There are some songs that get so deeply embedded in our memories, we sing the words with ease. Many times, we don’t even question the lyrics or their meaning; we just belt them earnestly as the songwriters intended. But every now and again, there are tunes that, if you actually think about their meanings, can be total head-scratchers. That’s because they, oftentimes, contain “nonce words.”
In a recent Threads post, a person seemed to ponder the 1973 hit “The Joker,” by the Steve Miller Band. It wasn’t the “midnight toker” or “space cowboy” that confused them. Instead, they asked, “Can anyone explain what the ‘pompatus’ of love is? It’s been 50 years and I still don’t know.” It’s a good question, and really one that only Steve Miller and his co-writers could answer.
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The comments, and there were nearly 900 of them, were equally nonsensical and funny. One person advises, “You have to change your name to Maurice to get it.” (This is, of course, referring to another famous line in the song.)
One Threader had an image in mind. They shared, “Personally, I’ve always pictured a Dr. Seuss-like, large, fluffy beast.”
The truth is, as a commenter also points out, “pompatus” is what’s called a “nonce word.” This, as described by Cambridge Dictionaries online, is a word or term used “on a single occasion.” In other words, it’s made up for the purpose of a lyric, a word in a book, or any other form of writing or speaking. What can be especially fun about these words is they’re often written, sung, or spoken as if they were totally real.
Writer Lewis Carroll was incredibly gifted at making up words. “Jabberwocky” was one poem main crux of which was “nonsense” words. The Dictionary Project shares, “Carroll’s genius gave us ‘slithy’ (pronounced ‘sly-thee,’ he insisted)” from ‘lithe and slimy’ and ‘mimsy’ from ‘miserable and flimsy.’ My favorite, ‘frumious,’ describes the ‘fuming and furious’ Bandersnatch.
Sue-Sue-Sussudio
Another commenter on the Threads post brings up the Phil Collins hit, advising, “Ask Sussudio. She knows.” Now this one is a little different, because it’s a name Collins has given his starring character. And if one were to really think about it, names are all often “nonce words.” But this one is mentioned quite a few times, regardless.
Fergalicious
On a Reddit thread titled “Songs with made up words,” over 750 commenters weighed in with their surprisingly strong opinions on the matter. One reminded readers of the song “Fergalicious,” written by Fergie (Stacy Ann Ferguson) for her first solo album, The Dutchess. It’s definitely an “of the moment” word to combine her name with the word “delicious.”
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
The quintessential nonce word(s) were written by Beatles Sir Paul McCartney and John Lennon. The title (and lyrics) of their song “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” has no actual meaning. Contextually, the words are followed by the sentence, “Life goes on,” so perhaps we’ve come to think of the lyrics as kind of a shrug, “that’s just life” sentiment.
Feminonmenon
Quite a few on Threads and Reddit mentioned this song and word by Chappell Roan and Dan Nigro, off her debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. Of course, it combines the words “feminine” with “phenomenon.” Roan herself explained, “It’s a queer song—hidden there… it’s a phenomenon that this magical, perfect scenario somewhere out there exists, and it’s probably a woman in my case.”
