Twisted
Lambert Hendricks Lyrics

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My analyst told me that I was right out of my head
The way he described it, he said I'd be better dead than live
I didn't listen to his jive
I knew all along he was all wrong
And I knew that he thought I was crazy but I'm not
Oh no!

My analyst told me that I was right out of my head

He said I'd need treatment but I'm not that easily led
He said I was the type that was most inclined
When out of his sight to be out of my mind
And he thought I was nuts, no more ifs or ands or buts
Oh no!

They say as a child I appeared a little bit wild
With all my crazy ideas
But I knew what was happenin', I knew I was a genius
What's so strange when you know that you're a wizard at three?
I knew that this was meant to be

Well I heard little children were supposed to sleep tight
That's why I drank a fifth of vodka one night
My parents got frantic, didn't know what to do
But I saw some crazy scenes before I came to
Now do you think I was crazy?
I may have been only three but I was swingin'

They all laughed at Al Graham Bell
They all laughed at Edison and also at Einstein
So why should I feel sorry if they just couldn't understand
The litany and the logic that went on in my head?
I had a brain, it was insane
Don't you let them laugh at me
When I refused to ride on all those double decker buses
All because there was no driver on the top

My analyst told me that I was right out of my head
The way he described it, he said I'd be better dead than live
I didn't listen to his jive
I knew all along he was all wrong
And I knew that he thought I was crazy but I'm not
Oh no!

My analyst told me that I was right out of my head
But I said "Dear doctor, I think that it's you instead
'Cause I have got a thing that's unique and new
It proves that I'll have the last laugh on you

'Cause instead of one head... I got two
And you know two heads are better than one"

Overall Meaning

The song “Twisted” by Lambert, Hendricks & Ross tells the story of a person who is being told by their analyst that they are crazy and need to be treated. The person, however, refuses to believe the analyst, feeling that there is nothing wrong with their mind. The song tells of the person’s childhood where they were considered to be a bit wild and full of crazy ideas. They were convinced that they were a genius and had a wizard-like quality.

The person seems to believe that their uniqueness is what makes them stand out in society. They are critical of people who failed to understand geniuses like Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, and Albert Einstein. The ending refrain of the song presents a clever twist, indicating that the “unique thing” the person possesses is not just their genius but also that they have two heads. The person seems to be embracing their quirkiness as it gives them a ‘unique’ advantage in life.

In summary, the song is about embracing one’s individuality, quirks, and unique qualities rather than succumbing to societal norms that may not share one’s interests or views.

Line by Line Meaning

My analyst told me that I was right out of my head
The therapist told the singer they were crazy

The way he described it, he said I'd be better dead than live
The therapist said the singer's life was not worth living

I didn't listen to his jive
The singer ignored the therapist's nonsense

I knew all along he was all wrong
The singer knew the therapist was mistaken

And I knew that he thought I was crazy but I'm not
The therapist believed the singer was insane but they were not

Oh no!
Expression of refusal or disbelief

They say as a child I appeared a little bit wild
The singer was supposedly wild as a child

With all my crazy ideas
Had a lot of unconventional thoughts

But I knew what was happenin', I knew I was a genius
Despite appearing wild, the singer knew they were a genius

What's so strange when you know that you're a wizard at three?
It's not odd to be gifted at a young age

I knew that this was meant to be
The singer knew they were destined for greatness

Well I heard little children were supposed to sleep tight
Children are supposed to sleep well

That's why I drank a fifth of vodka one night
The singer drank alcohol to avoid sleeping

My parents got frantic, didn't know what to do
The singer's parents were worried and didn't know how to help

But I saw some crazy scenes before I came to
The singer experienced vivid hallucinations while drunk

Now do you think I was crazy?
Asking if the listener thinks the singer was insane

I may have been only three but I was swingin'
Despite being young, the singer was cool

They all laughed at Al Graham Bell
People mocked Alexander Graham Bell

They all laughed at Edison and also at Einstein
Thomas Edison and Albert Einstein were also ridiculed

So why should I feel sorry if they just couldn't understand
The singer sees no reason to feel bad for those who don't understand them

The litany and the logic that went on in my head?
The thoughts and ideas in the singer's mind

