Thread: Who is your favorite lyricist/songwriter and why?

I just want to see what people connect to in music, and maybe find a few new bands in the process

So just answer the question

My favorite lyricist, and one who I think may be one of the best lyricists in rock history is Shane MacGowan....




Yes, the singer from The Pogues, and yes he did do that album with Nick Cave, and yes I know, your questioning "Is this the face of a musical genius?" Well my answer is yes, and precisely for the same reason your questioning. The genius of MacGowan's lyrics are the ease and simplicity, when your listening to the music his lyrics just seem to fall right into place, like they came from the music and not from him. That's his genius, he writes beautifully bitter-sweet ballads like "Summer is Siam" and heart breaking stories of loss like "4 O'Clock In The Morning". And he also penned what is probably imho the best christmas song ever written (I am a total sucker for christmas songs) "Fairytale of New York" which is a such a beautiful song about two people falling in and then out of love, and it's a crazy thing to say about a song that contains the verbally abusive crooning of an argument between ex-lovers. Finally in closing I have to agree with Nick Cave who called MacGowan the "best writer of opening lines in music" talking again about "Fairytale of New York" which begins "It was Christmas eve babe, In the drunk tank". Thats how one of the most beautiful songs in the world starts, "It was Christmas eve babe, In the drunk tank" absolute genius.

Thanks for reading and posting

Ok I'm resurrecting an old post here but I just found this guy and he's amazing.

Tallest Man on Earth. He's a Swedish folk artist, heavily influenced by Dylan. He not only has the same vocal sound as Dylan but he also has the same lyrical prowess. His guitar playing is beautiful. I downloaded his 2 lp's (The Wild Hunt & Shallow Graves) a couple days ago and I can't stop listening. the music is raw and powerful, but also really comforting. Check him out if you haven't already.

I would have to say of all the people I like when it comes to songwriting I would say my favorite is Jim Steinman.

The reason for picking him is that his songs are like mini-musicals/stories. Heck I think the shortest song ever wrote by him was like maybe 7 minutes long.

I woild likie to bring this back form thea dead ans talk about The Mountain Goats. their (semi major relase) was a first for John Danielle and Rachel Ware. They had made music to together for a long time, but what they were going to do on this record was something special, and it something secret. However they pulled it off they did, the wrote the album "Tallahass" it's a muical narrative in the folk/pop/punk wirld. Like a Tommy for the post and punk kdis, They called these songs and this story the alpha collecion, and it spans many more albums over the years. Some of the more notobles on tallahassee is "No Children" or "Thngs we do for Money, Things we do for love love love.. (Im a little short on time so I have to cut this short. Anyway Ill give yo some links to check it out and see for yourself, but emember this is a story of a couple who fall out of love with eachother tnen into hate with eacher, and the most sadly of all thej just stopped caring. A beautifil misical opus set in a contempororary and relatable sitialio."

I will leaeve with some lines and a chorus from NO Children:

I hope I cut myself shaving tommorow
And I hope that it bleeds all day long
Oour frineds say its worst before the sun rises
But were pretty sure theyre all wrong.

I hope it stays dark forever! And I hope the worlst isn't over.
I hiope you blink before I do, and I hope I never stay sober.
And I hope when you think of me years down the line, you can't find one good thing to say
znc I hope if I find the courage to leave, youll stay the hell out of my way

I am drowning, and heres no sight of land'
bu your coming down with me'
Hand in UNLOVABLE Hand, I hope you die, I hope we both die.

REal party music stuff, but for beauty balladry and turning hope fear regret and acceptance into a musicl joiuney its hard to find one better.

GOod luck
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tallahassee_%28album%29

This is from the collectinve of songs called the "alhpha"" songs and one of thest off of Tallahasse,
and one of the best songs they have ever written
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRP6egIEABk&feature=related[/ame]
It was also used as the opening and ending song of Moral Orel's darn and twisted last seson.
Please listen and learn and put your own thoughts and experiences of this music and let us all know so we call grow!!! Peace.

I really like the tallest man on earth too.

For me, I would say Jim Croce, Leonard Cohen, or Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes.
I really couldn't narrow it down to one, but in terms of sheer precedence, Cohen would win because he definitely has the widest fan base. If you guys aren't familiar with him, he wrote the song "Hallelujah" that has recently been covered and put in movies (Shrek I think?). Jim Croce's "Operator" is one of my favorite songs of all time, and although Oberst can be a bit emo and whiny, he is a fantastic song writer, I'm pretty sure that Rolling Stone called him "the next Bob Dylan" although I don't think hes that great. Because Dylan is pretty wonderful as well.

For me, it is no brainer..
For long years my fav artist is EMINEM..
I still remeber when I hear the frist time on radio My name is... I was like... what the f... is that.. that was frist time i hear hip hop..Since hen I am huge fan of eminem...
But it is wierd.. i never like to mutch other hip hop/rap artist...
I hear every song he ever made.. Even if I love his last recovery album.. Still thing, that a MM LP was a best rap album ever made..for me anyway..
I dont know.. I am just connect to his music.
before you jump on me... hi is a lyricist.. he writes his own songs

My favorite lyricist is michael jackson he is the best in every thing connected with music

As a new user just browsing trough the forums, I found myself intrigued by this question. It actually got me thinking.

Trough many experiences in life, I´ve had many singer/songwriters giving me meaningful, thoughtful, insightful and helful lyrics. Lyrics that could help me think, and get my head back on straight.

I´ve always been a fan of Eric Clapton (mainly because I also play the guitar), and when i lost his son in a freak accident, he wrote the lyrics "Tears in heaven".
About the same time, I lost a friend of mine. I always think of her when I hear that song. It doesn´t make Eric Clapton my only favourite, but one of many.

When it comes to modern artists and writers, I have become a big fan of a norwegian songwriter, Maria Mena. Not because she always has the deepest lyrics, but because she also has fun, catchy lyrics, and makes it easy for me to connect.

I guess it´s impossible for me to actually pick ONE favourite, as I have a wide taste in music.

Well, that's a really tough choice
I can go with the fabulous couple Lennon/McCartney, as i grew up listening to them and they are the ones that made me realise what music is.
But nowadays, i started to listen another type os music. Skacore.
And even skacore songs have meaningful lyrics. A proof is the singer and leader of Streetlight Manifesto, Tomas Kalnoky.
He writes deep songs, with a lot of spiritualism in such awesome musics that you don't even realise they are talking about heaven and hell.
Perharps is this that makes me like him a lot, he writes with such easiness that you can enjoy a nice song and reflect about life at the same time.
Take a look and you will notice a very underrated genre that is brilliant.
Experiment this ones:
Streetlight Manifesto - Down down down to Mephisto's Cafe, A better place a better time, Everything went numb, Forty days, Somewhere in the between
Cheers