I am a big, big fan of Roger Waters (and Pink Floyd of course)! But, I also love reading his lyrics! Pure poetry! Even though he himself probably wouldn't agree. I heard him in an interview saying that it is not very likely that he would have become a poet if he hadn't been in a rock 'n' roll band. I hope I put that sentence right in English. What I want to say is that I can really relate to his music and political and social views and the world itself. I did a personality test once and it turned out that there is a reason I do relate to 99% of the lyrics and music he writes. We have the same personality type! It's rather interesting! I do write lyrics too, in my language, but I find it much easier to write in English (I do not write lyrics in English, just like it better in English). And I write about the same things as Waters. As if the language is more lyrical or something like that, don't know how to explain that, I find it easier to express feelings in English. It's not so personal anymore for me if it's in English. You know what I mean? It's not my language, but I certainly do find myself in it. So, I want to know if any of you Englishmen, Americans, Australians... from English speaking countries share this appreciation and love towards lyrics that make you feel good or that share your thoughts or views of the world, the ones you can relate to? And is there a songwriter, a lyricist that you respect, and feel that he/she speaks exactly what you feel should be said? And the one that you understand?
Or is it just me!

Goran

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"If you're on a path that's beaten, it's not your path." Joseph Campbell

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."

"All that is impossible remains to be achieved."
Jules Verne

www.stratcollector.com

I was always drawn to the Lyrics in Genesis and Rush. They always told such a great story. Like in "The Camera Eye" from Rush's Moving Pictures album, fantastic lyrics and the images my mind conjures up from them are really cool. So Yes, I am like you and do appreciate lyrics!

I love the way Bob Dylan uses words. Not so much to find any clever meaning in them as much as just the images he creates with words.

I'm also a huge fan of Chuck Berry's lyrics. Some cast his work off as trivial or only about rock & roll, driving cars, girls, etc., but there is much more to his stuff than that. I was angered by a Winton Marcelus interview where he basically said Chuck's music wasn't social important. He has no idea nor any real knowledge of Mr. Berry's music. "Brown-Eyed Hansome Man" is a cleverly disguised "black power" song long before James Brown said it loud. Havana Moon is an interacial love song. Memphis, Tenn. is about a man estranged from his daughter after a divorce or seperation from his wife...all heavy stuff for the 50's, I'd say.

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One of my favorite songwriters of all time, God rest his soul, was Jim Croce. I don't favor him for commenting on huge political and social issues of the world, but he had a gift for putting to words the feelings of conquests and frustrations that every one of us has experienced in our mundane little lives.

There are many others, but none with quite the feeling Croce put forward.

I am a fan of lyrics too the 50s and 60s became the voice of young people everywhere or it was that there were so many young people more than before on the radio on television and on the stage and in the movies, maybe the question was saying who didn't you like or what didn't you like and then I would have to say if there is that (who or what you didn't oh never mind) I probably tried to forget about it.

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

Bob Dylan is a master.........."come in she said I'll give you, shelter from the storm"

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I Can't Explain

I knew Bob Dylan would come up sooner or later! I'm glad it's sooner, 'cause I just love his lyrics. I am not so fond of his music in general, don't know why, I think it's good, but he is the messenger for a lot of generations. I just love stories being told through poems or lyrics!

PS Try to sing "What the hell is going on" in different keys! Just that line!
I made it up recently, and it makes me feel great whenever I don't understand something. Just to laugh a little. Can't hurt! Maybe sing it over the "Jingle bells" melody. It's fun! Try it! Oh, I must be losing my mind. Just kidding. Laughter guaranteed!

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"If you're on a path that's beaten, it's not your path." Joseph Campbell

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."

"All that is impossible remains to be achieved."
Jules Verne

www.stratcollector.com

I'm a big fan of John Lennon's lyrics (both Beatles and solo) and Izzy Stradlin's (both GN'R and solo) for there implied connotations and denotations. You can take them literally or simply apply them to your own life plus both those guys had fantastic dry humour goin on too. 'Used to Love Her' anyone?

I also love Pink Floyd, Axl Rose, Freddie Mercury and even though I think Kurt Cobain was a tool I have always admired his lyrics.

Any song that can cure a broken heart and make you smile or have hope when alls in the 5h1t is amazin in my book.

CC

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Fender Stratocaster (parts build)
Fender Telecaster 72 Custom RI
Fender Telecoustic Deluxe
Gretsch Electromatic Pro-Jet
Gibson Les Paul Standard Plus
Gibson ES-135
Zenith Type-17
Marshall 70's JMP Superbass 100w
Blackstar HT-5

Tommy Reilly (you haven't heard of him, look him up)
Pete Townsend
Simon Neil from biffy clyro, but he seems to have some kind of obsession with eyeballs.

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Rated "M" for meaty.

Lennon/McCartney -Jagger/Richards-Mercury-Dylan

Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull has written some great lyrics through the years as well.

Meanwhile back in the year one, when you belonged to no-one,
you didn't stand a chance, son, if your pants were undone.
'Cause you were bred for humanity and sold to society.
One day you'll wake up in the present day--
a million generations removed from expectations
of being who you really want to be:
Skating away / skating away / skating away on the thin ice of the new day

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I really like all them "Aster" guitars. You know, like the Stratoc, Telec and Jazzm.

That song reminds me so much of bein a kid. I love it!

CC

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Fender Stratocaster (parts build)
Fender Telecaster 72 Custom RI
Fender Telecoustic Deluxe
Gretsch Electromatic Pro-Jet
Gibson Les Paul Standard Plus
Gibson ES-135
Zenith Type-17
Marshall 70's JMP Superbass 100w
Blackstar HT-5

Freddie Mercury and Brian May.

Freddie was always an amazing lyricist, and I really love his solo work. Freddie's lyrics didn't always tell a story, though, and that's what I really love in a song. But every song being a story gets boring, so, I guess it's good that he didn't always write a a song-story.

I just wished that Brian wrote more songs while he was with Queen!! He was always so gifted at writing and singing songs, it's just a pity that he didn't release songs on Queen's records more often. When I try and think of every song he released when he was with Queen, I believe each one told a story. His lyrics always made you think, and they were always perfect with the music.
His solo work is awesome, too, and I'm very happy that he went on to do solo stuff after Freddie's passing.



I also think U2 has some great lyrics, especially "Bullet the Blue Sky"--it's a very moving song for me.

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"If it's planned, it's boring." - Freddie Mercury

Robert Hunter, lyricist for the Grateful Dead, longtime collaborator with Jerry Garcia. Absolute master storyteller, poet, and painter of images through words.

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“All music is folk music, I ain't never heard no horse sing a song.” Louis Armstrong

Check out Canadian Lyricists Leonard Cohen or Neil Young.

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.