Elvis's best killer line

[Neil.]

Okay, we've had the 'Elvis's corniest pun', but how about his best line? Although I reckon his gift for melody is his greatest asset, most journalists talk about his lyrics, and it is true that he comes out with some killer lines.

My favourite off the top of my head is from "Daddy, Can I Turn This?"

You give her presents after a while:
A birthday cake, containing a file

It just paints a whole story in one line, and makes you laugh with surprise when you realise the girlfriend's in prison.

Actually, speaking of prison, there's that great line in "Country Darkness"

The prison she lives in - the one with the open door.

Again, a whole story presents itself in one heartbreaking line.

[lostdog]

Actually, speaking of prison, there's that great line in "Country Darkness"

The prison she lives in - the one with the open door.

Actually, I think that line is a bit of a cliche; the 'bird in the gilded cage' thing is well-worn.

New Lace Sleeves is much better:

'Oh I know they've got their problems,
How I wish I was one of them.'

Killer put down.

[invisible Pole]

First thing that comes to my mind :

"I said, 'I'm so happy I could die"
She said, 'Drop dead', then left with another guy"

Love it.

[pophead2k]

The entire lyric to 'Shot With His Own Gun'.

[Mikeh]

I stole a glance at my reflection
Though these days I tend to hurry by
How pale the rose of my complexion
How strange the knowing look that's in my eye.

From EC's best unrecorded song (unrecorded by him). I leave you head scratching...

[Who Shot Sam?]

I stole a glance at my reflection
Though these days I tend to hurry by
How pale the rose of my complexion
How strange the knowing look that's in my eye.

From EC's best unrecorded song (unrecorded by him). I leave you head scratching...

"No Wonder" from For the Stars. He does not sing, but does play.

[Neil.]

I dunno, lost dog - the bird in the gilded cage image is different cos the cage is closed; the reason the Country Darkness lyric moves me is cos she's in a terrible relationship, but can't see the way out someone else is offering.

The prison she lives in:
The one with the open door

Agree with the guy about "Angels Wanna Wear..." - that's a classic Elvis joke. Brilliant.

[thepopeofpop]

I stole a glance at my reflection
Though these days I tend to hurry by
How pale the rose of my complexion
How strange the knowing look that's in my eye.

From EC's best unrecorded song (unrecorded by him). I leave you head scratching...

I've heard him sing it

I'm working on a version of "No Wonder" myself.

But killer lines? Well, how about:

"Good manners and bad breath get you nowhere"

or

"You're the twinkle in your daddy's eye
A name you spray and scribble
You made the girls all turn their heads
And in turn they made you miserable"

[verbal gymnastics]

"The greatest lover that you never had" from Just About Glad is the first to spring to mind.

[oily slick]

you strike a profile on the low side of my imagination

she was selling speedboats in a tradeshow when he met her

you're a swine and i'm saying that's an insult to the pig

you've still got your dignity or the next best disguise

[migdd]

All that professional lipstick pressed into an amateur kiss

[migdd]

Did you call his name out as he held you down?

[Dr. Luther]

*
They've got his bones
And everything he owns
I've got his name...
*

and

*
Well I'm the lucky goon
Who composed this tune
From birds arranged on the high wire...
*

[alexv]

"In this almost empty gin palace through a two way looking glass you see your Alice"

"You are the spice of life/the gin in my vermouth"

"He sips in the glow of a '61 vintage
Just as the day is dimming
With every intention of surrendering
To fifty-foot women
Who put the fascination back into my science fiction twin"

And my current favorite:

"endless balmy breezes and perfect sunsets framed/Vintage wine for breakfast and naked starlets floating in champagne"

Ah, to be EC for a day!! Time for a drink.

[migdd]

Nothing will ever be the same
All of the promises you made may seem hollow
There are still streets in this town
Marked with your shadow


This thread is an easy way to pump up one's post count!

[migdd]

I repeat, "best killer line":

Did you call his name out when he held you down?

