Songs That Say So Much With Very Few Words

Really great songs can tap into powerful emotions or feelings with only a few words and maybe just a couple of chords or so. I'm thinking about songs like My Mummy's Dead by John Lennon. Sometimes less is more in the right hands.

 

Kraftwerk "Spacelab" and "Metropolis"

 

John Lennon - Love

 

Minimum Wage by They Might Be Giants
Only 48 seconds long too yet conveys so much

 

Bowie's 8 line poem,first that comes to mind,..."Tactful cactus by your window..."

 

This may or may not qualify as a legitimate choice as these are not the only lyrics to the song but to me these four lines say a world of truth: :

Black Sabbath- War Pigs


Politicians hide themselves away
They only ...started the war
Why should they go out to fight?
They leave that role to the poor

Word.

 

Ramones - I Can't Give You Anything

You better know what you want
You know how little I got
I can't give you anything

Those three lines say a lot about the fragility of relationships IMO and are a bit more wise than they first appear.

The rest of the song is just as short and to the point

You think that I'm real cute
But who's gonna bring home the loot?
Make up your mind about
Hope you don't doubt, that
I can't give you anything

 

Pink Floyd - One Of These Days

(I'm going to cut you into little pieces)

I think there's something in that for everyone.

--Geoff

 

Tequila!

 

Mrs O'Learys Cow The Beach Boys

 

Eternity - Bob Weir and Willie Dixon

 

All The Tired Horses - Dylan

 

"I Want You (She's So Heavy)"

 

Sad songs?

 

You Are So Beautiful

 

"Seen Your Video" by The Replacements

They disliked music videos and (in another song) answering machines--my kind of band!

 

No, not necessarily. Tequila works for me.

 

The Beatles - I Want You (She's So Heavy)

 

Salt Peanuts!

 

I think The Stones I Just Want To See His Face qualifies.

 

One of my favourite Cream songs

 

James Brown - I Got You (I Feel Good)

 

Bookends (Simon & Garfunkel)

 

Scrawl, "He Cleaned Up":

He cleaned up
She took him back
He f@#ked up
She kicked him out

He cleaned up....

 

Got mashed potatoes
Got mashed potatoes
Got mashed potatoes
Ain't got no T-Bone...