"Something" - Botched Lyrics?

Tony · March 13th, 2008, 10:45 AM

I decided not to post this on the American Idol thread until I found out. I researched the lyrics to "Something" by the Beatles. I thought for sure that Katherin McPhee either botched the lyrics or took liberties...

"I don't want to leave her/(him) now,
You know I believe him now..."

I always thought the line was:

"I don't want to leave her now,
You know I believe, and how".

When I search the internet, there are conflicting lyrics....

Subtle, I know, but different nonetheless.

dsharman · March 13th, 2008, 10:54 AM

Tony, I agree with your take on the lyrics. When she sang it the other way last night it just didn't seem right.

TheDude · March 13th, 2008, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony

"I don't want to leave her now,
You know I believe, and how".

Those are the printed lyrics on the liner of the Blue album compilation, FWIW.

Tony · March 13th, 2008, 11:04 AM

you are the man... Thanks. (I had that album as a kid, I wonder if my brain still remembers that I had read those lyrics and burned them into my memory!)

tjalla · March 13th, 2008, 12:02 PM

Think that's bad? How about botching Stevie Wonder's lyrics, badly, right in front of him. 1:00 onwards. BIG cringe factor

boris bubbanov · March 13th, 2008, 12:33 PM

Botched lyrics can be a fun past time, but yer rite, she took all the sense out of that passage, not good.

andy__woods · March 13th, 2008, 01:48 PM

i know a lot of Beatles songs are to "her", but anytime the gender is changed on a song, it just doesn't sound right. i was cringing for sure

Charlie Bernstein · March 13th, 2008, 04:36 PM

She did change the words, but so what? Why do a cover just like the original? The blues is the same lines over and over, mixed, matched, altered.

Joan Baez is always changing lyrics to fit her style. "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" and "Salt of the Earth" are two she does a nice job on.

Bobby Darin's "Mack the Knife" is another fun one - can you imagine Bertolt Brecht saying: "Oh, baby, right now" - even in German?

Besides - look what George Harrison did to the lyrics of "He's So Fine": replaced every single word! Turn-about is fair play.

I always fix up other people's lyrics. Life's too short.

Charlie Bernstein · March 13th, 2008, 04:38 PM

PS -

One thing Joan Baez never changes is the gender. If it's a guy voice, it stays a guy's voice. Kinda like John Prine singing "Angel from Montgomery."

Of course, they're his words, so he can do whatever he wants...

David Barnett · March 13th, 2008, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony

I decided not to post this on the American Idol thread until I found out. I researched the lyrics to "Something" by the Beatles. I thought for sure that Katherin McPhee either botched the lyrics or took liberties...

"I don't want to leave her/(him) now,
You know I believe him now..."

I always thought the line was:

"I don't want to leave her now,
You know I believe, and how".

When I search the internet, there are conflicting lyrics....

Subtle, I know, but different nonetheless.

At least she didn't blurt out "JACK" like Sinatra did in his version.

Tony · March 13th, 2008, 05:17 PM

just to be clear, my point was not that she changed the "gender" lyrics, but the part that goes:

"you know I believe, and how",

she said:

"you know I believe HIM now".

Fairly big liberty for a George Harrison song. Not to be hero worshipping, but that may be taking too big a liberty.

OR, maybe these KIDS just don't know the Beatles and learn these songs from some songbook that has the wrong lyrics written??

Unkie Al · March 13th, 2008, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjalla

Think that's bad? How about botching Stevie Wonder's lyrics, badly, right in front of him. 1:00 onwards. BIG cringe factor

My goodness!
That was PAINFUL!

boris bubbanov · March 13th, 2008, 09:02 PM

Goofing with lyrics can be fun.

I prefer to imagine that 10cc sings 'Be poised and quiet', instead of 'Big boys don't cwy.'

And Bob Marley sings: 'Pokey likes jammies, too.'

And Rolling Stones lyrics, do whatever you want, have fun.

And if you knew what I did, whilst half asleep last night, to some Brian Ferry lyrics from the 1977 album "In Your Mind" you want me on meds straight away.
It really is better that I can't remember, too weird.

jjz28 · March 13th, 2008, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Barnett

At least she didn't blurt out "JACK" like Sinatra did in his version.

The story I heard goes, Frank was performing "Something" in Vegas and introduced it as his favorite Lennon & McCartney song....

Blazer · March 13th, 2008, 09:47 PM

neocaster · March 13th, 2008, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charlie Bernstein

Besides - look what George Harrison did to the lyrics of "He's So Fine": replaced every single word! Turn-about is fair play.

Darned shame what he did to "He's So Fine"... Pirate, indeed!

David Barnett · March 14th, 2008, 01:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony

just to be clear, my point was not that she changed the "gender" lyrics, but the part that goes:

"you know I believe, and how",

she said:

"you know I believe HIM now".

Fairly big liberty for a George Harrison song. Not to be hero worshipping, but that may be taking too big a liberty.

OR, maybe these KIDS just don't know the Beatles and learn these songs from some songbook that has the wrong lyrics written??

You know she botched it and how.

Deaf Eddie · March 14th, 2008, 11:57 AM

Geez, I always sang that line as "You know I believe in how..."

Oh well. In Donavon's "Mellow Yellow," my wife hears his spoken aside "Quite rightly..." as "That's right, Slick!" - and I'm never gonna win THAT argument.

psychetelec · March 14th, 2008, 12:13 PM

Here's my band, The Eggmen. We just won Best Cover Band for the 6th year at the Austin Music Awards on Wednesday.

March 13th, 2008, 10:45 AM	#1 (permalink)
Tony Tele-Holic Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Sacratomato Posts: 821	"Something" - Botched Lyrics? I decided not to post this on the American Idol thread until I found out. I researched the lyrics to "Something" by the Beatles. I thought for sure that Katherin McPhee either botched the lyrics or took liberties... "I don't want to leave her/(him) now, You know I believe him now..." I always thought the line was: "I don't want to leave her now, You know I believe, and how". When I search the internet, there are conflicting lyrics.... Subtle, I know, but different nonetheless.

March 13th, 2008, 11:04 AM	#4 (permalink)
Tony Tele-Holic Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Sacratomato Posts: 821	The Dude you are the man... Thanks. (I had that album as a kid, I wonder if my brain still remembers that I had read those lyrics and burned them into my memory!)

March 13th, 2008, 12:33 PM	#6 (permalink)
boris bubbanov Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New Orleans, LA + in the past Posts: 6,397	Botched lyrics can be a fun past time, but yer rite, she took all the sense out of that passage, not good. __________________ Bubban0v

March 13th, 2008, 01:48 PM	#7 (permalink)
andy__woods Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Michigan Age: 23 Posts: 1,132 60 Photos	i know a lot of Beatles songs are to "her", but anytime the gender is changed on a song, it just doesn't sound right. i was cringing for sure __________________ -- Andy "Woods" Crowder --

March 13th, 2008, 05:17 PM	#11 (permalink)
Tony Tele-Holic Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Sacratomato Posts: 821	Hey Charlie just to be clear, my point was not that she changed the "gender" lyrics, but the part that goes: "you know I believe, and how", she said: "you know I believe HIM now". Fairly big liberty for a George Harrison song. Not to be hero worshipping, but that may be taking too big a liberty. OR, maybe these KIDS just don't know the Beatles and learn these songs from some songbook that has the wrong lyrics written??

March 13th, 2008, 10:54 AM	#2 (permalink)
dsharman Tele-Meister Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Avon, NY Age: 51 Posts: 144	Tony, I agree with your take on the lyrics. When she sang it the other way last night it just didn't seem right.

March 13th, 2008, 12:02 PM	#5 (permalink)
tjalla Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 1,529 7 Photos	Think that's bad? How about botching Stevie Wonder's lyrics, badly, right in front of him. 1:00 onwards. BIG cringe factor

March 13th, 2008, 04:36 PM	#8 (permalink)
Charlie Bernstein Friend of Leo's Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Augusta, Maine Posts: 2,301	She did change the words, but so what? Why do a cover just like the original? The blues is the same lines over and over, mixed, matched, altered. Joan Baez is always changing lyrics to fit her style. "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" and "Salt of the Earth" are two she does a nice job on. Bobby Darin's "Mack the Knife" is another fun one - can you imagine Bertolt Brecht saying: "Oh, baby, right now" - even in German? Besides - look what George Harrison did to the lyrics of "He's So Fine": replaced every single word! Turn-about is fair play. I always fix up other people's lyrics. Life's too short.

March 13th, 2008, 04:38 PM	#9 (permalink)
Charlie Bernstein Friend of Leo's Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Augusta, Maine Posts: 2,301	PS - One thing Joan Baez never changes is the gender. If it's a guy voice, it stays a guy's voice. Kinda like John Prine singing "Angel from Montgomery." Of course, they're his words, so he can do whatever he wants...

March 13th, 2008, 09:02 PM	#13 (permalink)
boris bubbanov Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New Orleans, LA + in the past Posts: 6,397	Goofing with lyrics can be fun. I prefer to imagine that 10cc sings 'Be poised and quiet', instead of 'Big boys don't cwy.' And Bob Marley sings: 'Pokey likes jammies, too.' And Rolling Stones lyrics, do whatever you want, have fun. And if you knew what I did, whilst half asleep last night, to some Brian Ferry lyrics from the 1977 album "In Your Mind" you want me on meds straight away. It really is better that I can't remember, too weird. __________________ Bubban0v

March 13th, 2008, 09:47 PM	#15 (permalink)
Blazer Friend of Leo's Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 3,095	__________________ "I reject your reality and subsitute my own." - Adam Savage, Mythbusters

March 14th, 2008, 11:57 AM	#18 (permalink)
Deaf Eddie Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Sunny San Diego, CA Posts: 1,140 14 Photos	Another "version" Geez, I always sang that line as "You know I believe in how..." Oh well. In Donavon's "Mellow Yellow," my wife hears his spoken aside "Quite rightly..." as "That's right, Slick!" - and I'm never gonna win THAT argument. __________________ YMMV - I been wrong before...

March 14th, 2008, 12:13 PM	#19 (permalink)
psychetelec Tele-Meister Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Austin,Texas Age: 50 Posts: 119	Here's my band, The Eggmen. We just won Best Cover Band for the 6th year at the Austin Music Awards on Wednesday.