Word: refrained
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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Forbert's songs often contain sensual imaginative passages, but he never extends his melodic inspiration through an entire number. The evocative refrain of "Make it all so real" is made numbing by sheer repetition. And he squelches another glimmer of inspiration, the opening bars of "Romeo's Tune" with similar redundancy. This song, the album's current hit, features a handful of lilting syntheziser phrases evocative of young lover's passion. Forbert can't vary these phrases, however; they recur ad nauseum...
...Popular Refrain...
...that referendum contest, residents voted 15,442 to 7,480 to advise the city to "refrain from investing monies in banks or other financial institutions doing business in or with the Republic of South Africa...
Those who thought that song lyrics had reached Rock bottom can still hear the refrain of that disco hit: YMCA ... YMCA... YMCA. The Unicorn Hunters, a society of zealous word watchers based at Lake Superior State College in Michigan, offer a list of current English scourges. Among them: "ballpark figure," "pre-boarding-how can you board a plane before you board it?" and "no problem." Even insult has lost its point: "I couldn't care less" has degenerated to the meaningless "I could care less." Greetings are equally vapid: telephone operators now routinely use '80s-babble, chirping, "Have...
...Ayatullah Khomeini no way of uniting his so-called religious nation other than through the common hatred of the U.S. [Dec. 10]? If that is all he can give the Iranian people, besides a 13th century lifestyle, then perhaps they should refrain from their incessant demonstrating and make a closer examination of Khomeini and his policies...