Rank Your 10 Favorite Lyricists

FT · **Posted:** Wed Apr 19, 2006 12:01 pm

I can't believe I forgot to include Jimmy Webb on my list!!! It took so long to make it, and I'll never have that recipe again...OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

np: Soundgarden - "Limo Wreck"

FT · **Posted:** Wed Apr 19, 2006 1:39 pm

Senator NMI LooGAR Wrote:

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

He also wrote all of these classics:

"Greenback Dollar" (The Kingston Trio)
"The Pusher" (Steppenwolf)
"Snowblind Friend" (Steppenwolf)
"No-No Song" (Ringo Starr)
"Joy to the World" (Three Dog Night)

Oh, and his mama wrote "Heartbreak Hotel"

np: Jethro Tull - "Mountain Men"

shiv · **Posted:** Wed Apr 19, 2006 10:14 pm

BeeOK Wrote:

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...

whatever. all things good and nice is probably the worst thing he's ever written. i prefer his jawbreaker stuff anyways.

andyfest · **Posted:** Thu Apr 20, 2006 11:36 am

10. Lou Reed
9. Ryan Adams
8. John K. Samson (The Weakerthans)
7. Brent Best (Slobberbone)
6. Elliot Smith
5. J Mascis
4. Bob Dylan
3. Jeff Tweedy
2. Thom York
1. Rhett Miller (Old 97's version)

FT · **Posted:** Thu Apr 20, 2006 2:07 pm

andyfest Wrote:

1. Rhett Miller (Old 97's version)

His name is Stuart Ransom Miller, and he's a serial lady killer.

np: Breeders - "London Song"

Radcliffe · **Posted:** Thu Apr 20, 2006 2:21 pm

Bob Forrest
Graham Parker
Dave Alvin
Bill Whitten
Patti Smith
Jules Shear
Ian Hunter
Jerry Jerry
Dave Beilanko
Jim White

Billzebub · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2004 10:26 pm **Posts:** 6459

Martin Newell
David Gedge (The Wedding Present)
Pat Fish (The Jazz Butcher)
Robyn Hitchcock
Daniel Treacy (Television Personalities)
Jason Ringenberg (Jason & The Scorchers)
Steve Barton/Rob Darlington (Translator)
Ike Reilly
David Faulkner (Hoodoo Gurus)
Paul Weller (The Jam)

billy g · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2004 1:41 pm **Posts:** 9020

Radcliffe Wrote:

Bob Forrest
Graham Parker
Dave Alvin
Bill Whitten
Patti Smith
Jules Shear
Ian Hunter
Jerry Jerry
Dave Beilanko
Jim White

Your list surprises me.

No Dylan? No Westerberg?

Parker over Lowe and Costello?

You like Dave Beilanko and Bill Whitten that much?

Who is Jerry Jerry?

juice · **Posted:** Thu Apr 20, 2006 2:55 pm

Already mentioned:

Lennon/McCartney (both separate and combined)
Neil Young
Bob Dylan
Leonard Cohen
Jeff Tweedy
Jay Farrar
Jeff Mangum
Thom Yorke

Not mentioned:
Dolly Parton
Paul Simon

Radcliffe · **Posted:** Thu Apr 20, 2006 4:53 pm

billy g Wrote:

Your list surprises me.

No Dylan? No Westerberg?

Parker over Lowe and Costello?

You like Dave Beilanko and Bill Whitten that much?

Who is Jerry Jerry?

I just didn't want to add the usual suspects, and instead take the opportunity to throw out a few worthy names that always gets ignored. (And I wish I'd remembered Ike Reilly and Robyn Hitchcock when I compiled that list)

But somewhere there's a thread in which I explain my take on rock lyrics. I'd take guys like Whitten and Beilanko over most of the alleged greats that have shown up in this thread (and even over Dylan when considering anything after and including Desire).

I've never sent you any Jerry Jerry in all our trades? We might have to cook something up.

mcaputo · **Posted:** Thu Apr 20, 2006 5:18 pm

Radcliffe Wrote:

Dave Beilanko
Jim White

Noice !

billy g · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2004 1:41 pm **Posts:** 9020

Radcliffe Wrote:

I've never sent you any Jerry Jerry in all our trades? We might have to cook something up.

I couldn't swear that I don't have a song on a mix but certainly not a full album. I should check your mixes though to see if I have anything.

Elvis Fu · **Posted:** Thu Apr 20, 2006 6:06 pm

Pardon my ignorance but who is Bill Whitten?

billy g · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2004 1:41 pm **Posts:** 9020

Fu Wrote:

Pardon my ignorance but who is Bill Whitten?

I had to look him up too. He's with Grand Mal.

Elvis Fu · **Posted:** Thu Apr 20, 2006 6:19 pm

Keep going…

(Haha. I looked him up, too, and that didn't help.)

Radcliffe · **Posted:** Thu Apr 20, 2006 6:20 pm

billy g Wrote:

Fu Wrote:

Pardon my ignorance but who is Bill Whitten?

I had to look him up too. He's with Grand Mal.

Yup. And ex of St. Johnny. I think LooGAR will vouch for him as a lyricist (he wrote "Pin The Tail On The Donkey").

His lyrics with Grand Mal are self-conscious nods to the glammy early '70s dudespeak of bands like Mott the Hoople, but with a nice touch of New York cynicism attached. It's nothing hugely profound, but it's a lot of fun.

Senator LooGAR · **Posted:** Thu Apr 20, 2006 6:38 pm

Radcliffe Wrote:

billy g Wrote:

Fu Wrote:

Pardon my ignorance but who is Bill Whitten?

I had to look him up too. He's with Grand Mal.

Yup. And ex of St. Johnny. I think LooGAR will vouch for him as a lyricist (he wrote "Pin The Tail On The Donkey").

His lyrics with Grand Mal are self-conscious nods to the glammy early '70s dudespeak of bands like Mott the Hoople, but with a nice touch of New York cynicism attached. It's nothing hugely profound, but it's a lot of fun.

Yeah, Fu, you'd like Grand Mal and that St. Johnny song -- based on the one song I have heard from them, dude is amazing...I'll shoot you Slowcore Monger Vol. 1 if you want it.

Elvis Fu · **Posted:** Thu Apr 20, 2006 7:59 pm

I've been listening to Vol. 2 a lot lately. "Pin the Tail" is good shit.

Rank Your 10 Favorite Lyricists

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