He has since worked as a writer, producer, director, musician, writer, and celebrity pitchman (most notably for Priceline.com). He has worked with Ben Folds a great deal, both on Folds' Fear of Pop project, and more recently on Shatner's album Has Been (which also featured Joe Jackson on his cover version of Pulp's "Common People"). Shatner's other collaborators include Peter Frampton, Bootsy Collins, and Steve Miller among many others (with that just being on one album).
Upon reaching his seventies and beyond, Shatner still shows no signs of slowing down. His acting career reached a new peak when he won two Emmy Awards (in 2004 and 2005) for his portrayal of attorney Denny Crane in the television series The Practice and Boston Legal. In 2008, Shatner stared in his own talk show, entitled Shatner's Raw Nerve on Bio (the Biography Channel). It focused on the personal lives of celebrities stuff that is not normally discussed.
I Can't Get Behind That
William Shatner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
BILL: My favorite shows on TV have twelve minutes of advertising. I can't get behind that kind of time!
ROLLINS: Eat quickly. Drive faster. Make more money now! I can't get behind that.
BILL: My kids say: He said to me, and I'm like... and he's like... and she's like...
ROLLINS: It's all... He's all... She's all...
BILL: I can't get behind that kind of like, English!
BILL: That'll be six to eight weeks before delivery.
ROLLINS: The rising oceans, the warming temperatures!
ROLLINS: Rising poison in the air and water!
BILL: I can't understand why the price of gas suddenly rises when oil goes up...
ROLLINS: ...but takes months to go down long after oil falls!
BILL: I can't get behind any of that!
BILL: I can't get behind the Gods, who are more vengeful, angry, and dangerous if you don't believe in them!
ROLLINS: Why can't all these Gods just get along? I mean, they're omnipotent and omnipresent, what's the problem?
BILL: What's the problem?
BILL: What about the men who say 'Do as I do. Believe in what I say, for your own good, or I'll kill you!' I can't get behind that!
ROLLINS: I can't get behind that! Everybody knows everything about all of us!
BILL: That's too much knowledge!
BOTH: I can't get behind that!
BILL: Yeah! And what about student drivers using my streets to learn? If you learn to play the drums you got to go to a studio! Go to a parking lot, for God's sake! Why are you jeopardizing my life? I can't get behind a student driver!
ROLLINS: I can't behind a driver who drives like a student driver! If you're going to drive an urban assault vehicle then get off the phone and keep your eyes on the road!
ROLLINS: Lifetime guarantee?
BILL: Who's lifetime? Not mine! I haven't that much time left. Let's make it yours. Everybody's got a longer life than me!
BILL: The leaf blowers, is there anything more futile?
ROLLINS: Car alarms.
BILL: Clap off.
ROLLINS: Clap on.
BILL: Spam.
ROLLINS: Size matters.
BILL: No, it doesn't!
ROLLINS: Yes, it does!
BILL: No, it doesn't.
ROLLINS: Yes, it does!
BILL: No, it doesn't!
ROLLINS: Yes, it does!
BILL: No, it doesn't! No, it doesn't!
ROLLINS: Yes, it does! Yes, it does!
BILL: My phone rings!
ROLLINS: Make millions in minutes!
BILL: It's a computer!
ROLLINS: Lose inches in hours!
BILL: Leave me the Hell alone!
ROLLINS: Eat more! Spend less!
BILL: The Colonel is breakdancing! Give me a break!
ROLLINS: Credit terms raised!
BILL: I can't get behind any of that!
BILL: I can't get behind so-called singers that can't carry a tune, get paid for talking, how easy is that? Well, maybe I could get behind that!
ROLLINS: Well, I can't! If you have to fix it with a computer: quantized, pitch corrected, and overly inspected, then you can't do it, and I can't get behind that!
BILL: I--can't--get behind--a fat ass!
ROLLINS: Yeah, Bill, can you turn around and do one more?
BILL: Always can do one more.
ROLLINS: Let's hit it!
The song "I Can't Get Behind That" by William Shatner and Henry Rollins, arranged by Ben Folds, is a humorous and satirical commentary on various aspects of modern society. The lyrics criticize everything from the excessive commercialization of television to environmental degradation and religious extremism. The singers also take aim at petty annoyances such as spam emails and leaf blowers, as well as more serious issues like the abuse of power by those in authority. The overall message of the song is that it's hard to get behind anything that is dishonest, irrational, or harmful.
One striking aspect of the song is its use of repetition and contrasting voices. Shatner's deadpan delivery of his lines contrasts with Rollins' intense, almost aggressive style. The repeated refrain of "I can't get behind that" adds to the sense of frustration and futility expressed in the lyrics. Another interesting feature of the song is the way it blends spoken word and music. The backing track is minimalist and repetitive, with a simple piano riff and occasional electronic effects. This allows the words to take center stage and underscores the irony and sarcasm of the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
My favorite shows on TV have twelve minutes of advertising. I can't get behind that kind of time!
The excessive amount of ads shown on TV programs is unacceptable and I cannot support it.
Eat quickly. Drive faster. Make more money now! I can't get behind that.
The constant push for fast-paced consumerism and materialism is not something I can endorse.
My kids say: He said to me, and I'm like... and he's like... and she's like...
