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Sour Suite Lyrics
Don’t wanna listen to my telephone ring
Or sing ding-a-ling or talk about a thing
Not this morning
Don’t wanna think about the night before
Or maybe it’s a bore behind an open door
Got no time for that this morning
If I had the mind or I had the time
Maybe I could throw together a new kind of rhyme
And tell about my warning
But it’s too late now.
It's too late now.
It's too late now.
I don’t wanna think about a runaway dad
That took away the only thing that I never had
Don’t even miss him this morning
I don’t wanna think about a cold goodbye
Or a high school buddy got a little too high
I can’t help him out this morning
Reviewers laugh at me so I go out to sea
And perhaps it’s just as well cause I’d rather be in hell
Than be a wealthy man this morning
But it’s too late now.
It's too late now.
It's too late now.
Whatever happened to images cause now they’re gone
And worn-out phrases just keep a hangin’ on
Whatever happened to homes as opposed to houses
The conversation sinks as the evening drowses
It’s just like 46201.
It's just like 46201.
Whatever happened to early morning open skies
And broken faces, half with melting eyes
Enough of riddles that just play with time
Cause I’m still here and I can’t beg a dime
I’m back here in 46201.
I’m back here in 46201.
Something better's waiting for me around the corner now
I got to find it and try and hang on for a little while
I'm back here in 46201.
There's gotta be a few small changes made
Don’t wanna listen to my telephone ring
Or sing ding-a-ling or talk about a thing ...
Leave me alone this morning.
Or sing ding-a-ling or talk about a thing
Not this morning
Don’t wanna think about the night before
Or maybe it’s a bore behind an open door
Got no time for that this morning
If I had the mind or I had the time
Maybe I could throw together a new kind of rhyme
And tell about my warning
But it’s too late now.
It's too late now.
It's too late now.
That took away the only thing that I never had
Don’t even miss him this morning
I don’t wanna think about a cold goodbye
Or a high school buddy got a little too high
I can’t help him out this morning
Reviewers laugh at me so I go out to sea
And perhaps it’s just as well cause I’d rather be in hell
Than be a wealthy man this morning
But it’s too late now.
It's too late now.
It's too late now.
And worn-out phrases just keep a hangin’ on
Whatever happened to homes as opposed to houses
The conversation sinks as the evening drowses
It’s just like 46201.
It's just like 46201.
And broken faces, half with melting eyes
Enough of riddles that just play with time
Cause I’m still here and I can’t beg a dime
I’m back here in 46201.
I’m back here in 46201.
I got to find it and try and hang on for a little while
I'm back here in 46201.
There's gotta be a few small changes made
Or sing ding-a-ling or talk about a thing ...
Leave me alone this morning.
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This is the best song by Guess Who i dont care what its about its frikkin awesome
His real father deserted the family when Burton was 5. The reference to "46201" is a real American zip code in Indianapolis. Supposedly, Burton became vey attached to a fan who lived there. Now things haven't worked out, and "it's just like 46201."
I take it as a song about a road weary performer who has real issues in his life, and is reserving the morning to ruminate about them. Toni Tennille even wrote a song about this, entitled "The Good Song.' She describes being so down that the mere thought of taking the stage terrifies here, but she does it anyway.
The number 46201 is Jean Valjean's prisoner number in Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. Since Burton Cummings is well educated, this is most likely the meaning of the lyric, probably relating his situation to that of Jean Valjean's Read more at http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/6888/#ZmgQfGULHMLjfyXQ.99
The number 46201 is Jean Valjean's prisoner number in Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. Since Burton Cummings is well educated, this is most likely the meaning of the lyric, probably relating his situation to that of Jean Valjean's Read more at http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/6888/#ZmgQfGULHMLjfyXQ.99
@donutbandit oh Lord, of course it's an area code. I was always thinking of it as a room number. 😂
@donutbandit oh Lord, of course it's an area code. I was always thinking of it as a room number. 😂
I think Burton Cummings was in a depressed mood about his life when he wrote this. To me it's basically pointing out the negatives in his life and how they've effected him. Even though he was well in health and money when he wrote this, it won't remove what's happened.
