best lyricist?
 

while i don't know if he's the best (considering guys like leonard cohen are still making music) i'ld say my fav is maynard james keenan from tool/a perfect circle. great intellectual stuff with tool and with apc more emotive sort of stuff, that is simpler but i'ld say even more powerful. his voice while not technically as good as our kennedy for instance is fantastic at communicating the emotion, as good as anyone else out there IMO.

Something has to change.
Undeniable dilemma.
Boredom's not a burden
Anyone should bear.
Constant over stimulation numbs me
But I would not want you any other way

It's not enough.
I need more.
Nothing seems to satisfy.
I don't want it.
I just need it.
To breathe to feel to know I'm alive.

Finger deep within the borderline.
Show me that you love me and that we belong together.
Relax turn around and take my hand.

I can help you change
Tired moments into pleasure.
Say the word and we'll be
Well upon our way.

Blend and balance
Pain and comfort
Deep within you
Till you will not want me any other way.

It's not enough.
I need more.
Nothing seems to satisfy.
I don't want it.
I just need it.
To breathe, to feel, to know I'm alive.

Knuckle deep inside the borderline.
This may hurt a little but it's something you'll get used to.
Relax. Slip away.

Something kinda sad about
the way that things have come to be.
Desensitized to everything.
What became of subtlety?

How can it mean anything to me
If I really don't feel anything at all?

I'll keep digging till
I feel something.

Elbow deep inside the borderline.
Show me that you love me and that we belong together.
Shoulder deep within the borderline.
Relax. Turn around and take my hand.

I would go with Hetfield/Ulrich

Bono!!! :D

metallica are great but its the music behind the lyrics and vocals that makes it IMO. yep bono is very good no doubt, but i still prefer keenan! :)

yeah... But those two songs have the most amazing Lyrics ever... everytime i Hear ONE... i get chills... just imagining what it would be like to be Deaf, Blind, and Limbless... it's just mind boggling

yeah true metallica are not really known for their lyrical depth but that song there is very good in that department. my fav part of one is the guitar solo! :D

Which One?????? lol There are like.. 3 of them

Yeah, definetly them. I'd also have to add (in no particular order)

Scott Stapp / Mark Tremonti
Kurt Cobain
Aaron Lewis
Babyface (he wrote a lot of awesome stuff other people sang)
Marshall Mathers (AKA Eminem)


H-D :pimp:

This Thread Rules
 

:jam: :jam: :jam: :jam: i will have to think of some more laters ya.alls

Not alot stick out in my mind.(there's artists I like moreso for their music then the lyrics) So I'll just list a few that I really like.

Stapp(based on his work in Creed and his one solo song)
Tremonti(based on ODR)
Myles Kennedy(based on his work in the Mayfield Four)
Paul McCoy(especially love the lyrics from the first 12 Stones album)
Jon Micah-Sumrall(great Christian rock lyrics)
Bono

Realize, I'm not saying these are the best lyricists. Just my personal favorites, and I know I'm forgetting some.

I Can See That... "the Way I Feel" WAS AWESOME

Eddie Vedder
Thom York
Maynard
Trent Reznor

Cornell, Plant, Buckley, Lennon, Keenan, all good.

**edit**
to add Dylan....oh, Dylan...

oh shit, this is so hard!
well, i do know i like Stapp & Eminem for sure.... beyond that, it's all fuzzy

Trent Reznor.

Yeah, I agree. That's my favorite 12 Stones song. Great lyrics, good vocals, great solo and just a great song.

