What was the best question posed by a song?

Question

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What was the best lyric that was a question, that made you really think?

Mine:
Porcupine Tree: Arriving Somewhere but not Here
"Ever thought from here on in your life begins and all you knew was wrong?"
hum... sounds a little funny without the rest of the song, but still.... you get my point.

Yours?

Cinnamon Grrrl ♀ : it's okay, we love you here :0)

anti_pop_chic: I love Ani!

Dan C: I have many too, and all I could come up with is this Porcupine Tree one..... I bet Porcupine Tree has better ones too, but songs bring up many great questions don't they?

Isis: I say it is wise to never grow up :0)

Cat Stevens: I have heard it (at your suggestion) and I do love it.

Chunga: hehe... only Frank Zappa

conie: How about Planet Telex: Why can't you forget?

Answer 1

"All the lonely people
Where do they all come from?
All the lonely people
Where do they all belong?"

-Eleanor Rigby by The Beatles.

Thats my favorite song by them, it makes me think anytime i hear it

Answer 2

Who the hell makes those missiles (The Sound - Missiles)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWdbIZiQDgk

Why do I try, why do I try, why do I, try why do I even try? (The Sound - Acceleration Group)

Hey, does it hurt to see
The damage done so recklessly
By all the hollow lines you've spoken?
With words as cold as history
Falling from your precious mouth
I don't need to hear
What you need to say
I'm heading emotional south anyway (Adrian Borland - Heading Emotional South)

In general I find Adrian Borland to be one of the most gifted songwriters (almost poet) of the 80's independent-wave-scene, too sad he couldn't overcome his obvious depressions and killed himself in 1999. Here are some of his lyrics that always made me think (no questions though)

You showed me the silence
that haunts this troubled world
You showed me that silence
can speak louder than words (The Sound - Silent Air)

I was gonna drown
then I started swimming
I was goin down
then I started winning
when you're on the bottom
you crawl back to the top
something pulls you up
and a voice says you can't stop.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ej9cn8FKiu0

Just like the earth facing the sun
She brings me brittle heaven
Just like the sea, just like the sky
She is the reason why I still try
Just like the earth facing the sun
A brittle heaven
Well that weakened chance
Through pouring rain
I will see myself in her again
Oh so we'll sway yeah
Sway in turbulence
This stormy ride
We call permanence
And like any truth
It hurts to know
And like any truth
It won't let you go (Adrian Borland - Brittle Heaven)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1EoJJsxjIE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9uVSvjQhS4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThOgXW5rLJY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTY5N1rEV6Q

These are just bad live videos, the guy is really worth getting into
boy did u make me think of things I'll star u for that!

Answer 3

For its abstract quality, "How Soon Is Now?" by The Smiths is a good place to start(and their best song, for my money). On the Zappa front, I'd go for "What's The Ugliest Part Of Your Body?"...His answer being "I think it's your mind....". I've met a lot of people over the years who that could apply to(not that I'm cynical or anything....)
Edit: Good one Chunga...I've dug out my copy of "Freak Out" for the first time in a while...

Answer 4

Where Do The Children Play by Cat Stevens.

"I know we've come a long way.
We're changin' day to day,
But tell me, where do the children play?"


This wonderful song is about how technology and cities are booming and destroying the world and nature and when all is said and done, where will the children play?

Sarah, it's an amazing song, a must listen.

Answer 5

And if I show you my dark side
Will you still hold me tonight?
And if I open my heart to you
And show you my weak side
What would you do?
Would you sell your story to Rolling Stone?
Would you take the children away
And leave me alone?
And smile in reassurance
As you whisper down the phone?
Would you send me packing?
Or would you take me home?
-The Final Cut, Pink Floyd

That part of the song has always been relevant to me because I've always been afraid to open up to people, trust issues I guess. It also shows Roger's insecurities, it's almost like you can feel what he was feeling when he wrote this... amazing stuff to me.

Answer 6

My personal favorite is Dinosaur Jr.'s "How'd You Pin That One On me?", probably because it applies well.

"How'd you pin that one on me? I haven't even done it yet."

Others in the running:

The Replacements - Answering Machine

'Try to breathe some life into a letter
Losing hope, never gonna be together
My courage is at it's peak
You know what I mean
How do say you're O.K. to
An answering machine?
How do you say good night to
An answering machine?'

Jawbreaker - Kiss The Bottle

'How were we born into this mess?
I know I painted you a prettier picture, baby'

Mojo Nixon - Are You Drinking With Me Jesus?
(Actually several artists did it but Mojo's my favorite version

'I know you can walk on water
But can you walk on this much beer?'

Edit: Ok, they don't make me think but that's much preferred, the room always fills with smoke when the gears upstairs start grinding........

Answer 7

yes! arriving!

but ill go with "we suck young blood" by radiohead

Are you hungry?
Are you sick?
Are you begging for a break?
Are you sweet?
Are you fresh?
Are you strung up by the wrists?
(We want the young blood)
Are you fracturing?
Are you torn at the seams?
Would you do anything?*
(Fleabitten, motheaten?)

*this is the part that really gets me, especially the way it creaks out of his voice

and another Tree one of FOABP
How can be sure I'm here?
The pills that I've been taking confuse me
I need to know that someone sees that there's nothing left I simply am not here

radiohead - the bends
Where do we go from here? the words are coming out all weird, where are you now that i need you?
Who are my real friends?
Have they all got the bends?
Am i really sinking this low?
The planet is a gunboat in a sea of fear
And where are you?

- yes! actually ateasweb says "why cant you forget me?" who knew? i didnt either!

and .. of course "You and Whose Army?"

ah edit again - tom waits "What's he building?" great song.

Answer 8

I remember the first song that ever did that for me! It was the Stones song 100 Years Ago...

"Don't you think it's sometimes wise not to grow up?"

I was 11 or 12 when I first got Goats Head Soup. I was surrounded by cynicism and I wanted to scream that line at everybody.

Answer 9

The Clash - "Should I Stay Or Should I Go?"
The Beatles - "Why Don't We Do It In The Road?"
The Lovin Spoonful - "Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind?"
The Beach Boys - "Wouldn't It Be Nice?"
Rod Stewert - "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?"

Answer 10

Hows about some cynicism?

Richard Hell & The Voidoids - "Who Says? (It's Good To Be Alive)?"
"Who says it's good to be alive?"

Bad Religion - "**** Armageddon... This Is Hell"
"How could hell be any worse, when life on Earth is such a curse?"

the Small Faces - "Whatcha Gonna Do About It?"

But my favorite by far is the Yardbirds "Better Man Than I". Since every verse is just a series of questions I'll post it all.

"Can you judge a man,
By the way he wears his hair?
Can you read his mind,
By the clothes that he wears?
Can you see a bad man,
By the pattern on his tie?

Well then, Mr, you're a better man than I,
Yeah, Mr, you're a better man than I,
Oh, Mr, you're a better man than I,
Yeah, Mr, you're a better man than I.

Could you tell a wise man,
By the way he speaks or spells?
Is this more important,
Than the stories that he tells?
And call a man a fool,
If for wealth he doesn't strive?

Well then, Mr, you're a better man than I,
Yeah, Mr, you're a better man than I,
Oh, Mr, you're a better man than I,
Yeah, Mr, you're a better man than I.

Can you condemn a man,
If you're faith he doesn't hold?
Say the colour of his skin,
Is the colour of his soul?
Could you say that men,
For king and country all must die?

Well, Mr, you're a better man than I,
Yeah, Mr, you're a better man than I,
Oh, Mr, you're a better man than I,
Yeah, Mr, you're a better man than I."

I personally like the line "Could you condemn a man, if for wealth he doesn't strive?" Because Americans seem to prize wealth over happiness which I find really confusing and irritating.

What's really bugging me though is that I know there's so many songs I have that pose thought provoking questions or ideas and I can't think of any of them dammit!

Answer 11

"don't you think that you need somebody?"
- November Rain - Guns N' Roses

Maybe not the best, but very relevant to me.
I gave up on trying to have real friends a long time ago, and it gets to me sometimes...
That line [followed by "everybody needs somebody"] just..
-sigh-

Great i'm all "emo" now after the last question i answered ha.

x