I read somewhere that Poly Styrene's favorite Xray Spex lyric was:

I've always been partial to the line:

but this verse is quite striking:

Some others that I find memorable:

My favorite might be:

I've since heard other versions by other artists, but this is the one I heard first, driving home one night years ago, listening to "Sound and Spirit" hosted by Ellen Kushner (on 89.7 FM WGBH Boston).

From the song "Native Son" by Bryan Adams:

I'll only post that verse, but I think that the whole song is quite poetic and very moving.

From the song "Father & Son" by Cat Stevens:

Anyone with children can relate to this song. Again, the whole song is charged with meaning, but these lyrics pop out in my mind as being the most poignant.

Impressive lyric quotes! Each memorable for very different reasons. Thx!

Suicidal Tendencies - Institutionalized

.
The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress

See her as she flies
Golden sails across the skies
Close enough to touch
But careful if you try
Though she looks as warm as gold
The moon's a harsh mistress
The moon can be so cold

Once the sun did shine
And Lord it felt so fine
The moon a phantom rose
Through the mountains and the pine
And then the darkness fell
The moon's a harsh mistress
It's hard to love her well

I fell out of her eyes
I fell out of her heart
I fell down on my face, yes I did
And I tripped and I missed my star
And I fell and fell alone
The moon's a harsh mistress
The sky is made of stone

The moon's a harsh mistress
She's hard to call your own

-- Jimmy Webb


PS. Try to get ahold of the version by Norwegian singer Radka Toneff. Truly exquisite! You’ll find it on iTunes Music Store, on the album "Fairytales", with Steve Dobrogosz.
Radka (1952-82) also sang lyrics by other first-rate poets, such as Sylvia Plath and Robert Creeley.

"He came home from the war with a party in his head
and an idea for a fire-works display." - Tom Waits, Swordfishtrombones.

Ma-ia hii
Ma-ia huu
Ma-ia hoo
Ma-ia haha (x4)

Alo, salut, sunt eu, un haiduc
si te rog, iubirea mea, primeste fericirea.
Alo, alo, sunt eu, Picasso
ti-am dat beep
si sunt voinic
Dar sa stii, nu-ti cer nimic.

Vrei sa pleci dar nu-mã, nu-mã iei
Nu-mã, nu-mã iei, nu-mã, nu-mã, nu-mã iei
Chipul tãu si dragostea din tei
Mi-amintesc de ochii tãi.

Vrei sã pleci dar nu-mã, nu-mã iei
Nu-mã, nu-mã iei, nu-mã, nu-mã, nu-mã iei
Chipul tãu si dragostea din tei
Mi-amintesc de ochii tãi.

Te sun, sã-ti spun, ce simt, acum
Alo, iubirea mea sunt eu, fericirea.
Alo, alo, sunt iarasi eu, Picasso
ti-am dat beep si sunt voinic
Dar sã stii, nu-ti cer nimic.

0zone- Dragostea din Tei (Romanian International Hit 2004 :D)

"Shoo-ba-di-do-wop-wop say what yeah" - Circle Jerks

"There's a time to live and a time to die,
I smoke Elvis Presley's toenails when I want to get high." - Butthole Surfers

While it's hardly my fave song, the lyric that appeals to me as ringing truest in these times is Bob Dylan's With God on Our Side.

Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - I See a Darkness

Well, you're my friend (that's what you told me)
And can you see (what's inside of me)
Many times we've been out drinking
And many times we've shared our thoughts
But did you ever, ever notice,
the kind of thoughts I got
Well you know I have a love,
a love for everyone I know
And you know I have a drive
to live I won't let go
But could you see it's opposition,
comes rising up sometimes
That it's dreadful end position,
comes blacking in my mind
Then I see a darkness...

The Birthday Party - Mutiny in Heaven

I was born...
And lord shakin', even then was dumped into an icy font,
Like some great stinking unclean!
From slum-church to slum-church, I spilled my heart
To some fat **** behind a screen...

Evil pump'n eye pressed up to the opening
He'd slide shut the little perforated hatch...
at night my body blushed
To the whistle of the birch
With a little practice I soon learnt to use in on myself
Punishment... reward... punishment...

Ah what the hell :D


Tom Waits - Frank's Wild Years

Frank settled down out in the Valley and hung his wild years on a nail that he drove through his wife's forehead. He sold used office furniture out there on San Fernando Road and assumed a $30,000 loan at 15 1/4 % and put a down payment on a little two bedroom place. His wife was a spent piece of used jet trash- made good bloody marys, kept her mouth shut most of the time, had a little Chihuahua named Carlos that had some kind of skin disease and was totally blind. They had a thoroughly modern kitchen, self-cleaning oven, the whole bit. Frank drove a little sedan and they were so happy.

One night Frank was on his way home from work, stopped at the liquor store, picked up a couple Mickey's Big Mouths drank 'em in the car on the way to the Shell station. Got a gallon of gas in a can, drove home, doused everything in the house. Torched it. Parked across the street, laughing, watching it burn, all Halloween orange and chiminea red then Frank put on a top forty station, got on the Hollywood Freeway and headed north.

Never could stand that dog.