Wife says husband’s habit of quoting song lyrics disrupts serious conversations

Taylor says her husband, Randy, regularly inserts lines from songs into serious conversations, a behaviour she calls an avoidance tactic that frustrates her. The couple have been married for 33 years and have four children.

Taylor says Randy “knows a lyric for every occasion” and that while a lyric or two can be harmless in casual moments, it often ruins the mood during important talks. She acknowledges he has improved and uses fewer lyrics since they started therapy, but would like him to stop completely.

Randy accepts he should tone it down and says he often quotes lyrics reflexively because he loves music and has a strong memory for lines. He says the habit can lighten the mood and gives examples, including a line attributed to Cinderella — “you don’t know what you got till it’s gone” — and Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’.” He says counselling has helped him quote less and to read Taylor’s moods better.

Guardian readers were split in a jury of responses, with some urging Randy to stop and others urging acceptance of a long-standing quirk. The outlet is running an online poll asking whether Randy should “face the music”; the poll closes on Wednesday 28 January at 9am GMT. Last week’s poll on a different case returned 75% guilty and 25% innocent.

Key Topics

Culture, Randy, Taylor, Song Lyrics, Marriage Counselling, Journey