Songs About Stuttering: Lists
Assembled by Judy Kuster
Note: These resources have been gathered over many years. Some of the links may no longer work. Please be patient. We are continually fixing them.
There are songs that have the word "stutter" or "stammer" in them, but stuttering is not actually part of the song itself. Rather, the word is incidental or is used as an illustration. Below are several examples send by Johnnie Nielsen from Denmark. If you care to check the lyrics, you can access them at the
International Lyrics Server
by typing in the title of the song.
- Stutter by Elastica.
- Gone Like The Swallows by And Also the Trees.
- I Will Follow You by Bed and Breakfast.
- Under A Mountain by Black Crowes
- Subterranean Experience by Ella Blame
- Killing Time by Anne Clark
- The Old Revolution by Leonard Cohen
- The Window by Leonard Cohen
- No Deeper Meaning by Culture Beat
- Make Love Like A Man by Def Leppard
- Running Through The Backbrain by Hawkwind
- Make It Ruff by Ice Cube
- Ballad Of A Well-Known Gun by Elton John
- Chuck E.'s In Love by Rickie Lee Jones
- What Time Is Love? by Klf
- A Terra Firma Welcome by Legendary Pink Dots
- Symphony Of Tourette by Manic Street Preachers
- Incubus by Marillion
- Carrying The Banner by Alan Menken
- Stranger In The Mirror by Ookla The Mok
- Cap In Hand by Proclaimers
- Black Hole Sun by Soundgarden
- Starcrazy by Suede
- Introducing The Band by Suede
- Killing Of A Flash Boy by Suede
- Face Dances Part Two by Pete Townshend
- The Sea Refuses No River by Pete Townshend
- Rusted Pipe by Suzanne Vega
- The Punk Meets The Godfather by Who
- Penthouse Eyes by Zz Top
- "N-N-Nervous" by Ian Whitcomb (suggested by Martijn Stoffer)
-
Stuttering Dick (and His Stuttering Sweetheart) - by Edward Meeker, 1908
Several songs with the word stutter or stammer were uncovered in
AZ Lyrics
. A few are referred to in the above list. Some of these lyrics are "R" rated. What is below documents that the lyrics refer to stuttering or stammer. If the reference couldn't be made without the "R" rating, it was not included. For more information about the lyrics, it is suggested you search the AZ Lyrics site.
- Stutter, by Joe - "I can tell you're lying, because when you're replying, Stutter, stutters, stutter, stutters. I can tell you're lying."
- Put Ur Hands Up by Family Force 5 - "This is a stickup, yo, I didn't hiccup or stutter."
- Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Rihanna - "All you have to do is say my name. Just a stutter more like butter."
- Wait Until Tomorrow by John Mayer - "Hearing strange words stutter from the mixed mind of you "
- Myself by Ying Yang Twins - "Shorty, did I stutter?"
- Choices by Mudvayne - "Follow truth or stutter through a lie."
- Reflections by Atmosphere - "Came to take a piece and make you stutter when you breathe."
- Best Man by Jagged Edge - "Should've known when I asked a questions you couldn't even look me in my eyes no more than you start to st-st-stutter. . ."
- The Bomb by Ice Cube - "And still never hesitate to stutter step or bust a repetition on the mic."
- Make it Ruff, Make it Smooth by Ice Cube - "never ever stutter but i'm b-b-butter"
- Make Love Like a Man by Def Leppard - "Crazy little girl gonna stutter 'n' stammer."
- For You I Will by Teddy Geiger - "For you I will. Forgive me if I St-stutter."
- Did Ya' Understand That by Willa Ford - "Do I stutter when I speak."
- Yeah, Yeah, Yeah by Uncle Kracker - "I might stutter when I talk but I say what I see."
- No Stranger to Shame by Uncle Kracker - "and I might sway. I might stutter just a bit but that's ok."
- Christmas Day by Jim White - "The burden of love is the fuel of bad grammar. You stutter and stammer."
- Temporary Insanity by Alexz Johnson - "My confusion shows whenever you get so close. I stumble, I stutter, forget what to say. I'm nervous."
- Shake by 5ive - "PPP Poor Boy start to stutter."
- The People by Nesian Mystik - "Instant stutter becomes a hazard to regulation."
- The Grunge by RZA - "Have me walk around, talkin' backward with stutter speak like tuh tuh tuh tuh tuh buh buh buh buh"
- Falling Apart by Zebrahead - "Stutter step through another trap set by deception."
- Special Delivery by G-Dep - ""I'm gutter what I utter got you timid hesitatin like I stutter Oxy moron don't be dumb."
