Looking for songs with good/interesting verses..

[OliviaMumsnet]

Don't really do lullabies so have been lulling DS (10 months) to sleep with songs from iTunes with lots of verses to keep me awake

So current (rather eclectic) repertoire includes:
Tom's Diner - Suzanne Vega
Nothing Ever Happens- Del Amitri
American Pie- Don McLean
Somebody - Depeche Mode
Hang On Little Tomato - Pink Martini
Amado Mio - Pink Martini
I used to know all the words to Mediate by INXS but preg/baby brain has robbed me of this "party trick"

Any other good songs that have interesting verses?

What have I missed?

TIA

the kinks do a nice line in wordy verses. Autumn Almanac, Dedicated Follower of Fashion and Waterloo Sunset are all top lullaby choices here.

Also Belle and Sebastian - Boy with the Arab Strap

Boy with the Arab Strap is fantastic as a lullaby, really sends dd off!

This CD might give you some ideas.

am I allowed another one ?

Billy Bragg is also fab - Great Leap Forwards, New England and St. Swithun's Day.

The Smiths would be great!

And if a doub;le decker bus
Crashes into us
To die in your arms is such a heavenly way to die...

Ok maybe not.
And also that's the chorus!

anything by simon & garfunkel [hippy]

scarborough fair is beautiful...my dc's loved it as babies (still do)

mine always liked the village green preservation society by the kinks for some reason

Everybody Knows (That I Love You) by Divine Comedy:

'I told all of my friends
Again and again and again
I drove them round the bend
So now you're my only friend
I told the passers by
I made a small boy cry ...'

Or their immortal 'If':

'If you were a horse
I'd clean the crap out of your stable
And never once complain'

Roberta Flack 'strumming my fate'

I am just as likely to sing

I used to ride with a vending - machine repair man
He said he'd been down this road more than twice
He was high on intellectualisms
I've never been there but the bro 'sure' looks nice

right up close to my poor babies chops!

lol...must admit, i used to play alot of pearl jam to them aswell

..listen & learn kid's....listen & learn!

I always sang dds to sleep with a gothic medley of Alone Again, Gilbert O'Sullivan, Slipsliding Away, Paul Simon, and Small Victories by Faith No More -

DH used to find it baffling yet amusing to hear me croon, maternally, the lyric

"IF I SPEAK AT ONE CONSTANT VOLUME AT ONE CONSTANT PITCH
AT ONE CONSTANT RHYTHM RIGHT INTO YOUR EAR, YOU STILL WON'T HEAR"

at a squawking newborn.

Good plan though, interesting lyrics help. Just don't get them hooked, it doesn't go down well with Nana to have to hum Leonard Cohen because "it's the only thing that gets her to sleep"

a bit of This Mortal coil 'song to the siren'

leanne womack - I hope you dance

Procol Harum