[girl out of time]

sorry, can't pick only one......too many good ones!

this year's girl:
"Still you're hoping that she's well spoken
'cause she's this year's girl.
You want her broken with her mouth wide open
'cause she's this year's girl."

you'll never be a man:
"When you're half a woman and you're half awake
With a face full of tears and a chemical shake
Under the table with a chemical shake "

shabby doll:
"He's the tired toy that everyone enjoyed
He wants to be a fancy man but he's nothing but a nancy boy
He's all pride and no joy"

man out of time:
"He's got a mind like a sewer and a heart like a fridge
He stands to be insulted and he pays for the privilege"

jack of all parades:
"You know my love and how to refuse it
Cause you know where the door is
And how to use it"

the other end of the telescope:
"The promise of indulgence in my confidential voice
Approached immortal danger but you'll never know how close"

all the rage:
"The twitching impulses to speak your mind
I'll lend you my microscope and maybe you will find it
Is it in that ugly place that's just behind your face
Where you keep my picture still despite the fact
That you had me replaced"

[migdd]

Girl Out Of Time wrote:

the other end of the telescope:
"The promise of indulgence in my confidential voice
Approached immortal danger but you'll never know how close"

Excellent choice!! One of my faves, as well!!!

[funstan]

There are a few for me

Blue Chair

"My turn to talk, your turn to think
Your turn to buy, my turn to drink
Your to cry, my turn to sink
Down in a blue chair"

Riot Act

"When the heat gets so tropical
And the tongue gets so topical"

I Almost Had a Weakness

"Thank you for the flowers
I threw them on the fire"

There's a Story in Your Voice

"There's a Story in your eyes
That cheap sunglasses might disguise"

Indoor Fireworks

"They're not so spectacular
They don't burn up in the sky
But they can dazzle or delight
Or leave a tear
When the smoke gets in your eye"

[verbal gymnastics]

Why is it that when asked for a (ie singular) killer line we end up with people putting in verses, couplets or verses? Maybe I'm just being too literal. Or it could be that I'm right and everyone else is wrong.

That'll be it!

[oily slick]

well i was gonna say somethin bout dat, but instead


I saw a newspaper picture from the political
campaign
A woman was kissing a child, who was obviously
in pain
She spills with compassion, as that young child's
face in her hands she grips
Can you imagine all that greed and avarice
coming down on that child's lips
Well I hope I don't die too soon
I pray the Lord my soul to save
Oh I'll be a good boy, I'm trying so hard to behave
Because there's one thing I know, I'd like to live
long enough to savour
That's when they finally put you in the ground
I'll stand on your grave and tramp the dirt down

When England was the whore of the world
Margeret [sic] was her madam
And the future looked as bright and as clear as
the black tarmacadam
Well I hope that she sleeps well at night, isn't
haunted by every tiny detail
'Cos when she held that lovely face in her hands
all she thought of was betrayal

And now the cynical ones say that it all ends
the same in the long run
Try telling that to the desperate father who just
squeezed the life from his only son
And how it's only voices in your head and
dreams you never dreamt
Try telling him the subtle difference between
justice and contempt
Try telling me she isn't angry with this pitiful
discontent
When they flaunt it in your face as you line up
for punishment
And then expect you to say "Thank you"
straighten up, look proud and pleased
Because you've only got the symptoms, you
haven't got the whole disease
Just like a schoolboy, whose head's like a tin-can
filled up with dreams then poured down
the drain
Try telling that to the boys on both sides, being
blown to bits or beaten and maimed
Who takes all the glory and none of the shame

Well I hope you live long now, I pray the Lord
your soul to keep
I think I'll be going before we fold our arms
and start to weep
I never thought for a moment that human life
could be so cheap
'Cos when they finally put you in the ground
They'll stand there laughing and tramp the
dirt down

[noiseradio]

"She said that she was working for the ABC News
It was as much of the alphabet as she knew how to use"

King of America

[oldhamer]

Of ones that haven't been mentioned, the opening of Sleep of the Just -

The soldier asked my name, and did I come here very often. Well, I thought that he was asking me to dance.

[King Hoarse]

Maybe we've done the word play/pun thing already, but I'm really fond of them. Some fave lines:

The long arm of the law slides up the outskirts of town

Don't put your heart out on your sleeve when your remarks are off the cuff

There's a ladder to heaven from a battered stiletto

and my favourite put-down:

I think you'd better hold your tongue, although you've never been that strong

[scielle]

Those days she was just a beautiful girl, now she's framed and hung up.