Worst Lyrics In Classic Rock?
Classic rock gave us some of the greatest songs ever recorded. Big riffs, huge choruses, and lyrics we’ve all shouted along with while driving down the highway. But even the biggest bands wrote a few lines that make you stop and think, “Wait…what did they just say?”
The writers at Ultimate Classic Rock went digging and put together a list of some of the most questionable lyrics in classic rock. Not bad songs. Just lines that either don’t make sense, repeat themselves, or sound like they were written at about 3 a.m. in a tour bus.
Here are some of the ones they called out:
- Why Can’t This Be Love – Van Halen
“Only time will tell, if we stand the test of time.” Basically the same thought…twice. - Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey
“Just a city boy, born and raised in South Detroit.” Problem is…South Detroit isn’t actually a place. - Roundabout – Yes
“Mountains come out of the sky, and they stand there.” Well…that’s pretty much what mountains do. - Sleeping Bag – ZZ Top
“Let’s go out to Egypt…we’ll whip out our mattress ’cause there ain’t no beds.” Apparently nobody told them Egypt has hotels. - Dirty White Boy – Foreigner
“I’m a loner, but I’m never alone.” That’s…kind of the opposite of being a loner. - A Horse with No Name – America
“For there ain’t no one for to give you no pain.” The English language taps out. - De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da – The Police
“And when their eloquence escapes me, their logic ties me up and rapes me.” That line definitely raised some eyebrows. - We Didn’t Start the Fire – Billy Joel
“Rock and Roller, cola wars, I can’t take it anymore.” Even Billy admitted he just crammed history into a rhyme. - We Built This City – Starship
“Who counts the money underneath the bar, who rides the wrecking ball into our guitars?” Your guess is as good as anyone’s. - Pinball Wizard – The Who
“He plays by sense of smell.” That’s a pretty impressive pinball skill.
Of course, none of this stops us from blasting these songs. Proof that in classic rock, the riff can carry just about anything.
Do you have any bad lyrics to add to the list?
Doug O’Brien
