Forum menu
Richard Thomson Beeswing and 52 black lightning
I was scrolling down the thread thinking that surely Thomson would be mentioned by now. Beeswing is one of my faves, but so many more.
To get really crusty, I am fond of a bit of Clive James/Pete Atkin, eg
"you are repressed...
...but you're remarkably dressed"
Kant said to do is to be, Nietzsche to be is to do, Frank Sinatra-Doo-be-do…
I shouldn't be too impressed, my mum's had a fridge magnet with that on for about 15 years.
pretty much anything by Kirsty MacColl or Thea Gilmore. My favourite line that immediately came to mind on seeing the thread title:
"You know my character witness just went down for perjury"
Saviours and All: Thea Gilmore
Pretty well much anything by Squeeze
The Boxer by Simon and Garfunkel
National Express by Divine Comedy
Neighbourhood by Space
I like a bit of politics in my Lyrics, "ghost town", "fortunate son" or "born in the usa" spring to mind. But I think my absolute favourite lyrics are "in the gheto" (and I probably hate everything else elvis has done).
then theres Elvis again too many to quote
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlCvlGCuQBE&ab_channel=ElvisCostelloVEVO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1d4r9awjKE&ab_channel=ElvisCostelloVEVO
A New England by Billy Bragg
So many to chose from, how about
The Devine Comedy - National Express, this always makes me smile
or for something a little angrier
Kae Tempest - Europe is Lost
National Express by Divine Comedy
@johndoh - Pretty much anything by Divine Comedy. This is my favourite. Its a list of things he's left on buses and trains, yet its achingly beautiful. How do you even do that? Utter genius!
Pete Docherty gets a lot of grief but he's the best songwriter of his generation by a mile
A time for Heroes is pure poetry, but in particular the line:
There's fewer more distressing sights than that
Of an Englishman in a baseball cap
Pretty much anything by Divine Comedy
Yeah - a new starter at work loves Divine Comedy and he said the same just last week when we got talking about music – I will have to listen to some more.
Another lyrical masterclass by Mr Hannon.
This is fantastic .. so many suggestions to listen to ..really looking forward to a new experience. My initial examples were pretty pathetic I guess but they were songs that induced that shiver down the spine .. not just because of the lyrics but as was mentioned earlier .. the combination of voice, lyric and music.
I often find it hard to hear the lyrics .. do you guys and gals actually take it all in simply by listening or do you Google when something appeals ?
Kant said to do is to be, Nietzsche to be is to do, Frank Sinatra-Doo-be-do…
I shouldn’t be too impressed, my mum’s had a fridge magnet with that on for about 15 years.
Oh well. It's a great line for a song.
I love this one, so beautiful, musically and lyrically.
And how about a bit of Bruce?
Now there's a beautiful river in the valley ahead
There 'neath the oak's bough soon we will wed
Should we lose each other in the shadow of the evening trees
Girl I'll wait for you, I fall behind wait for me
Blimey! No Bruce yet. Good call! My personal favourite. Its beautiful and miles better in this studio outtake ...
Inside I felt like I was carrying the broken spirits
Of all the other ones who lost
Excellent thread. Can't really get on with 'beeswing' but love a bit of Leonard Cohen and Dignity is great. I really hate how missed so many really powerful lyrics when I was younger as I just couldn't hear what was being said.
I often find it hard to hear the lyrics .. do you guys and gals actually take it all in simply by listening or do you Google when something appeals ?
I always listen to lyrics and sometimes look them up. My wife is the polar opposite - she NEVER listens to them at all.
Another one I really like is She's Electric by Oasis.
Ohh! Ohh!
How could I forget – surely some of the best lyrics ever...
Sign o' the Times by Prince.
Hurricane Annie ripped the ceiling of a church and killed everyone inside
You turn on the telly and every other story is tellin' you somebody died
A sister killed her baby 'cause she couldn't afford to feed it
And yet we're sending people to the moon
In September, my cousin tried reefer for the very first time
Now he's doing horse, it's June
And there are very few lyricists as good as Peter Gabriel. This is basically a poem, and a very fine one (and was inspired by the life and death of a poet).
My favourite line I reckon
And that old time feelin' rocks and spits and cries
Like an old lover rememberin' the girl with the clear blue eyes
I often find it hard to hear the lyrics .. do you guys and gals actually take it all in simply by listening or do you Google when something appeals ?
I have a great ear for listening to words. I can usually remember whole songs after a few listens. But 95% of the time it's just sounds and I never actually 'process' the words as they are.
I'm definitely in the camp of enjoying the music and the lyrics and can honestly give or take.
The first Foo Fighters album apparently has completely meaningless words. Grohl self-consciously avoiding discussing Cobain's death, apparently.
So as an antithesis to all you wannabe poets, I present:
Fingernails are pretty
Fingernails are good
Seems that all they ever wanted was a market 🤘🤘🤘
Too many to mention. I love effective and affecting lyrics.
The Aimee Mann lines already mentioned are as close to perfection as lyrics writing gets I reckon.
Fyfe Dangerfield has a real way with simple words too. Some of his lines have been my personal email signature for years now...
"And to those of you who moan your lives through one day to the next
Well, let them take you next
Can't you live and be thankful you're here?
See it could be you tomorrow next year"
In a similar vein, Frank Turner turns plain words into good things...
"I'm not convinced of the existence of these things that don't exist
Yeah, by Jewish boys with big ideas and scratches on their wrist
By a loving or a vengeful God, or one who condescends
Who'll wash his hands down in the mire among the misery of men
Or by ever turning circles hanging timeless in the sky
Like a dream catcher distracting from the fact you're gonna die
But I place one foot before the other, confident because
I know that everything we are right now is everything that was
That Wat Tyler, Woody Guthrie, Dostoevsky and Davy Jones
Are all dissolved into the ether and have crept into my bones
And all the cells in all the lines upon the backs of both my hands
Were once carved into the details of two feet upon the sand,"
And, much as he wrote some pretentious dross at times (and I'm saying that as a huge Manics fan), Richey Edwards quite often found a vein of lyrical gold...