I had a brain, it was insane
The singer had a brilliant but unusual mind

Don't you let them laugh at me
Asking someone not to let others ridicule them

When I refused to ride on all those double decker buses
The singer did not want to ride the bus with no driver on the top

All because there was no driver on the top
The singer didn't trust buses without drivers on the top level

But I said "Dear doctor, I think that it's you instead
The singer told the therapist they were the crazy one

'Cause I have got a thing that's unique and new
The singer has an innovative idea

It proves that I'll have the last laugh on you
The idea will show the therapist they were wrong

'Cause instead of one head... I got two
The singer has a creative and unconventional mind

And you know two heads are better than one
Two creative minds are better than one

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Heidi Range, Brian Thomas Higgins, Timo Maas, Keisha Kerreece Fayeanne Buchanan, Mutya Buena

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

@davebeach2343

3y↑7

One of my favorite songs. Clever lyrics with music that moves and great voices, always brightens my day when I hear it.

@stevengill1736

3y↑5

My folks were so into jazz, I grew up hearing great bands like LHR, Billie Holiday, etc.

@gregfoles5480

2y↑1

Me too. That album was in our house. I was 8 or 9 and I thought this and "Gimme That Wine" were hilarious. But "Coudburst" blew my mind.

@tbilisinewyork1

theeeeee BEST !!!!!!!

@chrisjehle8393

4y↑16

So sorry to hear of her passing. She was so gifted.

@purexample

12y↑14

Excellence...sheer excellence. I miss this era and I wasn't even alive then.

@IvoMiller

2y↑2

Unique in every way

@afternoonmeshes

3y↑1

This song is so relatable omg

@esa2419

2y↑1

Love this song!

@thomaslombardo3401

5y↑2

Great group. Love this memorable Annie Ross song.💛💛💛

@michaelrpatton

8y↑11

The pictures are a nice touch. Thanks for the extra effort.

@kellyneese5216

ABSOLUTELY !

@bobthacher5129

9y↑35

As a female vocalist, Annie Ross is incomprable

@bcseibert

3y↑1

Try Anita O Day

@jimaroo100

12y↑3

@Devmeister91 You are correct that Wardell Gray composed the music in 1949. In 1952 she wrote the vocals in this vocalese style. She was an amazingly talented performer and writer.

@jimjennings7623

3y↑1

Annie Ross shows us how it's done. Good grief! She's amazing.

@hassan1953

4y↑1

RIP Annie <3

@La2yGaming

12y↑2

I have moved back in time today. I used to have these albums and played them a million times. I even liked Halloween Spooks. Thank you for reminding me of the great Wardell Gray Mitzi McSwain

@vivienmerchant

4y↑4

Cosmically gifted Annie Ross; just try even getting close to the virtuosity of this vocal! My greatest respect and admiration, RIP X

@keithgraham2678

8y↑1

We should embrace both these women. Remarkable renditions of a song that makes you feel...or think.

@RoryVanucchi

Legends. RIP Annie Ross 072120

@elenasweeney6884

RIP Annie Ross.

@philipcucinella5876

RIP Annie

@cultdung

RIP ANNIE ROSS

@Devmeister91

13y↑1

@babyboo1940 the lyrics were by Annie Ross - the singer, and it was set to a melody by Wardell Gray a jazz saxophonist.

@PaulGreen11

Wow.

@FIGSEXTON12

11y↑2

Annie Ross record this song The Frist Time With My Brother George Wallington in 1952 when she was in swisaland with georges bid band Uncle Pete Figlia

@marccartwright8833

11y

You learn something new everyday. I've been a big fan of Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross since I was a kid and never knew Ross first recorded this song. I was first exposed to "Twisted" through Three Mo' Tenors (also on youtube)

@orchidlilly7518

Tops!!!!!!!!!!!

@MarlonReynolds

12y

Crazy!

@andora63

10y↑27

Ms. Ross used to hang with Lenny Bruce , a friend my parents. Many cool stories. Not all for public airing lol!

@andora63

10y↑1

love this Tune. In my regular playlist along with Cloudburst.