The excessive use of the word 'like' and the repetition of phrases in common speech by younger generations is frustrating.
It's all... He's all... She's all...
The simplification of language and the overuse of pronouns doesn't allow for clear and concise communication.
I can't get behind that kind of like, English!
The decline of proper grammar and linguistic accuracy is disheartening and not something I can support.
That'll be six to eight weeks before delivery.
Waiting extended periods of time for a delivery or service is inconvenient and difficult to support.
The rising oceans, the warming temperatures!
The increasing effects of climate change, such as rising oceans and warming temperatures, are alarming and need to be addressed.
The dying polar bears--no, tigers--in fifty years!
The rapid loss of endangered species, such as polar bears and tigers, due to human impact and climate change is a tragedy that I cannot support.
Rising poison in the air and water!
The increasing levels of pollution and toxins in our air and water supply is unacceptable and something that cannot be supported.
I can't understand why the price of gas suddenly rises when oil goes up...
The inconsistent and unpredictable pricing of gas in relation to oil prices is illogical and difficult to support.
...but takes months to go down long after oil falls!
The delay in the lowering of gas prices after a decrease in oil prices is unfair and frustrating.
I can't get behind the Gods, who are more vengeful, angry, and dangerous if you don't believe in them!
The portrayal of deities as vengeful and oppressive towards nonbelievers is harmful and not something that can be supported.
Why can't all these Gods just get along? I mean, they're omnipotent and omnipresent, what's the problem?
The concept of warring and conflicting deities is nonsensical and difficult to support.
What about the men who say 'Do as I do. Believe in what I say, for your own good, or I'll kill you!' I can't get behind that!
The use of fear and coercion to enforce belief systems or ideologies is not something I can support.
Everybody knows everything about all of us!
The invasion of privacy and access to personal information in the digital age is concerning and difficult to support.
That's too much knowledge!
The abundance of information and access to personal information can be overwhelming and is difficult to support.
Yeah! And what about student drivers using my streets to learn? If you learn to play the drums you got to go to a studio! Go to a parking lot, for God's sake! Why are you jeopardizing my life? I can't get behind a student driver!
Allowing inexperienced drivers to practice and learn on public roads is dangerous and not something that can be supported.
I can't behind a driver who drives like a student driver! If you're going to drive an urban assault vehicle then get off the phone and keep your eyes on the road!
Driving recklessly or distractedly is hazardous to yourself and others and is not something that can be supported.
Who's lifetime? Not mine! I haven't that much time left. Let's make it yours. Everybody's got a longer life than me!
Offering a lifetime guarantee for a product or service is misleading and not something that can be supported.
The leaf blowers, is there anything more futile?
The use of leaf blowers to move fallen leaves and debris is wasteful and unnecessary.
Car alarms.
The loud and obnoxious nature of car alarms is disruptive and not something that can be supported.
Clap off.
The concept of clapping to turn something off is unnecessary and not something that can be supported.
Clap on.
The concept of clapping to turn something on is unnecessary and not something that can be supported.
Spam.
The excessive amount of unsolicited and unimportant emails, or spam, is annoying and not something that can be supported.
Size matters.
The idea that bigger is automatically better is flawed and not something that can be supported.
No, it doesn't!
The idea that size is the most important factor is incorrect and not something that can be supported.
Yes, it does!
The importance of size cannot be ignored and is something that cannot be abandoned.
No, it doesn't.
The concept of size being the most important thing is misguided and not something that can be supported.
Yes, it does!
The importance of size in certain situations cannot be ignored and is something that cannot be abandoned.
No, it doesn't!
The idea that size is always the most important factor is incorrect and not something that can be supported.
Yes, it does!
The importance of size cannot be ignored in certain circumstances and is something that cannot be abandoned.
My phone rings!
The constant interruption and invasive nature of phone calls is frustrating and not something that can be supported.
It's a computer!
The use of automated recordings or artificial intelligence for phone calls is impersonal and not something that can be supported.
Leave me the Hell alone!
The desire for privacy and personal space cannot be ignored and is something that must be respected.
The Colonel is breakdancing! Give me a break!
The use of ridiculous and gimmicky marketing ploys, such as a fictional character breakdancing, is unprofessional and not something that can be supported.
Credit terms raised!
The increasing use of credit and the subsequent raising of credit terms is dangerous and not something that can be supported.
I can't get behind so-called singers that can't carry a tune, get paid for talking, how easy is that? Well, maybe I could get behind that!
The lack of talent and skill in some modern music and entertainment is disappointing and not something that can be supported, but the ease of this career path is tempting.
Well, I can't! If you have to fix it with a computer: quantized, pitch corrected, and overly inspected, then you can't do it, and I can't get behind that!
The excessive use of technology to correct and alter performances is dishonest and not something that can be supported.
I--can't--get behind--a fat ass!
The idea of being overweight or unhealthy is unappealing and not something that can be supported.
Yeah, Bill, can you turn around and do one more?
An additional take of the performance is requested.
Always can do one more.
Confidence that another take can be performed if needed.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., BMG Rights Management
Written by: BEN FOLDS, BENJAMIN SCOTT FOLDS, UNKNOWN WRITER UNKNOWN WRITER,, WILLIAM SHATNER, WRITER UNKNOWN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind