“I LOVE THAT LINE!” Top 17 Song Lyrics of All Time

You hear a song, and there’s always one line from it that gets stuck in your head, as you can’t really have the entire song playing (it would take too long). Aside from guitar riffs and intense drum clips, the lyrics of a song define and sometimes create an epiphany within us. “What were they thinking about when they wrote that? “I know how they feel!” Wow, I never thought of it that way!” are just a few of the common phrases that cross our minds when we sit down and really listen to the words.

With that in mind, I have gathered 17 of my absolute favorite lines from songs of many musical genres and created my list. See what you agree with, leave me a comment or two, and hopefully stir up some memories or thoughts of your own.

#17- ”I Drove All Night”written by Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg

“What in this world keeps us from falling apart?
No matter where I go
I hear the beating of our one heart
No one can move me the way that you do
Nothing erases this feeling between me and you
I drove all night to get to you
Is that all right?”

When Tom and Bill wrote this song, they had no idea that Roy Orbison would be the one to sing it. Since then, it has been covered by several international recording artists, including Cyndi Lauper (my favorite) and Celine Dion (my least favorite). This dynamic duo of pop have written quite a few top-notch lyrics, including “True Colors” which was also performed and popularized by my favorite freak of the 80’s, Cyndi Lauper. This line is just, well, awesome.

#16- “Primal Scream” by Motley Crue

“Broke dick dog
My head slung low
Tail knocked in the dirt
Time and time of being told
Trash is all I’m worth
When I was just a young boy
Had to take a little grief
Now that I’m much older
Don’t put your shit on me”

This song is a classic and is in no way as popular as it should be. Diehard Crue fans around the globe appreciated this song when it was originally released on the 1991 CD “Decade of Decadence”, a collaboration of Motley Crue’s greatest hits. Come to think of it, they did release another greatest hits, but I believe the songs on it are the same, as Vince, Tommy and the boys have failed to keep on after the end of the “Hair Band” era. They’ve tried…but they just can’t do it. Tommy Lee has done alright for himself (working with Snoop Dog and his autobiography in which the first chapter is a full-length conversation with his penis.) Vince has done a lot with cancer after losing his daughter to the dreadful disease. Nikki wrote a book, too. And I think that Mick hurt his back or something.

#15- “What’s My Age Again” by Blink 182

”And that’s about the time she walked away from me
Nobody likes you when you’re 23
And are still more amused by TV shows
What the hell is A.D.D.?
My friends say I should act my age
What’s my age again? What’s my age again…”

Here’s a question that I often ask myself. Not that I believe age is an important factor (I believe that age is a number and you should act how you want to), but there comes a time in everyone’s life when you start looking like an idiot.

#14- “The Old Apartment” by Bearnaked Ladies

“Why did you paint the walls?
Why did you clean the floor?
Why did you plaster over the hole I punched in the door?
This is where we used to live.”

Bearnaked Ladies lyrics just crack me up. See, there’s humor in music, you just have to search for it. Another fave from BNL? “If I had a million dollars, I’d buy you a green dress (but not a real green dress- that’s cruel)”.

#13- “Run to the Hills” by Iron Maiden

“Riding through dustclouds and barren wastes,
Galloping hard on the plains.
Chasing the redskins back to their holes,
Fighting them at their own game.
Murder for freedom, a stab in the back.
Women and children and cowards attack.”

“Hey…yeah…We’re just going to come over on the Mayflower, have dinner with ya, steal your land and kick the shit out of ya.” Bruce Dickinson joined the band just before this song came out in 1981, and he sang his little heart out. Besides having the best (in my opinion) drums ever in a song, this line just gets me right in the heart…and is probably a cause for me not being allowed to say grace at Thanksgiving anymore.

#12- “Come Sail Away” by Styx

“I thought that they were angels
But come to my surprise
They climbed aboard their starship
And headed for the skies.”

Drugs? Total insanity? Real live aliens? We may never know. Maybe they were really angels and Dennis DeYoung thought their floating cloud was a space ship. Great song (in my opinion), a true classic defining the 70’s.

#11- “I’d Die Without You”by PM Dawn

”Is it my turn to totally understand
To watch you walk out of my life
And not do a damn thing”

This song was originally on the soundtrack for the early 90’s movie “Boomerang” starring Eddie Murphy as a “pseudo-player” who finally falls for a girl who treats him exactly the way he himself treated his ladies of the past. It’s called karma, Ed…deal with it. And PM Dawn did a phenomenal job vocalizing this tale.

#10- “My Own Worst Enemy” by Lit

“Can we forget about the things I said when I was drunk?
I didn’t mean to call you that;
I can’t remember what was said or what you threw at me
Please tell me, Please tell me why?
My car is in the front yard
And I’m sleeping with my clothes on
I came in through the window last night
And you’re gone…gone”

The winner of the Billboard Music Award for the biggest Modern Rock Song of 1999, Lit hit the mainstream with this #1 track. Who hasn’t had a night like this!

