That's cool. I appreciate the hello. And I like Bright Eyes (Joe from Mathletes probably does too). I'd just read that lyric a couple days ago, so your post reminded me of it. And knowing Joe, I'm pretty sure it's weak by design. Mathletes are hilarious. Check em out if you ever get a chance.
It's funny that some people are talking about Billy Joel and lyrics. For me lyrics are the one reason that I don't have such a strong passion for Billy Joel. It seems like every Joel song just has one or two lyrics that pushes it too far into the cheezy side. He's on the brink of being great, but doesn't even quite make it to good because of lyrics IMO. As for my list, take BMoney's lyst add T.Rex and Pete Townsend and that would probably be it. Jim Morrison's lyrics were usually pretty good, but could over the top. But no matter what his lyrics weren't as horrible as that poetry of his. That had to be some of the worst poetry I've ever seen.
Nobody's mentioned Rob Thomas anywhere? He's won grammy awards and has been named Billboard's songwriter of the year a couple of times. I really like his stuff.
Have the people who don't like Billy Joel listened to any of his early stuff? Piano Man, Captain Jack, I've seen the lights go out on Broadway, New York State of Mind --- that's when he was at his best. Piano Man was his best album
Thanks, thegary. Neil is amazing. I saw him with Buffalo Springfield, who opened a concert of Springfield, followed by Strawberry Alarm Clock (can you imagine Buffalo Springfield playing before the artists who uncorked, Incense and Peppermints??), and headlined by Jefferson Airplane. There's a thread about "riots" at UT (right!) in D&D that reminds me of this concert. A riot broke out at the Coliseum in Houston when the management turned off Airplane's power, because it had gotten "late." Almost every riot I was ever in started at a concert, it seems. No one was ever seriously hurt... things just got a bit busted up, and a point was made. For example, concerts began to last longer not long after the one I mentioned. Back then concerts with 3 or 4 bands were commonplace, and they all didn't play for 20 minutes. Having a "time limit" was ludicrous. (and I managed to leave with the end of one of the barricades... the triangle shaped part, whatever the heck that's called. I had it for years) I forgot one of my most favorite lyricists, a true genius, Tommy Hall of the 13th Floor Elevators. I saw them a couple of dozen times, mostly at the Love Street Light Circus at Allen's Landing. Here's one of his songs... She Lives (In A Time Of Her Own) She lives, no fear doubtless in everything she knows. Through time unchecked, the sureness of her flows. She leaves herself inside you when she goes. She lives in a time of her own. You have always heard her speaking, she's always been in your ear. Her voice sounds a tone within you, listen to the words you hear. Her time has no past or future, she lives everything she sees. Her time doesn't spin outside here, it's in every breath she breaths. She lives in a time of her own. Her love whips hard like wind and stands in eager pain. She wins your thoughts and drives your inner planes. She clears and shares a love that never strains. She lives in a time of her own. You have always heard her speaking, she's always been in your ear. Her voice sounds a tone within you, listen to the words you hear. Her time has no past or future, she lives everything she sees. Her time doesn't spin outside here, it's in every breath she breaths. She lives in a time of her own. Her eyes like light reflect the aura of her hair. She sends, attends, behind an alpha stare. She seeks the stars and spirals up their stairs. she lives in a time of her own. she lives in a time of her own. she lives in a time of her own. she lives in a time of her own. lyrics by Tommy Hall
Thanks, for the old school (and I mean REALLY old ) post, Deckard. I actually saw Strawberry Alarm Clock in the mid seventies at On The Border (anyone remeber it?) and can only wish it would have been Neil Young instead. I also saw what was left of Blue Cheer (Now THERE is a cool band) around the same time. And now that I drunkenly ramble, I remember seeing the Ramones backed up by the Runaways there. Everyone was WAY confused. But, now I get it.
Wow...he completely slipped my mind! Great call! I have been thinking about this for way too much of today, but I would revise my top ten by putting Hank Williams in the top five. He cut to the bone. Simple, perfect lines that were heartbreaking. For his work with the Talking Heads makes David Byrne essential to this list. He would be in my top ten, too. A complete original. I can't believe neither of these guys are mentioned! Other people worth mention here: Courtney Love: Kurt and Billy Corgan may have wrote a lot of the music, but the lyrics have been undeniably her work and they have been fantastic. "Live Through This" is one of the best albums of the 90's and the lyrics are a big part of it. Paul Weller: His body of work as a solo artist would merit inclusion with the likes of Adam Frickin Duritz....if you include his work with The Jam he is a top 30 lyricist easily. PJ Harvey: The words and images of her songs are very evocative, menacing, surreal and erotic. She works the sort of primal area of music that Nick Cave and Patti Smith do and I think she is fantastic.
