[Paul Hollingsworth]
Honorable Mentions: Leonard Cohen: "A Thousand Kisses Deep" - Cohen's lyrics are in a class of their own. The first verse alone is pure poetry. The ponies run the girls are young/The odds are there to beat/You win a while and then it's done/Your little winning streak/and summoned now to deal/with your invincible defeat/you live your life as if its real/A thousand kisses deep Cohen's deep, bourbon-soaked voice only adds to the beauty. If you only know Cohen because of "Hallelujah" then you're really missing out on some great stuff. Steppenwolf : "The Pusher"- Repetition done right. No matter how many times Beyonce begs me to put a ring on it, I'm not going to. However, when Steppenwolf, covering Hoyt Axton, repeat ‘goddamn' over and over on this track, it makes sense, especially given the rest of the lyrics. (In case you don't know, it's about a girl named Mary Jane.) It showed up recently in the movie Tropic Thunder, although the song faded out before the ‘goddamns' got going. George Harrison: "All Things Must Pass" - This entire record is full of goodness. Of all the Beatles, I think George had the most interesting solo records. The title track, in particular, works on several levels and George's lyrics weave themselves in and out of the melodic threads with effortless grace.
5. Tori Amos - "Hey Jupiter (Dakota Mix)": This song evokes desire, longing, regret and wistfulness all at once. It's like every relationship you've had in your life boiled down to a few sweet, transcendent minutes. The lyrics are general and universal, but Tori is so adept at crafting mood, the lyrics become secondary. I saw this performed at a concert back in 2003 as the finale with my ex-wife. It's one of the few times in my life I've ever felt something approaching transcendence at a concert. The entire audience was singing along and I had the feeling that we were all about to cross the threshold to some other place. Of course, then the lights flicked on and everyone went home, but it was extraordinary for a brief time – easily one of my favorite musical memories ever.
4. Beastie Boys - "Licensed To Ill": This record came out when I was in eighth grade. By the middle of the school year, my friends and I had memorized every line. We shouted lines back to one another in the halls or during class. ( I was usually Mike D.) The lyrics themselves are pretty embarrassing, and compared to their later stuff, it's not even a good Beastie Boys' record, but it's just about perfect for every eighth grade boy who ever lived.
3. Nirvana - "Where Did You Sleep Last Night": Leadbelly would be proud. Kurt absolutely nailed this one. If it doesn't give you chills, then something is wrong with you. Simple lyrics, simple arrangement, but it fits together so well and becomes something greater. Even the most unassuming lyrics, when sung with passion and conviction, can move into the transcendent
2. Pink Floyd - "High Hopes": Many tend to dismiss anything by Pink Floyd after The Wall, but this album ending song from 1994's Division Bell is one of the finest songs the band ever recorded. The lyrics are wistful for a golden age whose existence is mostly fantasy and hopelessly caught between memory and reality. It's likely the last original song the band will ever record, and if so, it effectively closes the book on one of the greatest and most important rock and roll bands of all time.
1. American Music Club - "Apology For An Accident": If you're not familiar with American Music Club, you should be. 1993's "Mercury" is full of great, great songs, mostly about that universal pop theme of heartbreak. The lyrics here are nothing less than modern American poetry: Well I've been praying a lot lately/It's because I no longer have a TV/Just a fluorescent hangover to light the way/Between the things you say and the things I see/I just called you up to see if you wanted to go out/and drink a little wine/And waste some time on a roller coaster ride/But you say it's too dangerous to lead an empty life. Writing lyrics like that takes time, effort and a hell of a lot of personal struggle and dissection. One of the main problems with pop music of the day is this lack of introspection. I can't imagine any one at all being concerned with the lyrics for "You Should Have Put A Ring On It," especially since the entire songs repeats those eight words for what seems like an eternity. I'll take real emotions over manufactured and mechanical, unimaginative lyrics any day.
[Rick Switzer]
5. Mudvayne - "Nothing to Gein": "Life submissiveness / Hypnotizing the ignorant a little boy's best friend's always his mother / At least that's what she said / Life of a simple man / Taught that everyone else is dirty / And their love is meaningless / I'm just a soiled dirty boy" I'm a sucker for concept songs, and have seen many movies and read many stories about the real life Leatherface Ed Gein. Having been to many horror conventions, I finally got to talk briefly with my favorite Gein portrayer Steve Railsback. When asked what he thought about his role as the notorious butcher his answer was surprisingly similar to Mudvayne's Chad Gray when asked about performing this song. "Though he was extremely proud of his accomplishment, it made him sick to his stomach every time he revisited his performance."
4. Haste the Day - "American Love": "I've Given My Heart Away / To So Many Things / So Many Times I've Failed / Help Me Stop This Endless Cycle / Remind Me Of How It Can Be / Take Me Back I Surrender All / Without You My Heart Is Broken / I Never Should have Let You Go / I Never Should have Let You Slip / Through My Arms / As The Sun Sets Tonight (I Never Should Have Let You Go) / I'll Hold You With All That I Am(I Never Should Have Let You Slip Through My Arms) / I Never Should Have Let You Go / Promise me, you'd stay with me forever, forever / Forgive me / For running so quickly to the outside" Whether their intent or not, I've always taken from this songs meaning a deep personal connection to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Though many times, I've fallen in my youth, my Christian faith has always been there. I was saved at the age of 18, and that will stay with me forever.
