Who is the greatest lyricist?

[HonaloochieB]

???? Wrote:

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> Have we had Ray Davies yet?

We have Quids.

[HonaloochieB]

Wilhelm Wrote:

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> Ronnie Lane anyone?

Ooh, good call Wilhelm, The Poacher is one of the most beautiful songs ever, and You're So Rude a deftly vulgar classic.

[RosieH]

Seconded (tenthed?) Morrissey

Seconded Ian Dury

Eminem

[SeanMacGabhann]

only Microdisney era HlB? pah

"Now I've not much to give

But a worn out excuse

And my fine sober demons

They sport fast and loose"

No one else is going to say it either so I will, but Andrew Eldritch of the Sisters of Mercy is an awesome lyricist

[legalbeagle]

Crowded House. I mean who else would come up with: "Hey, don't look now, but there goes God, in his sexy pants with his sausage dog, and he can't stand beelzebub, cos he looks so good in black"

I rest my case.

[HonaloochieB]

SeanMacGabhann Wrote:

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> only Microdisney era HlB? pah

>

> "Now I've not much to give

> But a worn out excuse

> And my fine sober demons

> They sport fast and loose"

>

> No one else is going to say it either so I will,

> but Andrew Eldritch of the Sisters of Mercy is an

> awesome lyricist

It's the period I'm most familiar with SM, not a 'diss' on the man at all.

The fault lies with me entirely for not keeping up, a fault I intend to remedy before I'm too much older.

I'd not have thought of Andrew Eldritch, but now I do think of it, good call.

[PennyDreadful]

Cathal Coughlan - any and every era - absolutely!

Rennie Sparks of the Handsome Family

Georges Brassens

[citizenED]

Quids, self-appointed regulator of this thread. Pah!

I reinstate Matt Johnson and give you Guy Garvey.

[steveo]

Jimmy Pursey

[????]

COME ON COME hurry up Harry come on

[bonniebird]

legalbeagle Wrote:

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> Crowded House. I mean who else would come up with:

> "Hey, don't look now, but there goes God, in his

> sexy pants with his sausage dog, and he can't

> stand beelzebub, cos he looks so good in black"

>

> I rest my case.

Oooo yeah also," Now I'm walking again, to the beat of a drum and I'm counting the steps to the door of your heart........" WOW :))

[PeckhamRose]

I also agree with Neil Finn.

But I would also go for Andy Partridge

"I really get confused on who could make all this in a day

Everyone says join our religion get to heavennnn

I say no thanks why bless my soul I'm already here!"

And Grace Slick just for White Rabbit "One pill makes you larger and another makes you small...."

But all the boys in 10cc will get my vote too. For everything they did except Dreadlock Holiday which I hated!

[wjfox]

John Lennon.

[HonaloochieB]

PeckhamRose Wrote:

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> I also agree with Neil Finn.

> But I would also go for Andy Partridge

>

> "I really get confused on who could make all this

> in a day

> Everyone says join our religion get to heavennnn

> I say no thanks why bless my soul I'm already

> here!"

> makes you larger and another makes you small...."

>

> But all the boys in 10cc will get my vote too. For

> everything they did except Dreadlock Holiday which

> I hated

Spot on PR, 'I'm Not In Love' is a work of great beauty, and I love Richie Havens' version.

'Wall Street Shuffle', 'Life Is A Minestrone' and 'The Sacroiliac' were songs of the brightest pop cynicism that still sound great today.

'Dreadlock Holiday' was lazy-arsed shite, the dopey, probably unintentioned racism was one thing, but the absolute lack of effort just made it stink to high heaven.

I know Lol Creme and what's-his-face, you know, the waffety-eyed drummer had left, but that's no excuse, that Graham what's-his-name had written some good songs for various people during the 60s, so he shoulda known better, right?

There's pop and there's pap, this falls into the category of balls-achingly dull toss.

[SteveT]

Nobody mentioned Donovan.

[Narnia]

Ah......The Intergalactical Laxative will get me from here to Mars

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Donovan? As in haunting, profound, heart-wringing?

"First there is a mountain then there is no mountain then there is."

[Santerme]

Cole Porter

Joni Mitchell

Dylan, as long as someone else sings

Tim Rice

Springsteen

Alain Boublil and Herbert Kretzmer who did Les Miserables

[PeckhamRose]

Thanks for that HonaloochieB!

I had very troubled times in my twenties and only one man, and one man alone helped me through them.

Then he married some tall beautiful model and his writing went downhill fast.

But when he was single and active, as it were, I just loved Billy Joel. Well, okay still do.

And also our very own Joe Jackson had many fine lyrical moments (Is she really going out with him, Everything gives you cancer, Slow Song, etc) but he's now gone weird and moved to New York; just trying to find out what kinda cancer he's gonna get, sticking all those big fat cigars in his face!

[HonaloochieB]

PeckhamRose Wrote:

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> Thanks for that HonaloochieB!

>

> I had very troubled times in my twenties and only

> one man, and one man alone helped me through

> them.

> Then he married some tall beautiful model and his

> writing went downhill fast.

> But when he was single and active, as it were, I

> just loved Billy Joel. Well, okay still do.

>

> And also our very own Joe Jackson had many fine

> lyrical moments (Is she really going out with him,

> Everything gives you cancer, Slow Song, etc) but

> he's now gone weird and moved to New York; just

> trying to find out what kinda cancer he's gonna

> get, sticking all those big fat cigars in his

> face!

Actually JJ is practically a local lad PR, he used to live on the DKH estate, shared a flat with the mother of my son for a while.

He's now based in Berlin, because a person can smoke like a human being there, he was at my son's wedding last year and gave a very generous gift, so an all round good scout in my view.

Also did some fine work, check out Beat Crazy and Night And Day, good records in my view.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Night and day is near classic. Even the album artwork is class

[mockney piers]

Predictably I will side with the late great John Peel who said he wanted to be buried with them as the greatest lyricist this country ever produced, and offer up Nigel Blackwell of Half Man Half Biscuit. Consistently brilliant for over 25 years.

[KidKruger]

Bob Dylan

Joe Jackson

Woody Guthrie

Lou Reed

Bob Marley (Small Axe, Duppy Conqueror, Trench Town Rock)

Morrisey

Ian Dury

Oasis

Kinks

Beatles

The Waltons (Dead Above The Neck, War Fever, Scrounging Song)

UB40 (first album)

The Manjinga 7 (esp. I Think Therefore I am)

Sandy Denny

Bert Jansch

[SteveT]

PGC wrote:- Donovan? As in haunting, profound, heart-wringing?

"First there is a mountain then there is no mountain then there is."

Well yes, I thought he was worthy of a mention if only because of 'Colours' even though he was a drug imbibing 'head'.

Chuck Berry is responsible for many big hits over a lifetime Johnny B Good and Roll over Beethoven, to name but a few.

[Narnia]

KidKruger Wrote:

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> Bob Dylan

> Joe Jackson

> Woody Guthrie

> Lou Reed

> Bob Marley (Small Axe, Duppy Conqueror, Trench

> Town Rock)

> Morrisey

> Ian Dury

> Oasis

> Kinks

> Beatles

> The Waltons (Dead Above The Neck, War Fever,

> Scrounging Song)

> UB40 (first album)

> The Manjinga 7 (esp. I Think Therefore I am)

> Sandy Denny

> Bert Jansch

How can you list so many when you are asked for one? Who is your favourite?