Rank Your 10 Favorite Lyricists

splates · **Posted:** Tue Apr 18, 2006 6:41 pm

Aimarr Wrote:

1-10. pharoahe monch

haha good choice

splates · **Posted:** Tue Apr 18, 2006 6:46 pm

10 of my favourites

Leonard Cohen
Jarvis Cocker
Kool Keith
Bernard Sumner
Raekwon + Ghostface double team
Neil Young
Rakim
PJ Harvey
Ice Cube
Andy Falkous

catswilleatyou · **Posted:** Tue Apr 18, 2006 6:52 pm

im gonna trade my Ian Mackaye for John McCrea
cant believe i forgot about cake

and Chris Besinger is from stnnng (pronounced stunning)
www.stnnng.com

fucking insane twin cities band
everyone will love them in a year
if you dont already

Senator LooGAR · **Posted:** Tue Apr 18, 2006 7:00 pm

All y'all had to say was the dude who wrote "Never been to Spain"

Oh, and while we're mentioning country singers, what about D.A.C.??

Dick Meatwood · **Posted:** Tue Apr 18, 2006 7:01 pm

This ranking is pretty arbitrary:

1. Elvis Costello
2. David Berman (Silver Jews)
3. David Byrne
4. Bill Callahan (Smog)
5. Bob Dylan
6. Tom Waits
7. Ray Davies
8. Leonard Cohen
9. John Darnielle (Mountain Goats)
10. I dunno... Jeff Tweedy?*

*maybe Mark Mothersbaugh or Andy Partridge? or Howard Devoto or Gary Numan? or Mike Ladd or MF Doom of El-P? or Chuck D? Mark E. Smith? Nah, I don't what the fuck he's saying most of time, but it just seems cool. And I would put Neil Young on here, but I agree with Fu about him be a "whole package". Same kinda goes for Jason Molina to a lesser degree. It's sorta true of Ray Davies, too, but I feel like his lyrics mean a little more to me. I feel like I could just as easily throw John Fogerty, John Lennon, Willie Nelson, or Townes Van Zant in here.

And this is only taking into account the best moments by each. They've pretty much all had some duds.

tentoze · **Posted:** Tue Apr 18, 2006 7:08 pm

Senator NMI LooGAR Wrote:

All y'all had to say was the dude who wrote "Never been to Spain"

Oh, and while we're mentioning country singers, what about D.A.C.??

Coe? Dude has always been scary.

greezy · **Posted:** Tue Apr 18, 2006 7:55 pm

Drinky Wrote:

2. David Berman (Silver Jews)

good choice, he had completely slipped my mind. "i know you like to linedance / everything so democratic and cool"

rogneeb · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2004 1:07 pm **Posts:** 12618

seafoam Wrote:

steve earle
lyle lovett
neil young
bob dylan
mark knopfler
paul westerberg
Forster/McLennan(go-betweens)
michael timmins (cowboy junkies)
bob marley
neil halstead

the first that comes to mind

agree with Forster/McLennan however not sure who wrote which songs, really. Also thought about Halstead...good picks.

Knopfler wrote some good stuff but a little too literal for me - also goes way over the top at times.

Prince of Darkness · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2004 11:41 am **Posts:** 11048

Three pages in and one listing for lennon, and one for lennon/mccartney.

Hm.

All right, and seeing as how the thread title reads "your favorite" here i go.

10. Greg Brown
9. Stephen Sondheim
8. Freddie Mercury
7. Bowie
6. Sting
5. Carole King
4. Bob Dylan
3. Elvis Costello
2. Lennon/McCartney
1. Motown's songwriting collective (Gordy, Robinson, etc...)

Prince of Darkness · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2004 11:41 am **Posts:** 11048

Shitballs, I have to dump Greg Brown for Willie Nelson

rogneeb · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2004 1:07 pm **Posts:** 12618

maybe you keep both and dump "fields of gold" sting. that's one name I didn't expect to see on here.

Prince of Darkness · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2004 11:41 am **Posts:** 11048

rparis74 Wrote:

maybe you keep both and dump "fields of gold" sting. that's one name I didn't expect to see on here.

