When Pop Songs Attack!

[hummingwolf]

Lately I've been listening to lots of new music, trying to acquaint myself with more of the trends of the 21st century. Last night, the part of my brain responsible for earworms took its revenge by repeating not one, not two, but three songs from the '80s which I almost certainly have not heard since the '80s. I found lyrics for all three songs online, so they must have been real recordings and not the product of my fevered brain, but is there anybody who isn't me who remembers a single one of them?

Mason & Fenn, "Lie for a Lie"
A game's a game I hear you say
Enough emotion in a day
We'll never live enough to play
I hear you say

You make the way you make the moves
Giving clues about the rules
But there's no way to warn the fools
They're only fools

Give me a lie for a lie
Give me a truth for a truth
Nothing is hard to believe
No one is hard to deceive
Leave me a light in the dark
Give me a lie for a lie
Give me a lie for a lie
Give me a truth for a truth

So let the fire within me burn
You know something I should learn
But I don't know which way to turn
Still I turn

Give me a lie for a lie
Give me a truth for a truth
Nothing is hard to believe
No one is hard to deceive
Leave me a light in the dark
Give me a lie for a lie
Give me a lie for a lie
Give me a truth for a truth

And when the flame begins to go
I'll be there inside the door
You'll never know that I care more
Than I can show

Give me a lie for a lie
Give me a truth for a truth
Nothing is hard to believe
No one is hard to deceive
Give me a lie for a lie
Give me a lie for a lie
Give me a truth for a truth

If you were listening to rock radio in the '80s, there's a semi-decent chance you heard the above song because of a Pink Floyd connection. But I'm not sure there is much of a chance that you remember the song.

Rock & Hyde, "Dirty Water"
Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh

I swear I've seen your face before
It's been inside my open door
I'm sure I played this game before
Pay a little bit now then later more

Angel, angel, ring them bells
Ring them bells
Something is wrong it doesn't belong
and it's not natural to sing that song

And if I wash my hands in your dirty water
Will your religion make me clean
Oh oh oh oh
And if I wet my feet in your dirty water
Will I be blind for all I see

A lover would be more concerned
When I needed you, your head was turned
Seems like you do what you can
To make me feel a guilty man

Angel, angel, ring them bells
Ring them bells
Something is wrong it doesn't belong
and it's not natural to sing that song

And if I wash my hands in your dirty water
Will your religion make me clean
Oh oh oh oh
And if I wet my feet in your dirty water
Will I be blind for all I see

Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh

I know I saw the video for "Dirty Water" more than once. It involved a guy in a bathtub, of course.

Idle Eyes, "Tokyo Rose"
Where are you
What are you waiting for
This is not a race
Are you trying to school time
School time

You in the corner, come closer
I can see your face
I can see it in mine
Glassey in mine

You tell a story like Tokyo Rose
I got the picture
From the stains on your clothes
Didn't they tell you about the shape I'm in
In this condition of carnal sin

Confuse me, try to talk
Like the stains on the sidewalk
Is what she said
Gets in my head
The sun's up
You wake up that beauty
At the bus stop, turns my head
Go back to bed

You tell a story like Tokyo Rose
I got the picture
From the stains on your clothes
Didn't they tell you about the shape I'm in
In this condition of carnal sin

We'll be alright, we'll be alright
We'll be alright, we'll be alright
I tried to warn you, I tried to warn you
We'll be alright, alright

You tell a story like Tokyo Rose
I got the picture
From the stains on your clothes
Didn't they tell you about the shape I'm in
In this condition of carnal sin

You tell a story like Tokyo Rose
I got the picture
From the stains on your clothes
Didn't they tell you about the shape I'm in
In this condition of carnal sin

You tell a story
You tell a story
You tell a story

While I'm here, I'll post some older lyrics I should've posted yesterday: Ides of March's biggest US hit, from way back in 1970--"Vehicle"!

Hey well, I'm a friendly stranger in a black Sedan
Won't you hop inside my car?
I got pictures, got candy, I'm a lovable man
And I can take you to the nearest star

I'm your vehicle, baby
I'll take you anywhere you wanna go
I'm your vehicle, woman
But I'm not sure that you know
That I love ya (love ya)
I need ya (need ya)
I want ya, got to have you, child
Great God in heaven, you know I love you


Well, if you wants to be a movie star,
I'll get a ticket to Hollywood
But if you want to stay just the way you are,
You know I think you really should

I'm your vehicle, baby
I'll take you anywhere you wanna go
I'm your vehicle, woman
But I'm not sure you know
That I love ya (love ya)
I need ya (need ya)
I want ya, got to have you, child
Great God in heaven, you know I love you
Oh, you know I do

Hey well, I'm a friendly stranger in a black Sedan
Won't you hop inside my car?
I got pictures, candy, I'm a lovable man
And I can take you to the nearest star

I'm your vehicle, baby
I'll take you anywhere you wanna go
I'm your vehicle, woman
But I'm not sure that you know
That I love ya (love ya)
I need ya (need ya)
I want ya, got to have ya
Great God in heaven, you know I love you
And I'm your vehicle, babe

You know I love ya (love ya)
I need ya (need ya)
I want ya, I got to have you, child
Great God in heaven, you know I love you

(If you're terribly interested, the Ides of March lead singer & songwriter (who also co-wrote all of Survivor's hits and a few songs for .38 Special) tells the story of "Vehicle" on his site. It's kind of cute, actually.)