Section 5: The Songs - Lyrics

5.1 - Where can I find the lyrics to [name of song]?
I'm working on getting them all done here. You can click the 'music' link and the titles of the songs there are links to info pages including lyrics. I've only done half the albums though. For other locations (less accurate though), there is a thorough list (including non-album tracks) at Mysd.org with lyrics. I suggest you look there. You can also go to yahoo and look up barenaked lyrics "song title" and usually come up with a few hits.

5.2 - Why are the lyrics for certain songs different from those listed in the liner notes?
Some prominent changed lyrics in liners include added lines in One Week, an Unfinished, Parts like choruses listed where they aren't sung, and various single words that seem wrong (often pronouns and such).

In terms of the missing verse lines, those are lyrics that were written, but decided to be cut from the song. They were included either in error (the edits may have happened after the lyrics were submitted), or because BNL wanted to show you some bonus lyrics even though they didn't want them in the song. As for little pronouns and things, I'm not sure who writes out the liner notes for the albums.
a) The band may turn in their written-out lyrics. If so, they may have sang a line differently from how they had it written.
b) Someone at the label may get the song and transcribe, but that would negate the added lyrics unless they were given pre-final recordings of the song. They also are pretty accurate for this to be the case unless they are given a recording mixed with just the vocals. I suspect that it's option a).

5.3 - Why do some of the songs sung at BNL's concerts have different lyrics than the album versions?
That's just the way BNL does things and most fans wouldn't have it any other way. It's part of BNL's style and it's one of the quirks that fans come to enjoy. Often the lyric changes are topical and humourous ("I just made you throw underwear" is a common change in Pinch Me at shows where underwear is thrown.) And other times it's just because that's how the singer of that particular song feels like singing it that night.

5.4 - Do BNL songs contain lyrics from songs by other artists?
Occasionally, BNL pays homage to other artists by using (or referencing) lyrics in their songs:

Hello City (lyrics from the song Happy Hour, by the Housemartins):
"What a good place to be, / Don't believe them, / 'Cause they speak a different language / And it's never been happy for me. / It's Happy Hour again"

King Of Bedside Manor - "Styx! Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto..." (referencing lyrics from a Styx song)

Straw Hat & Old Dirty Hank (Note that BNL flipped the lyrics so that 'you' and 'me' are reversed)
"Spread your tiny wings and fly away" (from Snowbird by Anne Murray")
"I cried a tear, you wiped it dry" (from You Needed Me by Anne Murray)
"You put me high upon a pedestal" (from You Needed Me by Anne Murray)

"[Chickity China the Chinese Chicken] is a reference to Chickity Chaco, the Chocolate chicken as said by Busta Rhymes in the Tribe Called Quest song "Scenario"" - Steve, yahoo chat, 1999

As well, several songs contain titles of other songs/albums:
Blame It On Me - "Blame It On The Rain" (Milli Vanilli song)
Brian Wilson - "Fun Fun Fun" & "Smiley Smile" (Beach Boys song and album respectively)
Grade 9 - "Stairway To Heaven" (Led Zeppelin song)
In The Car - "Sandinista" (Clash triple album)
When You Dream - "Runaway" (Del Shannon song)

I'm sure I'm missing some...

5.5 - Is that Depeche Mode at the beginning of Enid?
Nope. The opening to Enid was recorded specifically for the song, and was intentionally performed to sound like Depeche Mode. The actual vocalist is producer Michael-Phillip Wojewoda.

5.6 - What's Ed singing at the end of Enid?
Immediately following "I can do it all for you / But I don't want to", while Steve is singing the chorus, Ed can be heard singing another verse in the background. The words are:

"I could teach you how to dance, how to sing, how to knit, how to make things that you never ever made before.
Enid I could teach you how to use cookie cutters to make crazy things out of Playdoh.
Little houses, little farms, little accessories for your Mom, for your Barbie set, for your friends, and your family.
Enid I could teach you to snowmobile, cross-country ski, snowshoe - but I don't want to!"

Ed usually improvs these lines if the song is done in concert (At one show, the lyrics to Pearl Jam's Jeremy were used), so it's different every time, live.
As well, Andy (now Kevin) and Jim sing "Drive you to dances, Pay for your night school" twice over Steve and Ed.
You can turn the balance of your stereo/computer all the way to the right. Ed's vocals are almost entirely balanced to the right.

5.7 - What are the "secret noises" in Crazy?
The liner notes for Gordon credit several band members with performing "secret noises" on Crazy. There are two likely candidates for these "secret noises":
In the instrumental portion near the end of the song, a variety of sounds and vocals can be heard in the background. There is audio from Ed's student film I believe.
At the end of Gordon, there is a collection of outtakes that is called "Dat Fodder". This follows at the end of the same track Crazy is on. This may be what is credited.

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