Advanced Jnomics

Some songs have blatant lies in them. Some have misleading advice. Other tunes have advice that will literally get you killed if you do it. Even more than this, some set amazingly poor examples.

For blatant lies how about Cat Stevens - Into White?

“I built my house from barley rice
Green pepper walls and water ice”

I must admit that I’m not actually a structural engineer or involved in the construction business at all, but I’m fairly sure a house made from rice just wouldn’t be able to satisfy the criteria needed to gain planning permission. Even if a house made entirely out of barley rice DID manage to get the relevant documents needed to start construction, I’d wager a considerable sum that “Green Pepper” is not on the list of suitable fire protection materials. Health hazard if I ever heard one, simply wouldn’t get its HMO. Anyway, a house constructed from Barley Rice and Green Peppers is probably an affront to Allah.

“Walk on hot coals,
Sleep on a bed of nails,
Walk on thin ice,
Skate on razor blades”

Oh Rory Gallagher, what do you take me for? I certainly will NOT walk on hot coals, skate on razor blades (especially not on thin ice! I’d fall into water cold enough to kill me in minutes!)…sleeping on a bed of nails would be okay provided the nails were close enough together, i suppose. Still…the rest of the song is like the script for a bad episode of 999 Rescue. Rory takes it for sheer irresponsibility. Lets not forget that the remainder of the song could be made into an advert for the Samaritans.