Bono's captain obvious lines

[Alisaura]

A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle. Of course he didn't originate that, but that's rather obvious

Out of curiosity, what are the origins of the fish/bicycle line?
I heard David Attenborough refer to it in a nature documentary (some guy in Africa was carrying this massive fish on the back of his bicycle - see, some fish DO need them!), and I remember wondering at the time if David Attenborough was a U2 fan.

 

[biff]

From an Interent source (one of many that say pretty much the same thing):

Often attributed to Gloria Steinem. However, Gloria Steinem herself had this to say in a letter she wrote to Time magazine in autumn 2000:

"In your note on my new and happy marital partnership with David Bale, you credit me with the witticism 'A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle.' In fact, Irina Dunn, a distinguished Australian educator, journalist and politician, coined the phrase back in 1970 when she was a student at the University of Sydney."

 

[~BrightestStar~]

When it comes to my interpretation of what this thread is looking for, I think the lines Biff's been giving fit the best.

"I'm wide awake....I'm not sleeping"

Doesn't matter if the line bad or good, the line is obvious. As in, if you're wide awake I sure as heck hope you aren't sleeping....

 

[last unicorn]

The word "obvious" here, for me, comes with a bit of a negative connotation, which it shouldn't, because I love most of the lyrics pointed out here. Many of them have a poetic meaning that goes beyond the surface. And some of it is simply emphasized by repetition etc. I guess in literature some of it would be problematic, but in music it adds to the emotional impact.

 

[JCOSTER]

^ agreed...I love these lyrics, maybe instead of obvious it should be opposite meanings.

 

[Alisaura]

From an Interent source (one of many that say pretty much the same thing):

Often attributed to Gloria Steinem. However, Gloria Steinem herself had this to say in a letter she wrote to Time magazine in autumn 2000:

"In your note on my new and happy marital partnership with David Bale, you credit me with the witticism 'A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle.' In fact, Irina Dunn, a distinguished Australian educator, journalist and politician, coined the phrase back in 1970 when she was a student at the University of Sydney."

Aha... thanks for the info, biff.

 

[JCOSTER]

Megalomania starts at an early age.

 

[Varitek]

The only pain is to feel nothing at all.

You say you'll give me eyes in a moon of blindness.

If I could throw this lifeless, Lifeline to the wind.

Like a siren she calls to me .

None of these are obvious IMO.

 

[Varitek]

Don't find yourself in someone else, always

You got to cry with out weeping

Scream without raising your voice

A song that I can sing in my own company

The only baggage you can bring
Is all that you can't leave behind

A place that has to be believed to be seen

And I would chase you down the wind

Tiny hand with a grip on the world

Still not feeling the obviousness in any of these... Maybe the baggage one, but it clearly has a different meaning than the obvious one.

 

[Varitek]

Many of those mentioned are not necessarily obvious; for instance, "lights go down, it's dark" is dependent upon the original intensity of the lights. Very bright lights can "go down" and still not create complete darkness, only a greater degree of darkness relative to the original state. "As empty as a vacant lot," however, is redundant. I always wished that that line would be changed, as well as "baby, can we still be friends?"

I completely agree with empty as a vacant lot, always brings me slightly out of one of my favorite songs. But why would you strike "baby can we still be friends?" I think it's a beautiful part of the song - the song is about the end of an elicit relationship, the longing and loving of someone even though its over, and that encapsulates it, he still wants contact. Also it comes in the verse about her doing things because he asked, so he's asking her for another thing here.

 

[JCOSTER]

Still not feeling the obviousness in any of these... Maybe the baggage one, but it clearly has a different meaning than the obvious one.

Ahhhh, com'on give me a break.