zigzag Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 My favorite lyricists are not in my favorite bands, but I do appreciate a well worded phrase creating a great image. My favorite lyricist is Tom Waits. Downtown Train "Outside another yellow moon Has punched a hole in the nighttime, I climb through the window and down to the street I'm shining like a new dime..." Step Right Up "The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away..." Tom Petty also has some great lyrics. Into the Great Wide Open "He met a girl with a tatoo too..." American Girl "...she could hear the cars roll by Out on 441 like waves crashin' on the beach..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShredAstaire Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 Del the Funky Homosapien... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 John Hiatt John and Paul (feel good stuff) Bernie Taupin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPguitarman Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 Neil Peart: Anything he writes is awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeoPaul422 Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Bernie Taupin, Paul Simon, Tim Hardin, JD Souther, Laura Nyro, Liv Hafe, Mac MacAnnly, Trent Resnor, Levon Helm, sorry if I misspelled any names and I'm sure I left out plenty that will come to me later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grampa Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 I will add Greg Brown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted November 12, 2012 Author Share Posted November 12, 2012 I forgot to mention John Prine. Other Side of Town "You might think I'm here when you put me down But actually I'm on the other side of town." Illegal Smile "Ah but fortunately I have the key to escape reality And you may see me tonight with an illegal smile It don't cost very much, but it lasts a long while Won't you please tell the man I didn't kill anyone No I'm just tryin' to have me some fun Well done, hot dog bun, my sister's a nun..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 Glen Tilbrook (Squeeze) is a little-known genius. Roger Waters is a better-known genius. Mark Knopfler's guitar work always overshadows his equally wonderful songwriting. W. S. Gilbert (Gilbert & Sullivan) was a satirist nonpareil. Early Bruce Springsteen. Frank Zappa. Georges Brassens. Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Hal David......... The potential list is enormous. How long have we got? P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 My favorite lyricists are not in my favorite bands, but I do appreciate a well worded phrase creating a great image. My favorite lyricist is Tom Waits. Downtown Train "Outside another yellow moon Has punched a hole in the nighttime, I climb through the window and down to the street I'm shining like a new dime..." Step Right Up "The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away..." Tom Petty also has some great lyrics. Into the Great Wide Open "He met a girl with a tatoo too..." American Girl "...she could hear the cars roll by Out on 441 like waves crashin' on the beach..." Robert Hunter is a 'lyricist' for the Grateful Dead, a member of the band that never played an instrument. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daryl M Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 Don Henley and Willie Nelson. Both write lyrics that I 'get'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brad1 Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 Robert Hunter is a 'lyricist' for the Grateful Dead, a member of the band that never played an instrument. You beat me to it. I would say: Robert Hunter Neil Peart Fish (Marillion) Alice Cooper Lowell George Brian Ferry RJ Dio Buck Dharma (BOC) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RowdyMoon Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 My favs would have to be Pete Townshend and Tom Waits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kennis Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 Nick Cave Gillian Welch Roger Waters (Pink floyd, especially Dark Side) Will Oldham (Bonnie Prince Billy) Steve Wynn Joakim Berg (a swede, band:Kent) Sivert Høyem (a norweegie, but in english, band:Madrugada + solo work) and + 1 for Tom Waits and Mark Knopfler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 ...Lowell George... +100 and then some........ Sadly missed. P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookieman15061 Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 Dylan Lennon Simon Costello Cohen These guys are all tops with me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaleb Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 Peart of course, Bon Scott, and the MAN in my opinion, the late Phil Lynott. Zappa, Cooper, and the rest of em'. There's way too many to list. Bob Seger, too. Frankly, I think Springsteen is overrated, but his old stuff is good. I always liked the stuff George Harrison wrote. And while he ain't no lyricist, I love the lyrics Ace Frehley writes. Unlike his bandmates, his songs are always honest and to-the-point. "Rock Soldiers" is my example. "Hard Times" is a favorite of mine as well, lyric wise. And who doesn't get a kick out of "Snowblind", "Ozone", and "Wiped Out"? And "Shot Full Of Rock" is my theme song--it's about getting up onstage and rockin'.... I think Zakk Wylde is good too. He ain't no Peart or Lynott, but I dig what he writes. "In This River" is very touching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZenKen Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 I don't have a favorite anything but think it would be hard to beat: Paul Simon (Cookie beat me to it) and Bill Joel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 ...Paul Simon (Cookie beat me to it)... Nah, give credit where it's due; It was LeoPaul422 that beat all of us - me, Cookie and Yourself - to it. At least it shows Paul Simon's talents haven't been overlooked.......LOL! P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buxom Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 Joey Ramone Elvis Hitler Lee Ving Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 James Hetfield Ronnie James Dio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZenKen Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 Nah, give credit where it's due; It was LeoPaul422 that beat all of us - me, Cookie and Yourself - to it. At least it shows Paul Simon's talents haven't been overlooked.......LOL! P. Right again Pippy. My apologizes to LP422. B) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeoPaul422 Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 Right again Pippy. My apologizes to LP422. B) No need to apologize. Has anyone mentioned Paul Williams? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lost again Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 Rodney Crowell Radney Foster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketman Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 I agree with pippy that this would take way too long. I do have some lyrics that I always enjoyed, like "there's someone in my head but it's not me" (Waters) and "if you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice" (Peart). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon S. Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 Bob D and Robbie Robertson are a couple of my favorites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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