- Rusted Pipe by Suzanne Vega - "Gurgle, mutter, hiss, stutter, moan the words like water."
- Twitch by Christina Milian - "First you lie, start to stutter. What's your problem?"
- Stuttering by Wild Orchid - "telling lies, y-you're stuttering. Your lies are all over I have to wonder. It's just a little. Then why do you stutter. Don't say you're s-s-sorry."
- Love Your Starfish by I Mother Earth - "To hesitate, to reel and stutter in a free fall."
- What If by 112 - "What if you ever asked me a question and I didn't stut-stut-stutter all of the time?"
- Headz Up by Nappy Roots - "I ain't stutter. Getcha mind outta the gutter and pass the butter."
- Time and Time Again by Chronic Futue - "And if I stutter I'm sorry."
- They Don't Know by Spooks - "Inside a cheddar stack. I don't stutter."
- Special Delivery by P. Diddy - "What I utter bot you timid hesitatin like a stutter."
- Gutter by Shystie - "Making people shocked so they stutter."
- Mad Man by The Hives - "and I believe I stu stu stutter when I speak. Mad mad mad."
- I Can Do U by Fat Joe - "excuse if I stutter."
- Martyr by Shyne - "I did not stutter, you heard me this is utter, reality."
- Perfection by Run DMC - "I won't flop. Stall or stutter yes I won't stop."
- The Old Revolution by Leonard Cohen - "Lately you've started to stutter as though you had nothing to say."
- Nothing Like It by Beanie Sigel - "thought that I would stutter, huh, thought I was dumb."
- Have My Cheese by Trick Daddy - "I might talk low but I don't stutter."
- American Bad Ass by Kid Rock - "And I did not stutter when I said that I'm going platinum."
- Thugz Cry by Bizzy Bone - "I didn't stutter but what if I lost it and came in the office."
- Here We Come by Timbaland and Magoo - "Stutter is what I do in trouble."
- The Session by The Roots - Well umm, yik yik, yak yak, chi chi chi ka SPLACK Thoughts that I stutter."
- Champagne From A Paper Bup by Death Cab for Cutie - "A sad-sorry state, stutter step."
- Breathe, Stretch, Shake by Ma$e - "Kids in the hood stutter it's a it's a fact."
- 357-Break It On Down by LL Cool J - "When I'm involved all the amateurs stutter."
- Starcrazy by Suede - "A heavy metal stutter."
- Symphony of Tourette by Manic Street Preachers - "Trapped in what we know as truth syndrome. Stutter stutter silence no friend. Children can be cruel."
- What Your Back by MLTR - "When you feel her breath you stutter an S.O.S."
- Hubba Hubba by South Park Mexican - "Do you understand or did I stutter?"
- I'll Do It All by Busta Rhymes - "Just tryin to keep it gutter, respectfully I won't stutter."
- Ugliest Girl in the World by Bob Dylan - "She speaks with a stutter and she walks with a hop. I don't know why I love."
- Stuttering by Wild Orchid - "What's hap-happening?" You're t-t-t-telling lies. Looks like you're stuttering."
- Invincible by OK Go - "Will you leave them stunned and stuttering?"
- I Just Died by Amerie - "Stuttering on every word when you look my way, why?"
- How Did We Get From Saying 'I Love You' by Great Big Sea - "There was a stuttering silence, that I felt my mouth go dry."
- Trapped in the Closet (Chapter 8) by R Kelly - "She's scared out of her mind. Stuttering and Shaking."
- Snow Day by The Honorary Title - Warming the engine slowly turns. Stuttering awoken from the sounds of the shovels scraping concrete."
- Magazines by Brand New - "stuttering to pictures of you."
- Valiant by The Spill Canvas - "you are the only one who knows I'm stuttering."
- I Am Fred Astaire by Taking Back Sunday - "I'm stuttering through it but I hear it. I-I-I hear its good."
- Ta Da by Lil' Mo - "Why you stuttering and trying to explain?"
- Last Things by KMFDM - Premonition, television stuttering indecision."
- Stutter by Joe - "when you're replying, Stutter, stutters, stutter, stutters. It's funny to me, when you lie to me, You start stuttering, tripping."
- Driving in the Dark by Saves the Day - "Life leaks from your fingertips onto sparkling pavement haven't hear the news you stumpble stuttering confused."
- These Apples by Barenaked Ladies - "Though sometimes I stammer and mix up my grammar."
- Graduated Fool by Anouk - "I just turned and walked away. I jingle with words, tangle my tongue. Stammering stutters. So I wrote you this song."
