Generally known artists who write really crappy lyrics. (Inspired by the "Yoda" thread, of course.)
I gotta go with:
Steve Miller. Damn, do his lyrics suck! The forced-est of forced rhymes.
"Texas/Facts ,is" being the most notorious.

Yeah, but Miller's lyrics are funny. He does it on purpose. He's not horrifying like a Jim Steinman or a Diane Warren.

should anyone even bother mentioning fred durst?

Yeah, Anthony Kiedis is way up there.

Wow, the older he gets, the more he looks like Pat Benatar, kind of like the older Bono gets, the more he looks like Robin Williams.

I nominate Rob Thomas and Vanessa Carlton and dude from Third Eye Blind and dude from Train for setting the bad lyrics bar so high.

Just for one song...gotta nominate whoever did the lyrics for My Humps..I'm still not sure if she's talking about her ass or her tits.

Yah, I know, and his vocals are often off-key. But it's all part of his charm. And while he's nowhere near in the same league, there's something of the Jonathan Richman tradition in there somewhere. That and a 5 year old (albeit one with a wholehella "life experince").

James "My lifestyle determines my deathstyle" Hetfield

Both. And I'll second that. Another reason for it's nomination: how painfully (and sadly) obvious it is that it was not written by a woman. "My lovely lady lumps", c'mon.

There is not a woman alive who would string together "breasts" "lumps" and "lovely" in the same sentence.

What people don't think Catholic School Girls Rule and Real Men Don't Kill Coyotes are great lyrical masterpieces?

So true.

Amazing singer, but damn... her lyrics kept me from buying her first record:

I'd like to dedicate this to all the children
I have some food in my bag for you
Not the edible food, the food you eat, no
Perhaps some food for thought
Since knowledge is infinite
It has infinitely fell on me, so um...

It was a stormy night, you know the kind where the lightnin' strike
And I was hangin' out with some my artsy friends
ooh wee ooh wee ooh wee
The night was long, the night went on, people coolin' out until the
break of dawn
Incense was burnin' so I'm feelin' right, aight

"Appletree" - Erykah Badu

Erykah Badu could sing random scraps of paper she picked off the ground and I'd still listen.

And, not all her lyrics are bad.

I know, no disrespect. But it did keep me from buying it.

None taken. Just making a personal observation.

wow that badu lyric is ba-ad.

The new Arcade Fire lyrics are pretty bad...

I'm sure those are among his best.

c'mon Haq, haven't you ever hung out with artsy friends?

man, artsy is one of my least favorite words. perhaps second only to artsy-fartsy, and dear god just typing that makes me want to wash my hands.

Now that was funny!