How Long Is Too Long Wasn't Long Enough

[Aruntraveller]

High flying, adored, so young, the instant queen
 A rich beautiful thing of all the talents, a cross between
 A fantasy of the bedroom and a saint
 You were just a back street girl
 Hustling and fighting
 Scratching and biting
 High flying, adored, did you believe in your wildest moments
 All this would be yours, that you'd become the lady of them all?

[Nearly Sane]

Just to say nice one Trent!


Everybody
Rock your body
Everybody
Rock your body right
Backstreet's back alright

Oh my God we're back again
Brothers, sisters, everybody sing
Gonna bring the flavour show you how
Gotta question for ya
Better answer now yeah

[Udayana]

If you're happier without me
I'll try not to care
But if you still think about me
Please listen to my prayer

You must know that I've been true
Won't you say that we can start anew
In my sorrow now I turn to you
Please answer me my love
...

[Nearly Sane]

The sweet smell of a great sorrow lies over the land
 Plumes of smoke rise and merge into the leaden sky:
 A man lies and dreams of green fields and rivers,
 But awakes to a morning with no reason for waking

 He's haunted by the memory of a lost paradise
 In his youth or a dream, he can't be precise
 He's chained forever to a world that's departed
 It's not enough, it's not enough

[ekim]

Take my hand
I'm a stranger in Paradise
All lost in a wonderland
A stranger in paradise
If I stand starry eyed
That's a danger in Paradise
For mortals who stand beside
An angel like you

I saw your face
And I ascended
Out of the common place
Into the rarest somewhere in space
I hang suspended
Until I know
There's a chance that you care

[Nearly Sane]

Another part of the symphony
Lost between eternity
But God is in the detail
I know that there's a part of me
Doomed to face infinity
Cause every wave has gotta break
Has gotta break

Have you forgotten the deal we made?
I've seen the end and the pain we trade
All these walls will fall
I guess we're mortal after all

[ekim]

Joshua fit the battle of Jericho
Jericho, Jericho
Joshua fit the battle of Jericho
The walls came tumblin' down, Hallelujah

Joshua fit the battle of Jericho
Jericho, Jericho
Joshua fit the battle of Jericho
And the walls came tumblin' down

You may talk about the men of Gideon
You may talk about the men of Saul
But there're none like good old Joshua
At the battle of Jericho, Hallelujah

[Nearly Sane]

I just a-lose control
Down to my very soul.
I get hot and cold
All over, all over, all over, all over.

I feel the earth move
Under my feet.
I feel the sky tumblin' down, a-tumblin' down.
I feel the earth move
Under my feet.
I feel the sky tumblin' down, a-tumblin' down,
A-tumblin' down, a-tumblin' down,
A-tumblin' down, a-tumblin' down,
Tumblin' down.

[Udayana]

Rhiannon rings like a bell through the night and
Wouldn't you love to love her?
Takes to the sky like a bird in flight and
Who will be her lover?
All your life you've never seen
A woman taken by the wind
Would you stay if she promised you heaven?
Will you ever win?

[ekim]

The bells are ringing for me and my gal,
The birds are singing for me and my gal,
Everybody's been knowing
To a wedding they're going
And for weeks they've been sewing,
Every Susie and Sal.

They're congregating for me and my gal,
The Parson's waiting for me and my gal.
And sometime
We're gonna build a little home for two,
Or three or four or more,
In Love-land for me and my gal.

[Nearly Sane]

When I've been following this thread, I couldn't help but notice certain patterns so I did a bit of analysis on the songs and artists
These are the most frequently posted songs with the number showing how many times they appeared
Blue Skies   6
Dream a Little Dream of Me    6
Love Is a Many Splendoured  Thing   6
With a Song in My Heart   6
Baby, It's Cold Outside   5
Don't Stop Me Now   5
Always Look on the Bright Side of Life   4
Angels   4
Come Fly With Me   4
Rock Around the Clock   4
Ten Cents a Dance   4


34 songs appeared 3 times


As for Artists it's a bit harder, many songs have many versions particularly those in the great American Songbook. I chose the ones that seemed most iconic to me - in some case like New York, New York this is easy but to take an example With a Song In My Heart which occurred 6 times is harder - I went with Mario Lanza as it is the first version I remember. So for artists the count was for those with 10 or higher


Frank Sinatra   37
Ella Fitzgerald   34
The Beatles   28
Nat King Cole   21
Bing Crosby   18
Doris Day   13
Judy Garland   13
Abba   12
Andy Williams   10
Dean Martin   10
Mario Lanza   10
Queen   10


Note I had a section of traditional songs that didn't seem to align to anyone and there 20 of those

I posted this summary just over a year ago so I thought that someone might be interested in an updated version

The songs with more than 4 occurrences are

With a song in my heart   9
Dream a little dream of me   8
Always Look on the Bright Side of Life   6
Blue Skies   6
Don't Stop Me Now   6
Love Is a Many Splendoured  Thing   6
The Power of Love   6*
Baby It's Cold Outside   5
Come Fly With Me   5
It's a Kind of Magic   5
It's a Lovely Day Today   5
No More the Fool   5
Rock Around the Clock   5
All You Need is Love   4
Amoreuse   4
Angels   4
Cry Me a River   4
Devil Gate Drive   4
Everybody Wants to Rule the World   4
Fools Rush In   4
For All We know   4
Hello   4
Homeward Bound   4
I Will Survive   4
In The Still of the Night   4
Moon River   4
On a Clear Day   4
Somewhere over the rainbow   4
Strangers in the Night   4
Ten Cents a Dance   4
Tonight   4
Walk on by   4
Wonderful World   4

* The Power of Love being 2 different songs 4 x the Frankie Goes to Hollywood version, and 2 of the Jennifer Rush - so far no Huey Lewis

Note it has been a bad year for Angels.


For artists

Frank Sinatra   55
Ella Fitzgerald   49
The Beatles   47
Trad.   34
Nat King Cole   28
Abba   24
Bing Crosby   24
Queen   23
Doris Day   22
Judy Garland   21
Simon and Garfunkel   18
Mario Lanza   15
Gene Kelly   14
Billie Holiday   13
Diana Ross and The Supremes   13
Fred Astaire   13
Andy Williams   12
Barbra Streisand   12
Louis Armstrong   12
Theme   12*
Dean Martin   11
Hymn   11
The Rolling Stones   11
Tony Bennett   11
Roy Orbison   10
Vera Lynn   10
Wings   10

* Tv Themes e.g. Happy Days


In addition to Paul McCartney having 47 appearances with the Beatles and 10 with Wings, he had 6 solo appearances and 3 duets.

Paul Simon has a further 7 solo appearances to go along with the 18 S & G.

Fred Astaire and Judy Garland additional 2 duets, and Gene Kelly an additional 2 as part of a trio

[Nearly Sane]

The bells are ringing for me and my gal,
The birds are singing for me and my gal,
Everybody's been knowing
To a wedding they're going
And for weeks they've been sewing,
Every Susie and Sal.

They're congregating for me and my gal,
The Parson's waiting for me and my gal.
And sometime
We're gonna build a little home for two,
Or three or four or more,
In Love-land for me and my gal.

And to get back on track

Been out here for so long
 The road it just stretches on
 Till I stop pretending
 Till I stop pretending

 But the world is an empty frame
 And now you are just a name
 I'll keep it that way
 It's staying that way

 How could I turn around?
 Face the sound of the bell that chimes?
 Ringing out, shrill and loud
 To drag me back down

 But I'm not coming home

[Robbie]

I'm coming home, I'm coming home
Tell the world I'm coming home
Let the rain wash away all of yesterday
I know my kingdom awaits and they've forgiven my mistakes
I'm coming home, I'm coming home
Tell the world that I'm coming

[ekim]

I posted this summary just over a year ago so I thought that someone might be interested in an updated version

Thanks for your sturdy work.  I suspect that I might be the most guilty.  It surprises me how much 'rubbish' remains in my memory banks and how it can be triggered by a single word.  The trouble is, when triggered, I find myself singing it the rest of the day, thereby reinforcing the memory ready to be triggered again.  You can see how advertising jingles work.

