This Blog is about the Song Lyrics that had fascinated me as a music-loving Kid. Through the years, having devoured hundreds of music and autobiographical books, I know what some of the songs lyrics actually mean.
Some of the lyrics were due to the effects from consuming, shall we say, certain higher-conscious herbal cuisine.
I love interesting songs with interesting mind-bending lyrics. Excuse me while I l kiss the sky (above image).
I include nine of my favourite songs with amusing psychedelic, spiritual, and intriguing lyrics, enjoyed during my formative teenage years. Enjoy the Trip!
Let’s start with one with an interesting backstory where very few people are aware of.
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“When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me. Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.” – Paul McCartney’s “Let It Be” song.
Mother Mary injected religious connotations in the Let It Be song. But did you know the working lyrics of the song was “Mother Malcolm” instead of “Mother Mary”? Mal Evans was the Beatles road manager who sometimes provided great moral support to Paul McCartney who wrote the iconic song. Read Kenneth Womack’s book on Mal Evans, “Living The Beatles Legend: The Untold Story Of Mal Evans”. Out late 2023. I thoroughly enjoyed the great insightful read into the inner intimate workings of the Beatles.
**You won’t believe this, when I was typing this Let It Be segment, the song Let It Be came on the air. A sign from Mother Mal?**
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“Excuse me while I kiss the sky.” – from Jimi Hendrix’s Purple Haze song.
“Kissing the sky” was what Jimi Hendrix called when he played the guitar solo with his teeth. “Please excuse me, I’m going to play the guitar solo with my teeth now.” Dig?
o
“From crayons to perfume” – from Lulu’s “To Sir With Love” song.
Brilliant phrase about growing up and the rights of pubic passage through Life. Lulu must have liked the phrase, she named her 1994 Best Of Lulu album – “From Crayons To Perfume”.
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“Seasons crying no despair, alligator lizards in the air.” – from America’s Ventura Highway song.
Whoa, alligator lizards in the air? I presume the peyote was of high grade, Dewey.
And seasons crying no despair? Right on, brother!
The legend on my right, Dewey Burnell wrote Ventura Highway as well as Horse With No Name (above image). Gerry Beckley to my left, wrote “I Need You”, “Daisy Jane” and “Sister Golden Hair”.
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“But I wandered through my playing cards / And would not let her be / One of sixteen vestal virgins / Who were leaving for the coast / And although my eyes were open / They might have just as well’ve been closed” – from Procol Harom’s “Whiter Shade Of Pale” song
Let me guess, you’re now looking up what “vestal virgins” mean, yes? Band member Guy Stevens came up with the band’s name Procol Harum, a misspelling of the Latin phrase Procul Harun (roughly meaning “far beyond these things”), which was also the pedigree of his cat. I’ll leave you with the carnal task of looking up the meaning of “vestal virgins“.
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“I had some dreams they were clouds in my coffee, clouds in my coffee and you’re so vain.” – from Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain” song.
I presume it’s milk. Haha. Carly claims “clouds in my coffee” is about the confusing aspects of life and love, that which you can’t see through, and yet seems alluring… until.
Carly Simon loved the phrase so much, she named her 1995 3-Disc Retrospective box set album, “Clouds In My Coffee”.
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“Someone left the cake out in the rain / I don’t think that I can take it / Cause it took so long to bake it / And I’ll never have that recipe again.” – from Jimmy Webb’s MacArthur Park song.
“Someone left the cake out in the rain” is a metaphor for the fleeting nature of love and the sadness of lost opportunities.
Jimmy Webb, the awesome singer-songwriter, says it’s a real song – there is a MacArthur Park, in Los Angeles, where his then girlfriend worked, selling life insurance. They’ll meet there for lunch, and there would be old men playing checkers by the trees, like in the song lyrics.
The legendary Violet Kwan of Lana Cakes would make sure I see alligator lizards in the air if I left her wonderful cake out in the rain (above image).
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“Tangerine trees and marmalade skies … a girl with kaleidoscope eyes … cellophane flowers of yellow and green towering over your head … rocking hose people eat marshmallow pies … newspaper taxis appear on the shore.” – from John Lennon’s “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” Beatles song.
John Lennon obvious had a lysergic sugar rush when he wrote the song although he always claimed the idea came from a drawing by his first son, Julian. Sure. Nothing Is Real! Wink, wink.
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“The river flows / It flows to the sea / Wherever that river goes / That’s where I want to be / Flow river flow” – Bob Dylan and Roger McGuinn’s “Ballad Of Easy Rider” song.
Bob Dylan scribbled the above Zen lyrics on a napkin, instructing Peter Fonda (the star and script writer of the seminal 60’s hippie movie “Easy Rider”) to “hand it to McGuinn. He’ll know what to do with it.” McGuinn went on to completing the lyrics and the song’s beautiful melody. Dylan subsequently chose to be uncredited for the writing of the song.
Roger McGuinn kindly signed “The Ballad Of Easy Rider” CD cover to me with a cool message (above image).
Me and the legendary leader of the Byrds, Roger McGuinn at my home’s Meditation Chamber (above image).
Roger McGuinn played a mini-concert at home for my family (above image). He played “Mr. Tambourine Man”, “Eight Miles High”, “Turn, Turn, Turn” and “The Ballad Of Easy Rider”. Thanks so much, Roger and Camilla! Far out, Man!
Me and the late Easy Rider himself – Peter Fonda (above image). Peter’s calm Captain America character was inspired by Roger McGuinn. Dennis Hopper’s drug-fuelled Billy The Kid character was inspired by David Crosby. Art imitating Life.
Me on Captain America’s Chopper (above image). Flow, river, flow!
Ride Safe and Ride Easy, Guys!
Happy Trails!
