Staying with my current theme, how about what you think are clever lyrics?
 
My entry here comes from the Motels: "Take the L out of lover and it's over."

'Shipbuilding' by Elvis Costello.

Background - in 1982 the first thought that occurred to many long-term unemployed men in the north of England when the Falkland war began, was that the shipyards would be re-opened. Costello was exploring the idea that working men could be building ships that young men might be sent to war in, and not come back.

It's an uneasy song in many ways, but it's brilliantly written.

''Is it worth it?
A new winter coat and shoes for the wife
And a bicycle on the boy's birthday
It's just a rumor that was spread around town
By the women and children
Soon we'll be shipbuilding...
Well I ask you
The boy said "Dad they're going to take me to task, but I'll be back by Christmas"
It's just a rumor that was spread around town
Somebody said that someone got filled in
For saying that people get killed in
The result of this shipbuilding
With all the will in the world
Diving for dear life
When we could be diving for pearls
It's just a rumor that was spread around town
A telegram or a picture postcard
Within weeks they'll be re-opening the shipyards
And notifying the next of kin
Once again
It's all we're skilled in
We will be shipbuilding...

With all the will in the world
Diving for dear life
When we could be diving for pearls.''


Here's Robert Wyatt's version;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6T9qp9XbRY

And if California slides into the ocean like the mystics and statistics say it will, 
I predict this motel will be standing until I pay my bill.  

Desperadoes Under The Eaves--Warren Zevon

''The police found Arthur
In the Lamb and Flag
They took Excalibur away
In a plastic bag
His wits were shattered
His wits unhinged
Now he sleeps down in the alley
By the bins''


- Tim Wilkinson  'No Bad Thing'

All about clever.
 
Van Gogh did some eyeball pleasers.
He must have been a pencil squeezer.
He didn't do the Mona Lisa,
That was an Italian geezer.
 
Ian Dury - There ain't half been some clever folk.
 

I'm goin' out and get me some sun
Gonna collect it baby
Then we can have a whole lot of fun
Gonna reflect it baby
That fossil fuel's got no renewal
You know it couldn't hold a candle
There ain't no spark in the dark
Can touch my solar - Solar sex panel

Got a fire up on top of my head
I'm a love regenerator
Why don't you get up off your tanning bed
I'm an ultra-violet Penetrator
Don't sweat and toil with no heating oil
'Cause Momma I'm hot to handle
Gonna turn you up, gonna burn you up
With my solar - Solar sex panel

Got a headache burnin' bad gasoline
Well, I'm gonna relieve it baby
My solar powered lovin' burns clean
And you're gonna receive it baby
And it's rude if it's crude
Better try my solar - Solar sex panel
Better try my - Come and get my
Solar sex panel
I'm gonna turn you up
I'm gonna burn you up
Better bet your ass I won't run outta gas

my ol pal John Hiatt

"If I said you had a beautiful body, would ya hold it against me?"

;-)

tbosco


"If I said you had a beautiful body, would ya hold it against me?"

;-)

+1 on this... and those boys had quite a few other songs as well with clever lyrics


Country music was actually full of this type of song lyric in the 80's

Sleeping single in a double bed....... I'm drinking doubles, she's acting single....... and of course all the words in "The Chair"....

There once was a man from Nantucket...

Some of the best lyrics ever...

TIME

Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
You fritter and waste the hours in an off hand way
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way

Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain
You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today
And then one day you find ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun

And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but its sinking
And racing around to come up behind you again
The sun is the same in the relative way, but youre older
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death

Every year is getting shorter, never seem to find the time
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the english way
The time is gone, the song is over, thought Id something more to say.

"Come on back Jesus and pick up John Wayne on the way."

The worlds done got crazy and it seems to get worse every day.
So come on back Jesus and pick up John Wayne.
It's time to take off the gloves, they just respect peace any more.
But if you have old John Wayne we know he can swing from the floor.
While he kicks their butts we'll just stand there and watch him and pray.
So come on back Jesus and pick up John Wayne on the way.

The worlds gettin' crazy and it seems to get worse every day.
So come on back Jesus and pick up Johne Wayne on the way.

It's gettin' real hairy, if only old duke man was here.
He'd blow them evil bastards plum out past the atmosphere.
Lord the news looked so scary when I glanced at the paper today.
Come on back Jesus and pick up John Wayne on the way.

Willie