Overall maybe to the listeners it should just mean that you can't always be heartbroken or thoughtless by what has happened, instead use your mind to change your life to the better.
The number 46201 is Jean Valjean's prisoner number in Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. Since Burton Cummings is well educated, this is most likely the meaning of the lyric, probably relating his situation to that of Jean Valjean's Read more at http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/6888/#x1y0EHtjPtVcpQgS.99
The number 46201 is Jean Valjean's prisoner number in Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. Since Burton Cummings is well educated, this is most likely the meaning of the lyric, probably relating his situation to that of Jean Valjean's Read more at http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/6888/#x1y0EHtjPtVcpQgS.99
Less important, but worth noting:
RCA was a major employer in Indianapolis until the mid 1990's. Not just RCA Records (its main US pressing and tape plant was in Indianapolis), but also RCA's electronics division, where everything from TV sets to tape players and much more. The presence was so great that the main sports arena was called the "RCA Dome".
Today, very little of RCA's presence remains in Indianapolis.
I and my hubby lived in 46201 about the time this came UT in the 80s, Indianapolis, NAPTOWN. We got out a few years later but came back for employment in the early 90s. The last of the lyrics of this song could be my words. Now a widow, don't want to put with people anymore always wanting something. Yep, back in 46201 alright!! If Burton had a bad relationship with a gal here, he lucked out and got away. I'll die here, no doubt, but I'd never heard this song until a week ago and I honestly laughed my butt off!!! Could be worse.
@CatMommy23 oh my gosh this is so funny. Thanks for sharing.
@CatMommy23 oh my gosh this is so funny. Thanks for sharing.
this song is so amazing. definetly my favorite from the guess who. so haunting.
This may not be one of the more central themes of this song, but I think that from a more general view you could say that there are messages buried within this song about the emptiness of consumer culture. Feels like today especially in Westernized society we place a lot of emphasis and importance on material goods and possessions, believing them to have some sort of intrinsic value that will bring us happiness. I would suggest that this song points out the true hollowness of these material goods, and how they by no means guarantee your happiness. Cummings describes in this song how he would "rather be in hell/than be a wealthy man this morning" because in the end, wealth and money isn't enough to provide for you a happy or even fulfilling life. Additionally he comments on modern society's growing sense of depersonalization - "whatever happened to homes as opposed to houses" seems to again indicate how today everything that matters to us has become very distanced and reduced to a material status rather than one that has personal significance to the individual.
Such a great song, probably my favourite by them.
@owlphilosopher Agree 100% and extremely relevant here in 2024.
@owlphilosopher Agree 100% and extremely relevant here in 2024.
this song is so amazing. definetly my favorite from the guess who. so haunting.
Interesting story about this song (to me anyway!) I had this song on an 8-track as a teenager in the 70's. I played it till it broke. Years later I tried to remember the song but could only remember it had numbers in the lyrics. I even googled looking for it. Then one day I heard it on XM. Glad to have it back in my life.
Interesting story about this song (to me anyway!) I had this song on an 8-track as a teenager in the 70's. I played it till it broke. Years later I tried to remember the song but could only remember it had numbers in the lyrics. I even googled looking for it. Then one day I heard it on XM. Glad to have it back in my life.
I just like the title.
The number 46201 is Jean Valjean's prisoner number in Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. Since Burton Cummings is well educated, this is most likely the meaning of the lyric, probably relating his situation to that of Jean Valjean's.
Close, but not quite. Jean Valjean's number is 24601.
Close, but not quite. Jean Valjean's number is 24601.
@phantassee Burton attended St. John's High School. He dropped out of school, due to poor grades, when he was sixteen. Forty-five years later, in 2010, his former high school awarded him an honorary diploma. Great musician/songwriter/singer not so much well-educated.
@phantassee Burton attended St. John's High School. He dropped out of school, due to poor grades, when he was sixteen. Forty-five years later, in 2010, his former high school awarded him an honorary diploma. Great musician/songwriter/singer not so much well-educated.