What does that even mean?

Writing songs is a tricky thing.  Some people make it look so easy, but there is a world of things that have to work together just right in order to have a smashing hit.  One big problem is lyrics.  Sure, it seems like a simple task to write something that has meter and rhymes, but unfortunately, it also has to make sense.  Songwriters everywhere know what I'm talking about.

Among all the songs I've penned, the ones that did the best (sold less than a million copies and went plywood!) was the ones that made the most sense to my listeners.  A song tells a story. 9 times out of 10, it is based on true life.  99 times out of 10, the lyrics are meant to be listened to.  999 times out of 10, if the lyrics make no sense, the song becomes the subject of much laughter in it's long and glorious life.

You want examples, I sense. Examples I shall give you:

Ever listen to the Bee Gees?  Listen to the words of "I Started a Joke".  Very pretty melody, you'll find.... but let's just say we're still waiting for the punchline!  The words are a smidgen on the nonsensical side.  Bee Gees fans will argue that you're supposed to interpret the lyrics however you like.  I don't know about you, but that seems like too much work to me.

When I write lyrics, I always check, re-check, and double check what I say.  How many times have I written lyrics that nobody knows what they're supposed to mean?  Lots.  Lots and lots. Check this out.

You find a smile of the greatest degree
in the strangest of places, but at least its for free.

Ok. This is Exhibit A of songwriting on sleepless nights.  But when I wrote it I was indeed smiling.  Don't ask me what it means, I don't quite remember what I was thinking. It probably doesn't matter either.

Now read the lyrics to "Gentle on My Mind".  Hey, THAT'S good writing there.  All lyricists wish they could write as good. Myself included.
I'll leave you now with this small snippet of a song I'm working on as inspiration:

I'm feeling so good
from eating, I'll yell
but my girth is expanding
like the Liberty Bell

If you can figure out what this means, I sure hope you'll explain it to me, too.