good one! I love 'Tales From Topographic Oceans' so much, but I have no idea in hell what he is singing about.

I actually don't care that much about the lyrical content of a song or album. The voice is just another instrument for me - very important, but I'm much more concerned with the overall sound than I am with interpreting whatever the hell the singer has to say. I know that's a bit shallow and some lyrics do seep in over time, but I am just as happy listening to songs with abstract, obtuse or obscure lyrics, or even when you can't understand a thing they're saying (Al Jourgensen!). I suppose that's why I never really got into Dylan or any of that singer songwriter stuff.

R.E.M.'s "Radio Free Europe" and much of Murmur a/k/a let's bury lyrics in the Georgia kudzu fields.

I think that Sunn O))) qualifies for this one, I can read their lyrics at the same time as I'm listening to the vocals and I still can only vaguely catch what they're saying:



Here're the lyrics so that you can see what I mean.

:laughing: Those certainly are lyrics buried in a kudzu field.

I listened three times to the song to give my best guess at the lyrics (without cheating by looking them up online).

Here's what I heard, Liz:

* * * * *

R.E.M. "Radio Free Europe" (my best guess)

Inside yourself in radio is gonna stay,
the reason it could polish up the grave.
Put them, put them, put them up your wall
that this isn't country at all.

Radio station is like a sail.

Indiana country is the word.
Dealer porsche is leading us absurd.
You push and push and push 'em to the wall
that this isn't nothing at all.

Freedom the bah! Where to gravel?

Calling out in transit, calling out in transit,
Radio free Europe, radio free Europe.

The sunday Mayan media too fast,
instead of pushing balances too far.
Put them, put them, put them in your heart
that this isn't fortunate at all.

Radio station is like a jail.

Calling out in transit, calling out in transit.
Radio free Europe, radio

This on the shelf calling on a boat
media is too fast

Keep me out of country in the word.
Disappointers into us absurd.

Straight off the bottom where to go?

Calling out in transit, calling out in transit,
radio free Europe, radio free Europe,
calling out in transit, calling out in transit,
radio free Europe, radio free Europe

* * * *

I just read on Wikipedia that "Stipe denied the interviewer's claim that his lyrics on Murmur were 'indecipherable,' but acknowledged that Radio Free Europe was one of the few exceptions, describing it as 'complete babbling.'" :laughing: I'm amused that he intentionally babbled.

Now I'll compare what I deciphered to the actual lyrics (if these are the actual lyrics):
Rem - Radio Free Europe Lyrics

Hey! I didn't do too badly! :)

Only song I can think of off the top of my head.

You are hilarious, Erica! I'll try the same thing and will post "my" Radio Free lyrics. And I promise not to cheat!

Polish up my grave until I return, will you? ;)

Hmm. This is a srangely compelling song to me.

Other than hearing Strapping Young Lad singing "Oh my ****ing God" now and again in the song, I believe...and I may be completely wrong here, LoathesomePete...that the rest of the lyrics are composed mostly of these thought-provoking words:

"Hatchi hatchi hatchi hatchi! La la la la la!"

punctuated by the sound of hacking up a furball.

;)

My. I was pretty far off there:

Strapping Young Lad Lyrics

Here's what I heard, Erica:

Resign yourself, hit radio’s gonna stay
Reason it could polish up the grit
Put that, put that, in your walk
That this is isn’t country at all

Radio station,
Resign yourself

Keep me out of country in the wood
Deal off all your censors in your soot
Don’t let’s, don’t let’s, don’t let’s cut your bar
Don’t think they’re pushing us too far

Strain of the blood,
Where to go

Calling out in transit, calling in out transit
Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Europe

Sanctifying media too fast
Instead of putting Carol on the bar
Pushin’, pushin’, pushin’ you off
That dish isn’t nothing at all

Radio station,
Design yourself

Calling out in transit, calling out in transit
Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Europe

Design yourself,
Call ‘em all aboard

Keep me out of country in the wood
Reason it could fall in on itself

Strain of the blood,
Where to go

Calling out in transit, calling out in transit
Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Europe

Calling out in transit, calling out in transit
Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Europe

:)

As indecipherable lyrics are on Murmur, I think Chronic Town has it beat. I mean, listen to this:

Stipe sounds like he's gargled with the garden gravel there. :)

Maybe Erica and I can work out the lyrics to that one next! :hphones:

I think the lyrics are something like:

Yum snee yub puddin on the floor
I fell the pocket chain to a hall
Un temper pee no tear just didn’t seem to be jubu
E yaba nothing ba da princely sum
Jus as some wha uh map
Must be time bomb in a pants
Gardening at night is never wer
Gardening at night
Gardening at night
Gardening at night

:laughing:

Just realized that I listened to the Eponymous (Original Hib-Tone Single) version on YouTube, which accounts for the differences in the verses. Sorry!

You deserve a princely sum for that! :laughing:

Most songs by REM are deliberarely written so that the lyrics are inscrutable, whether or not the actual words can be identified by ear.

I think it's the same with Cocteau Twins.

REM > Cocteau Twins, by the way.

Pretty much a lot of songs from Iron Monkey. I'll leave it at that to see if others have a vague idea.

I love how the vocals match the name. :laughing:

I love Jeromes Dream, but I can never understand the lyrics, no matter how hard I try...

everything Grind Noise Squeel core .......

Really? I would think their songs would be the exact opposite, on both fronts, of what this thread is asking for.

Jon Anderson has never really been the type to write a song that makes any sense. Though, I noticed that if you look at the lyrics without the music, it's like he's reciting poetry. Animation is my favorite album by him, and the lyrical aspect is not even a reason for it. It's just a fun album to listen to. I never really have taken his lyrics seriously to begin with, don't think I ever will.

A lot of Cocteau Twins songs. Great music!

Agreed. That lady may be spewing nonsense but it's gorgeous nonsense.
Apparently, they often just pluck random words straight out of a dictionary when writing songs.