phantomengineer

I have several requirements when I write a lyric: - I feel that lyrics should tell some sort of story - listeners/readers must come away knowing something they previously didn't. Also, it must be something that both myself as a lyricist, and other people as an audience, would care about. Do people want to hear about my smelly socks? Probably not. I do my best to avoid all cliches. Nothing kills a good lyric for me more than cliches. I ask myself - "have i told this story before?" The idea for the lyric must be new, or must be from a new perspective, or bring something fresh to the proverbial table. As several people have mentioned in this thread already, the lyrics must have some discernible rhythm that myself or other musician could put to a melody. Lastly, all the words in the lyric must contribute to the overall lyric. Rhyming strictly for the sake of rhyming is forbidden. Hope that answers the question for you, Lazz.

Ol' Man River - Kern/Hammerstein

Red House - Jimi Hendrix

When The Ship Comes In - Bob Dylan

Knockin' On Heaven's Door - Bob Dylan

Leave Your Bags By The Door - Shannon McNally

Treat Me Like A Saturday Night - Joe Ely

Here I Dreamt I Was An Architect - The Decemberists

The hook for me is usually lyrical to begin with (simply because I almost always work lyrics-first). It is a line that usually encapsulates an idea, message, or story and which can be used as a centerpiece to construct the rest of the song. Sometimes this hook will find it's way into the chorus, but oftentimes it will serve as the final line to the final verse or bridge, to drive home the point of the song. Roughly what time on the 15th, John?

Back in Black - AC/DC

Good Morning Little Schoolgirl - Sonny Boy Williamson

Come On Into My Kitchen - Robert Johnson

Seven Turns - Allman Brothers

John Hiatt!??!!?!?!? Get him off the list

I don't even know where to begin taking issue with this list. Paul McCartney has no business on it. He was nothing without John. Surely there are better living songwriters than Dolly Parton. Steve Earle, while I like him, should be a lot lower than 35. Where is Guy Clark?