- "Stuttering Cindy" by Charlie Feathers
-
Two popular country music songs mention stuttering in their lyrics. In both cases stuttering is emphasized as a result of communicative stress. (suggested by Lucy Reed on Stutt-L, May 11, 1999)
- Unbelievable by Diamond Rio -- In this song the singer is referring to talking to his beloved in the line "...everytime I talk I start to s-s-stutter."
- That's My Story and I'm Sticking to it by Collin Raye -- In this
song the singer is in trouble with his wife for staying out all night.
The line goes "...and I stuttered: th-th-that's my story and I'm
s-s-sticking t-t-to it."
-
The Rivingtons emulate stuttering in the following songs suggested by Mickey Bo (August 13, 2013)
- Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow (1962)
- Mama-Oom-Mow-Mow (1962
- The Bird is The Word (1963; covered by The Trashmen in 1964 as "Surfin' Bird"
- Vino tinto by "Estopa" -- "Estopa" is a popular group in Spain among young people. Their song, "Vino Tinto" contains the sentence ...
"si estamos a solas tar tar tar tar tartamudeo y no son trolas"
translation : "when we are alone I s-s-s-s-s-stuter and I am not
telling lies" (posted to stutteringchat on March 26, 2002 by Estaban)
-
Stuttering by Mario (can be viewed on
YouTube
(suggested by Lisa, September 16, 2008
-
John Edwards (from
Musicians in Ordinary
shared, "In Purcell's semi-opera The Fairy Queen there is a stuttering, drunk poet who is thought to be a depiction of the real Restoration playwright Thomas Durfey, who stammered and enjoyed drinking healths to Chas. II. It starts 'Fi-fi-fi-fill up the bowl then fairies come and pinch him to punish him for being such a bad poet.
Purcell Fairy Queen - Act 1: Drunken Poet scene
"A stuttering drunken poet (George Coltart) enters, singing 'Fill up the bowl', possibly based on Thomas d'Urfey (who wrote the Epilogue for Dido and Aeneas). The fairies (Pandora Dewan and Ruth Warner) mock him and drive him away." (suggested by John Edwards, December 24, 2015)
Howard Schwartz
from Northern Illinois University began the following list of songs which have stuttering-like behaviors as part of the song. The songs below may be using repetitions only to fill out the rhythm, without any intent of reflecting stuttering, even if the result may appear similar. Perhaps some are more like examples of "normal disfluencies" than stuttering. Andrew Kuster (DMus in choral conducting) wrote, "A type of music, called minimalism, frequently relies on repetition of a few elements over a long time. John Adams' opera
Nixon in China
has an aria that begins "News...News...News...News...has a kind of mystery...News has a kind of mystery." This isn't musically depicted stuttering, but rather repetition of musical elements for a minimalist purpose of filling in time with few elements. Still, it seems that this could be exploited into actually depicting real stuttering." Lou Heite observed that Philip Glass' opera "Einstein On the Beach," uses electronically created stuttering to deliberately break the rhythm of the passage. The duet between Papageno and Papagena in Mozart's "Magic Flute" contains a long phrase in which Papageno and Papagena exchange "Pa" syllables and then break into "Pa-pa-pageno, Pa-pa-pagena!" It's supposed to resemble bird calls.
If anyone can add to the list below, please contact
Judy Kuster
.
-
You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet
- Bachman Turner Overdrive
In 1975, "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" made it to Billboard's #1 chart
position. Stutterer Gary Bachman managed his brother Randy's band,
Bachman-Turner Overdrive. The song was written as an inside joke, and the band didn't intend it to be heard by anyone else, but a label executive heard the song and insisted that it be included on an album. (TD Kehoe on Stutt-l, May 8, 1999).
- Bad to the Bone - George Thorogood and the Destroyers
- Bennie and the Jets - Elton John
- Surrender - Miami Sound Machine
- Jive Talkin - Bee Gee's (note from Ed Slofkosky, March 18, 2007 "Bee Gees' "Jive Talking" shouldn't be on the list. I distinctly remember listening to the American Top 40 with Casey Kasem way back in the early 80's; he was discussing #1 songs that contained stuttering. He had included "Jive Talking" on his list. However, a couple weeks later he announced a correction to the list. A listener had written him, stating that Barry Gibb sounds like he's singing "J-j-j-jive talking," but he's actually singing "It's just your jive talking.")
-
Changes - David Bowie
The
lyrics to Changes
are available online. On that link also appears an interesting comment: "The stuttering in "ch-ch-ch-ch-changes" was a popular technique at the time (possibly inspired by the Who's My Generation). Further information indicates that stuttering was a common problem amongst Mods in the 1960's as a side-effect of some of the drugs they took."
-
I Love You Like A Ball And Chain - Eurythmics
The live version of this 1980s hit can be found on Eurythmics' album "Eurythmics Live 1983-1989" released around 1994. Annie Lennox and the backing vocalist Joniece Jamieson interchange the chorus:
" i love youuu...mmmm i love youuu
jus' like a little ball and ch ch ch ch ch ch ch
...chain chain chain..."
This song is one of my favourites and I love to sing it particularly the live version which features the "ch-ch-ch" part. One thing I would
always notice was I was never able to repeat that part without making a mistake. I myself stutter but also am a huge fan of Annie Lennox's style of singing and am very good at immitating her. I have learnt through the years all the exact places in their recordings where I know she will breathe in or abruptly out produce this or that vocal effect but this little part I was never able to imitate. I would always end up uttering this endless row of blended chchchch's. The tongue just could not obey and listen to me. It always seemed paradoxical but it is true. (submitted on April 7, 2002 by (a-26-year-old-language-teacher-who-copes-quite-well-with-her-stuttering-problem.")
- Take a Chance on Me - Abba
- Blue Moon - Marcels
- Barbara Ann - Regents, Beach Boys
-
My Generation
- The Who (suggested by Robin Sullivan).
-
The Reflex - Duran Duran (suggested by Gabe Samrock)
"The Reflex, fle-fle-fle-fle-flex."
"So, why-i-i-i-i don't you use it?
Try-i-i-i-i not to bruise it;
Buy-i-i-i-i time don't lose it."
- My Sharona - The Knack
- Surfin Bird- the Trashmen (suggested by Bob Wells)
- Temptation Eyes - Grass Roots has a line "Temptation eyes, looking through my my my soul" (suggested by Jason Benson)
-
Katmandu
by Bob Seager (suggested by Mark Anderson)
- Back in the USSR - Beatles (that georgia's always on my ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma mind.) (suggested by Larry Ripani)
- Birthday - Beatles (birthday, I would like you to dance. birthday, take a ch ch ch chance) (suggested by Larry Ripani)
- Lola - Kinks (la la la la lola, lo lo lo lo lola) (is it a stutter or Ray Davies just singing "la"???
- Be Bop a Lula - Gene Vincent Be bop a lula, she's my baby. Be bop a lula, I don't mean maybe. Be bop a lula she he he he's my baby now. (suggested by Larry Ripani)
- Sussudio - is from Phil Collin's "No Jacket Required" album, and the chorus goes..."Su..su... sussudio.. whoa..oa..." (suggested by Molly Laster)
- Foolin' by Def Leppard - Fo, Fo, Fo, Fo, Fo Foolin' (suggested by Bruce C. Heather)
- "Psycho Killer" - by Talking Heads ("...f-f-f-f-f-f-far better") - (suggested by Ray Brunsberg)
- "K-Mart Wardrobe" by Was Not Was ("K-K-Mart, K-Mart Wardrobe" in the refrain) - (suggested by Ray Brunsberg)
-
"I Wanna Be Sedated"
by The Ramones (suggested by Tali Moshevich)
- "Urgent" by Foreigner from the Foreigner "4" album (suggested by William H)
- A Praise Chorus - Jimmy Eat World (suggested by Becca N.)
- D'yer Mak'er - Led Zeppelin (suggested by Becca N.)
- C-C-C-Cinnamon Lips - OK Go (suggested by Becca N.)
- Cherry Bomb - The Runaways (suggested by Becca N.)
- Dude (Looks Like a Lady) - Aerosmith (suggested by Becca N.)
- Girl O'clock - The Dismemberment Plan (suggested by Becca N.)
- I'm Shakin' - Rooney (suggested by Becca N.)
- Move Your Feet - Junior Senior (suggested by Becca N.)
- My Kingdom - Echo & the Bunnymen (suggested by Becca N.)
- Without Me - Eminem (suggested by Becca N.)
- Jenny - Stellastarr (suggested by Becca N.)
- Stacy's Mom - Fountains of Wayne (suggested by Becca N.)
- Welcome To The Jungle - Guns & Roses (suggested by Duaine Detrick)
- Hey Jude - The Beatles (suggested by Duaine Detrick)
- Naughty Naughty - John Parr - "Your naughty, naughty, you t-t-t-tease me" (suggested by Duaine Detrick)
- I Am The Walrus - The Beatles (suggested by Duaine Detrick)
- The Heart Of Rock & Roll - Huey Lewis & The News - "Th-th-th-they say the heart of rock and roll is still beating" (suggested by Duaine Detrick)
- Ramble On - Led Zeppelin - lyrics at end of song (suggested by Duaine Detrick)
- 5:15 - The Who (suggested by Duaine Detrick)
- Wildfire - Kim Fowley (suggested by Duaine Detrick)
- Drunk Skitzo - Fishbone (suggested by Duaine Detrick)
- Kickstart My Heart -- Motley Crue (suggested by Duaine Detrick)
- I'm Not Your Stepping Stone" The Monkees (suggested by Duaine Detrick)
- Cool One - Starz (suggested by Duaine Detrick)
- Boom! Shake the Room - DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince (suggested by Duaine Detrick)
- R.E.M.'s The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite - "Today I need something more sub-sub-sub-substantial" - (suggested by Matt Hall).
