Mike Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 •Is it thought provoking ideas and references? •Is it relating to common subjects, concepts, etc? •Is it abstract in nature, nothing concrete, just, nothing I can put a finger on, sounds good. •Tell a story Many of the best lyrics (IMHO) were drug induced. The Beatles created some great lyrics from 1966 on. Some of my favorites are .. Don McClean's - American Pie and Carly Simon's - You're So Vain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott Posted March 15, 2008 Report Share Posted March 15, 2008 Lyrics are Poetry so good lyrics are good poetry Now, most poetry that you hear of and study at school is poetry that is telling a story or talking about something so everyone automatically thinks "Hey, good poetry tells a pretty story!" but they are wrong, good poetry is all about meter and rhythm syllables even more so with music Lennon wasn't writing with the words meaning in mind he was writing to the meter. A tradition that's been carried on by Stephen Malkmus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Baloni Posted March 15, 2008 Report Share Posted March 15, 2008 To me, good lyrics are raw and emotional. I love Yes's lyrics. They're so nonsensical in terms of the English language, but they flow with a meter and tone that just seems to make perfect sense to your subconcious. Cold summer, listening. Hot colour, melting the anger to stoooooone!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batman Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 What makes great lyrics? MF DOOM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Baloni Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 Amen to that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batman Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 someday hope that he will grow a barn farm full recent research shows it's not so darn harmful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foolonthehill Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 Fish makes great lyrics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foolonthehill Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 I really like Yes lyrics too. They don't really mean much, and certainly don't stand up to analyzation, but the sounds of the words fit the music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axl Posted March 23, 2008 Report Share Posted March 23, 2008 Lyrics are nothing but words it takes someone with a better understanding of themselves and emotion to portray that emotion into the words they write and sing. You dont like a song because of the words themselves you like the song because of the meaning the words have when the singer/songwriter puts his emotion into the words he is singing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Levis Posted March 23, 2008 Report Share Posted March 23, 2008 The lyrics aren't supposed to mean that much They're just a vehicle for a lovely voice They aren't supposed to mean that much Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyguitar Posted March 23, 2008 Report Share Posted March 23, 2008 Lyrics are Poetry so good lyrics are good poetry Couldn't disagree more. Some lyrics are quite 'poetic' sometimes, and, very rarely, some lyrics verge on poetry, in my opinion (but some serious literary heavyweights argue that lyrics are never and can never be poetry). The greatest lyrics are usually make pretty crap poems, and, like I say, probably are not poems at all. If there are any you think are great poems then stick 'em up here and let's discuss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweet Jane 61 Posted March 23, 2008 Report Share Posted March 23, 2008 I feel great lyrics are ones that move the person listening. Whether they make you cry, laugh, or just think about what the artist is saying...as in political based tunes. Lyrics are what draw me to a song, I've always been a lyric reader when I would buy an album. It's wonderful to hear a song and feel that the artists has seen into your soul. Are they poetic, sure to some extent...but are they poems, probably not what one would consider a "true poem", but they can have the feel of poetry within. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyguitar Posted March 23, 2008 Report Share Posted March 23, 2008 I was in the supermarket today and...over the system came 'Take another little piece of my heart...' Well, apart from making me think about SJ...It confirmed my opinion...great lyric....not a poem. Been listening to Al Green all day...great lyrics....not poems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batman Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 Great lyrics don't have to fit the song very well, in fact sometimes the reason they're so good is because they fit very poorly. "I Don't Love Anyone" by Belle and Sebastian are some of my favorite lyrics, because the song is very upbeat and cheerful, yet the lyrics are sort of depressing; "I don't love anything/not even Christmas/especially not that/I don't love anyone/well maybe my sister/maybe my baby brother too/I don't love anyone." It reads like a poem written by a depressed 2nd grader, but it goes with the song so poorly that it's interesting, and I really like the lyrics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now