Batman, are the Mathletes a reference to late, lamented tv show "Freaks and Geeks?" If so, I heart the Mathletes before I've heard a single song!
Some peoples hot Some peoples cold Some peoples not very Swift to behold Some people do it Some see right through it Some wear pyjamas If only they knew it Frank Zappa
Actually in my opinion Nas is a much better Lyricist than Jay. He Wrote this song when he was 19 years old. It Ain't Hard to Tell It ain't hard to tell, I excel, then prevail The mic is contacted, I attract clientele My mic check is life or death, breathin a sniper's death I exhale the yellow smoke of buddha through righteous steps Deep like The Shinin', sparkle like a diamond Sneak a uzi on the island in my army jacket linin Hit the Earth like a comet, invasion Nas is like the Afrocentric Asian, half-man, half-amazin Cause in my physical, I can express through song Delete stress like Motrin, then extend strong I drank Moet with Medusa, give her shotguns in hell From the spliff that I lift and inhale, it ain't hard to tell The buddha monk's in your trunk, turn the bass up Nas, stories by Aesop, place your loot up, parties I shoot up Nas, I analyze, drop a jew-el Inhale from the L, school a fool well, you feel it like braille It ain't hard to tell, I kick the skill like Shaquille holds a pill Vocabulary spills I'm Ill plus Matic, I freak beats slam it like Iron Shiek Jam like a tech with correct techniques So analyze me, surprise me, but can't magmatize me Scannin while you're plannin ways to sabatoge me I leave em froze like her-on in your nose Nas'll rock well, it ain't hard to tell This rhythmatic explosion, is what your frame of mind has chosen I'll leave your brain stimulated, *****z is frozen Speak with criminal slang, begin like a violin End like Leviathan, it's deep well let me try again Wisdom be leakin out my grapefruit troop I dominate break loops, givin mics men-e-straul cycles Street's disciple, I rock beats that's mega trifle And groovy but smoother than moves by Villanova You're still a soldier, I'm like Sly Stallone in Cobra Packin like a rasta in the weed spot Vocals'll squeeze glocks, MC's eavesdropT Though they need not to sneak My poetry's deep, I never fell Nas's raps should be locked in a cell It ain't hard to tell
JESUS CHRIST (Woody Guthrie) Jesus Christ was a man who traveled through the land Hard working man and brave He said to the rich, "Give your goods to the poor." So they laid Jesus Christ in his grave. Jesus was a man, a carpenter by hand His followers true and brave One dirty little coward called Judas Iscariot Has laid Jesus Christ in his grave He went to the sick, he went to the poor, And he went to the hungry and the lame; Said that the poor would one day win this world, And so they laid Jesus Christ in his grave. He went to the preacher, he went to the sheriff, Told them all the same; Sell all of your jewelry and give it to the Poor, But they laid Jesus Christ in his grave. When Jesus came to town, the working folks around, Believed what he did say; The bankers and the preachers they nailed him on a cross, And they laid Jesus Christ in his grave. Poor working people, they follered him around, Sung and shouted gay; Cops and the soldiers, they nailed him in the air, And they nailed Jesus Christ in his grave. Well the people held their breath when they heard about his death, And everybody wondered why; It was the landlord and the soldiers that he hired. That nailed Jesus Christ in the sky. When the love of the poor shall one day turn to hate. When the patience of the workers gives away "Would be better for you rich if you never had been born" So they laid Jesus Christ in his grave. This song was written in New York City Of rich men, preachers and slaves Yes, if Jesus was to preach like he preached in Galillee, They would lay Jesus Christ in his grave.
JESSE JAMES (Pogues) Jesse James we understand Has killed many a man He robbed the Union trains He stole from the rich and gave to the poor He'd a hand and a heart and a brain Now Jesse had a wife Lived a lady all her life And children they were brave But history does record That Bob and Charlie Ford Have laid poor Jesse in his grave Well it was on Saturday night The stars were shining bright They robbed the Glendale train And the people they did say for many miles away It was those outlays Frank and Jesse James Now Jesse had a wife Lived a lady all her life And children they were brave But history does record That Bob and Charlie Ford Have laid poor Jesse in his grave Well it was Bob and Charlie Ford Those dirty little cowards I wonder how they feel For they ate of Jesse's bread and they slept in Jesse's bed And they laid poor Jesse in his grave Now Jesse had a wife Lived a lady all her life And children they were brave But history does record That Bob and Charlie Ford Have laid poor Jesse in his grave Well the people held their breath When they heard of Jesse's death They wondered how he came to fall Well it was Robert Ford in fact who shot him in the back While he hung a picture on the wall
Bono of U2 is underated in this list, IMO. He has consistently put out great albums with superb lyrics.