#9- “Prayer” by Disturbed

“Let me enlighten you
This is the way I pray
Living just isn’t hard enough
Burn me alive inside
Living my life’s not hard enough
Take everything away”

Ah…Disturbed. Definitely one of Chicago’s finest. David Draiman, you have an awesome voice that ripples down my spine. And you simply add something to the vocals of this song that very few can do…I love the screaming cookie-monster parts…keep it up, Dave!

#8- “Wake Me Up Inside” by Evanesence

”Now that I know what I’m without,
You can’t just leave me.
Breathe into me and make me real
Bring me to life”

Could you just imagine what Amy Lee of Evanescense was thinking about when she wrote and sang this line with the intensity that she did? Her heartfelt plea to some guy who opened her eyes to the world, changing it forever, and that was it. From what I’ve seen, guys do this a lot, and it’s always the ones that you don’t expect to impact your life in that particular way that do it the most. Poor Amy.

#7- “I Saw Red” by Warrant

”If the moon and stars should fall
They’d be easy to replace
I would lift you up to heaven
And you would take their place”

A great song by a great late ‘80’s/early 90’s Hairband- Warrant. Janie Lane, the band’s front man, tells the gripping story of his love and how highly he thinks of her. All of this gets destroyed in the next line of the song when he finds said chick in their bed with another guy. “And I didn’t need to see his face…I saw yours…I saw Red and then I closed the door…I don’t think I’m gonna love you anymore.” Good story, sad, but it made one of the best metal ballads.

#6- “What’s This” by Danny Elfman

“There’s children throwing snowballs
instead of throwing heads
They’re busy building toys
And absolutely no one’s dead.”

Who else besides Danny Elfman could write this song with a catchy tune, helping to make “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas” movie and soundtrack a cult classic for many future generations to enjoy? And of course, Disney got their greedy little hands on it and made it nearly impossible to buy on DVD, as they release a “new and improved” 3D version in theaters for a 3-week engagement every Halloween. Into pop music? Fall Out Boy did an amazing cover of this song that’s available on the special edition soundtrack, along with a Marilyn Manson version of “This is Halloween”. Whoda thunk that Oingo Boingo would have such an impact on our musical world.

#5- “Hey There Delilah” by Plain White T’s

“Hey there Delilah
I’ve got so much left to say
If every simple song I wrote to you
Would take your breath away
I’d write it all
Even more in love with me you’d fall
We’d have it all”

There isn’t a female on the planet that wouldn’t want a line like this written about or for her. Dang. Delilah is certainly one lucky chick. This band’s been around for a while, too. This makes me wonder if this song has been in a laptop or notebook for a decade or so.

#4- “U and Ur Hand” by P!NK

“I’m not here for your entertainment
You don’t really want to mess with me tonight
Just stop and take a second
I was fine before you walked into my life
Cause you know it’s over
Before it began
Keep your drink, just give me the money
It’s just U and UR hand tonight”

Ladies, who doesn’t agree with this line! You go out to a club with your buds. All you’re looking for is to have a good time; to dance, get wasted, and make a total fool of yourself while dancing on the bar and breaking glasses (accidentally of course, but it goes with the package). Guys, of course, have a different idea of why you’re there…for the same reason they are. But you’re not. So random guys start buying you drinks so they can get you trashed and get busy in the parking lot. But you, being the top-notch female that you are, don’t want to hurt their feelings, so you graciously accept–until you get to the point where you’re pissed off beyond recognition. “Keep your drink, just give me the money” is such a great line, as the guys need to realize that they’re wasting their time, but you’ll gladly accept the cash.

#3- “Limelight” by Rush

“All the world’s indeed a stage
We are merely players
Performers and portrayers
Each another’s audience
Outside the gilded cage.”

This amazing trio from the “Great White North” nailed this line, and they knew it better than anyone. Rush held a colossal spot in the late 70’s, early 80’s with album after album reaching the top of the charts. This song is a particular favorite, probably because I love this line so much.

#2- “Can’t Find My Way Home” by Blind Faith

“Come down off your throne and leave your body alone.
Somebody must change.
You are the reason Ive been waiting so long.
Somebody holds the key.
But Im near the end and I just aint got the time
And Im wasted and I cant find my way home.”

Whether you’re stoned and listening to the original version by Blind Faith, buzzing with Joe Cocker on, or completely F.U.B.A.R and in a metalhead mood with House of Lords, this line is just awesome. I personally have several versions of this song, one for every mood that I’m in. Although I must say that Joe Cocker’s is my fave for it is the most versatile.

#1- “Celluloid Heroes” by The Kinks

“Everybody’s a dreamer and everybody’s a star
And everybody’s in show biz, it doesn’t matter who you are.
And those who are successful,
Be always on your guard,
Success walks hand in hand with failure
Along Hollywood Boulevard.”

I was going to put this as my quote in my yearbook, but I opted for David Lee Roth’s immortal quote, “It doesn’t matter if you win or lose, it’s how good you look.” Anyways, this song quote is one of my faves as it’s so true.. for everyone who makes it in life, there are scores who just don’t. One day you’re on top, and the next you’re down in the gutter with people walking all over you. Just look at Britney.