Readers recommend: songs that command or instruct | Peter Kimpton

Look sharp! Get on it! Don't stop! This week it's time to name songs that, whether in title or lyrics, employ the imperative form. Now get started " please!

"He who wishes to be obeyed must know how to command," said that silver-tongued back-stabber Niccoli^2 Machiavelli. "Your power of command with simple language was one of the magnificent things of our century," added Charles Bukowski. "Do as I say, not as I do," floats out that ancient phrase possibly from John Heywood's 1546 A dialogue Conteinyng the Nomber in Effect of All the Prouerbes in the Englishe Tongue - "It is as folke dooe, and not as folke say." Or not quoting any manufacturer of training shoes, you might just want to stick to simply "Do it". Who said that one? Well, he's a typically understated message from actor Shia LaBeouf: