Worlds greatest lyricist

[Black Dahlia]

Marc Bolan.

[Loki]

David Sylvian (solo). One of the great 20th century poets. Evocative, poignant and deeply moving. Has the power to make you smile. And the power to make you cry.

Waterfront

On the banks of a sunset beach
Messages scratched in sand
Beneath a roaming home of stars
Young boys try their hand
A spanish harbouring of sorts
In Catalonian bars
They were pulled from a sinking ship
And saved for last

On the waterfront the rain
Is pouring in my heart
Here the memories come in waves
Raking in the lost and found of years
And though I'd like to laugh
At all the things that led me on
Somehow the stigma still remains

Watch the train steam full ahead
As it takes the bend
Empty carriages lose their tracks
And tumble to their end
So the world shrinks drop by drop
As the wine goes to your head
Swollen angels point and laugh
"This time your god is dead"

On the waterfront the rain
Is pouring in my heart
Here the memories come in waves
Raking in the lost and found of years
And though I'd like to laugh
At all the things that led me on
Somehow the stigma still remains

Is our love strong enough?

[Tinkerbell]

David Sylvian (solo). One of the great 20th century poets. Evocative, poignant and deeply moving. Has the power to make you smile. And the power to make you cry.

Waterfront

On the banks of a sunset beach
Messages scratched in sand
Beneath a roaming home of stars
Young boys try their hand
A spanish harbouring of sorts
In Catalonian bars
They were pulled from a sinking ship
And saved for last

On the waterfront the rain
Is pouring in my heart
Here the memories come in waves
Raking in the lost and found of years
And though I'd like to laugh
At all the things that led me on
Somehow the stigma still remains

Watch the train steam full ahead
As it takes the bend
Empty carriages lose their tracks
And tumble to their end
So the world shrinks drop by drop
As the wine goes to your head
Swollen angels point and laugh
"This time your god is dead"

On the waterfront the rain
Is pouring in my heart
Here the memories come in waves
Raking in the lost and found of years
And though I'd like to laugh
At all the things that led me on
Somehow the stigma still remains

Is our love strong enough?

I agree - "Gone To Earth" is one of my favourite albums.

[Loki]

I agree - "Gone To Earth" is one of my favourite albums.

Well said. The chorus in 'Wave' still sends shivers down my spine no matter how many times I hear it.

Wave

It seems that I remember
I dreamed a thousand dreams
We'd face the days together
No matter what they'd bring
A strength inside like I'd never known
Opened the door to life and let it go

This sun may shine forever
Upon the back of love
A kingdom raised from ashes
And held within your arms
And should the rain break through the trees
We'll find a shelter there and never leave

I'll run to you, nothing stands between us now
Nothing I can lose
This light inside can never die
Another world just made for two
I'll swim the seas inside with you
And like the waves, without a sound
I'll never let you down

Upon a wave of summer
A hilltop paved with gold
We shut our eyes and made
The promises we hold
A will to guide and see us through
I'd do it all again because of you

I'd tear my very soul to make you mine

Good job QB's off on his hols otherwise he'd accuse us of trying to turn this into a DS forum.

[Jim]

no one has mentioned Bowie, or is that just me being silly again

oh and can i add Don Mclean and thanks to my mad teacher who thought it was cool for 5 year olds to analyse American Pie and therefore was responsible for the mess i'm in now

Yup, you're silly - look up the page - I covered Bowie.

And I don't want to get nasty but Trent Reznor, Martin Gore and Robert Smith - f**k off are they good lyricists - they've come out with some real crap in the past (especially Trent).

Don't get me wrong - All 3 bands are in my top ten, but lyrics wise? Nah.

[hallucienate]

And I don't want to get nasty but Trent Reznor, Martin Gore and Robert Smith - **** off are they good lyricists - they've come out with some real crap in the past (especially Trent).

Don't get me wrong - All 3 bands are in my top ten, but lyrics wise? Nah.

I gotta agree with Jim about NIN. Some of the rhyme schemes on Pretty Hate Machine are pretty terrible. Almost as bad as the opening two lines of War Pigs

[MrChris]

So, for me -

Andrew Eldritch - all time star, s'why I'm here...

