| When you were young and your heart Was an open book You used to say live and let live (Sound familiar? You know it does, you know it does) You know it does – So keep singing) But in this ever changing world In which we're living Makes you give in and cry (Right? No – wrong!) |  |
Okay, my mind was blown this morning when I learned that the line “But IN this ever changing world” is not the way McCartney wrote it. The actual lyric is “But IF this ever changing world in which we’re living makes you give in and cry,” and the change from “IN” to “IF” corrects the grammatical issue with the line –
But I say, “Grammatical problems or not, live and let write!” LOL.
Yes, I’ve been talking about issues with grammar in song lyrics and poems, and yesterday I posted Dickinson’s “The Soul should always stand ajar" (HERE). A problem in that poem occurs in line 5, “Depart before the Host have slid.”
But take a look below: Pic 1 shows the poem as it appears in the Johnson, Franklin, and Miller editions of “complete poems”; pic 2 shows a site where I found the poem – and the editor(s) corrected the grammar and posted “Depart, before the host has slid / the bolt upon the door”; pic 3 shows the second stanza in Dickinson’s handwriting – and she clearly wrote “the Host have.” (Click the images to enlarge.)
But I say, “Grammatical problems or not, live and let write!” LOL.
Yes, I’ve been talking about issues with grammar in song lyrics and poems, and yesterday I posted Dickinson’s “The Soul should always stand ajar" (HERE). A problem in that poem occurs in line 5, “Depart before the Host have slid.”
But take a look below: Pic 1 shows the poem as it appears in the Johnson, Franklin, and Miller editions of “complete poems”; pic 2 shows a site where I found the poem – and the editor(s) corrected the grammar and posted “Depart, before the host has slid / the bolt upon the door”; pic 3 shows the second stanza in Dickinson’s handwriting – and she clearly wrote “the Host have.” (Click the images to enlarge.)
 |  |  |
In the poem, is “Host” referring to the “He” in line 3 (i.e., God) – and when he comes to inquire for you, you’d better move it before he shuts and bolts that door to Heaven?
Or is “host” a collective noun referring to a “Heavenly Host” (of angels), and they guard the door, and if you don’t step to it when God comes to “inquire” for you, they will shut and bolt the door toot sweet?
If the “Host” is used as a collective noun, should it be treated as singular or plural?
Typically, collective nouns are singular in form. However, there are exceptions to this rule, and there are times when a collective noun is treated as a plural – typically when the members or components of a group are acting individually rather than as a unit; for example, “The choir were all warming up in different keys.”
Which sounds better to you, “the Host has” or “the Host have”? Which way would you write it?
Or is “host” a collective noun referring to a “Heavenly Host” (of angels), and they guard the door, and if you don’t step to it when God comes to “inquire” for you, they will shut and bolt the door toot sweet?
If the “Host” is used as a collective noun, should it be treated as singular or plural?
Typically, collective nouns are singular in form. However, there are exceptions to this rule, and there are times when a collective noun is treated as a plural – typically when the members or components of a group are acting individually rather than as a unit; for example, “The choir were all warming up in different keys.”
Which sounds better to you, “the Host has” or “the Host have”? Which way would you write it?
| Now, back to some song lyrics, specifically that song by the Eurythmics, “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of These)” – or is it “This”? LOL. |  |
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