The greatest lyricist ??

f.sciarrillo · Post by **f.sciarrillo** » Friday Jun 02, 2006

Here is one, who do you think is the greatest lyricist ?? Mine are, at this moment and time:

Thom Yorke - Radiohead
Robert Smith - The Cure

I been writing a lot lately, they seem to help "influence" some of my work ..

lonewolf · Post by **lonewolf** » Saturday Jun 03, 2006

Ian Anderson - Jethro Tull

the herald · Post by **the herald** » Saturday Jun 03, 2006

Hmmm...good topic.....im not a huge Bob Dylan fan but his lyrics are pretty cool and as many songs as he wrote!!

also Jimi Hendrix in the short amount of time he was around, also Robert Hunter and Roger Waters

Viva la Pelt · Post by **Viva la Pelt** » Saturday Jun 03, 2006

MANSON........."I went to god just to see and i was lookin at me!"

f.sciarrillo · Post by **f.sciarrillo** » Saturday Jun 03, 2006

Viva la Pelt wrote:MANSON........."I went to god just to see and i was lookin at me!"

I like that ... That is good ..

moxham123 · Post by **moxham123** » Saturday Jun 03, 2006

Ian Anderson - Jethro Tull

&

Neil Peart - Rush

bassist_25 · Post by **bassist_25** » Saturday Jun 03, 2006

the herald wrote:also Jimi Hendrix in the short amount of time he was around

While Jimi will always be known for his ground-breaking guitar work, he always wanted to be taken seriously as a songwriter. He was a damn good songwriter too.

songsmith · Post by **songsmith** » Saturday Jun 03, 2006

Bernie Taupin, Paul McCartney/John Lennon, Hank Williams, Robert Johnson, Willie Dixon, and I've been listening to a couple of cats who are always listed in the credits as, "Public Domain," and "Traditional." Their work seems to have held up for an awfully long time.

--->JMS

Baceman Spiff · Post by **Baceman Spiff** » Saturday Jun 03, 2006

Willie Nelson wrote some of the gretest country songs ever before he became a successfull performer. 'Crazy' and 'Hello Walls' to name two. Willie's the man.

HarleyRo1 · Post by **HarleyRo1** » Saturday Jun 03, 2006

Bono - U2

Banned · Post by **Banned** » Saturday Jun 03, 2006

Not the greatest, but worth mentioning in the list:

John Prine-----

"Selling bibles at the airports
Buying quayludes on the phone
Hey, you talk about
A paper route
She's a shut in without a home
God save her, please
She's nailed her knees
To some drugstore parking lot
Hey, Mr. Brown
Turn the volume down
I believe this evening's shot"-----an unforgetable verse

daveb · Post by **daveb** » Saturday Jun 03, 2006

Two writers really get to me, John Hiatt and Trent Reznor. Not often that you see those two names in the same sentence. Their lyrics speak right to me when they are at their best.

f.sciarrillo · Post by **f.sciarrillo** » Saturday Jun 03, 2006

daveb wrote:Two writers really get to me, John Hiatt and Trent Reznor. Not often that you see those two names in the same sentence. Their lyrics speak right to me when they are at their best.

Yes, Trent Reznor is pretty good. He has a lot of emotion in his songs; which makes it even better .

homerski · Post by **homerski** » Saturday Jun 03, 2006

The true magic of song writing comes with the mystical melding of words and music. The absolute masters of this art are "Steely Dan" (Fagan & Becker).

The epitome of their craft is displayed on the album "The Royal Scam" (1976), Just take a look http://www.steelydan.com/lyrroyalscam.html

If you have never heard this album, or haven't heard it for a while, I invite you to do so ASAP. The first cut on the album says it all:

KID CHARLEMAGNE

While the music played you worked by candlelight
Those San Francisco nights
You were the best in town
Just by chance you crossed the diamond with the pearl
You turned it on the world
That's when you turned the world around
Did you feel like Jesus
Did you realize
That you were a champion in their eyes
On the hill the stuff was laced with kerosene
But yours was kitchen clean
Everyone stopped to stare at your technicolor motor home
Every A-Frame had your number on the wall
You must have had it all
You'd go to L.A. on a dare
And you'd go it alone
Could you live forever
Could you see the day
Could you feel your whole world fall apart and fade away

CHORUS:
Get along, get along Kid Charlemagne
Get along Kid Charlemagne

Now your patrons have all left you in the red
Your low rent friends are dead
This life can be very strange
All those dayglow freaks who used to paint the face
They've joined the human race
Some things will never change
Son you were mistaken
You are obsolete
Look at all the white men on the street

CHORUS

Clean this mess up else we'll all end up in jail
Those test tubes and the scale
Just get them all out of here
Is there gas in the car
Yes, there's gas in the car
I think the people down the hall
Know who you are

Careful what you carry
'Cause the man is wise
You are still an outlaw in their eyes

--------------------------------
As I write this, I am reminded of another legend who perhaps is the "Grandfather of modern pop songwriting". Of course that man is none other than Frank Zappa.

This site http://www.zappa-analysis.com has analyzed Zappa measure by measure.

John H.

slink · Post by **slink** » Saturday Jun 03, 2006

John Prine

Jackson Browne

Randy Neuman

Lennon McCartney

Dylan

Robert Zimmerman

and dare I say Bruce Springsteen (early years, but then thats usually everyones best creative time)

Dragan Kalasa · Post by **Dragan Kalasa** » Saturday Jun 03, 2006

Oh man...well...

Maynard James Keenan, I'm actually surprised no one mentioned him. His vocal abilities are almost surpassed by his vocabulary.

Perry Farrell of Jane's Addiction, although somewhat simple I still think he's a good lyricist. Maybe moreso now than before though.

Zack de la Rocha of Rage Against the Machine - if I ever wanted to be a freedom fighter, or if I ever wanted know how badly the Mexicans had it, haha. When I'm into political propaganda, or lack there of, I'm definitely listening to him.

Thom Yorke of Radiohead - His lyrics can be complicated, but I definitely dig his lyrics

And myself of Condemned Existence

I'm just freaking awesome...hahaha

Thumper · Post by **Thumper** » Saturday Jun 03, 2006

JIM CROCE

J Michaels · Post by **J Michaels** » Saturday Jun 03, 2006

In no particular order, other than who pops into my head first.....

Chris Cornell

Lennon/McCartney

Steve Harris of Iron Maiden

Neil Peart

Geezer Butler

James Hetfield, pre-1990

Robert Plant

Eddie Vedder

Layne Staley / Jerry Cantrell

Johnette Napolitano (Concrete Blonde)

David Bowie

Scott Weiland

Bob Dylan, tho I don't always "get it"

Bruace Springsteen, definitely

Michael Stanley

and don't laugh... John Denver

redawg · Post by **redawg** » Sunday Jun 04, 2006

I'm drunk and can't decide on one. Got a few in mind right now. Corey Taylor of Slipknot, Amy Lee of Evanescence, Maynard James Keenan muthertruckers and Geoff Tate. I know, I seem to keep picking these bands for favorites threads

rolling eyes at myself. I CAN"T STOP PARTYING

The GREAT JAY Z is definatelly one of my favorite lyric writers

DAMN IT, Eminem was a huge inspiration to me for a while.

FatVin · Post by **FatVin** » Sunday Jun 04, 2006

Leonard Coen

"All I ever learned from love was how to shoot at someone who out drew ya" - Hallelujah

Everybody knows you been discreet, there were all those people that ya had to meet without your clothes, everybody knows" - Everybody knows

Tom Waits

You're singing lead soprano in a junkman's choir" - Come on up to the house

"I'm just another sad guest on this dark earth" - Make it Rain

Lyle Lovett

"But Tonto he was smarter and one day said Kemosabe. you can kiss my ass, I bought a boat, I'm going out to sea" - If I had a boat

"Not being completley insensitive, I realized my ship had aground when I puckered up, she puckered down" -My Baby don't Tolerate

Ray Davies

"My Girlfriend's run off with my car and gone back to her ma and par, telling tlaes of drunkeness and cruelty" - Sunny Afternoon

"Father Christmas, give me your money, don't mess around with all of your toys" - Father Christmas

Hoyt Axton

'You got the knife, I got the gun c'mon boy we gonna have a little fun" -Jealous Man

"No No No No I don't smoke it no more, I'm tired of waking up on the floor"

Lots of great lyric writers listed but these guys deserve credit too

f.sciarrillo · Post by **f.sciarrillo** » Sunday Jun 04, 2006

This Radiohead song is so addictive. Thom Yorke's writing style in it is really good ...

Rows of houses all bearing down on me
I can feel their blue hands touching me
All these things in all positions
All these things will one day take control
And fade out again and fade out

This machine will will not communicate these thoughts
And the strain I am under
Be a world child form a circle before we all go under
And fade out again and fade out again

Cracked eggs dead birds
Scream as they fight for life
I can feel death can see it’s beady eyes
All these things into frution
All these things we’ll one day swallow whole
And fade out again and fade out again.

I can't stop listening to it; it's poetry, sheer poetry ...

Colton · Post by **Colton** » Sunday Jun 04, 2006

Maynard James Keenan

HurricaneBob · Post by **HurricaneBob** » Sunday Jun 04, 2006

Frank Zappa and Neil Peart.

Baceman Spiff · Post by **Baceman Spiff** » Sunday Jun 04, 2006

Kris Kristoffeson writes some good ones too. I dont think he should ever sing his songs. Be he's good.

Killjingle · Post by **Killjingle** » Sunday Jun 04, 2006

Jim Morrison anyone?

I always thought his lyrics were of another world