And honourable mentions to anyone who really thinks seriously about their lyrics, and doesn't just insert whatever rhymes with 'head':

Leonard Cohen
At times, Michael Stipe
Morrissey

Sometimes, Neil Tennant (*ducks*)
Very occasionally, Robert Smith can write a decent one.
Ian Curtis wrote some very evocative lyrics, but also wrote some that any angst-ridden sixth-former could turn out.
Tori Amos also has her moments, particularly on Choirgirl hotel.
As does Beth Gibbon, and Polly Harvey.

No marks at all to:
That Guitarist
Stevie Wonder - some great songs, some very poor lyrics, sorry.
Jim Morrison - nuff said.
Michael Hutchence
Karl McCoy.
2 Unlimited.

[Tinkerbell]

So, for me -

Andrew Eldritch - all time star, s'why I'm here...

And honourable mentions to anyone who really thinks seriously about their lyrics, and doesn't just insert whatever rhymes with 'head':

Leonard Cohen
At times, Michael Stipe
Morrissey

Sometimes, Neil Tennant (*ducks*)
Very occasionally, Robert Smith can write a decent one.
Ian Curtis wrote some very evocative lyrics, but also wrote some that any angst-ridden sixth-former could turn out.
Tori Amos also has her moments, particularly on Choirgirl hotel.
As does Beth Gibbon, and Polly Harvey.

No marks at all to:
That Guitarist
Stevie Wonder - some great songs, some very poor lyrics, sorry.
Jim Morrison - nuff said.
Michael Hutchence
Karl McCoy.
2 Unlimited.

Are you slagging Hutch again Mr Chris?

Right thats it! - outside now, you and me in the carpark .....

[Jim]

So, for me -

Andrew Eldritch - all time star, s'why I'm here...

And honourable mentions to anyone who really thinks seriously about their lyrics, and doesn't just insert whatever rhymes with 'head':

Leonard Cohen
At times, Michael Stipe
Morrissey

Sometimes, Neil Tennant (*ducks*)
Very occasionally, Robert Smith can write a decent one.
Ian Curtis wrote some very evocative lyrics, but also wrote some that any angst-ridden sixth-former could turn out.
Tori Amos also has her moments, particularly on Choirgirl hotel.
As does Beth Gibbon, and Polly Harvey.

No marks at all to:
That Guitarist
Stevie Wonder - some great songs, some very poor lyrics, sorry.
Jim Morrison - nuff said.
Michael Hutchence
Karl McCoy.
2 Unlimited.

ooh! PJ harvey - I agree.

@hal: Thanks a bunch, I'll have war pigs stuck in my head all day now.

[Loki]

No marks at all to:
That Guitarist

Precisely why Von refused to record his songs.
'Over the hills and far away' . Please. My 12 year old could do better.

[Black Shuck]

And I don't want to get nasty but Trent Reznor, Martin Gore and Robert Smith - **** off are they good lyricists - they've come out with some real crap in the past (especially Trent).

Don't get me wrong - All 3 bands are in my top ten, but lyrics wise? Nah.

I gotta agree with Jim about NIN. Some of the rhyme schemes on Pretty Hate Machine are pretty terrible. Almost as bad as the opening two lines of War Pigs

I love the sabs, but I agree abaout the first two lines to war pigs being terrible.
I hate it when a band uses the same word twice. that aint ryhming! that's just crap!

[Black Shuck]

I **** hate the beatles. Especially that Mccartney ****. Good bassist though.

Lyricists - AE, Zodiac Mindwarp (life changing stuff), Morrisey (sorry) and Bowie.

don't apologise for liking the lyrics of Morrissey, he IS the greatest lyricist ever.
his lyrics actually make me laugh. don't be fooled by the 'miserablist' image perpetuated by the media morons - he said in a recent interview that he is flabbergasted that anyone ever took his lyrics seriously, they were meant to be funny not depressing. and they are hilarious.

[Scardwel]

I'm with Jim on this one - NIN, The Cure and DM and all great bands, but lyrically they're nothing special IMHO.

Has anyone mentioned Michael Stipe? I'm not a huge fan of REM but I like some of his lyrics.

I'd pick Morrissey as well, for the humour!

Oh the Sabs - I love the Ozzy era of the band but never in the history of rock has a man rhymed the words "brain" with "insane" so many times...!

[MrChris]

Yep, I picked Stipe and Moz. Great minds, etc.

[whitesatin]

<---------------------------

Me always been considered this guy is a great lyricist than Leonard Cohen or Eldritch........

*dug and hide myself from rotten tomatoes*




but i don't think he is a god.

[whitesatin]

<---------------------------

Me always been considered this guy is a great lyricist than Leonard Cohen or Eldritch........

But i have to say they' re my favorite lyricists after all.

[ryan]

ok- hears mine

lou reed- because he says it neat and gritty

ian curtis- duh

david bowie- still at 40/50 he can still sing about teenagers and discos and get away with it

kurt cobain- i thought his lyrics were pretty average- till i read the meanings of them- very cool stuff

and i guess robert smiths ok

[Padstar]

@ Cell Three

So, did you enjoy your Stuffies revival revival???

Paddy.

[CellThree]

heh, I'd forgotten how good HUP was...

[pikkrong]

no one have mentioned Gene Vincent?

Be-Bop-A-Lula

Well be-bop-a-lula she's my baby,
Be-bop-a-lula I don't mean maybe.
Be-bop-a-lula she's my baby
Be-bop-a-lula I don't mean maybe
Be-bop-a-lula she's my baby love,
My baby love, my baby love.

Well she's the girl in the red blue jeans.
She's the queen of all the teens.
She's the one that I know
She's the one that loves me so.

Say be-bop-a-lula she's my baby,
Be-bop-a-lula I don't mean maybe.
Be-bop-a-lula she's my baby
Be-bop-a-lula I don't mean maybe
Be-bop-a-lula she's my baby love,
My baby love, my baby love.

Well she's the one that gots that beat.
She's the one with the flyin' feet.
She's the one that walks around the store.
She's the one that gets more more more.

Be-bop-a-lula she's my baby,
Be-bop-a-lula I don't mean maybe.
Be-bop-a-lula she's my baby
Be-bop-a-lula I don't mean maybe
Be-bop-a-lula she's my baby love,
My baby love, my baby love.

[Erudite]

Apart from AE, I very much admire Tori Amos's lyrics.

Totally in agreement there.
Mr Cohen also gets an honourable mention.

It remains a crying shame that Good Things never got an official
release.

Driver also amuses me with its rather clunky car burning down the freeway/amphetamine rush analogy.

Still, Motorhead by Motorhead says it much better...

"Moves like a parallelogram."

[Serendipityhaven]

Mike Scott,widely known as frontman for The Waterboys

[pikkrong]

alexander veljanov.

i have always thought lyrics are the most ridiculous point of Deine Lakaien.
good voice, yes.
nice music, say thanks also to Herr Horn.

hmmm... i prefer veljanov's side projects to horn's

DL's lyrics are fantastic! i want more people to speak english like that

well, if you meant my bad English, I'm 100 % agree
still can't agree about Veljanov's being a great lyricist.
i mean:
http://www.elyrics.net/go/d/Deine_Lakai ... l_Not_Die/
or:
http://www.elyrics.net/go/d/Deine_Lakai ... tion_Iii)/
by the way, "Kasmodiah" has been my favourite album by DL.

[pikkrong]

and as the answer of the main question: Eldritch has been the most impressive for me

[zigeunerweisen]

How typical of you brits, and you speak about americans being self centered. A thread called the greatest lyricist in the world and we only get a bunch of english speaking guys. First there's no greatest this ir that of the world, there's always someone better that you don't know or never heard about, and what makes a lyric great? How serious it is? How it conjures up a certain type of image, of story, of feeling?

I have no idea who's the greatest lyricist since i don't know every artist in the world but here are a few non english speaking lyricists that i like. You probably have never heard any of them.

Jacques Brel (Belgium)
Zeca Afonso (Portugal)
Tom Jobim (Brasil)
Chico Buarque (Brasil)
Vinícius de Moraes (Brasil)
Vitorino (Portugal)
Edith Piaf (France)
Carlos Gardel (Argentinian born in France)
David Mourão-Ferreira (Portugal)
José Régio (Portugal)
Ary dos Santos (Portugal)

etc., etc., etc.

There are many more, from many other countries, i won't write them all since it would be tiring.