- Ice Cream Man by Van Halen (Towards the end of the song, David sings "B-b-b-b-b-baby") - suggested by Ed Slofkosky
- F-F-F-Falling by The Rasmus - suggested by Ed Slofkosky
- Toot, toot, tootsie (goo'by) Kahn-Erdman-Russo.
- "See You Again" by Miley Cyirus (suggested by Charley Adams)
- pixies - "La La Love You" by Pixies (suggested by Jason Savvy)
- "Uncontrollable Urge" by Devo (suggested by Jason Savvy)
- "Hey Ya!" by Outkast (suggested by Jason Savvy)
- Strut - lyrics by Jimmy Smith (with Taj Mahal, the song's composer)
- N-N-Nervous by Ian Whitcomb
- Stuttering Mopsy by Lord Brigo
- There'll Be Blue Christmas Without You by Elvis Presley (suggested by JL Kato)
- Handy Man by James Taylor or Jimmy Jones (suggested by JL Kato)
-
On The Run
Electric Light Orchestra (suggested by Mark Prater)
-
Sh-Sh-Shakin'
Eddie Money (suggested by Mark Prater)
-
Disney's
Duck Tales Original Theme Song
at 33 seconds into the video, there is a line "D-d-d-danger! Watch behind you! There's a stranger out to find you!" (suggested by Florian Blaschke)
- "Ay ay ay" by Saukrates (suggested by "Funkenstein")
- Nobody's Fault But Mine by Led Zeppelin (listen for it at the end!) (suggested by Jeff Foster)
- Nobody But Me by Human Beinz (suggested by Jeff Foster)
- Peggy Sue by Buddy Holly (suggested by Jeff Foster)
- Runaway by Del Shannon (suggested by Jeff Foster)
- Too Much Time On my Hands by Styx (suggested by Jeff Foster)
- Get A Job by The Silhouettes (suggested by Jeff Foster)
- Sugar Town by Nancy Sinatra (suggested by Jeff Foster)
- TongueTied by Grouplove (suggested by Kara Steenstra
- Stutter by Maroon 5 (suggested by Emily Wheatley
- Wake me up before yo go-go by Wham (suggested by Megan Williams)
- Abracadabra by Steve Miller Band (suggested by Megan Williams)
- TKO by Justin Timberlake (suggested by Megan Williams)
Daniel Goldmark, "Stuttering in American Popular Song, 1890-1930." in
Sounding Off: Theorizing Disability in Music
, co-edited by Joseph Strauss and Neil Lerner, 91-105. New York: Routledge, 2006.
This interesting chapter documents how people who stutter were portrayed in music between 1890 and 1930. Songs which were cited are below. Additional information found in
American Memory
from the Library of Congress
- K-K-K-Katy
- Lil-Lil-Lillian
- M-M-Mazie
-
Stuttering Song
(mp3) - in
Voices from the Dust Bowl Project
, a recording by a 14 year old migrant worker, Lloyd Stalcup.
- I'm Always Stuttering - performed by Don Perker's Western Melody Boys. Fox trot
- Sammy Stammers
- The Boy Who Stuttered and the Girl Who Lisped
- Oh Helen!
-
Possum Pie (or The Stuttering Coon) - words by Jos. C. Farrell ; music by Hughie Cannon.
from
American
Memory
- Gussie (Guthie) - A Stuttering and Lisping Song
- You Tell Her I S-t-u-t-t-e-r
There's another chapter in the book on stuttering, by Andrew Oster about a character who stutters in the Cavalli opera
Giasone
(from the early 17th century).
A very interesting article was posted on "Locust St." on June 24, 2008 -
6 Easy Pieces: Stuttering Songs
Old time stuttering songs
on YouTube from StutterTalk.
Classic Rock News shares videos of what they consider the
Top 5 Stuttering Songs
Lisa Fields'
The 16 Best Stuttering Songs of All Time
Blender magazine, April 09 2008
Songs With Stuttering
is an interesting site featuring 18 popular songs by various artists that have lyrics that "stutter." Each song is linked to song facts, lyrics, and a recording of the song.