Ahhhhhhhh THE LYRICS OF QUEEN
 

The Mircale Every Drop Of Rain Falls In Sahara Says It All A Mircale All Gods Creations Great And Small The Golden Gate And The Taj Mahal Thats A Mircale Test Tub Babies Being Born Mothers And Fathers Dead And Gone Ita A Mircale We,re Having A Mircale Mother Nature Does It All For Us, The Wonders Of The World Go On Hanging In The Gardens Of Babylon Captian hook Cain And Able Jimi To The Tower Of Babel Its A Mircale Its A Mircale The One Thing We,re All Waiting On Is Peace On Earth And To End War Its A Mircale We Need The Mircale The Mircale Were All Waiting For Today IF Every Leaf On The The Street Had Cloths To Wear And Food To Eat Thats A Mircale If All Gods People Could Be Free To Live In Perfect Harmony Its A Mircale Here On Earth Mother Nature Does It All Open Hearts And Surgery Sunday Mornings With A Cup Of Tea Super Powers Always Fighting But Mona Lisa Keeps On Smiling Its A Mircale Its A Mircale The One Thing Were All Waiting For Is Peace On Earth And War To End Its A Mircale We Need The Mircale Peace On Earth And To End War Today That TIME Will Come One Day You,ll See When We Can All Be Friends :)

I think you all are on the right track, except for metallica lol. Any way i would like to add some to the list. Serj Tankain from system of a down....

This ballgame's in the refrigerator,
The door is closed,
The lights are out,
And the butter's getting hard.

What a splendid pie,
Pizza-pizza pie,
Every minute, every second,
Buy, buy, buy, buy buy,
What a splendid pie,
Pizza-pizza pie,
Every minute, every second,
Buy, buy, buy, buy buy.

Pepperoni and green peppers
Mushrooms, olive, chives,
Pepperoni and green peppers
Mushrooms, olive, chives.

Need therapy, therapy,
Advertising causes need,
Therapy, therapy,
Advertising causes.

What a splendid pie,
Pizza-pizza pie,
Every minute, every second,
Buy, buy, buy, buy buy.
What a splendid pie,
Pizza-pizza pie,
Every minute, every second,
Buy, buy, buy, buy buy.

Pepperoni and green peppers,
Mushrooms olive, chives,
Pepperoni and green peppers,
Mushrooms olive, chives.

Need therapy, therapy,
Advertising causes need,
Therapy, therapy,
Advertising causes need,
Therapy, therapy,
Advertising causes,
Therapy, therapy,
Advertising causes,
Therapy, therapy.
Advertising causes...
Therapy, therapy
Advertising causes,

Well advertising's got you on the run,
Need therapy, therapy advertising causes,
Well advertising's got you on the run,
Need therapy, therapy advertising causes,
Well advertising's got you on the run,
Advertising's got you on the run,
Advertising's got you on the run,
Advertising's got you on the run,
Advertising's got you on the run,
Advertising's got you on the run,
Advertising's got you on the run.

What a splendid pie,
Pizza-pizza pie,
Every minute, every second
Buy, buy, buy, buy buy,
What a splendid pie,
Pizza-pizza pie,
Every minute, every second
Buy, buy, buy, buy buy.

Pepperoni and green peppers
Mushrooms olive, chives,
Pepperoni and green peppers,
Mushrooms olive, chives.

Need therapy, therapy,
Advertising causes need,
Therapy, therapy,
Advertising causes need,
Therapy, therapy,
Advertising causes need,
Therapy, therapy,
Advertising causes need.


and Zach da la Rocha from Rage against the machine......

Tha sun ablaze as Maria's foot
Touches tha surface of sand
On northern land
As human contraband
Some rico from Jalisco
Passed her name to tha boss
She stuffed ten to a truckbed
She clutches her cross
Here comes tha exhaust
And it rips through her lungs
She's off fast to tha pasture
Like cattle she'll cross
Degree 106
Sweat and vomit are thrown
And she prays and suffocates
Upon tha memories of home
Of Yanqui guns for blood debts on tha loans
Of smoldering fields rape rubble and bones
Of graves hidden trapped up in visions of war
Of nothing no one nobody no more
These are her mountains and skies and
She radiates
Through history's rivers of blood
She regenerates
And like tha sun disappears only to reappear
She's eternally here
Her time is near
Never conquered but here