"No one likes looking at you
Your lack of ego offends male mentality
They need your innocence
To steal vacant love and to destroy
Your beauty and virginity used like toys
My mind is dead, everybody loves me
Wants a slice of me
Hopelessly passive and compatible
Need to belong, oh, the roads are scary
Hold me in your arms
I wanna be your only possession
Used, used, used by men
Used, used, used by men
All they leave behind is money
Paper made out of broken twisted trees
Your pretty face offends
Because it's something real that I can't touch
Eyes, skin, bone, contour, language as a flower
No god reached me, faded films and loving books
Black and white TV
All the world does not exist for me
If I'm starving, you can feed me lollipops
Your diet will crush me
My life, just an old man's memory
Little baby, nothing
Loveless slavery, lips kissing empty
Dress your life in loathing
Breaking your mind with Barbie Doll futility
Little baby nothing
Sexually free, made-up to breakup
Assassinated beauty
Moths broken up, quenched at last
The vermin allowed a thought to pass them by
You are pure, you are snow
We are the useless sluts that they mould
Rock 'n' roll is our epiphany
Culture alienation, boredom and despair
You are pure, you are snow
We are the useless sluts that they mould
Rock 'n' roll is our epiphany
Culture alienation, boredom and despair"
I often find it hard to hear the lyrics .. do you guys and gals actually take it all in simply by listening or do you Google when something appeals ?
I always listen really carefully to lyrics. Why wouldn't you.
I think the reason that Coldplay really irritate the **** out of me is that Chris Martin sings like his imbuing the lyrics with some kind of meaning, when in reality when you listen to them they are utter and complete meaningless drivel. Almost a random selection of words, really badly thrown together
I think the reason that Coldplay really irritate the **** out of me is that Chris Martin sings like his imbuing the lyrics with some kind of meaning, when in reality when you listen to them they are utter and complete drivel
They irritate me simply because they are shit.
Has there ever been a more beautiful and simple opening lyric to a love song than this?
Athlete - Wires
When you really listen to the lyrics the song can bring you to tears.
Athlete – Wires
When you really listen to the lyrics the song can bring you to tears.
Agreed. Didn't he write that about his wife in intensive care?
Agreed. Didn’t he write that about his wife in intensive care?
I thought it was his newborn daughter in SCBU but you may be right.
I am going to start blubbing...
First night of your life
Curled up on your own
Looking at you now
You would never know
Richard Thomson Beeswing and 52 black lightning
I was going to say ANY Richard Thomson, but that one is a belter. Some very "thoughtful" stuff on "The Old Kitbag" album, e.g. A Love You Can't Survive.
all lyric...
And there's Bert the old maestro
Ah, I thought you meant Bert and not Burt
Cracks open new bottle of whisky, settles into fine evening of listening
Edit: discovers has drank all whisky already and only Westvlateren left. It's tough being Belgian
Pretty much anything by Jason Isbell. The man is a fantastic lyricist and story teller. I’d go as far as to say he’s one of the greats.
Elephant is a fantastic song. Like a film in a few minutes. Sounds crazy to write it down but it’s the most poignant song about death I’ve ever heard.
Clutch have some of the best crazy and quotable lyrics.
Tell me why’s Dick Cheney underneath my bed. Hell no, that ain’t cool.
and
I hear a ruckus in the back
Tall shadows on the wall
Mable won't you wake up
We got lawyers in the barn
Yes we do
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ClugMhMbrRg
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hAh2fUo9W3M
Now Don McClean has come out to play, we mustn't forget 'Vincent'.
This, I bloody love this song. Simple lyrics but filled with meaning.
Elvis Costello at his best
Is it worth it ?
Not seen a mention of David Gedge yet. He's not poetic like some but has a certain turn of gritty northern phrase that is a poetry in itself.
My Favourite Dress
Sometimes these words just don't have to be said
I know how you both feel
The heart can rule the head
Jealousy is an essential part of love
The hurt in here below
And the emptiness above
There's always something left behind
There's always something left behind
Nevermind
Oh nevermind
The tender caresses that brings out the man
I can't still be drunk at five
Oh, I guess I surely can
Slowly your beauty is eaten away
By the scent of someone else
In the blanket where we lay
There's always something left behind
There's always something left behind
Maybe next time
Uneaten meals
A lonely star
A welcome ride in a neighbours car
A long walk home
In the pouring rain
I fell asleep when you never came
Some rare delight in Manchester town
It took six hours before you let me down
To see it all in a drunken kiss
A strangers hand on my favorite dress
That was my favorite dress you know
Dalliance
You've told him lies now for so long
Yet still he's ready to forgive
He's got you back and that's all he wants
A lot more than I'm left with
You don't care now that you're gone
But do you know how much I miss you?
It's not fair after all you've done
That I'm so...
I still want to kiss you
And throwing presents straight away
Because you could never take them home
Always scared what he might say
But always leaving me alone
You don't care, now that you're gone
But do you know how much I miss you?
It's not fair after all you've done
That I'm so...
I still want to kiss you
You told him what he wants to hear
And so you got another chance
But I was yours for seven years
Is that what you call a dalliance?
You don't care, now that you're gone
But do you know how much I miss you?
It's not fair after all you've done
That I'm so...
I still want to kiss you
"Canyons of your Mind" shirley?
Some good stuff there. I'm biased, but surely Richard Thompson, Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell are the finest modern lyricists?