I guess I have to chime in -- I don't think that the
lyrics of "Don't Worry Baby" are bad -- they're pretty
direct.  (And I note that I think that Matt Huseman's
band Splitsville pens some of the best lyrics in
modern power pop, since he was the first one to opine
on the subject -- check out "I Concentrate" for just
one example).  I don't think it's a love song to a
car.  It's about how his girl's love gives him
strength.  I actually think that "And if you knew how
much I love you, baby/nothing could go wrong with you"
is  pretty sweet.

Mike Bennett
--- Dave Seaman <seamand@upmc.edu> wrote:
> 
> <<<From: "Huseman, Matt" <Matt.Huseman@phh.com>
> To: "'audities@smoe.org'" <audities@smoe.org>
> Subject: Lyrics
> A lot of the music mentioned on this list is
> unlistenable to me for that
> very reason... not to mention that so many bands in
> the 'power pop' (and I
> use that term loosely) genre revisit the same
> mid-60's jangly guitar sound
> over and over again. Exhibit A would be the
> otherwise beautiful 'Don't Worry
> Baby' by the Beach Boys. The lyrics are godawful.>>>
> 
> I LOVE Don't Worry Baby, despite the lyrics - I
> think the chorus and one of
> the verses (the one that begins with, "Well, it's
> been building up inside of
> me for oh, I don't know how long" - is this the
> first verse?) fall into the
> simplistic but good category - they are very simple
> yet touching, honest and
> fit the music to a tee.  But I have to agree with
> you to an extent that some
> of the lyrics are bad.  In fact, didn't I hear that
> this is a love song to
> his car?  Ugh.  But somehow I am able to block out
> the bad lyrics and put my
> own conotation/spin on this one, because this has
> been one of my favorite
> songs since I was a wee kid.  It just tugs at my
> heartstrings, like Caroline
> No, or Please Let Me Wonder - after all these years,
> these songs still
> manage to move me.  (Watch, after your email I'll
> lose the blocking ability,
> and the song will sour on me -- curse you ;-))
> 
> But I have to agree with you in general - a simple
> and or ordinary lyric
> will usually not ruin a great melody/arrangement for
> me, but a bad one will.
> 
> 
> 

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