To tear away at tha mask

And now she got a quota
Tha needle and thread crucifixion
Sold and shipped across tha new line
of Mason Dixon
Rippin' through denim
Tha point an inch from her vein
Tha foreman approach
His steps now pound in her brain
His presence it terrifies
And eclipses her days
No minutes to rest
No moment to pray
And with a whisper
He whips her
Her soul chained to his will
"My job is to kill if you forget to take your pill"
Her arms jerks
Tha sisters gather round her and scream
As if in a dream
Eyes on tha crimson stream
Numb as her wrists spit shots of blood to tha floor
I am nothing, no one, nobody, no more

These are her mountains and skies and
she radiates
And through history's rivers of blood
she regenerates
And like tha sun disappears only to reappear
Maria she's eternally here
Her time is near
Never conquered but here

To tear away at tha mask
To tear away at tha mask
To tear away at tha mask

No minutes to rest
No moment to pray
No minutes to rest
No moment to pray
No minutes to rest
It eclipses her day
Just a moment to pray

ugh!

To tear away at tha mask
Away at tha mask
To tear away at tha mask
To tear away at tha mask

this thread kicks ass :jam: :jam:

WTF? and you say Metallica shouldn't be in here?
Serj's Songs only make sense when you're either FUCKED Up in the Head because of Mental Disablity or because You're Under The Influence of something...

Can't argue with that list.

lol i agree i'ld say that SOAD would have to sound better under the influence......zack's lyrics are/were good however. besides stappy i'm struggling to think of those on the right sight of spectrum who i would consider good lyricists. i guess hetfield is not really a tree-hugging hippie! :laugh:

Serj and Hetfield can't hold a candle to the master:

'Twas in another lifetime, one of toil and blood
When blackness was a virtue and the road was full of mud
I came in from the wilderness, a creature void of form.
"Come in," she said,
"I'll give you shelter from the storm."

And if I pass this way again, you can rest assured
I'll always do my best for her, on that I give my word
In a world of steel-eyed death, and men who are fighting to be warm.
"Come in," she said,
"I'll give you shelter from the storm."

Not a word was spoke between us, there was little risk involved
Everything up to that point had been left unresolved.
Try imagining a place where it's always safe and warm.
"Come in," she said,
"I'll give you shelter from the storm."

I was burned out from exhaustion, buried in the hail,
Poisoned in the bushes an' blown out on the trail,
Hunted like a crocodile, ravaged in the corn.
"Come in," she said,
"I'll give you shelter from the storm."

Suddenly I turned around and she was standin' there
With silver bracelets on her wrists and flowers in her hair.
She walked up to me so gracefully and took my crown of thorns.
"Come in," she said,
"I'll give you shelter from the storm."

Now there's a wall between us, somethin' there's been lost
I took too much for granted, got my signals crossed.
Just to think that it all began on a long-forgotten morn.
"Come in," she said,
"I'll give you shelter from the storm."

Well, the deputy walks on hard nails and the preacher rides a mount
But nothing really matters much, it's doom alone that counts
And the one-eyed undertaker, he blows a futile horn.
"Come in," she said,
"I'll give you shelter from the storm."

I've heard newborn babies wailin' like a mournin' dove
And old men with broken teeth stranded without love.
Do I understand your question, man, is it hopeless and forlorn?
"Come in," she said,
"I'll give you shelter from the storm."

In a little hilltop village, they gambled for my clothes
I bargained for salvation an' they gave me a lethal dose.
I offered up my innocence and got repaid with scorn.
"Come in," she said,
"I'll give you shelter from the storm."

Well, I'm livin' in a foreign country but I'm bound to cross the line
Beauty walks a razor's edge, someday I'll make it mine.
If I could only turn back the clock to when God and her were born.
"Come in," she said,
"I'll give you shelter from the storm."