3. Staind - "Waste": "Well fuck them / And fuck her / And fuck him / And fuck you / For not having the strength in your heart to pull through / I've had doubts / I have failed / I've fucked up / I've had plans / Doesn't mean I should take my Life with my own hands" Before becoming staples of pop radio, Staind used to be an aggressive young band with their fingers on the pulse of their target demographic; angst ridden teenagers. When a fan committed suicide (rumored to have been listening to their music at the time), Aaron spoke for the oft scapegoated media and delivered a straight forward line to suicide victims and their families. Suck it up pussy, life goes on.
2. Pantera - "This Love": "If ever words were spoken / Painful and untrue / I said I loved but I lied / In my life / All I wanted / Was the keeping / Of someone like you / As it turns out / Deeper within me / Love was twisted and pointed at you" Most guys know the girl this song was written about. The girl that reminded you that Lucifer was once an angel too. Anselmo crafted an ironic anti love song that will surely stand the test of time.
1. Flaw - "Best I Am": "Things won't always go right in this life / there's always changes /we`ll make it / that's why I got to do the best that I can / to be a good example of man / I know that one day that you`ll understand /you deserve the best that I am" I chose these lyrics because anyone can relate to them. We all have troubles in life, and the best thing to do is learn from them and grow stronger as a result.
[Sandeep Murali]
5. Megadeth - "Rust in peace...Polaris": Dave named his band after a term coined to describe the destruction caused by nuclear arms. Unsurprisingly, many a song from the band was in tune with the theme. None more so than "Polaris" (Although, Hangar 18 comes real close), a song talking about nuclear warheads reducing our planet to rubbles. I'll be honest here, what made "Polaris" catch my attention initially was the insane riff-fest in the end, not the lyrics. However, I fully appreciated the song for what it is only after I went through the words that made it:
"I spread disease like a dog
Discharge my payload a mile high
Rotten egg air of death wrestles your nostrils
Launch the Polaris, the end doesn't scare us"
Bone chilling, to say the least.
4. Rainbow - "Catch the rainbow": There are Deep Purple fans. And there are Rainbow fans. The lot tends to disagree with each other. I used to belong to the former sect until I heard this beautiful song. Mellow, subdued and dreamy are the three words that best describes it. Richie Blackmore and Dio may avoid each other like plague these days, but they can't deny that their combined genius gave birth to some real good music.
"We believed we'd catch the rainbow
Ride the wind to the sun
Sail away on ships of wonder
But life's not a wheel
With chains made of steel
So bless me"
3. Iron Maiden - "Hallowed be thy name": My favorite song from one of my Top 3 bands. A song that's about the mental conflicts within a condemned man waiting his execution. His thought train passes from shock to denial to despair to questioning his faith and finally, finding his peace right before the execution. Nobody tells a story better than Maiden and this song is standing testament to that fact.
"Somebody please tell me that I'm dreaming
It's not so easy to stop from screaming
But words escape me when I try to speak
Tears they flow but why am I crying
After all I am not afraid of dying
Don't believe that there is never an end".
2. Eric Clapton - "Tears in heaven": Death of an immediate family member is heartbreaking for any human being. Mr. Clapton was no exception to the rule. This song, that he co-wrote with Will Jennings as a tribute to his son Connor (who passed away tragically at the age of four), immortalized his pain and is considered to be one of the greatest ballads ever written. One listen and you know this one is not just a song.
"Would you know my name if I saw you in heaven?
Would it be the same if I saw you in heaven?
I must be strong and carry on
'Cause I know I don't belong here in heaven"
1. Dire Straits - "Brothers in arms": Yet another song about war and destruction. However, it's a study of contrast with respect to our no. 5 entry. While the former sees things from a super-human point of view, this song is about the young man who's fighting on the frontlines to settle the petty egos of political figureheads. The one that strikes a brotherhood with many others just like him on the battlefield. Each longing for a brighter day, just like him. Very rarely does a song appeal to me musically, lyrically AND thematically. And this one did that on the first listen. Thousands of listens later, it still appeals to me like the first time.
"These mist-covered mountains
Are a home now for me
But my home is the lowlands
And always will be
Some day you'll return to
Your valleys and your farms
And you'll no longer burn
To be brothers in arms"
[Jesse Coy]
This topic is cause for much interpretation, so I guess I'll go with somewhat poetic, or maybe literary elements in music.
5. Red Hot Chili Peppers – "Sir Psycho Sexy": A lot of RHCP's tunes can have a flowing, lyrical quality to them. Here's a nice, meandering sex dream of lyrical proportions. For anyone who has ever been pulled over by a cop, listen to that bad experience poetically become something quite wonderful (provided the cop is a female cop, as she is in this song) (unless, of course, you're a woman, then you'll probably want a guy) (unless, of course, you're a lesbian, then you can keep the original cop that's in this song).
4. Billy Joel – "We Didn't Start the Fire": It's a brilliant song. It was neglected way back in September when the best 80's tunes were chosen. Actually, no Billy Joel tunes were mentioned, and he had so many hits (many of which were pretty good tunes). So I'll bring this one up here, because as a history lover (especially 20th century history), this song is lyrically master crafted.
3. Tom Waits – "The Piano Has Been Drinking (Not Me)": Consider this as more representative. Having picked up over a dozen of his releases in the past five years or so, I can substitute this song with a few others. But really, few songs so lyrically address being drunk. It's one of his many gems, this one from '76's Small Change.
2. Doors – "Celebration of the Lizard": Some consider Jim Morrison overrated. I don't. Never did. I've always liked the dark surrealism in much of his material, and as a fiction writer as well as a journalist, I can say that early on, that lyrical surrealism stuck with me. This is a 17-minute plus musical poem, meant for inclusion on their third album, but only represented in small portion via "Not to Touch the Earth." The whole thing can nowadays be heard only in live form.
1. Various Artists – Kerouac: Kicks Joy Darkness: How can you get more lyrical than this? Seriously, if you've ever had any interest in Jack, or have read a book of his, or many... this is worth checking out. It's a great assortment of actors (Johnny Depp and Matt Dillon, for example), writers (Hunter Thompson, William Burroughs, Allen Ginsburg, and Jack himself), and musicians/bands (Steve Tyler, Morphine, Eddie Vedder, Joe Strummer, Juliana Hatfield, etc.), interpreting, reading, and performing musical pieces to Jack's words... lyrical, this one brims forth.
[Weng]
5.Az Yet - "Last Night": The lyric in particular is the first line of the chorus, "Last night, I was inside of you." This single went platinum and was a big hit around the world. I wonder how many mothers covered up their child's ears when this song was played on the radio.
4.Kiss - "God Gave Rock and Roll To You": I think the lyrics of this song encompasses what music should be about. Approach music with a open mind, and realize that music is a gift from God. Don't hate, appreciate!
3.Paul McCartney - "Maybe I'm Amazed": One of the purest love songs ever written.
2.Jason Mraz - "The Dreamlife of Rand McNally": Americans will know that the Rand McNally company supplies maps and atlases. In this song Mraz sings about his dreams of travelling the world with lots of odd things happening to him. My favorite line is when he's singing of being in England - "I met the Spice Girls for tea, down from four to my favorite number of three......do me a favor a lick my icing under the table......but I gotta leave town Mr. Nally, just as Scary Spice was about to go down on me". It's a creative and amusing song, and definitely worth tracking down.
1.Marvin Gaye - "Let's Get It On": My favorite soul song of all time, the lyrics are innocent, and yet completely dirty at the same time. There are definitely songs out there with better lyrics, but this seems to reach all types of people, so that's good enough for me to put it at the top.
[Matt Shoemaker]
5. DC Benny- Indian Rap: Normally, and obviously for lyrical stuff, I wouldn't put a stand up comedian on a music list, but the closing bit of DC Benny's Funny Mother Flower CD is one of the funniest and probably one of the most lyrically impressive things I've heard, especially from a non lyricist. DC Benny's an average white guy who goes on to talk about Brooklyn public access TV, and how he saw an Indian rapper on a show one night. He then proceeds to (probably verbatim) recite the rap in a damn good Indian accent, free styling for just about a minute to a minute and a half. Both hysterical and impressive.
4. Anything by Twista: Not so much for the lyrics themselves, but for the speed in which Twista delivers them. I don't think I've ever heard anybody rap that fast, ever.
3. Children of Bodom- "Oops, I Did It Again": Hearing a tiny Finnish guy with a voice like a truck cover a Britney Spears song is pretty cool in my book. Alexi Laiho manages to make this song listenable again, as his grunts and screams take Britney Spears to a level I don't think anyone else could.
2. Aesop Rock- None Shall Pass, Daylight and Nightlight: Again proving white guys can rap, Aes Rock is at his finest here, doing what he does best: spitting out thought provoking and interesting lyrics at a lightning fast pace, yet keeping everything in check and maintaining a solid flow through it all. The last two are complements to one another, so I don't think I'd really be able to put one over the other. His relaxed flow tricks listeners into thinking they can sing along, only to get tongue tied about two verses in. The guy has a serious mastery over the songs he sings, and I honestly think he's one of the best lyricists of this generation.
1. In Flames- Whoracle: This album just keeps making its way back into these lists for me. Whoracle is a brilliant album from all sides, but lyrically, the concept of the stages of the world, before, during and after the end of the world, is incredibly brilliant.
[Jasper Jones]
I wasn't sure how to tackle the Top 5 this week. If they wanted "Top 5 Favorite Lyrics of All Time" it was going to take me more than a week to figure that out. If they wanted "Top 5 Most Influential Lyrics of All Time", it was going to take more than a week to figure that out too. So I went with the first 5 lyrics that popped into my head once I read the topic.
5. Don Williams - "I Believe In You" Lyrics: "I don't believe that heaven waits for only those who congregate / I like to think as God as love / He's down below, He's up above / He's watchin' people everywhere / He knows who does and doesn't care" - Wouldn't it make things so much simpler if folks believed like this? Just be a good man and God will take care of the rest. If you are a good person, God knows it and you will be rewarded. No priests molesting kids. No TV preachers taking your money. No hypocritical Christians looking down on anyone.
4. Steve Earle - "Darlin' Commit Me" Lyrics: "Yeah, just play Parcheesi all day with my looney friends / won't have to comb my hair, girl / I won't have to shave / I won't have to race the guy next door, to see whose the first one in his grave" - Steve Earle is one of the most underrated singer/songwriters of all time. "Darlin' Commit Me" comes from his extremely early days, early 70s I believe. It can be found on the Heart worn Highways soundtrack. It's about how to deal with a crazy woman. Just give up and put yourself in the institution.
3. Alice Cooper - "Poison" Lyrics: "I hear you callin' but it's needles and pins / I wanna hurt you just to hear you screamin' my name" Make no mistake, Alice Cooper is one of my favorite artists of all time. He's highly underrated in my opinion. This song may be "hair metal at its worst" as some critics say, but I freakin' love it. We've all experienced lusting for that one extremely forbidden girl you could never have. "I want to hurt you just to hear you screaming my name"....that's intense.
2. Warren Zevon - "Genuis" Lyrics: "Albert Einstein was a lady's man / While he was working on his universal plan / he was making-out like Charlie Sheen / he was a genius" - Once again, Warren Zevon is one of my favorite artists and highly underrated. His dry wit is shown in these lyrics. I'm a sucker for humor and pop culture references in song. The fact that Albert Einstein was a lady's man seems like something your history or science teacher would fail to tell you. It's believable.
1. Tom Waits - "Mr. Seigel" Lyrics: "You got to tell me, brave captain, why are the wicked so strong / how do the angels get to sleep when the devil leaves his porch light on" - If you can get past the abrasive music and the harsh vocals, Tom Waits is one of the greatest musical artists of the last century. I know that he is an acquired tasted, but give him a chance. I bet that you like it. Here Waits points out that nobody is perfect. Everyone struggles with right and wrong every freakin' day. In these words he is trying to expose those who try to claim to be pure, but still know they are hypocrites when they go to sleep at night. Tom Waits for the R'n'R Hall of Fame!
[Michael Adler]
Honorable Mention: Ray Parker Jr. - Ghostbusters: "Busting makes me feel good!" Yes Ray Parker Jr. Yes! Yes! Yes, yes yes yes!!!! Busting makes me feel good too!!!!
5. Queens of the Stone Age - "Feel Good Hit of the Summer": This snags number 5 for being one of the best puns in modern music. "Nicotine, Valium, Vicodin, Marijuana, Ecstasy, and Alcohol, and C-c-c-cocaine" It is the feel good hit of the summer!
4. REM - "You are the Everything": A jaw-droppingly beautiful ballad from REM, and the beginning of the trend of songs with sitar making it onto my list.
"I think about this world a lot and I cry (say, say, the light)
And I've seen the films and the eyes
But I'm in this kitchen (say, say, the light)
Everything is beautiful
And she is so beautiful (say, say, the light)
She is so young and old
I look at her and I see the beauty (say, say, the light)
Of the light of music
The voices talking somewhere in the house
Late spring and you're drifting off to sleep
With your teeth in your mouth
You are here with me
You are here with me
You have been here and you are everything"
It's a poetic masterpiece about love surviving for decades.
3. Led Zeppelin - "Battle of Evermore": Hey more sitar! Anyway, this is the song off of IV that's better than Stairway to Heaven. It's a soaring epic that in under six minutes tells of a fantastical war in a far more riveting fashion than nine hours of Lord of the Rings does. Sandy Denis' hypnotizing voice really brings this one home.
"Queen of Light took her bow
And then she turned to go
The Prince of Peace embraced the gloom
And walked the night alone.
Oh dance in the dark of night
Sing to the morn ing light.
The dark Lord rides in force tonight
And time will tell us all.
Oh throw down your plow and hoe
Rest not to lock your homes.
Side by side we wait the might
Of the darkest of them all.
I hear the horses' thunder
Down in the valley blow,
I'm waiting for the angels of Avalon,
Waiting for the eastern glow.
The apples of the valley hold,
The seas of happiness,
The ground is rich from tender care,
Repay, do not forget, no, no.
Oh,-------dance in the dark of night,
sing to the morning light.
The apples turn to brown and black, The tyrant's face is red.
Oh the war is common cry, Pick up you swords and fly.
The sky is filled with good and bad
That mortals never know.
Oh, well, the night is long, The beads of time pass slow,
Tired eyes on the sunrise, Waiting for the eastern glow.
The pain of war cannot exceed
The woe of aftermath,
The drums will shake the castle wall,
The ring wraiths ride in black, Ride on.
Sing as you raise your bow,
Shoot straighter than before.
No comfort has the fire at night
That lights the face so cold.
Oh dance in the dark of night,
Sing to the mornin' light.
The magic runes are writ in gold
To bring the balance back, Bring it back.
At last the sun is shining, The clouds of blue roll by,
With flames from the dragon of darkness
The sunlight blinds his eyes"
Amazing.
2. Morphine – "In Spite of Me": Hey more sitar! Morphine are a criminally underrated band whose time was even more tragically cut short by the death of its lead singer/amazing bass player Mark Sandman For those who never heard of them, Morphine were a trio of bass, tenor/baritone sax, and drums who sounded like a jazz/grunge fusion. Out of nowhere on their album Cure for Pain comes this beautiful song about a guy who can't quite get over his girlfriend and her accomplishments without him.
"Last night I told a stranger all about you
they smiled patiently with disbelief
I' always knew you would succeed
no matter what you tried
and I know you did it all
in spite of me
still I'm proud to have known you
for the short time that I did
proud to have been a step up on your way
proud to be a part of your illustrious career
and I know you did it all
in spite of me
in spite of me
late last night
I saw you in my living room
you seemed so close but yet so cool
for a long time I thought that you'd be coming back to me
those kind of thoughts can be so cruel
so cruel
and I know you did it all
in spite of me
in spite of me"
1. PJ Harvey – "The Dancer": I love this song because the lyrics, especially the opening lines:
"He came riding fast like a phoenix out of fire flames
He came dressed in black with a cross bearing my name
He came bathed in light and the splendor and glory"
About halfway through the song when she starts moaning, you know she's really into the song, and you feel like you're there right alongside her. Just an amazingly powerful and well written song with my favorite lyrics ever.
"I can't believe what the lord has finally sent me
He said dance for me, fanciulla gentile
He said laugh awhile, I can make your heart feel
He said fly with me, touch the face of the true god
And then cry with joy at the depth of my love
cause I've prayed days, I've prayed nights
For the lord just to send me home some sign
I've looked long, I've looked far
To bring peace to my black and empty heart
Ah, ah, ah
Ah, ah, ah, aaaaaah !
My love will stay 'till the river bed run dry
And my love lasts long as the sunshine blue sky
I love him longer as each damn day goes
The man is gone and heaven only knows
'cause I've cried days, I've cried nights
For the lord just to send me home some sign
Is he near ? is he far ?
Bring peace to my black and empty heart
So long day, so long night
Oh lord, be near me tonight
Is he near? is he far ?
Bring peace to my black and empty heart. "
[Tom Santoro]
I figured I'd go the road less traveled and not have one selection by The Beatles (and all solo releases), The Stones, Dylan, and Springsteen.
5. The Blood Hound Gang - "Ralph Wiggum":
I'm going to Africa
Yes, Ma'am, I'm a brick
Was President Lincoln ok?
Mitten.
There's a dog in the vent
Chicken necks?
I pick Ken Griffey Junior
I fell out two times
I'm pedaling backwards
This snowflake tastes like fish sticks
We're a totem pole
Dying tickles
I heard a Frankenstein lives there
She's touching my special area
Go banana!
Ralphie, (Ralphie,)
Get off, (Get off,)
The stage, (The stage,)
Sweetheart. (Sweetheart.)
Oh say can you rock!?
I'm a pop sensation!
I'm a pop sensation!
Salmon gutter!?
I'm Idaho
You smell like dead bunnies
That's where I saw the leprechaun
Fun toys are fun.
Chocolate microscopes
You're not it
That is so nineteen-ninety-one
I bit my tongue!
Ralphie, (Ralphie,)
Get off, (Get off,)
The stage, (The stage,)
Sweetheart. (Sweetheart.)
Oh say can you rock!?
I'm a pop sensation!
I'm a pop sensation!
Yvan eht Nioj
Yvan eht Nioj
Yvan eht Nioj
Yvan eht Nioj
Yvan eht Nioj
Yvan eht Nioj
Yvan eht Nioj
Yvan eht Nioj
My sash says Ultraman!
So technically this was written by the Simpsons writers over 18 or so seasons, but The Bloodhound Gang had to peace it together into a pop song. I dare you to find all the individual bites in your Simpsons collection.
4. The Police - "King of Pain":
Walked out this morning, don't believe what I saw
Hundred billion bottles washed up on the shore
Seems I'm not alone at being alone
Hundred billion castaways, looking for a home
Loneliness and desperation all in the same stanza.
3. Guns N' Roses - "Used to Love Her":
"I used to love her, but I had to kill her."
Some say this was written about Axl's dog, but it has a special place in my heart in relation to my wife's incessant nagging. Love you honey!
2. Fear - "More Beer":
When I get home from work and I'm dyin' of thirst
All I want is more beer
I run into the kitchen and I tear off my shirt
All I want is more beer
Open up a six pack I'll be downin' it first
All I want is more beer
I can open up and finish faster than you
All I want is more beer
Gonna kill a case or maybe two
All I want is more beer
If there was no more beer then what would we do
All I want is more beer
I like to drink so this fits the bill.
1. Marvin Gaye - "What's Going On?":
Father, father
We don't need to escalate
You see, war is not the answer
For only love can conquer hate
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today
Ironic since he was killed by his father. I chose this because the message and the social problems when it was released.
[Ian Parmenter]
5. Worst Definition in a Lyrical Moment: "Isn't it ironic / don't'cha think?" Alanis Morissette: I know, it's been beaten into the ground by much better writers than I, but nothing about that song is, in fact, ironic. Which, perhaps, is the irony of the whole thing.
4. Least Hardcore Lyrical Moment: "I ain't inta havin' sex / I'm just inta makin' love / So come give me a hug", 50 Cent: Wait... a hug? I... can honestly say I don't think I've ever heard any variation on the term 'give me a hug' in a rap song... ever. Seriously. Is there anything less hardcore than... wanting to cuddle?
3. Best Profanity-Based Lyrical Moment: "Asshole", Dennis Leary: Many have tried since, but this song still is the best use of profanity in lyrical form. Why? It's not gratuitous. It's bitterly, sarcastically honest.
2. Best Lyrical Moment You Never Hear: "Teardrop", Massive Attack: How many people actually realize the theme to House, M.D. has lyrics? Not many.
1. Best Misheard Lyrical Moment: "'scuse me, while I kiss this guy": The mis-heard lyric so great, Hendrix used it in live versions of the song. There's nobody who hasn't heard this one. Except, perhaps, the very young. I had a "God, I'm old" moment when I learned my eleven-year-old goddaughter had never heard of this before...
[Andrew Moll]
5. Neutral Milk Hotel – "In the Aeroplane over the Sea":
"What a beautiful face
I have found in this place
That is circling all around the sun
And when we meet on a cloud
I'll be laughing out loud
I'll be laughing with everyone I see
Can't believe
How strange it is to be anything at all"
4. Elliott Smith – "The Biggest Lie":
"You turned white like a saint
I'm tired of dancing on a pot of gold flake paint
Oh, we're so very precious, you and I
And everything that you do makes me want to die
Oh, I just told the biggest lie"
3. Bob Dylan – "It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)":
"While preachers preach of evil fates
Teachers teach that knowledge waits
Can lead to hundred-dollar plates
Goodness hides behind its gates
But even the president of the United States
Sometimes must have
To stand naked."
2. Pavement – "Range Life":
"Out on tour with the Smashing Pumpkins
Nature kids, they don't have no function
I don't understand what they mean
and I could really give a fuck.
The Stone Temple Pilots,
they're elegant bachelors.
They're foxy to me, are they foxy to you?
I will agree there isn't absolutely nothing,
Nothing more than me"
1. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – "From Her to Eternity":
"This desire to possess her is a wound
And it's naggin' at me like a shrew
But, I know that to possess her
Is, therefore, not to desire her
Ooo, then you know
That little girl would just have to go"
[Jacob Crogie]
With the latest top 5 out and about, I decided to take it a different way, and will look at the top 5 lyrical moments of my favorite lyricist, the Lord of Excess, the one and only, Jim Steinman!
5. Meat Loaf- "Bat Out of Hell":
"The sirens are screaming and the fires are howling
Way down in the valley tonight
There's a man in the shadows with a gun in his eye
And a blade shining oh so bright
There's evil in the air and there's thunder in the sky
And a killer's on the bloodshot streets
Oh and down in the tunnel where the deadly are rising
Oh I swear I saw a young boy
Down in the gutter
He was starting to foam in the heat"
Wow...just wow! Such begins the musical awakening that is "Bat out of Hell" and Holy Hell what a ride it is! Steinman is one of those unappreciated composers who's work gets shit on over and over and over for being "over-produced". The music is there, the wall of sound is imposing and Todd Rundgren's guitar work is phenomenal. The lyrics however are amazing, this kind of style (which he has been accused of ripping from Springsteen...which is total bullshit by the way) is full of amazing imagery which the listener cannot help but be drawn into. There is just something so ominous and American Gothic about Steinman that I find myself unable to pull away! Thus begins my infatuation with the oft disturbing, seldom generic, lyrical stylings of a mad man.
4. Meat Loaf- "Paradise by the Dashboard Light":
"So now I'm praying for the end of time
To hurry up and arrive
'Cause if I gotta spend another minute with you
I don't think that I can really survive
I'll never break my promise or forget my vow
But God only knows what I can do right now
I'm praying for the end of time
It's all that I can do
Praying for the end of time, so I can end my time with you!!"
Out of the most popular song of Steinman's ever recorded...(well...It's All Coming Back to Me Now is pretty damn impressive, but few know that it is a Steinman original...as a matter of fact, few know who the hell Steinman is!) has some of the best moments of his career. Baseball metaphor anyone? It is in the big breakdown at the end however, that Steinman's trademark irony shines through. One if the funniest examinations of teenage love, it's not all it's cracked up to be!
3. Meat Loaf- "Objects in the Rearview Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are":
"There were endless winters and the dreams would freeze
Nowhere to hide and no leaves on the trees
And my father's eyes were blank as he hit me again and again and again
I know I still believe he'd never let me leave, I had to run away alone
So many threats and fears, so many wasted years before my life became my own
And though the nightmares should be over
Some of the terrors are still intact
I'll hear that ugly coarse and violent voice
And then he grabs me from behind and then he pulls me back "
Wow...some of Jim's most powerful lyrics seem penned by the big man (Meat Loaf) himself. It is no secret that the two of them hit this one together, as the arc of this section reflects Meat's own life history. Steinman's imagery just blows me away every time, can you imagine your dreams freezing? His lyrics employ heavy elements of American Gothic and dark romanticism which are far beyond the crap that is consistently churned out today.
2. Meat Loaf- "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad":
"You'll never find your gold on a sandy beach
You'll never drill for oil on a city street
I know you're looking for a ruby in a mountain of rocks
But there ain't no Coup de Ville hiding at the bottom
of a Cracker Jack box"
Niiiiiiice! More Americana explored at the forefront of Wagnerian Rock Opera! Hell, I'm Canadian and I'm digging this shit! The sheer juxtaposition and irony contained within these lyrics are of a high standard and show literary ability. Sure, one can argue that he has the tendency to overstate things, but that is all moot if you accept his musical and lyrical validity as an artist. I listen to Steinman because no song penned by the Lord of Excess could ever be accused of being normal!
