A Words on the words

ONE of the greatest compliments that could be paid is: “You have a good turn of phrase”. It is the writing equivalent of being told you are beautiful.

An elegant sentence flows like honey. Here’s one The Sunday Post’s Scone Spy used recently about a café and attached shop: “The place is full of regulars nosing among the knick-knackery”. The alliteration of “nosing among the knickknackery” is a delight.

I enjoy clever phrases like: “Everyone wants to be different and I’m the same.”

A collection of honed phrases is called poetry. In the 19th Century, palefaced, delicate young men would impress their lady loves by penning verses. Today’s young men do the same thing, but put the words to music.

Some of the most heartfelt phrases ever written are in songs.

Everywhere y you listen, there’s a clever lyric. I was always impressed by The Eagles singging: “Some drink to remember, some drink to forget”. It’s a novel’s worth of characterisation in eight words.

Similarly, little-known rockers Company Of Wolves sang: “You think we’ll work it out in some restaurant. I’ve got my reservations.” It says everything about the differences

between two lovers – the double meaning in “reservations” is ingenious.

Janice Joplin’s: “Freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose” is downright brilliant.

Genesis told us: “The sands of time were eroded by the river of constant change”. And that’s true.

Once you start thinking of great lyrics, it is difficult to stop. Simon and Garfunkel’s: “The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls” is a timeless protest.

And love songs have contained some glorious lyrics, such as Dire Straits’ “Juliet, when we made love you used to cry. You said I love you like the stars above, I’ll love you till I die”.

Leonard Cohen’s much-covered Hallelujah intones: “All I’ve ever learned from love was how to shoot at someone who outdrew you.” It leaves you with a heartache, homesick for a place you’ve never been.

Forlorn memories provide the strongest phrasing of all. The Beatles mourned: “I know I’ll never lose affection for people and things that went before. I know I’ll often stop and think about them. In my life, I love you more.” It’s the language at its best.

Everyone will have their favourite song lyric. What’s yours?