The police fucking rock. Lyrically speaking.

harry · **Posted:** Wed Apr 19, 2006 12:49 am

Yeah, Sting and the Police have been bashed more than deserved by the Obnerians recently...

But having said that:

1. Van Morrison
2. Dylan
3. Peter Gabriel
4. Difford/Tilbrook
5. Smokey Robinson
6. Stephen Malkmus
7. Paddy McAloon
8. Robert Hunter
9. Joni Mitchell
10. P.J. Harvey
10a. Bryan Ferry
10b. Robert Smith
10c. Julian Cope
10d. E. Costello
10e. R. Davies or C. Hynde

This is impossible...

The Dreaded Marco · **Posted:** Wed Apr 19, 2006 1:38 am

shiv Wrote:

Willie Vlautin no idea

Richmond Fontaine

Can't put him in my top 10 at this point, but he's pretty good.

rogneeb · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2004 1:07 pm **Posts:** 12618

it was a stretch I admit but wanted to have at least one interesting pick

The Dreaded Marco · **Posted:** Wed Apr 19, 2006 2:07 am

rparis74 Wrote:

it was a stretch I admit but wanted to have at least one interesting pick

Agreed. Every top 10 list should have an unorthodox, but potentially deserved choice---Vlautin fits that bill.

Bee OK · **Posted:** Wed Apr 19, 2006 4:24 am

1. Martin Carr (Boo Radleys)
2. Robert Smith
3. John Lennon
4. Bob Dylan
5. Jarvis Cocker (pulp)
6. Paul McCartney
7. David Bowie
8. Nick Drake
9. Van Morrison
10. Jason Molina
11. ++++++++++++

Bee OK · **Posted:** Wed Apr 19, 2006 4:29 am

shiv Wrote:

blake schwarzenbach
jeff buckley
ray davies
rakim
jens lekman
sam cooke
kool keith
john vanderslice
mike patton
britt daniel

Shiv could do so much better (Blake's best moment is "Sweet Avenue" though I love "All Things Good and Nice"). Senator call on Luke Haines is pure gold!

Quote:

the singer said something I could only feel
i saw him this morning he still looked real, real

kid, i'm a mess
if it looked good you're seeing things i guess
i changed my mind so many times...

Mick · **Posted:** Wed Apr 19, 2006 8:48 am

Nick Cave
Bob Dylan
Peter Tosh (simply because they are riddled with bad grammar)
Lou Reed
Frank Black
Gareth Liddiard
Van Dyke Parks
Morrissey
Thom Yorke
Stuart Staples

splates · **Posted:** Wed Apr 19, 2006 9:03 am

yeah id prob stick Morrissey in my list to come to think of it

he's a funny bastard

Mick · **Posted:** Wed Apr 19, 2006 9:16 am

splates Wrote:

yeah id prob stick Morrissey in my list to come to think of it

he's a funny bastard

i like it when he dances with tree branches.

seafoam · **Posted:** Wed Apr 19, 2006 10:20 am

rparis74 Wrote:

Knopfler wrote some good stuff but a little too literal for me - also goes way over the top at times.

You're right, I could've thought a little harder on that one. I was thinking Tweedy, and he's a bit cryptic.

Quote:

harry wrote:
1. Van Morrison
3. Peter Gabriel
5. Smokey Robinson
6. Stephen Malkmus
8. Robert Hunter

I could easily replace with those great picks there.

PopTodd · **Posted:** Wed Apr 19, 2006 10:22 am

The person who's lyrics speak the most directly to me is:
Todd Leiter-Weintraub (Hop On Pop).

I mean, I know exactly what he's getting at, every time! It's like he's read my diary or something. Eerie.

cemeterypolka · **Joined:** Wed Jul 13, 2005 12:40 am **Posts:** 3473

i can't think of a full list right now but in the forefront would be

tom waits
elvis costello
nick cave
nick lowe

DumpJack · **Posted:** Wed Apr 19, 2006 10:57 am

Neil Young
Bruce Springsteen
Gord Downie
Lou Reed
Jagger/Richards
Morrissey
Pete Townshend
Elvis Costello
Paul Westerberg
Stephen Malkmus
&
Leonard Cohen

Rank Your 10 Favorite Lyricists

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