Hearing that annoying Chad Kroeger/Santana song the other day and having it stuck in my head reminded me of this...the stupid line about being "together forever," which has GOT to be one of the most overused word combos in lyrical music history.

Another annoying one I can instantly recall is loving some "until the end of time." God, if I ever hear one of those again.....

This isn't a lyrical cliche but the most overused rock song cliche is the acoustic intro verse that is followed by the full band joining in. Mexican Wine by Fountains of Wayne is an example. Great song though.

'it will be alright"

any song with "rain" in the title.

Any song title or band name that has a month in it.

November rain - G n R
Long December - Counting Crows
November's doom - "band name"
Dirge for November - Opeth
The Ides of March - Iron Maiden
April - Deep Purple

and so many more...Also, with the Hardcore kids, it's becoming quite common to add a season (typically autumn) I.E. from autumn to ashes, After Autumn...and speaking of hardcore...why does every damn hardcore band have to have 3 word names that usually consist of the words burning, die (death), bleed (bleeding), and sky...jesus christ what a bunch od pretentious bastards.

In response to cungar, add Foo Fighters "All My Life".
I agree that many cliches are used in songs. To put it like Andre 3000 said "cliche the end is near, cliche the end is near, cliche the end is near".Also I often hear things like "all thats left to give".

[snarky answer] I Love You [/snarky answer]

Someone had to do it.

Anytime a seemingly impossible task is offered up... "just to be with you". eg:

"I'd climb the highest mountain"
"I'd die for you"

Obviously, no one is going to ask you to perform these tasks... I want to hear more "do able" offers; something you might actually be asked to perform to show your love. eg:

"I would test a 9 volt battery with my tounge for you"
"I'd chew on a piece of tin foil for you"
"I'd lick photocopier paper, and sniff toner just to have you by my side"

Also - any Lenny Kravitz song is a cliche.

Anything with "baby, baby".

Also, I must agree that if it is by Lenny Kravtitz than it is an automatic cliche.

Bacardi/party.

"....our first kiss"
"i'd die for you"

Pretty much every love song

"Throw yo' hands in in the ay-ah...If you a *insert thug adjective here* playa..."

My ears spontaneously bleed when I hear that.

You stole my answer!

The alternate original version "...and wave 'em like ya just don't care" is equally annoying.

"...never felt like this/this way before..."

Sounds like BonJovi's careear.

I also say "I'd die for you" or some variation of that.

I personally detest when any artist uses the word "yeah" in their lyrics. As in "I'd die for you. Yeah Yeah Yeah!! Yeah!"

There's a Weird Al song that's right up your alley (though it's more what he WOULDN'T do for someone). Examples of lines:

"I'd rather clean all the bathrooms in Grand Central Station with my tongue, than spend one more minute with you."

"I'd rather rip my heart right of my rib cage with my bare hands and then then throw it on the floor and stomp on it til I die. Than spend, one more minute, with you!"

Excellent!

The phrase "Yo! Yo!" in any rap / hip-hop .. er .. song.

Also .. the inane
rhyming of brain / insane / rain

And in rock ... the following words used in a rhyme ..
night / light / tight / right / might

Escalade/Icecapades

Pretty much anytime Escalade is mentioned in a rap song they're stuck with rhyming it with Icecapades (as in how much diamonds they have)

Rhyming "fire" and "funeral pyre".

Any title with "Runaway" in it...

Together and forever is too cute to be a cliche...

I think the worst cliche are "baby baby"

and "PUT YOUR HANDS UP"

and WHOOOOOOOAH OOOOOOOH OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

you know, 50 second sustained notes by those power ballad girls who think they're all that

simple accoustic songs, then becoming full out rock songs.

Are there many songs that actually use this? I always felt that this was a memorable line, not one that is constantly recycled.

I've heard that particular combination more of late, although really any lyric that begins "throw your hands in the air" is just played out.

"Take my hand...I will lead you to the promised land.." used in more songs than I can name.

And to echo cheapskate....Lenny Kravitz must use a rhyming cliche dictionary when he writes song.

Weird Al's 'One More Minute' is hilarious.

This isn't much more widespread than the band, but GWAR has used the 'skulls fashioned into bowls' at least 2 or 3 times that i can recall.