Corrections to the Lyrics Section?

[Mr. Misdemeanor]

The lyrics section here is an extremely handy resource, but there are a few minor errors.
Would it be useful for users to post some corrections? I may be being a bit presumptuous here as the site owner may be well aware of all of the issues and simply hasn't had time to update that section. In that case just ignore me.

The only reason I bring it up is that some of the lyrics websites (and even some of the official cds) contain errors and what better place to set the record straight than at sickthings?

p.s. I may not be the best person to point out these alleged errors; for the last 30 years I've thought that the line "Old lady's sick and I can't leave her home" from Under My Wheels was "Wait a sec, I can't leave her home."

[Si]

The lyrics section here is an extremely handy resource, but there are a few minor errors.
Would it be useful for users to post some corrections? I may be being a bit presumptuous here as the site owner may be well aware of all of the issues and simply hasn't had time to update that section. In that case just ignore me.

The only reason I bring it up is that some of the lyrics websites (and even some of the official cds) contain errors and what better place to set the record straight than at sickthings?

p.s. I may not be the best person to point out these alleged errors; for the last 30 years I've thought that the line "Old lady's sick and I can't leave her home" from Under My Wheels was "Wait a sec, I can't leave her home."

If you want to go right ahead. But Do NOT go by lyric sheets as often they aren't exactly what's sung on the actual song.

I generally did all the lyrics years ago (adding each album as it was released) by listening to the records and working out what was actually said, but certainly there could be errors or things I couldn't work out at the time, and I have never gone through them a second time!

[Mr. Misdemeanor]

Cool. I'll post a few. I've been listening to AC/DC and Motorhead albums for the past 40 years so my hearing isn't the best, but I'll do what I can. I'll post the lyrics as I understand them and hopefully others can chime in with their opinion.

No Tricks

"Don't you believe
Anything he said
All them junkies talk that way"

I think the line is "Don't you believe anything he say." It's a dialect thing and makes a better rhyme.



Bye-bye Baby

"Got something drastic on your mind
I can smell the small"

It really sounds like "smell the smell" to me.



Your Own Worst Enemy

The judge took your licence and forbid you to drive
And your heart is pumping bacon (beggin'?) and your barely alive

Just want to say that he is definitely saying "bacon" here and not "beggin'." It's a great line.

Useless trivia: in American English "licence" would be "license." No idea why it's different. As George Bernard Shaw supposedly said "England and America are two countries separated by a common language."


Independence Dave

"I got no future, got no past, got no eternity
Don't need to go, just gotta know, that's my reality"

I think two words were switched. It should be "Don't need to know, just gotta go"

"I've got a Guchi just for prove from down on St Clair Shore"

I think the line may be "I got a girl, she just a pearl, from down on St. Clair Shore"




Fallen In Love


"Then she stopped me in my tracks with those cold black eyes"

I think the line is probably "coal black eyes."



"If I were anybody else I'da had enough
Call her (?), she treats me like a dog not a cute little pup"

I think he says " 'cause she treats me like a dog...."


Zombie Dance

"I ain't superstitious
Don't grow no voodoo doll"

To my ears it sounds like he repeats the earlier line "Don't roll no juju bone" but substitutes "voodoo" for "juju" for some reason. I could be wrong though.


A Bad Situation


"A really bad situation
Things that done perspiration (?)
Of my testicular-ation
That was the last insult-tation
Of a backstage-oation"

What I hear is:

"A really bad situation
They took the perspiration
Off my testiculation
That was the last insult-tation
Of a bad situation"


Not a good line, but I think that's what he says.

[Si]

No Tricks

"Don't you believe
Anything he said
All them junkies talk that way"

I think the line is "Don't you believe anything he say." It's a dialect thing and makes a better rhyme.

Yep.

Bye-bye Baby

"Got something drastic on your mind
I can smell the small"

It really sounds like "smell the smell" to me.

Yeah, that's a typo.

Your Own Worst Enemy

The judge took your licence and forbid you to drive
And your heart is pumping bacon (beggin'?) and your barely alive

Just want to say that he is definitely saying "bacon" here and not "beggin'." It's a great line.

Useless trivia: in American English "licence" would be "license." No idea why it's different. As George Bernard Shaw supposedly said "England and America are two countries separated by a common language."