I would have to say Brandon Boyd (Incubus) or Brad Nowell (Sublime).

Two people touching lips
Hands on each other's hips
Nothing in else in the world but one another

The 42nd floor
On a distant shore
I wonder how we've strayed so far from this
Remember when we were
Just flesh and bone
You sir may have forgotten how good your world can be
So, put down your hollow tips
And kiss your lovers lips
And know that fate is what we make of it

I read the news today
And everything they say
Just makes me want to stay inside and wait
But the better part of me knows
That waiting in the throws
Is on par with reading with my eyes closed
"What Can I do?", you say
"It's just another day
In the life of apes with ego trips"
Put down your hollow tips
And kiss your lover's lips
And know that fate is what we make of it

Please end this, please end this
Before this ends us, ends us

I wanna stay inside
I wanna stay inside for good
I wanna stay inside
Don't want to stay inside for good

-Incubus - Agoraphobia

I think its a great song about modern day politics/sociology

:jam: :jam: :jam: Kick Ass Lyrics Shinedowns Crying Out Floater The Last Time :jam: :jam:

Amen to that! :D

1. Bono
2. Eddie Vedder
3. Kurt Cobain
4. Myles Kennedy
5. Jon Toogood

toogood? is that the guy in shihad? i'm not familar with their names only with the kickarse rock! :)

Yeah, Jon Toogood is the guy from Shihad. Their best song is Screwtop, kicks major ass. Download it I say, now! :D

Good lyricist is all subjective, one person's opinion will differ than the others...


Serj makes perfect sense (i am not a stoner), he is talking about how advertisement is all around constantly harassing us. At least thats what i think it is about, Serj leaves it up for interpretation.

yeah its all subjective but i think its preddy safe to say anyone who saids taylor hanson is a better lyricist than maynard is a crackpot.........lol.

Hah!

:hammerlol

The holy trinity of songwriting:

Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, and Bruce Springsteen

Let us not forget:

John Hiatt !!!!!!
Neil Young
Pete Townshend
The Clash
Ed Vedder

what about leonard cohen?

He's great but not holy. ;)

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA I Like These lyrics :) From Another Not So Holy Album Hollywood Vampires~~~La Guns~~ With Crystal Eyes She Gazes Like A Desert Flower In The Morning Rain Shes Well Aware Of Every Promise Made Shes A Child Of Light In A World Of Pain Oh Let Her Be Free Holy zion Gives Us Eyes To See Something To Rely On Crystal Eyes I Still Love You You,re My One Desire Crystal Eyes I Cant Live Without Your Touch You Are My Crystal Eyes She Dont Say Much But She Sees Right Through Your Thin Disguise You,ll Never Know She Comes And Goes Slips Through The Veil Of The Dead Noght Oh Let Her Be Free Holy zion give us eyes to see something to rely on crystal eyes i still Love you you,re my one desire Crystal Eyes I Cant Live Without Your Touch Crystal eyes she,s an angel that fell to the earth like a gift from od Sweet Serene Skin Like Cream My Love Protects Your Every Thought :) oh let her be free holy zion give us eyes to see something to rely on crystal eyes i still love you you,re my one desire crystal eyes i cant live without your touch my crystal eyes :) :) This Rules Thread :jam: :jam: :jam:

Hey What About James Taylor ~~Cant Leave the Dude Out

I think a good lyricist is someone that can draw a person into the song they are singing, and involving them on a personal level...what ever that may be...and responses will vary depending on what the listener is looking for.

Personally, i have to say for me, it's Scott Stapp and Steve Azar...they write from the heart and have the ability to really communicate a song...and yep, CS...James Taylor was great...others are Springsteen, Melencamp, James Hetfield, Maynard Keenan and Bono...just to name a few...

thing is a lot of musicians have others write for them...so you have to know who writes their own stuff and who doesn't.

:) well said HETFILED RULES :jam: :jam: :jam: :jam: