Your Favourite Lyricist?

splates · **Posted:** Fri Mar 11, 2005 11:13 pm

I'm sure we've probably had this thread before but..

Who is your single favourite lyricist of all time, and why?

I love me some Jarvis Cocker. His storytelling is great, and fits perfectly with his sing-speak style. He sounds like the aural equivalent of a cheap cologne, but there is also a lot of hidden depths to his songs - social commentary ('Mis-Shapes', 'Common People'), regretfulness ('Disco 2000'), fear ('Help The Aged').

Because he doesn't sound depressed or sad all the time, it makes his small revelations about his true feelings all the more affecting - sometimes it's just a single line in the song, but it can reveal the song's entire meaning.

Now you go.

Senator LooGAR · **Posted:** Fri Mar 11, 2005 11:21 pm

Bob Dylan is far and away the best ever.
No explanation needed.

Flowthgin · **Posted:** Fri Mar 11, 2005 11:25 pm

"Weird Al" Yankovic

no guru · **Posted:** Fri Mar 11, 2005 11:28 pm

Robyn Hitchcock I like. Leonard Cohen. Bruce Cockburn. Pat Fish from The Jazz Butcher. Lawrence from Felt. Peter Gabriel, Guided By Voices dude..damn getting too drunk to type.

--
np: Front Line Assembly - "Re-Animate"

Cotton · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2004 6:12 pm **Posts:** 17155

Jarvis, Bruce Springsteen, Shel Silverstien and umm, i dunno, Daniel Johnston?

no guru · **Posted:** Fri Mar 11, 2005 11:29 pm

Oh yeah Wesley Willis

Z · **Joined:** Sat Oct 23, 2004 1:38 pm **Posts:** 7979

jarvis cocker. rhett miller's up there too, but cocker is devastatingly good. i'd say it's the lyrics that made me love pulp. i don't say that about too many bands.

thisotherkingdom · **Posted:** Fri Mar 11, 2005 11:58 pm

Colin Meloy, Dax Riggs. I don't really feel like thinking.

Cotton · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2004 6:12 pm **Posts:** 17155

oh shit and Stephen Merritt

DumpJack · **Posted:** Sat Mar 12, 2005 12:15 am

Lou Reed, for sure.

Mick · **Posted:** Sat Mar 12, 2005 12:34 am

Paul Banks from Interpol...haha

Red Hood Suite · **Joined:** Mon Feb 07, 2005 10:47 pm **Posts:** 610

Jarvis is nice
Lou Reed is excellent

I'm not a huge fan of U2 but I would put Bono in this category, but my choice has got to be Johny Cash.

a close second would be Thom Yorke

Even Marilyn Manson's lyrics impressed me on Portrait as well as Anitichrist Superstar.

MF DOOM is another

I've always enjoyed Trent Reznor's lyrics

Damn....there are so many. I know i'm leaving a lot of obvious one.

Springsteen (not a fan though....but will admit he has skill)

Zach De La Rocha

In more of a pop format, Damon Albarn is nice

Brett Michaels - Poison

The Donald · **Posted:** Sat Mar 12, 2005 12:37 am

Adam Goren.
i also may be serious...
i think i hate many more lyricists than i genuinely like

Elvis Fu · **Posted:** Sat Mar 12, 2005 12:48 am

Steve Poltz
Warren Zevon
Chuck Cleaver of Ass Ponys...ain't that right FT
Bushwick Bill
Shane MacGowan

Cotton · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2004 6:12 pm **Posts:** 17155

fish man Wrote:

Adam Goren.
i also may be serious...
i think i hate many more lyricists than i genuinely like

this is Atom, correct? he still packs the ability to bag me up at a moment's notice, but I still think he's a better song titlist than songwriter. Still, "Philadelphia" should've been named the city anthem years ago. Instead we rehash the Rocky theme for sports events. boooooring. Oh and they just got Elton John to play a free show at the art museum on 7/4. I wonder what he'll play

Z · **Joined:** Sat Oct 23, 2004 1:38 pm **Posts:** 7979

Cotton Wrote:

I still think he's a better song titlist than songwriter.

yeah, this is definitely atom's best asset.

Cotton · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2004 6:12 pm **Posts:** 17155

and Don Cab's.... now that I thnk about it, Pennsylvanians should be commisioned for that shit.

Dunwoody Dude · **Joined:** Wed Nov 03, 2004 11:20 am **Posts:** 2869

Kung Fu Reference Wrote:

Shane MacGowan

Been listening to a lot of Pogues recently and he's the first that came to mind when I saw this topic.

scottycash99 · **Joined:** Fri Dec 10, 2004 1:46 am **Posts:** 1149

tom waits, robert smith, ben harper

alive · **Joined:** Mon Nov 29, 2004 1:00 am **Posts:** 352

Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Jeff Mangum, Thom Yorke, Richard Thompson

Cotton · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2004 6:12 pm **Posts:** 17155

I can't believe it took until now to mention Tom Waits.

[caterwauling]I will set the Thames on fire, now I must come back down...she LEFT ME....[/caterwauling]

Dunwoody Dude · **Joined:** Wed Nov 03, 2004 11:20 am **Posts:** 2869

Morrissey
Robbie Robertson
Joe Strummer
Elvis Costello
Chuck D
Neil Young

Flowthgin · **Posted:** Sat Mar 12, 2005 1:18 am

Frank Zappa, Robert Smith, Ian Anderson, Andy Partridge, Les Claypool

Red Hood Suite · **Joined:** Mon Feb 07, 2005 10:47 pm **Posts:** 610

Kung Fu Reference Wrote:

Steve Poltz
Bushwick Bill

Hells yeah!

Chuckwick aka: The Phantom of the Rapra

Red Hood Suite · **Joined:** Mon Feb 07, 2005 10:47 pm **Posts:** 610

DunwoodyDude Wrote:

Joe Strummer
Chuck D

Jesus, what the hell was I thinking??

I forgot all about ol' Strummer and Chuck D.

Wayne Cohen is another.

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