10 Rock Songs That Mean Absolutely Nothing
The Art of Gibberish.
For years people have been itching to decipher the lyrics of their favorite songs. It's one thing to sing along with your favorite tune whenever it comes up on a playlist, but it's a completely different thing when you try to figure out what the band were really trying to say. There have been many profound rock songs throughout the years, but there's also no shame in writing something meaningless.
Though acts like Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen pride themselves on writing some of the most engaging poetry the rock world has ever heard, it's just as easy to get your audience to pay attention if you just have a catchy melody to stick in their brains. People may think that these bands are trying to get at something more cerebral with their wordplay on these songs, but the real answer to all your questions is... nothing.
Even when interviewed about these songs, many of these bands have been upfront in saying that they don't have a clue as to what they mean. This could be considered stupid, but we all listen with our ears first and our brain second. You can try to find a deeper meaning behind these, but these songs have risen to the top by just saying gibberish.
10. Making Memories - Rush
Out of all the prog rock bands of the '70s, Rush almost prided themselves on being the most literate of the bunch. With drummer and resident genius Neil Peart writing the band's lyrics, these long songs became miniature tales of grandeur, talking about everything from extraterrestrial travel to medieval duels between man and animal. At the same time, the band's first step into prog waters did have a few sore spots.
While that sounds like "Making Memories" should be a terrible song, the actual groove is quite pleasant by '70s rock standards. The only issue comes in the lyrics, which show Peart still coming into his own. Instead of being another bold step forward, the only thing this song manages to come up with is the pleasures of touring. However, Peart doesn't really go anywhere with it aside from just saying "I love the road."
Granted, many bands have gotten by with far less substantial lyrics, but when your other material is comprised of impressive conceptual works, this seems like it should have been left as an odd or an end rather than an album track. Given the other heady tracks on Fly By Night, "Making Memories" is one the last times Rush ever dabbled in mere mortal wordplay.