Of course so many to choose from, and I’m sure we can all argue fiercely even with ourselves about who is the greatest lyricist let alone which is the greatest set of lyrics. To my mind the greatest lyricist is Fish in his prime Marillion, early 80s pomp. An example (and probably more to follow) from He Knows, You Know “Light switch, yellow fever, crawling up your bathroom wall Singing psychedelic praises to the depths of a china bowl You've got venom in your stomach, you've got poison in your head You should have listened to the priest at the confession When he offered you the sacred bread He knows, you know, he knows, you know He knows, you know, but he's got problems” link:
If wine and pills were hundred dollar Bills, I might keep you satisfied And if broken dreams were limousines I might take you for a ride And all I can do is think of you And wish you were here by my side Yes, if heartaches were nickels I'd be the richest fool alive If Heartaches Were Nickels - Joe Bonamassa Link: Oldfart
But a woman's needs are many fold and soon she married Ted, But strange things happened on their wedding night as they lay in their bed. Was that the trees a-rustling? Or the hinges of the gate? Or Ernie's ghostly gold tops a-rattling in their crate?
"Rapunzel Rapunzel let down you hair, so I can climb up and get into your underwear" More Beastie Boys ...I'll stop now
Remember when you were young, you shone like the sun Shine on you crazy diamond Now there's a look in your eyes, like black holes in the sky Shine on you crazy diamond You were caught on the crossfire of childhood and stardom Blown on the steel breeze Shine On You Crazy Diamond - Pink Floyd Oldfart
More Floyd: How I wish, how I wish you were here. We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year, Running over the same old ground. What have we found? The same old fears. Wish you were here. Wish you were here. I could play that intro on guitar once in my life.
Elvis Costello - Oh, I said, "I'm so happy I could die" She said, "Drop dead" then left with another guy Pink Floyd, had the last line painted on the back of a helmet, my mom was none to pleased - The sun is the same in a relative way but you're older, Shorter of breath and one day closer to death. Cracker - What the World Needs Now - I don't know what the world may need But a V8 engine's a good start for me Think I'll drive and find a place To be surly Bad Examples - Not Dead Yet I was born too late to play in the rolling stones I don't know jimmy page, I never met yoko ono Standing with a strat, I'm rock and roll's bastard son Go out, get drunk, get laid, have fun I don't got a million dollars, don't drive a cadillac Gimme half a chance, 'cause I'm not dead yet
Elvis Costello - Oh, I said, "I'm so happy I could die" She said, "Drop dead" then left with another guy Pink Floyd, had the last line painted on the back of a helmet, my mom was none to pleased - The sun is the same in a relative way but you're older, Shorter of breath and one day closer to death. Cracker - What the World Needs Now - I don't know what the world may need But a V8 engine's a good start for me Think I'll drive and find a place To be surly Bad Examples - Not Dead Yet I was born too late to play in the rolling stones I don't know jimmy page, I never met yoko ono Standing with a strat, I'm rock and roll's bastard son Go out, get drunk, get laid, have fun I don't got a million dollars, don't drive a cadillac Gimme half a chance, 'cause I'm not dead yet
My lovely, lovely, lovely horse My lovely horse Running through the field Where are you going With your fetlocks blowing In the wind? I want to shower you with sugar lumps And ride you over fences Polish your hooves every single day And bring you to the horse dentist My lovely, lovely, lovely horse My lovely horse You're a pony no more Running around With a man on your back Like a train in the night, yeah Like a train in the night ...
As for Fish era Marillion, there are so many to choose from... I particularly like Forgotten Sons... from when the troubles were still at the front of the news and how the loss of individual troops in the region was all too soon forgotten by the nameless, faceless watchers who parade the carpeted corridors of Whitehall... You're just another coffin on its way down the emerald aisle When your children's stony glances mourn your death in a terrorist's smile The bomber's arm placing fiery gifts on the supermarket shelves Alley sings with shrapnel detonate a temporary hell Forgotten Sons
But one of my true favourite songs has awesome lyrics along an amazing track... if you never heard this song, do yourself a favour and spend a little time on it! Diary of a working man - Blackfoot In a room all alone Waiiting by the telephone With a tear in his eye and a pen in his hand So begins the diary of a working man He'd been poor man all his life And just when things were going right Some stranger takes his woman away He doesn't know if he'll see Oh, another day Oh, another day Time has come and he was right It was a cold and rainy night And he thought for sure she would follow But it won't be the same, no... Tomorrow Now here's a man glory bound In a pool of dreams about to drown If he can just get through this night Then maybe tomorrow things Will work out right Oh, will work out right Well, with the pain in his blood He'd love to take her if he could And as he wakes with a scream To only realize it's just reality He woke with sweaty hands Maybe there'll be a change in plans With a tear in his eye and a gun in his hand So ends the diary of a workingman
Fist classs choice track of a (once?) great band and singer. I came across the band before they hit big in this country as I heard a track being played from the sound desk in the lead up to a rock band concert - the details of which I can no longer remember who, when or where - so I went and asked at the desk what it was he'd played and he wrote down the name of the band. It's likely the sound guy had got the track from the States because finding more information at the time was impossible and I had to wait until "TV ON THE RADIO" played some of their early stuff and it got a UK release and I could get my hands and ears on the full deal! Moving on, I'll punt, arguably, one of the UK's finest rock lyricists, singers and band leaders EVER ............... Mr, Lynott and co. You could pick any number of tracks from TL's catalogue (please ) but I'll choose a particular 'duet' offering with the very finest TL lead gutar player. ARE YOU OUT THERE? I SAID, ARE YOU OUT THERE?
Great thread and some great choices. I was beginning to think I’m the only one who still gives Script the occasional spin (well, stream). It may be harder for anyone not growing up watching the troubles on tv to get the impact of Forgotten Sons but I’ll always remember the drama and chill of it live. Same with Chelsea Monday. Those were the days.
One of my long time favourites:- I feel inclined to blow my mind Get hung up, feed the ducks with a bun They all come out to groove about Be nice and have fun in the sun Itchycoo Park - Small Faces