[ekim]

 I was tempted with 'Football's coming home but instead...   

I'm comin' home, I've done my time
Now I've got to know what is and isn't mine
If you received my letter telling you I'd soon be free
Then you'll know just what to do
If you still want me, if you still want me
Whoa, tie a yellow ribbon 'round the ole oak tree
It's been three long years, do you still want me?
If I don't see a ribbon round the ole oak tree
I'll stay on the bus, forget about us, put the blame on me
If I don't see a yellow ribbon 'round the ole oak tree

[Aruntraveller]

Take the ribbon from my hair
Shake it loose and let it fall
Layin' soft against your skin
Like the shadows on the wall
Come and lay down by my side
'til the early morning light
All I'm taking is your time
Help me make it through the night


Can I add my vote of thanks to Ekims for NS's analysis. I'll hold my hand up I'm responsible for McCartney related lyrics quite frequently, as well as Paul Simon. And Doris.

[Nearly Sane]

Wake up late honey put on your clothes
Take your credit card to the liquor store
That's one for you and two for me by tonight
I'll be loaded like a freight train
Flyin' like an aeroplane
Feelin' like a space brain
One more time tonight

I'm on the nightrain
Bottoms up
I'm on the nightrain
Fill my cup
I'm on the nightrain
Ready to crash and burn
I never learn
I'm on the nightrain
I love that stuff
I'm on the nightrain
I can never get enough
I'm on the nightrain
Never to return - no

[Robbie]

Last train to San Fernando, last train to San Fernando
if you miss the one, you'll never get another one
Bee dee dee dee bom bom, to San Fernando

(I remember my uncle playing that when I was little)

[Aruntraveller]

Take the last train to Clarksville
And I'll meet you at the station
You can be there by four-thirty
'Cause I've made your reservation, don't be slow
Oh, no, no, no
Oh, no, no, no

'Cause I'm leaving in the morning
And I must see you again
We'll have one more night together
Till the morning brings my train and I must go
Oh, no, no, no
Oh, no, no, no

And I don't know if I'm ever coming home

[Nearly Sane]

Train whistle blowing makes a sleepy noise
Underneath their blankets go all the girls and boys

Rocking rolling riding out along the bay
All bound for Morningtown many miles away

[Aruntraveller]

Casey Jones
 Steamin' and rollin'
 Casey Jones
 You never have to guess
 When you hear the tootin' of the whistle
 It's Casey at the throttle of the Cannonball Express

[Nearly Sane]

Me and Mrs. Jones
We got a thing goin'on
We both know that it's wrong
But it's much too strong
To let it go now

We meet every day at the same cafe
Six-thirty and no one knows she'll be there
Holding hands, making all kinds of plans
While the juke box plays our favorite songs

[Aruntraveller]

Cafe on the left bank, ordinary wine
Touching all the girls with your eyes
Tiny crowd of Frenchmen round a tv shop
Watching Charles de Gaulle makes a speech
Dancing after midnight, sprawling to the car
Continental breakfast in the bar
English speaking people drinking German beer
Talking far too loud for their ears

[Nearly Sane]

It's quite the fashion, the Continental
Because you tell of your love while you dance
You kiss while you're dancing
It's continental, ooh, it's continental

You sing while you're dancing
Your voice is gentle and so sentimental
You'll know before the dance is through
That you're in love with her and she's in love with you

[Aruntraveller]

Gonna take a sentimental journey
Gonna set my heart at ease
Gonna make a sentimental journey
To renew old memories

Got my bag, got my reservation
Spent each dime I could afford
I'm like a child in wild anticipation
I long to hear that "All aboard"