What song do you love for its lyrics?

John Saltas: “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz. That scene was nearly cut from the movie. Now, it’s the signature song not only of the movie, but also of Judy Garland. No Judy, no Liza Minnelli, maybe no cool gay scene. Hope changes everything.

Stephen Dark: “Balacera (Gun Fight)” by Jairo. The lyrics are by a poet and journalist from Cordoba, Argentina. It starts at sunrise with a man lighting a candle to St. Antonio, the patron saint of folks who live on the margins. He and his gang meet up in a bar called The Cockroach; “the air smells of tobacco and death.” During the subsequent bank robbery, the cops surround them, telling them to give up. He says that he’s been out of work for 10 years, so what’s the point? They open fire, he lies on the sidewalk, a hole in his chest—“it hurts up to my teeth.” His last thought is that someone should take the chain off the bike he left at The Cockroach.

Paula Saltas: “Imagine” by John Lennon.

Elly Green: “Forever Young” by Bob Dylan. As a parent, the words in this song is what I want my daughter to live by.

John Paul Brophy: To pick one of a million, and staying with Paul Simon’s “Graceland”: “The Mississippi Delta was shining like a National guitar,” the imagery forever emblazoned in my mind after seeing from 35,000 feet the Delta glowing in the afternoon sunlight.

Scott Renshaw: Have you got several days to go through the entire Elvis Costello songbook?

Bill Frost: Spork, “Country Massacre”: “I’ve got something to say/ I killed Lady Antebellum today.”