The greatest lyricist ??

[Colton]

Frank Zappa and Neil Peart.

My guitar wants to kill your momma!

"naw, but seriously folks"
My favorite zappa song has no lyrics, Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

[AnimalInstinct625]

I make no apologies for this, but, my favorite lyricist is Gwen Stefani.

I'm not talking about her solo shit, but more along the lyrics on No Doubt's Return of Saturn album. I have the b-sides to that album too, and the words are always interesting. She often writes metaphorically, and when lyrics get you thinking...that's what's neat.

I also think Delores from The Cranberries is an excellent writer. It's strange how a specific series of words can move you like that.

[greaser]

Joe Strummer
Shane McGowan

[ZappasXWife]

1. Bob Dylan
2. John Prine
3. Early Bruce Springsteen
4. Jim Morrison
5. Lennon/McCartney
6. Robert Hunter

[ASB10]

Bono, Springsteen, and Dylan are automatic givens in this category

Tom Waits - "the piano has been drinking....not me"

Eddie Vedder

Joe Strummer/Mick Jones

Lennon/McCartney

Jagger/Richards

John Hiatt - hell yeah DaveB

Robert Plant - the last several stanzas to Stairway are genius...as are many other Zep songs

Seger is the poor man's Springsteen



and there are many more who have the uncanny ability to write these amazing songs

[nakedtwister]

I'm putting in a vote for James Taylor , Crosby/ Stills/ Nash, and Warren Zevon.

[Mikey Wax]

Joey Cape - Lagwagon


I'm not a Springstein fan, but I really like his lyrics. Espically the songs about car stuff!



Sprung from cages on Highway 9
Chrome wheels, fuel injected
and steppin out over the line.

[DirtySanchez]

Fat Mike- NOFX
Brett Gurewitz- Bad Religion

[Mikey Wax]

Now that I know you are also a punker at heart. I will love you forever. Espically since it's real punk and not teenie bopper stuff.



IOU one front-rub.


VIVA LA PUNK!!!!

[DirtySanchez]

I just can't believe how political everyone is on this page yet Punk Rock hardly ever gets mentioned. Especially in this thread.
Anarchy & Peace
DirtySanchez

[MeYatch]

viva la punk indeed

Mr. Brett is definately a great song writer, much better than the songs greg graffin writes.

also I don't know if this is old school punk, or kiddie punk, but I think Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio writes some impressive lyrics

[Mikey Wax]

I'm not sure either, but Alkaline Trio fucking rocks. There's such a fine line in punk these days.

I just think that the punk I like is cool, and the other stuff isn't. It's much easier that way.

[Banned]

I'm putting in a vote for James Taylor , Crosby/ Stills/ Nash, and Warren Zevon.

Thanks for reminding me about Warren Zevon.

Just the title of "Send Lawyers, Guns, and Money" makes me chuckle. And don't forget "Roland, the Headless Thompson Gunner"

[DirtySanchez]

Speaking of Alkaline Trio, I just bought "Crimson" with the bonus disc with the acoustic stuff. AWESOME!!!

[MeYatch]

dude, you're so behind the times, I've had that for months.
yeah, it is awesome, I wish they had just waited like a month and included the "burn" video on it though.

[J Michaels]

I just can't believe how political everyone is on this page yet Punk Rock hardly ever gets mentioned. Especially in this thread.
Anarchy & Peace
DirtySanchez

AGH! I meant to include Jello Biafra and Henry Rollins in my list earlier.... thanks for reminding me.

[DirtySanchez]

Yeah I know I'm behind the times. It's just there's so many excellent bands out there and I want to support them by buying their music not burning or ripping it and My wallet has it's limitations. Plus so many local acts have released great music recently so I'm usually listening to that.
I still have yet to buy the Alkaline split with One Man Army.

[BDR]

Eminem. Don't buy it? Print out his lyrics and follow along with any of his songs. Makes words rhyme that have no business rhyming. He's a genius.

Flame away.

r:>)

[DirtySanchez]

Eminem can def. put words together and actually seemed witty at first.
It just gets old hearing a thirty-something year old dude complain about
his mommy and pop music. If you like Eminem you should check out a
group called Eyedea & Abilities. Eyedea can freestyle shit most people couldn't write down.

[MeYatch]

as much as I hate eminem, I have to agree with that, he definately has some rhyming skill.

dude, I bought that alkaline trio one man army split, and then crashed my car and left it in there, damn does that piss me off.

also, Jimmy Pop from the bloodhound gang, hillarious, great rhyming and rhythm schemes.

[J Michaels]

When I first heard these guys I really didn't like them much. The more I listen to them, the more I dig them. Musically some of the most bad-ass shit that is still listenable and melodic in a LONG time. And lyrically - holy shit. These guys are f*#king brilliant, in my opinion.

Serj Tankian and Daron Malakian of System of a Down

[f.sciarrillo]

There are some good ones on here. I have to agree with the talk of Eminem. He does know how to put words together.

[HarleyRo1]

Can't forget the chicks, Tori Amos, Bonnie Raitt, Carly Simon, and Melissa Etheridge.

Tori's "Little Earthquakes" CD is still one of my favorites and the gal can play too.

[Banned]

Tori's "Little Earthquakes" CD is still one of my favorites and the gal can play too.

Oooh, good one. She started to get progressively more cryptic after that, but she always comes up with really striking stuff.

Another modern lyricist I really like is Beck. His style is so bizarre . . . it doesn't make any literal sense, but you still know exactly what he's talking about.

[YankeeRose]

I'd only be repeating all the other greats already mentioned, so instead, I'll just add to the list.



George Harrison, Jerry Garcia, Norah Jones, Adrian Belew and Steven Wilson.