shniggens Posted April 26, 2004 Share Posted April 26, 2004 Who would you consider to be your all-time favorite lyricist in the popular genre? I'm hoping to find new avenues of inspiration for my struggling writers block. I'll start - Roger Waters. I think that 'The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking' contains some of the best rock lyrics ever written. Amateur Hack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip OKeefe Posted April 26, 2004 Share Posted April 26, 2004 Elvis Costello. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calumet Posted April 26, 2004 Share Posted April 26, 2004 He's pompous and arrogant and self-aware...and one of the finest writers period. Who? Sting. Any man who can combine the amazing imagery of priests coming over to give final rites to his dying father ("fussing and flapping in priestly black like a murder of crows") into a CATCHY MAJOR KEY pop hit is a special man indeed. My band Thousand Houses: www.thousandhouses.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Zeger Posted April 26, 2004 Share Posted April 26, 2004 Randy Newman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mats Olsson. Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 Paul Simon Patti Smith Lou Reed Hal David Curtis Mayfield http://www.lexam.net/peter/carnut/man.gif What do we want? Procrastination! When do we want it? Later! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip OKeefe Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 Mats, I was going to mention Hal David - good call. Of course, John Lennon and Paul McCartney HAVE to be on the list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curve Dominant Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 Off the top of me head... Bono Bowie David Sylvian Cole Porter Sade Eric Vincent (ASCAP) www.curvedominant.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
songrytr Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 A big shout out for Costello, of course. Jules Shear Chris Difford (Squeeze) Matthew Sweet Aimee Mann this house is empty now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip OKeefe Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 Your list sucks Songrytr! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunny Knutson Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 Andy Partridge https://bunny.bandcamp.com/ https://theystolemycrayon.bandcamp.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip OKeefe Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 Your list sucks too Bunny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kendrix Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 Im with Phil. E. Costello is a master with the words- in many song styles. Check out some tunes here: http://www.garageband.com/artist/KenFava Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Keelan Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 Not the most cerebral but Chuck Berry's stuff is pure poetry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YourMotherShouldKnow Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 I'll second Calumet with Sting. "All This Time" is great...you could check out his "Nothing Like the Sun" record if you don't already know it... Secret Marriage No earthly church has ever blessed our union No state has ever granted us permission No family bond has ever made us two No company has ever earned commission No debt was paid no dowry to be gained No treaties over borderlands or power No semblance of the world outside remained To stain the beauty of this nuptial hour The secret marriage vow is never spoken The secret marriage never can be broken and so on... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curve Dominant Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 posted by Bunny: Andy PartridgeOk... Andy Partridge is pretty good. ... But... ... ...he... ... ...does... ... ...not... ... ...hold... ... ...a... ... ...friggin'... ... ...candle... ... ...to.... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... DAVID CASSIDY. And... ...if you don't believe me... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...just ask our buddy. Eric Vincent (ASCAP) www.curvedominant.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunny Knutson Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 D'oh!!! Did I write Andy Partridge??? How embarrassing... Of course, I meant Keith Partridge. My bad. Thanks for the Cassidy correction, Curve. https://bunny.bandcamp.com/ https://theystolemycrayon.bandcamp.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aeon Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 Paddy McAloon... ...the most criminally overlooked pop lyricist of his generation! cheers, aeon Go tell someone you love that you love them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gulliver Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 Jan Anderson (Jan, not Jon ) I am back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digibird Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 Neil Finn, Tim Finn (Crowded House and solo) Justin Currie (Del Amitri) Jules Shear is a genius Shawn Colvin Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits and solo) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rog Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 Hmm ... Joni Mitchell Elvis Costello Suzanne Vega Dylan (duh!) Paul Simon Neil Finn Bjork Ray Davies Lou Reed "That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." - Banky Edwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
songrytr Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 Originally posted by digibird: Jules Shear is a genius)Ain't he though?? this house is empty now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mats Olsson. Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 Originally posted by Rog: Ray Davies http://www.lexam.net/peter/carnut/man.gif What do we want? Procrastination! When do we want it? Later! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felix. Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 Bernie Taupin Martin Gore (Depeche Mode) Kate Bush Peter Gabriel Thomas Dolby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedly Nightshade Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 Yeah, Chuck Berry! Damn! John Lennon Jimi Hendrix!!! and there's nobody who can pack more meaning into a phrase than Robert Hunter- as edited by Jerry Garcia. A WOP BOP A LU BOP, A LOP BAM BOOM! "There is nothing I regret so much as my good behavior. What demon possessed me that I behaved so well?" -Henry David Thoreau Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Campbell Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 Billy Joel My Songs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Zeger Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 Originally posted by Rob Campbell: Billy JoelHere's a great Billy Joel lyric: "What's the matter with the car I'm drivin'..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robman2 Posted April 28, 2004 Share Posted April 28, 2004 Cole Porter, Ira Gershwin, Sammy Kahn, Spade Cooley, Loeber and Stoller, for their eras. Paul Anka, Rick Nelson for impact on the masses as art, The Wilsons of Hawthorne, The boys from Liverpool, Msrs' Jagger and Richards (I was floored to find out he does the logo on the Sopranos), McGuinn, Hillman, Crosby, Nash, Stills, Young... Sir Stevie, And I'm not even in the mid 70's yet. I mean a favorite is a bit too complicated. Decade by decade might be a better question. R Label on the reverb, inside 1973 Ampeg G-212: "Folded Line Reverberation Unit" Manufactured by beautiful girls in Milton WIS. under controlled atmosphere conditions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shniggens Posted April 28, 2004 Author Share Posted April 28, 2004 Originally posted by Mark Zeger: Originally posted by Rob Campbell: Billy JoelHere's a great Billy Joel lyric: "What's the matter with the car I'm drivin'..." Amateur Hack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ren. Posted April 28, 2004 Share Posted April 28, 2004 Unmentioned and off the top of my head... - Kevin Gilbert. - Thom Yorke. - Dave Matthews. Who Put The ' M ' In MySpace? don\'t_click | day_job Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dasher Posted April 28, 2004 Share Posted April 28, 2004 Sting, of course -They Dance Alone is a political masterpiece. Jimmy Webb. Glenn Frey (there are so many layers in Desperado, just to nme one.) Carole King. May more, but these are my most consistently listenable, considering I prefer my music without lyric... Dasher It's all about the music. Really. I just keep telling myself that... The Soundsmith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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