@bozotheklein

8y↑2

how did your father know Lenny Penny? i would love to hear stories!

@glasgowbrian1469

7y↑3

I was puzzled as a teenager, trying to get out of the lift in Mossheights, Glasgow, where I lived in the 50’s-60’s. Annie’s dad Jack Short lived opposite and she was visiting, followed by a posse of press photographers. I didn’t know who she was at the time, but soon found out. They were a theatrical family and Jimmy Logan was her brother.

@fdawei

4y↑1

It was a tough and debilitating relationship for her.

@andora63

4y↑3

@@bozotheklein I'm so sorry. I just saw this. So the general scoop is my father, Alex Freeman, was a syndicated Gossip columnist in the 50-60's, (he passed in 67), in 38 papers, and so had a ton of showbiz friends. He was good friends with Lenny and Joe Ancis. In fact, he gave Liz Smith, the columnist, her first job. (In fact she compares to Matt Drudge?!, in her autobiography.) But my Mother was also a singer/model and knew Ms. Ross, besides. Lenny used to come over and tease my mother, "Wow, Arlene, You're doing the whole nesting thing, man", or some other scatological comments. But yes, it's true, their relationship was tough and contentious for Ms. Ross for obvious reasons. She had to get away from him. The dope was beginning to do to her what it was already starting to do to him, change him into an OCD comic case. But there are a ton of great tales we'd hear as kids growing up. And the truth is he had a heart of gold. The world was not yet ready for someone so blunt and honest about the things he saw going on around him.

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@tayloreh

12y

@Milesco Thats how I first heard it and was hooked! Very carefully learning this song now - lots of semitone trickery going on! I think more so than her others, which I learned with more ease.

@ajsmatchless1

12y↑7

Re: the lyric you have as "the idiomatic logic". That's how Joni Mitchell sang it, but the original lyric, sung by Annie, was "the reasoning and the logic".

@Milesco

12y

@tayloreh I prefer that version, too, although this one is fine. By the way, the version you mentioned is also the opening tune to Woody Allen's 1997 film "Deconstructing Harry".

@lowellthomasjr.468

9y↑2

Dear Dr., please help me, I'm damaged-Mick Jagger

@ampissavin

11y↑1

the reasoning and the logic I think

@cuffcamlin9868

11y

It did predate Joni Mitchell's recording but not by 24 yeasr.Annie came out with the song in 1952 while Joni recorded it for Court and Spark recorded in 1973 but released in 1974

@jamesstewart6950

She played the robot lady in Superman III

@stevemckennon7678

They all were. Like the Swingle singers.

@carolrandazzo4713

Annie was a-head above the best cut and way beyond her time. As for the Hendricks.....what a quick mind and how much more could he give? Lambert was a quiet dynamo. This group met by chance? or was it written in the stars? Whatever the case, jazz would be very different without them. No singing group like them in the entire world.

@gregfoles5480

Cloudburst lambert

@kctipton

This woman is an audio twin to the current jazz singer Lorraine Feather. Check her out!

@ustwoalberts

band cohesion of the original spoilt by gooey added reverb.

@BielerLiz

11y↑1

I've double-checked. Ross sings "litany and the logic." :)

@georgeb.wolffsohn30

5y↑1

Naaah. In this cut she says "reasoning and the logic".
Listen again.

@ranita1448

@@georgeb.wolffsohn30 I just listened to that line several times, and it sounds like she's singing "litany and the logic" to me.... those are the lyrics, no?

@otaj100

12y

hey guys any link to donwload some tracks of lhr ??

@goodgolly4726

Does anyone know what the lyrics were about. She had 2 heads ?

@tayloreh

12y

I prefer the one of Annie on the King Pleasure collection, where Annie's standing up for herself instead of slyly making fun of herself as it seems in this one.

@babyboo1940

13y

Who wrote this song? I understand it was written by a rock singer/composer.

@hlnmarie

Who is the drummer?

@sativanevada2192

11y↑1

I thought it was the mutiny and the logic. LOLOL

@ktel60

12y

The idiom and the logic.

@MaxToddUniverse

3y↑2

Normally I take these comments for granted but it scares me that there's no Fargo comments here!! Can we get some representation for Oraetta Mayflower??