1. Fire Inc.- "Tonight is What it Means to be Young":
"I've got a dream 'bout an angel on the beach
And the perfect waves are starting to come
His hair is flying out in ribbons of gold
And his touch has got the power to stun
I've got a dream 'bout an angel in the forest
Enchanted by the edge of a lake
His body's flowing in the jewels of light
And the earth below is starting to shake
But I don't see any angels in the city
I don't hear any holy choirs sing
And if I can't get an angel
I can still get a boy
And a boy'd be the next best thing
The next best thing to an angel
A boy'd be the next best thing
I've got a dream 'bout a boy in a castle
And he's dancing like a cat on the stairs
He's got the fire of a prince in his eyes
And the thunder of a drum in his ears
I've got a dream 'bout a boy on a star
Lookin' down upon the rim of the world
He's there all alone and dreamin' of someone like me
I'm not an angel but at least I'm a girl"
And I cap off my list with an amazing unknown gem from a rather funny movie, "Streets of Fire". The movie itself is total shit, but this song, and the visual images surrounding it are a bright light. As always, Steinman finds a way to use metaphysical imagery to the fullest and forces you into a dream like state. Steinman's work is ridiculously undervalued, and I hope you enjoyed this little trip into Neverland. Steinman=God, and it's best if you all remembered that!
[Chris Crowning]
Honorable mentions:
VAST - "Take Me With You", "Touched", "Pretty When You Cry", "Flames", "Lost", "I Need to Say Goodbye" (I love this band...there was just too much choice, and none I could put above the others)
Nine Inch Nails - "Hurt"
Machine Head - "Aesthetics of Hate"
Metallica - "That Was Just Your Life" (the line being 'Like a wound that keeps on bleeding to remind me not to think, Like a raging river drowning when I only need a drink, Like a poison that I swallow, but I want the world to die.)
Alice In Chains - "Rooster", "Down In A Hole"
Soundgarden - "Jesus Christ Pose"
…There are so many I could list, I'll try and leave it before I take up half the column......
5. Megadeth - "Holy Wars...the Punishment Due": Ok, so sometimes metal brings the real goodness. A piece of political, moral vitriol even more pertinent now than it was in 1990. "Killing for religion, something I don't understand." Amen to that!
4. Lamb - "Gorecki": Gets the nod for being one of those straightforward, emotional pieces of sparseness that I love in general, and it's the one at the front of my head right now because of that damned Tomb Raider trailer....
3. Fear Factory - "Replica": One of the few, truly angry songs that actually have a lyrical punch, and more thought to it than at first appears. It's not the shouting; it's the words you are shouting that matter.
2. The Butterfly Effect - "Gone": Many songs have been written, dedicated to loved ones who have passed away. I could easily have put "In Loving Memory" by Alter Bridge here, but this song gets me every time, beautiful, soaring catharsis at its most fragile.
1. Pearl Jam - "Black": This is still the most searing, emotional song I've ever heard. This is ripping your heart out and putting it music in the most honest way imaginable. Stunning.
[Ben Czajkowski]
Sorry, with a fever of 101 and coughing up blood, I don't think I can mentally handle giving as much detail as I have thought about this week.
Honorable Mention: Timo Maas – "Pictures": One of the darkest, most perverse songs I've heard heard. Thanks, Marshall...
5. Beatles – "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds": Whether you think it's a song about LSD (Lucy, Sky, Diamonds) or a song about a drawing Lennon's son, Julian, did with inspirations from Carrol's Through the Looking Glass, you can't deny that this song (if you've heard it) is one of the trippiest pieces in musical history.
4. Staind – Break The Cycle, specifically "Epiphany": I have huge respect for Aaron Lewis as a lyricist. Earlier, Ric listed "Waste" and that specific lyric, which is what I was going to use for this point. However, I think it's safe to say that this album is solid from start to finish, in terms of poetic prowess and delivery. I am also particularly fond of:
"'Cause I can't take anymore of this
I want to come apart
Or dig myself a little hole
Inside your precious heart"
3. Prussian Blue Lyrics: This pop, fraternal twin, Olsen Twin-knockoff duo became an international media sensation a while back. The reason: racist content of their songs. Personally, I think Germany had it right by banning a giant chunk of their songs, even though they paid homage to the fatherland and white pride. While many people will stand up and fight for the first amendment (free speech), I think that there has to be a line drawn somewhere, especially with hateful slander.
The Stranger within my gate,
He may be true or kind,
But he does not talk my talk—
I cannot feel his mind.
2. Sisqo – "The Thong Song":
She had dumps like a truck, truck, truck.
Thighs like what what what
Baby move your butt butt butt
Uh
I think to sing it again
No. Please don't. These have to be the worst lyrics ever.
1. TATU – "All The Things She Said", Melissa Etheridge – "Come to My Window", Katy Perry – "I Kissed A Girl", etc: These salaciously sexy songs about some awesome girl on girl love definitely piqued the interest of millions of listeners all over the globe. While I will not state that these are amazing-written tracks, I will say that they take the issue of homosexuality and bring it to the forefront, where we should focus on it. Especially now, no matter what your opinion is.
[Taylor Martin]
Honorable mentions: The Beatles – "Helter Skelter", "Let it Be", "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds", Outkast – "B.O.B.", U2 – "One", "Where the Streets Have No Name", Radiohead – "Fake Plastic Trees"
5. Radiohead - "How to Disappear Completely": Best lyric: "Strobe lights and blown speakers, fireworks, I'm not here, this isn't happening." This song is not only my favorite Radiohead song, but it's probably my favorite song, period. I know that there are better songs out there (if there weren't, this song would be at the top, obviously) but the epicness of the song is just amazing. Thom Yorke's voice has never sounded better and the lyrics are their best. That's saying a lot, considering Radiohead's catalog consists of some of the best songs of the past 15 years.
4. Led Zeppelin - "Stairway to Heaven": Best lyric: "If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now, it's just a spring clean for the May clean." I'm a pretty big Zeppelin fan, but sometimes the lyrics can be a little silly ("Ramble On" is a prime example). While this one tends to lean on the silly side, the sheer magnitude of the song deserves a slot. "Stairway to Heaven" is the most requested and played song on FM radio in history and while the song is mainly known for Jimmy Page's guitar work, the lyrics a certainly memorable, especially the above lyric.
3. Leonard Cohen - "Hallelujah": "Now, I heard there was a secret chord, that David played and it pleased the Lord, but you don't really care for music, do you?" Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen wrote this song, but it would be hard to deny that Jeff Buckley's version is the best. Now, with a song called "Hallelujah", you'd think that the song is about Christianity and the Bible. While the song does contain quite a few Biblical references, the song is widely believed to be about sex, specifically the orgasm. Whether the song is about religion or sex (what's the difference, right?) it is one of the most well-known songs in modern times; just look at how many times it's been covered.
2. Bob Dylan - "Like a Rolling Stone": "You said you'd never compromise, with the mystery tramp but now you realize, he's not selling any alibis as you stare into the vacuum of his eyes, and say ‘Do you want to make a deal?'" There's a reason why this song is widely considered one of the all-time greats and it's because of its lyrical composition. Theories abound to who the subject of the song is, ranging from Edie Sedgwick, Joan Baez, to Dylan himself (regarding his decision to go electric and the resulting backlash). No matter who the song is about (if it is, in fact, even about anyone in particular) the song is now widely considered Dylan's best song, and I'd be inclined to agree.
1. Pink Floyd - "Wish You Were Here": Best lyric: the whole song. "Wish You Were Here" is probably the best song ever written, despite its comparatively short (to others such as "Like a Rolling Stone" and "Hallelujah") vocal length. The total time that David Gilmour is actually singing is a little over two minutes, but that's just enough. As with the other songs on this song's namesake album, this song is about alienation, specifically Syd Barrett's departure from the band (legend has it, Syd walked into the studio when they were recording "Shine On You Crazy Diamond", another song from Wish You Were Here). "Wish You Were Here" is a lyrical masterpiece and a prime example of the old idea of "quality over quantity".
[Dan Haggerty]
5. Megadeth - "Victory": Capping the end of Youthanasia, basically the whole song is one lyrical imprint due to the novelty of the lyrics being composed of all the songs the band had wrote to that point. On one hand, it's a Dave mocking the critics by saying he's won and made it. It's his "Victory". But he does it through retelling all his song titles and it's just too much fun to be forgotten. More tongue in cheek than artistic statement, but sometimes that's the point.
4. Pink Floyd - "Another Brick In The Wall Part 2": The ultimate anti-establishment song by back handing the very educational system of that institution. You can't get any more poignant than:
"We don't need no education, We don't need no thought control. No dark sarcasm in the classroom, Teachers... leave them kids alone".
Add in the kids singing along in the chorus and you can't escape the imagery...
3. Ozzy Osbourne - "Demon Alcohol": The man is at his best when he assume the guise of the evil he wishes to portray; then ram it home. On "Demon Alcohol" he is the alcohol and it's addiction with the chilling reprimand of:
"This time it's you or me, I'll never set you free, There'll be no compromise today... So satisfy your lust, Too much can't be enough, I'll introduce myself today... I'm the demon alcohol"
2. Marillion - "Incubus": Lead man fish comes from the old school of writing where you don't open your mouth unless you say something worth the trouble, and out of all the band's songs this line is the most theatrically chilling. It's the moment when the victim starts her revenge upon the man who wronged her:
"But now I'm the snake in the grass, the ghost of film reels past. I'm the producer of your nightmare and the performance has just begun.. It's just begun"
1. Rush - "Limelight": This song stands as a true testament to the poetry in motion that is Neal Peart, the mixing of metaphors where success is the loneliest place to be:
"All the world is a stage, we are merely players, performers and portrayers, each another's audience outside the gilded cage."
Alright, folks. Thanks for reading. Here's what you should do. Enter your list in the comment's section. You do not have to register to comment. Here's how your list should look:
Honorable Mentions: If you have any...
5. Choice: Explanation of choice
4. Choice: Explanation of choice
3. Choice: Explanation of choice
2. Choice: Explanation of choice
1. Choice: Explanation of choice
