Best and worst lyric changes in concert

[jeniphir]

I prefer "my whole life in ruins" vs. "whole life confused," as well. And I really dislike "Let me have who I want." Agree that singing about US politics in "Irish Blood" has never worked.

When I saw him in Boston last month he sang, "Rosselini I'd rather be," and of course I had to joke that I wondered whether he meant he'd rather be Roberto Rosselini. . .or Isabella!

--jeniphir

 

[Jimmybob12]

"that song is about strawberry ice cream and vanilla ice cream, it isn't about anything else."

14/2/2000 Akron, Ohio

 

[Tbevie]

“You’ll never see all of the SHIT in life it’s cost me” Satan rejected my soul.

 

[Radio Berlin]

I lost my wig in newport pagnell

and I like the change in please please please
and all the changes in you have killed me
(esp. and you did okay but)

Not a lyric change, but still funny:
I will die with both of my hands untied. maybe not, who knows?

 

[David]

I love that he changed the "tomorrow" in "Tomorrow" to "mañana," in Chile.

To whomever mentioned his changes in "You Have Killed Me" in Boston this summer: my favorite was "Anne Sexton I'll be."

 

[Cassius]

I liked his change in "You Have Killed Me" : "Anne Sexton...you don't even know who that is."

My friend and I also particularly loved (and laughed our asses off when we heard it!), in "I Will See You In Far Off Places" : "If George W. Bush doesn't kill you."

 

[Buzzetta]

I have always liked the live changes to "You've got everything now" concerning why he has never had a job. I thought the song was better live to begin with and the lyrical changes are also improved over the studio release.

 

[Comtesse]

I remember when I thought that he was singing, "You're asking for it... I want to shag it" at the end of "The More You Ignore Me..." I was so disappointed when I realized it was actually, "You're asking for it... And it you shall get".

 

[Maurice E]

the best recent one is;
"I still don't know what drugs are!" in the Queen is Dead. A brilliant lyric from a 48 year old international playboy!

the worst is "let me have who I want" in Please Please Please. this is a beautiful song, yes, even with the trumpet solo!
but this lyric detracts a lot from the beauty of the song and its universal theme; and it also kinda runis the mass sing along...

 

[Comtesse]

Oh, I just remembered one! I loved when he changed the last line of "Meat Is Murder" to, "Do you care how animals die?" Very powerful - and right to the heart of the matter.

 

[ihaveavauxhall]

Actually, "Let me have who I want". I completely agree - it's a distressing change. Some things are sacred!

I can't seem to remember most of my faves... time to break out the bootlegs!

Actually i really liked the change, thought it became more intense, does he change that a lot? i heard it in Manchester in December, if he changes it more than the original its almost like the "original" is the altered one

 

[Worm]

Oh, I just remembered one! I loved when he changed the last line of "Meat Is Murder" to, "Do you care how animals die?" Very powerful - and right to the heart of the matter.

Hee hee. Yes, because God knows the rest of the song is so vague and indirect. [smiley]

 

[Practising Troublemaker]

I like Bigmouth when he changes "Sweetness I wasn't joking when I said by rights you should be blugened in your bed".

So simple yet so good

 

[lottie]

I love the "of course i can you silly thing" its very funny.

and "vegetarians know" from at last i am born, screamed my head off with joy at this.

*bless him*

 

[jeniphir]

Had to revive this thread to squee over my new most favouritest lyric-change. Sunday night at the Hammerstein NYC, during "Throwing my Arms Around Paris."

"In the absence of yr smiling face, I scooter all over the place."

--jeniphir

 

[PapaJack]

Thanks for reviving the thread...I never saw this one.

I still love when he changed the lyrics in Hairdresser on Fire to "and when he said 'I'm gonna screw you', oh I felt quite happy for you" LOL

And though it's not really a lyric change...I enjoy when Moz throws in little comments into his songs like when he performed The Loop last week:
"I just wanna say, I haven't been away I haven't...look! I'm still right here where I actually live"

I really can't think of any changes I really don't like, even the change to Please, Please, Please...though I didn't like it at first, kind of grew on me.

 

[jeniphir]

Yes, I liked that bit about "right here where I actually live," as well. Moz comes alive on stage, no doubt.

--jeniphir

 

[PregnantForTheLastTime]

At the last few shows I've been to when he's played it, he's put in, "Anne Sexton you will always be" in You Have Killed Me. I can't remember exactly which variations I saw over the summer. Sometimes if you're up front you can see him scrunch up his face as he decides what to sing there... very cute.

And, yes, the scooter bit on the last Hammerstein night was very cute- I had forgotten it until I was listening to the bootleg last night.

 

[Ronette]

Ah!
Isnt he a wit?
With a resounding t-time.
I loved the Vegetarians know-pure number 94 genius.
'Mozalini is me' I must admit I smiled.

Honestly, he has sang these songs so many times, they must have lost meaning by now.
Poor soul. xx

 

[PregnantForTheLastTime]

Honestly, he has sang these songs so many times, they must have lost meaning by now.
Poor soul. xx

AH! No.... you haven't seen him live lately? I've only seen him look bored once in 11 shows this year. I can't remember which song... it was a Smiths one. And it was in NY. No, I don't think these songs have lost meaning for him. Not at all. He doesn't have to sing any one particular song, he gets to choose.