@anonymoususer450

Yes! Song fits her and the scene it was shown in perfectly

@johnadair4693

1y↑1

Nurse mayflower sent me

@DaveB-hg7el

32w

Could you please enlighten someone who's unaquainted with the cultural reference you made in your comment, who's Nurse Mayflower?

@johnadair4693

32w

Jessie Buckley in Fargo series 4

@ampissavin

11y

It makes more sense, though, doesn't it? Sense may sound strange in this context...Anyway that is what I chose to sing. My personal choice then.

@Marcsxx

5y↑1

Migos?

@baxatakbaxatak2014

2y↑1

How has a biopic not been made about LHR?

Mark Rylance as Dave. Rosamund Pike as Anne. William Jackson Harper as Jon.

Cut. Print. Done. In theaters this Christmas.

@ThugNinja

4y↑1

Karina pasian brought me here

@BielerLiz

12y

Actually, I think it's the litany and the logic.

@georgeb.wolffsohn30

Reasoning. Listen again.

@musimages23

the ike isaacs trio gildo mohnes p. jimmy wormsworth d.?

@nakedhombre

8y↑4

Hmm.. I dearly love this song, but I'm now used to the Joni Mitchell version and even though Annie Ross co-wrote it, Joni is superlative with her voice and capturing the swinging feeling of the lyrics. Sorry to say, Annie sounds as if she has nasal congestion on some of the parts. Not lovely notes and many times (sorry, fans) she was under the pitch and often imprecise! A big HOWEVER, however, is that on those passages that are the old time jazz runs from that era Annie cannot be beat. Whew! hard to be diplomatic, when you hear it, I gotta be honest and say what I think. No body's perfect but now go listen to Joni Mitchell and pay close attention to the pitches and the feel. That is why she was (and IS) my favorite female vocalist of all time AND best creative artist of here generation. I just wish she'd stop smoking cigarettes! Love and hugs Joni__

@nakedhombre

8y↑5

+M. H. Nude Y'know, I listened again and now I gotta say that she was terrific, a true jazz artist. her runs are striking and soulful. I think I was premature in my first harsh evaluation. Yes, Annie is great.

@hydeparkdirector2756

+M. H. Nude. Funny how different people hear things. I found Joni too tentative on her take...as she got more and more into a jazzier mode, she likely got more comfortable w/ the tune (assuming she did it live) and a bit freer. Bette Midler released a version of the tune right around the same time as Joni. Hers was more broadly comic. Annie's (the original) falls right in the middle--to my ears, as it should be.

@resqspc

Annie also wrote the lyrics herself...

@TuberosityTime

8y↑3

Just as an FYI to all (and I adore Joni, but "Twisted" is actually not high on my list of her songs as I dig her own tunes the most) - it's important to understand how this song came about. It's a vocalese to Wardell Gray's "Twisted" sax solo - Annie Ross wrote lyrics to go with this already existing instrumental jazz line. So, in the end, Annie's rendition follows Wardell's line the most closely (and Jane Monheit is very close as well). Joni (again, who I love) does her take, and Bette does her comedic take - but Joni's is likely the farthest away from the original, although still nice. So if you want to know the actual, technical NOTES of the piece - you have to listen to Wardell Gray "Twisted." That's the "original" original, and Annie is working with that as her source.

@carolvogelman8216

8y↑2

Annie is singing an instrument, the lyrics are jazz notes, and it's real jazz, baby! LH&R sang the different instrumental parts and wove them together using strict jazz techniques; the language was used to mimic the way a trumpet or saxaphone or other instrument plays, bends it's notes, nasal inflections, sharp staccato & valentinoish suavity; it's vocalese which is not the same as singing! Mitchell feeds it to you, you gotta dig in with this crowd, they make you think as well as groove! I think of this as "abstract jazz" here, they are playing more than "singing"!

Is there a better way to describe it, I don't know. But Jon Hendricks was kind enough to appear on our radio program, Castaway's Choice, at KCRW-fm in Santa Monica in the 1980's and a truly lovely gentleman, and a dominant force of a fellow! It was a pleasure and a treat to hear him explore his favorite music!

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