Every Friday I set my music player to shuffle and list off lyrics from the first ten songs that pop up — then it’s up you you, dear reader, to get into the comments and identify the artists and song titles.
Last week, John walked away with two songs and eight went unidentified. The answers are posted, or you can listen to the playlist of all ten tracks over at YouTube! Among the batch was Harry Nilsson’s “Coconut,” and while the version that came up on my player was, in fact, Harry Nilsson’s version, the only cover version of it you’ll find on my music player is Fred Schneider’s absolutely balls-to-the-wall freak-out.
Some ground rules before we get into the lyrics:
- No searchin’ (Asking ChatGPT/Grok/Whoever counts as searchin’)
- I’ll give credit for covers, but only if I can find the cover
- If you get close and nobody gets closer, you get the point
And now, the lyrics for this week’s 10!
- Am I left to burn, and burn eternally?
- I know Jesus loves me — maybe just a little bit more
- The Reverend Smith, he recognized me — he punched me in the nose
- Is there so much hate for the ones we love?
- You marry me, your father will disown you
The Spin Doctors, “Two Princes” 📺
Identified by John - Not even God takes this long to get back
- And I’m a bad boy ’cause I don’t even miss her
Tom Petty, “Free Fallin'” 📺
Identified by John - And it’s breakin’ my heart you’re leavin’ — baby, I’m grievin’
- The more you know, the less you gotta guess on
- Who said that every wish would be heard and answered?
Willie Nelson, “The Rainbow Connection” (Cover of a song by Paul Williams made famous by The Muppets) 📺
Identified by John
Now, as I write this, Thudfactor has only three lyrics left to guess if you’re looking for more lyrical fun!

5. Two Princes, the Spin Doctors
7. Free Falling, Tom Petty
10. Rainbow Connection, and I’ve got to go with the big Muppets version at the end of the Muppet Movie
#8 I know the song title, but not the artist.
Nicely done! Although, weirdly enough, it’s not the big Muppets version, but a cover recorded by Willie Nelson.