I agree it sounds like "Pumping Bacon" but that didn't make any sense unless it's a phrase I've never heard of.

As to US vs UK English - this is a UK site
Although I'll admit the rule is rather flexible across the site haha

Independence Dave

"I got no future, got no past, got no eternity
Don't need to go, just gotta know, that's my reality"

I think two words were switched. It should be "Don't need to know, just gotta go"

"I've got a Guchi just for prove from down on St Clair Shore"

I think the line may be "I got a girl, she just a pearl, from down on St. Clair Shore"

Yep to both.
That second one is presumably clearer in the lyric book if 1) I could be bothered to dig it out and 2) if the type was big enough to read haha

Fallen In Love


"Then she stopped me in my tracks with those cold black eyes"

I think the line is probably "coal black eyes."



"If I were anybody else I'da had enough
Call her (?), she treats me like a dog not a cute little pup"

I think he says " 'cause she treats me like a dog...."

Yep to both.

Zombie Dance

"I ain't superstitious
Don't grow no voodoo doll"

To my ears it sounds like he repeats the earlier line "Don't roll no juju bone" but substitutes "voodoo" for "juju" for some reason. I could be wrong though.

I now hear it as "Don't throw no Voodoo Bone" maybe? The first "Roll" is really clear but this sounds a little different.

A Bad Situation


"A really bad situation
Things that done perspiration (?)
Of my testicular-ation
That was the last insult-tation
Of a backstage-oation"

What I hear is:

"A really bad situation
They took the perspiration
Off my testiculation
That was the last insult-tation
Of a bad situation"


Not a good line, but I think that's what he says.

No idea where I got that last line from... seems pretty obvious when Iisten to it now. Weird.

[Mr. Misdemeanor]

I don't think that "pumping bacon" is phrase or anything. I think it's just a joke about how the person he's singing about has eaten so much fatty food that his heart is pumping bacon instead of blood.

I think you may be right about the line from Zombie Dance being "Don't throw no voodoo bone." It's strange how a person's perception of what they're hearing is colored by what they expect to hear. Now that you've pointed it out that's what I hear.


Working Up A Sweat

"It's a bona fide five alarmer
A fly's melting in my hand"

I think he says "My fly's melting in my hand."

"Fly" is a term for the flaps in front of a man's pants that are connected by a zipper or buttons.



My God

I think the Latin chorus is:

Et in lux perpetuo
Deus domine
Et in pax aeternus
Deus domine


I had a grand total of 3 days of Latin in high school before dropping out. I think it means something like "In light everlasting, Lord God. In peace eternal, Lord God." Somebody who can read Latin will have to sort that one out I think.



Leather Boots


"Don't litter or score in the dark"

I think he may say "Don't you litter, or score in the dark."


Zorro's Ascent

"So pray for him father
Or you need not bother"

This one is a little tricky. There is something that sounds like an "s" sound at the beginning, but it sounds like something is cut. You never actually get the background singers singing "So." At least I can't hear it anyway. I also think Zorro responds with "Oh, you need not bother" instead of "Or you need not bother."

"Go fetch my sword...my horse, I'll ride out death. Diablo"

This one is a question for the grammarians out there. I wonder if the line should be something like "Go fetch my sword...my horse. I'll ride out, Death. Diablo!" I think he's literally talking to death at this point so it would make sense to capitalize it. "Diablo!" would be both an exclamation, an insult, and a challenge. Really great song, imo.

[Si]

Zorro's Ascent

"So pray for him father
Or you need not bother"

This one is a little tricky. There is something that sounds like an "s" sound at the beginning, but it sounds like something is cut. You never actually get the background singers singing "So." At least I can't hear it anyway.

Seems clear it''s "So..." to my ear.

I also think Zorro responds with "Oh, you need not bother" instead of "Or you need not bother."

Not to my ear. I agree it would make sense though.

"Go fetch my sword...my horse, I'll ride out death. Diablo"

This one is a question for the grammarians out there. I wonder if the line should be something like "Go fetch my sword...my horse. I'll ride out, Death. Diablo!" I think he's literally talking to death at this point so it would make sense to capitalize it. "Diablo!" would be both an exclamation, an insult, and a challenge. Really great song, imo.

It's hard to hear. If it was "I'll outride Death" it would make life easier haha

[Mr. Misdemeanor]

"Oh, you need not bother"

Well, now I'm hearing it that way too. Maybe it's "Ah, you need not bother"?

I'm still not hearing the "so" part though. It sounds like the beginning of an s sound is being made, but there's a splice that cuts directly to the "pray for him father" part. It's weird, but that's what I hear. It's probably my ears. Some sounds just don't register these days.


I noticed that you have a question mark about one of the lines near the end of Bye Bye Baby.

(Bye bye girl) please answer your phone
(Bye bye baby) please check your email
(Bye bye girl) Why not your beeper (?)


Could he be saying "Pull out your beeper"? I also don't hear the word "please" in "please answer your phone. I think I can hear it in the "check your email" line though.


You Make Me Wanna

You're the star, You're the face
You got the look that I can't erase (?)
You look the world right in the eye
Stare 'em down babe, and make 'em cry

This is a tough one. Is it possible he's saying "You've got the look they can't erase"? or maybe "that can erase"?


Detroit City 2020/2021

There's a riot raging downtown
Tryin' to burn the place down
Skies a glowin' red and grey
But the grass keeps growin'
And the money keeps flowin'
And the states(?) are still smokin' today

I think he is saying "the streets are still smokin'"



I Better Be Good

"If I jump on the gas the cops are gonna jump all over my back"

Is it possible that he says "If I jump on the gas copper's gonna be all over my back"?

"If I spray it on the seat lady gonna tie a big knot in the meat
If I spewey too fast lover's gonna stick my Wrangler in a cast"


I think he says

"If I spray it on the seat lady gonna tie a big knot in my meat
If I spew too fast lover's gonna stick my Wrangler in a cast"

I've never heard "wrangler" as a slang term for penis, but that's sounds like what he's saying. Alice is an old dude and occasionally he uses some old slang that I've never heard of. Another example is the "pull your weeds" line in Fantasy Man. I didn't get that one until I saw a video of him pantomiming while he performed the song.

[Si]

I noticed that you have a question mark about one of the lines near the end of Bye Bye Baby.

(Bye bye girl) please answer your phone
(Bye bye baby) please check your email
(Bye bye girl) Why not your beeper (?)


Could he be saying "Pull out your beeper"? I also don't hear the word "please" in "please answer your phone. I think I can hear it in the "check your email" line though.

It could be "pray answer your phone", but there's definitely something said before "Answer"

Definitely don't hear "Pull out" at all. It's "something out your beeper" but I can't make out that word.

You Make Me Wanna

You're the star, You're the face
You got the look that I can't erase (?)
You look the world right in the eye
Stare 'em down babe, and make 'em cry

This is a tough one. Is it possible he's saying "You've got the look they can't erase"? or maybe "that can erase"?

That's the lyric in the CD booklet, but I think Alice skips the word "I" when singing it as it doesn't fit in the space.

Detroit City 2020/2021

There's a riot raging downtown
Tryin' to burn the place down
Skies a glowin' red and grey
But the grass keeps growin'
And the money keeps flowin'
And the states(?) are still smokin' today

I think he is saying "the streets are still smokin'"

Nope. Not to me. It's certainly "Streets" on the original version, and it says "streets" in the booklet, but it sounds like "states" to me on the new version.

I Better Be Good

"If I jump on the gas the cops are gonna jump all over my back"

Is it possible that he says "If I jump on the gas copper's gonna be all over my back"?

Lyric is on the cover of the album.

"If I spray it on the seat lady gonna tie a big knot in the meat
If I spewey too fast lover's gonna stick my Wrangler in a cast"


I think he says

"If I spray it on the seat lady gonna tie a big knot in my meat
If I spew too fast lover's gonna stick my Wrangler in a cast"

I've never heard "wrangler" as a slang term for penis, but that's sounds like what he's saying. Alice is an old dude and occasionally he uses some old slang that I've never heard of. Another example is the "pull your weeds" line in Fantasy Man. I didn't get that one until I saw a video of him pantomiming while he performed the song.

First line sounds like "the" to me, but the cover does say "the". But the the cover says "my wife" instead of "lady" sooo...
Second line: That's the words the cover has and what it sounds like to me.

Do me a favour... if you are going to go through and do this it would be MUCH easier for me to do one album at a time. Skipping around is a real pain in the wrangler As fast as I dig out something and put it back I have to get it back out again!

[SickThings]

I've always heard the "Zorro's Ascent" line as "Oh, you need not bother."

[revinkevin]

Hey what do I know. I thought I actually heard a word that rhymed on Schools Out.

[forglasgowonly]

When I was 10 or 11, I bought a typewriter at a church jumble sale, and set about typing up the lyrics on the inner sleeves. I got Easy Action, LITD, and Killer done. Abandoned the project with Schools Out. I could not fathom out any of My Stars. Anyway, I am nearly 52 now, and still have those ones that I did. There are some shockers there. "Step in to the street my son, step in to your last goodbye".

[Ted Sallis]

^^ Actually it's "Step into the street by sundown..."

Ted

[Mr. Misdemeanor]

^^ Actually it's "Step into the street by sundown..."

One of the best written Cooper songs, imo. It's a great western song worthy of Marty Robbins.

When I was 10 or 11, I bought a typewriter at a church jumble sale, and set about typing up the lyrics on the inner sleeves. I got Easy Action, LITD, and Killer done. Abandoned the project with Schools Out. I could not fathom out any of My Stars. Anyway, I am nearly 52 now, and still have those ones that I did. There are some shockers there. "Step in to the street my son, step in to your last goodbye".

I'm not a fan of rap music. For years one of my (many) complaints about it is that I can't understand what they're saying half the time. A few months ago someone asked about a line in Elton John's Rocket Man and I came to the realization that I had no idea what he was singing. Soon after that I started really focusing on some of the rock songs I've been listening to for the last 4 decades and it is absolutely astonishing how many of the lyrics I find unintelligible. I guess that makes me a hypocrite about complaining about rap, but...well...I still hate it.

On a related note, one of my childhood friends thought Johnny Rivers was singing about a "Secret Asian Man" and once he told me that I haven't been able to hear anything else when I listen to the song.

[RemarkablyInsincere]

I've never heard "wrangler" as a slang term for penis, but that's sounds like what he's saying. Alice is an old dude and occasionally he uses some old slang that I've never heard of. Another example is the "pull your weeds" line in Fantasy Man. I didn't get that one until I saw a video of him pantomiming while he performed the song.

I've always heard it as "rattler" as in rattle snake which makes more sense.

[Mr. Misdemeanor]

I've always heard it as "rattler" as in rattle snake which makes more sense.

Yeah, I think you're right

[Si]

I've always heard it as "rattler" as in rattle snake which makes more sense.

Yeah, I think you're right

Whatever it sounds like it's written "Wrangler" on the actual album cover, so presumably that is what it's meant to be. It would be a weird type otherwise.

[RemarkablyInsincere]

Maybe Alice is referencing this meaning:

wrangler
A male wearing tight jeans with a visible "outline" down the right leg of his pants. These men are often rodeo riders or working-class guys.
A dude with tight Wranglers, sporting a pronounced bulge to the right of his fly.

[Mr. Misdemeanor]

only to the right? That seems oddly specific. Maybe if it's hanging to the left it's a "rattler." lol

[Lucius Morthem]

Anyone understand the lyrics to Midnight Crawler perhaps? It's been years and I still can't understand parts of it

[Mr. Misdemeanor]

Anyone understand the lyrics to Midnight Crawler perhaps? It's been years and I still can't understand parts of it

This is how I hear it:

I'll slip through the crack
underneath your door
I'll slide right across
your bedroom floor

I'll wait till your fast
asleep in your bed
across your cover
squirm into your hair

Come on baby
won't you pick up the phone?
I'll be your midnight caller
a real night crawler

Tell me baby that you're home all alone
I'll make you scream and holler
A real night crawler
I wanna crawl all over you

You think you're safe
'cause your doors are locked
I'll find me a hole
that you forgot
My voodoo ghost will limbo in
That's where all the fun
is gonna begin

Come on baby
won't you pick up the phone?
I'll be your midnight caller
a real night crawler

Tell me baby that you're home all alone
I'll make you scream and holler
A real night crawler
I wanna crawl all over you

I wanna crawl all over you

Come on baby
won't you pick up the phone?
I'll be your midnight caller
a real night crawler

Tell me baby that you're home all alone
I'll make you scream and holler
A real night crawler
I wanna crawl all over you
I wanna crawl all over you
I wanna crawl all over you

I wanna crawl all over you
I wanna crawl all over you