Favourite Lyricist

[nightpoet]

Tom Waits, sane or otherwise. I also think the late and the great Phil Lynott had a way with the words.

Nightpoet (in nostalgic mood)

[johnthebank]

How about Johnny Mercer, Ian Drury, Mike Barson of Madness and Don Mclean

[jameswales]

THIS MAY SOUND LIKE THE SADDEST EVER ANSWER TO THIS TOPIC, BUT MY GIRLFRIEND RECENTLY BOUGHT THE LATEST MARK OWEN (YES MARK OWEN FROM TAKE THAT) ALBUM. SHE MADE ME PUT IT ON IN THE CAR AND I WAS BLOWN AWAY!! HE REALLY IS A GREAT LYRIC WRITER. SOME OF THE STORIES IN THE SONGS ARE AMAZING!!!

NO DOUBT I WILL NOW GET A BIT OF ABUSE!!!

BRING IT ON!!!!!

[john]

Hey

I have to agree. Mark is a pretty talented songwriter. He was a late starter, but the boy's done good. I saw an interview with him recently and he certainly lists some pretty muso like influences, and he expressed a genuine sensitivity and respect for music and songwriting.

Cheers

John

[jameswales]

Hey

I have to agree. Mark is a pretty talented songwriter. He was a late starter, but the boy's done good. I saw an interview with him recently and he certainly lists some pretty muso like influences, and he expressed a genuine sensitivity and respect for music and songwriting.

Cheers

John

Your right John. If you ever get chance to listen to his latest album, "How The Mighty Fall," make sure you do. I was really surprised. Listening to the album really got me back into writing again!!!!

[Guest voclizr]

Gee, I would think that at least one of you Brits would say Keith Reid!!!!

JB

[pyromaniak2k]

At the moment im really loving the lyrics of Jack Johnston. His lyrics seem very laid back whilst still making big statements.

[Skinner]

Gotta go with Geoffrey Stokes Nielson of the Lost Trailers.

Odds are no one here has ever heard of him. The band is relatively new and about to hit it big here in the States. They're on iTunes so give them a shot- you will not be disappointed if you like great lyrics. Just a sampling..

From "Longfall"

Sorry, Skinner, you can't reproduce lyrics here without the permission of the copyright owner. It puts Songstuff in a precarious position. I'm assuming you don't have their permission in this case.

Alistair

[merciful evans]

pretty good. maybe i better check em out. lost trailers eh? could give ivor cuttler a run for his money.

[Skinner]

Yeah... the lost trailers, or www.thelosttrailers.com... they've got a new album coming out...Check out anything from the "Welcome to the Woods" album, especially "Longfall" and "Fire on the Pontchatrain" Great stuff. Also you should hear the "YMCA Sportspark Anti-Massacre" from the "Story of the New Age Cowboy" album...It's the greatest story song I've ever heard

[Kievien]

My favourite songwriter would be Kurt Cobain ...

I like the fact that after listening to a song ONCE, makes u remember at least a Verse...

I probably like it a lot due to the fact that its all so recognisable...

[Mudknot]

Well, I dunno if anyone else listens to the hard rock genre, but i gotta go with:

Corey Taylor

Maynard James Keenen

David Draiman

Jerry Cantrell

Edited April 24, 2006 by Mudknot

[Nightwolf]

Nice list mud, I'm down with all of that

P.S. f**k cobain

[Mudknot]

Oh My God! Nightwolf I love you. lol. I hate cobain. He was tollerable untill he took the easy way out.

[spug]

I would have to say: Corey Taylor, Maynard James, Aaron Lewis, American Head Charge, Jonathan Davis

[tzer]

Elvis Costello can tell a story and turn a phrase like no other!

from "The Angels Want to Wear My Red Shoes":

Oh, I said "I'm so happy, I could die."

She said "Drop dead," then left with another guy.

David Bowie - His lyrics create vivid pictures of strange people is strange places who happen to also be all around you where you are. That's just cool. Diamond Dogs, Jean Genie, Blue Jean.

Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding (XTC) - clever, intelligent, cynical, satirical, hooky as hell - XTC's lyrics and hooks are irresistible to me!

Joni MitchellCoyote

REMOVED ON REQUEST DUE TO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT

PLEASE SEEK COPYRIGHT OWNER'S PERMISSION BEFORE POSTING MATERIAL YOU DO NOT OWN THE COPYRIGHT OF

'nuff said...

[Lazz]

W.S. Gilbert, Johnny Burke, Johnny Mercer, Sammy Cahn, Lorenz Hart, Oscar Hammerstein, Betty Comden, Billy Strayhorn, Stephen Sondheim, Mike Stoller with Jerry Leiber, Gerry Goffin with Carole King, Smokey Robinson, Percy Mayfield, Tim Hardin, John Sebastian, Jimmy Webb, Jake Thackeray, Randy Newman, Van Dyke Parks, Oscar Brown Jr., Hal David, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Dave Frishberg, Andy Partridge, Walter Becker & Donald Fagen, Fran Landesman, Tom PhantomEngineer, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Gordon Lightfoot, Ron Sexsmith, Bob Rylett.

I like these guys because they are all incredibly smart and crafty with words and style.

There must be loads more.

[Thrithwaite]

Bryan Adams. Summer of 69. It's a great tale!

[faintofheart]

Lately I've really been getting into Claudio Sanchez's lyrics in Coheed and Cambria-- the story he's telling is pretty nice and I've never really been so captivated by a story like this.

A few artists and some of my favorite examples...

Claudio Sanchez - "Everything Evil", "In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3"

Robert Plant - "Ten Years Gone", "What is and What Should Never Be"

Bob Dylan- "Highway 61", "Shelter from the Storm"

I guess those are those that I can think of right now... there are loads of others like those who have been mentioned so far.

[Churcha]

Well I'm biased, but Bernie Taupin was always a favourite, at least before he got lazy about 26 years ago. He used to paint some lovely pictures, usually in EJ's lesser known songs.

Neil Finn, Jerry Cantrell, Aimee Mann, Tori Amos (when she's not pretending to be a fairy or a goblin or something), Ben Folds writes some deceptively clever stuff, and Bernard Fanning writes a colurful lyric. Always had a soft spot for James Taylor and Carole King as well.

Could never pick an absolute favourite though.

Oh wait, of course. PHIL COLLINS!!!! What a genius!!!!!

PS. NOT!!!!!!!