Favourite lyricists

Most of you will have never heard of this guy he has only recently started writing lyrics he is one of the pioneers of British Techno and with his group Two Lone Swordsmen has branched out into songs. I think he is brilliant his name is Andrew Weatherall.

Sick When We Kiss - from the album - The Double Gone Chapel.

Tear me to pieces
Do it for show
Eloquent speeches
Flick of the wrist
Pressure increases
Sure lets me know
Taste of you teaches
Sick when we kiss

Coming down
Like a space shuttle
Head hurts
Teeth rattle
Walking around
Playing spurned lover
Limbs roll
Eyes shudder
Bursting banks
Like the damned rivers
Spine bombs
Blood shivers
Sickly sweet
Just a gak yearning
Touch cold
Hair burning
Give up the tactics
Flag never raised
Fuck the heroics
Enemy lines
She drops in hat tricks
Then leaves for days
Even the stoics
Chop down the pines

Fast on my crutches
Slow for the bored
Pure to the last drop
Poison the first
Out if your clutches
Try to get cured
Messages won't stop
Summon the curse

Make up a reason
Validate calls
Don't call it lying
Covering tracks
Shake down and treason
Crumble the walls
Gunned down while flying
Bombing love shacks



Dean..

Andy Partridge - XTC

His lyrics are always very clever, and they have some decent tunes as well.

Regards

Nic

I am surprised nobody has included John Hiatt, Bob Seger or John Mellencamp in addition to all the fine people already mentioned. They all are great chroniclers of American life.

Come to that, Lou Reed has turned out the odd decent lyric too.

I love Cohen but I really think he is a poet whose work is set to music, which is a slightly different thing to being a great lyricist. Poetry works as spoken word whereas, IMHO, lyrics have to work within the context of the music but may not work as well as poems.

Ray Davies ain't too shabby either.

Indeed not Howard.

Just listening to Cream's "Wheels of Fire". Pete Brown wrote some excellent stuff with Jack Bruce.

Viv Stanshall was another fine British lyricist.

And where would Reg Dwight have been without Berbie Taupin?

And has anyone mentioned Jackson Browne?

Bernie not Berbie, obviously! Barbie, as far as I know, has no writing credits.

Chris

Oh come on....this is the land of opportunity....of course Barbie has song, if not writing, credits!

Jim

PS. Can you tell today is a slow day?

quote:

PS. Can you tell today is a slow day?

Demob happy!

copernicus had those renaissance ladies
crazy about his telescope
and galileo had a name that made his
reputation higher than his hope
did none of those astronomers discover
while they were staring out into the dark
that what a lady looks for in her lover
is charm strangeness and quark

Robert Calvert - great lyricist

I've notice that a lot of folk like lyricists who are trying to be poignant a love songs, protest songs, raps, gritty urban stuff borne out of real-life experience and the like, whereas I much prefer lyrics that make me smile; I especially like pretentious song texts that don't really mean anything, but lead you to a better place - now where's my latest Michael Moorcock novel.

Well since I started this thread, I thought I would post one particular Hammill favourite.

It is so hard to choose just one, but anyway, here is what is possibly my favourite by him, and yes he as educated by Jesuits, so that explains the venom.

I would love to know what 'Seagull' would pick?


The Lie (Bernini's St. Theresa)

Genuflection, erection in church.
Sacristy cloth, moth-eaten shroud.
Secret silence, sacred secrets
accumulate dust, aggravate the eye.

Incautious laughter after confession.
Benediction, fictional fear.
Hidden faces...Grace is a name,
like Chastity, like Lucifer, like mine.

You took me through the window-stain,
drowned in image, incense,
choir-refrain and slow ecstasy.
I'd embrace you if I only knew your name.

The silent corner haunts my shadow prayers.
ice-cold statue, rapture divine,
unconscious eyes, the open mouth,
the wound of love,
the Lie.

You took me, gave me reasons for
saints and missals, vigils,
all the more holy martyrs.
I'd embrace you and walk through
the one-way door.
I'd embrace you, but it would be
just another lie.

For many, many more see: Sofasound lyrics.

Excellent Jamie! To me that works as poetry without the music. Thanks for posting.

Every year when summer comes round, off to the sea I go.
I don't care if I do spend a pound, I'm rather rash I know.
See me dressed like all the sports, in my blazer and a pair of shorts.
With my little stick of Blackpool Rock, along the promenade I stroll.
It may be sticky but I never complain, it's nice to have a nibble at it now and again
Every day wherever I stray the kids all round me flock.

One afternoon the band conductor up on his stand
Somehow lost his baton - it flew out of his hand
So I jumped in his place and then conducted the band
With my little stick of Blackpool Rock

With my little stick of Blackpool Rock, along the promenade I stroll,
In my pocket it got stuck I could tell ‘Cos when I pulled it out I pulled my shirt off as well
Every day wherever I stray the kids all round me flock.

A girl while bathing clung to me, my wits I had to use
She cried, "I'm drowning, and to save me, you won't refuse"
I said, "Well if you’re drowning then I don't want to lose
My little stick of Blackpool Rock."

With my little stick of Blackpool Rock, along the promenade I stroll
In the ballroom I went dancing each night
No wonder every girl that danced with me, stuck to me tight

Every day wherever I stray the kids all round me flock.
A fellow took my photograph it cost one and three.
I said when it was done, "Is that supposed to be me?"
"You've properly mucked it up the only thing I can see is
My little stick of Blackpool Rock."

George Formby Jr

'Seagull' agrees with "The Lie!", it is one of his best.

I had a Cataholic upbringing, so the song really strikes a chord. "Silent Corner" was one of the first PH albums I heard and remains among my favourites.

Chris K - if the words work on their own try listening to PH singing them!

My personal favourite lyric wise though is probably 'Still Life'

Anyone who can sum up eternal life as...

"Living, if you claim that all that entails is
breathing, eating, defecating, screwing, drinking,
spewing, sleeping, sinking ever down and down
and ultimately passing away time
which no longer has any meaning."

has my vote.

Though these days he is more aware of his mortality (Over The Hill) and the effects of aging on the memory...

All That Before

I don't know if I'm cracking up or just getting careless....
is this room quite airless?
Just a minute - listen,
did you hear that knock on the door?

I'm going to have to write things down before I forget them.
I can't find my glasses, I don't know where I left them
so I can't expect to get much on the visionary score,
or did I say all that before?

Oh, stop if you've heard this one before I get started.
I can't find my mobile and I didn't charge it,
it's a phantom target,
if I call myself I'll only get my Voicemail once more.

I wish that I could pin things down before they escaped me.
I can't find my car keys and it seems that lately
I have trouble even fitting them into the front door...
or did I say all that before?
Oh, stop me if I'm banging on trying to grab your attention.
I forget to mention I can't find my glasses
but I think I bent them when I dropped them
as I scrabbled for my phone on the floor.

It seems I can't, I can't remember,
I can't remember what I'm doing.

Although I flash that foolish grin
that seemed so winning when I came in
I'm beginning to see everyhting we've been
is going to be forgotten.

It's not a joke,
or did I say that all before I spoke?
It's not a joke,
or did I say all that before I spoke?

I can't find myself, what I'm looking for,
and I've lost the thread
of what I said before.

and there's plenty more where they came from

quote:

Chris K - if the words work on their own try listening to PH singing them!

Aye aye skipper!