Top Five Lyricists/Musical Writers

Yeah, it's about that time again -- the time where I make a top five list concerning whatever's floating around in my sick little mind. This time; the topic is the top five greatest lyricists and musical writers [lyrics, folks] of all time. The core to music is the meaning, the lyrics, the words -- where it all comes from. The creative impliment in music has always been what's behind the music; "What was in his head while he wrote this?" List your top five here. Your list can contain a solo writer, or a writing team.

1. Jim Morrison -- The Doors
2. John Lennon/Paul McCartney -- The Beatles
3. Kurt Cobain -- Nirvana
4. Robert Plant/Jimmy Page -- Led Zeppelin
5. Robert Smith -- The Cure

Honorable Mentions: Dustin Kensrue [Thrice], Thom Yorke [Radiohead], Scott Weiland [Stone Temple Pilots], Bob Dylan, Conor Oberst [Bright Eyes], Ryan Adams, Geoff Rickly [Thursday], Davey Havok [AFI], Eddie Vedder [Pearl Jam]. There's probably more I'm too lethargic to think of at the moment; though I'll add them as I think of them.

I would add Elton John/Bernie Taupin to your list.

There are soooooo many from which to choose.

1. Lennon/McCartney
2. Lieber & Stoller
3. Bob Dylan
4. Bruce Springsteen
5. Billy Joel

And lets not forget the masters:

1. Irving Berlin
2. Sammy Cahn
3. George & Ira Gershwin

Hey.....we can't leave off Harry Chapin....a truly wonderful storyteller/lyricist.

Bruce Springsteen is the best lyricist, songwriter, and storyteller in my opinion. Check out anything from the Nebraska album, along with such songs as "Darkness on the Edge of Town," "You're Missing," "The Ghost of Tom Joad," and "Jungleland" to name a few.

Other great ones are Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Mick Jagger, and Tom Petty.

Define "greatest." Is it the ability to be more prolific than anybody else? Or is it the ability to achieve genius if only for a moment?

My personal favorites in no particular order...

Elton John/Bernie Taupin
Lennon/McCartney
Dylan
Harry Chapin
Cobain
Springsteen
Jim Steinman
Tom Waits

I know that last one may look a little strange, but that's why people say Tom Waits for no man.

tony b.

I'll go with SC's top three, but flip-flop Dylan with Lieber & Stoller. Dylan gets the nod based on the profundity of his work. Quite simply, he's a poet like no other and certainly the greatest American poet of our time, if not all time. Lieber & Stoller's work was a bit more of the simplistic "pop" variety.

All three make it for me based on quantity as well as quality. Past them, the rest of the list is a toss-up.

After Bruce and before Billy Joel, who I'm not sure belogs on the list, I might throw in Bernie Taupin, Elton John's long-time lyricist, and Brian Wilson and his Beach Boys collaborators.

(groan)

Welcome to the boards, YTB.

The best writer of all time is Tupac Shakur. No questions asked. He was one of the leaders for my generation.


Eminem and Kurt Cobain's lyrics are also amazing.

In no particular order:

Lennon/McCartney
Bob Dylan
David Byrne
Syd Barret, David Gilmour, Roger Waters (Pink Floyd)
Jerry Garcia

Others:
Brian Wilson, Jim Morrison, Bob Marley

I don't really like Stings solo work but his lryics are very good. All others mentioned would go on my list.

I cannot bring myself to believe no one else has put Jim Morrison in their top five. It's insatiable -- it's a travesty.

Ian Curtis - Joy Division
Jello Biafra - Dead Kennedys
Colin Jerwood - Conflict
Bob Dylan

Jello Biafra from Dead Kennedys and Tupac Shakur are my very favorite lyricists.

there are so many musical writers that I love that I can't even start making a list

To paraphrase Vito Corleone: "I'll give you my reasons."

I went through a period where I loved the Doors. Jim Morrison was a great performer. The reason I left him off my list was that some of his lyrics were so very "out there." Some of the imagery was heavily influenced by Morrison's, um, excessive lifestyle ("ride the snake," "weird scenes inside the gold mine," "cancel my subscription to the resurrection," etc.)

Don't get me wrong, Jim wrote some interesting lyrics and some great songs. I just felt that some of his lyrics were created as a direct result of his drug usage.

Believe me, I'm not putting the guy down because he took drugs or drank heavily. Many musicians & songwriters do. I know artists like the Beatles, Hendrix, Clapton, Dylan, the Stones and a slew of others also did more than their fair share of drugs and/or alcohol.

The usual suspects have all been covered.

I'll add Paul Simon, U2, and Tom Petty

Interesting topic. Many times we tend to give credit to the singer and forget that lyrics had to be written for any song. Many can name songs/artists, but the songwriter doesn't always get the credit he deserves it seems.

Most of my favorites have been mentioned; Lennon/McCartney, Paul Simon being two of them.

Billy Joel, who I think, has written most of his songs, has such diversity in his music style, and is a genius at successfully showing several different sounds. For instance; "It's Still Rock & Roll To Me" has sort of a 50's type lyrics/sound; Uptown Girl reminds me of a Four Season's number, and Anthony's Song is just plain different in sound. Of course don't forget "We Didn't Start The Fire" which has yet another sound/feel to it. I may not care for every single song Joel has written but I do think he is an extremely talented performer/song writer.

TIS

See, though -- even before that, though -- on the self-titled album, before Morrison got deeply involved with drugs, the lyrics are utterly uh-mazing. Just amazing. But, I think you're looking at it the wrong way, my friend. Whereas most songwriters write an experience of drugs, or "how they make them feel," Morrison did much more and dug much deeper. It's like he carved out a piece of himself. He created much more. He had a way with words; he was an artist. He painted pictures, he developed such an imagination. It's incredible.

Though, remember -- it's not always the topic and how over/under used it is... It's how it's written.

In no order:

Bob Dylan
Lennon/Mccartney (Beatles)
Robert Plant/Jimmy Page (Led Zepplin)
Van Morrison (Them, and solo)
Jim Morrison (The Doors)
Keith Richards/Mick Jagger (Rolling Stones)
Burt Bacharach/Elvis Costello
Pete Townshed (The Who)
Peter Frampton
Eric Clapton (Cream, The Yardbirds, Derick and the Dominos, solo stuff)
Jimi Hendrix
Glenn Frey (Eagles)
Benny Goodman/Glenn Miller
Paul Simon
The Beach Boys

Honorable Mentions: George Harrison(solo), Jerry Garcia (Greatful Dead), The Allman Brothers, The Doobie Brothers, Kurt Cobain, Pink Floyd, Bob Segar.

There are others, will post later. It's crazy here in detroit. Pistons just won.

Dr. Ferro

See, though -- even before that, though -- on the self-titled album, before Morrison got deeply involved with drugs, the lyrics are utterly uh-mazing. Just amazing. But, I think you're looking at it the wrong way, my friend. Whereas most songwriters write an experience of drugs, or "how they make them feel," Morrison did much more and dug much deeper. It's like he carved out a piece of himself. He created much more. He had a way with words; he was an artist. He painted pictures, he developed such an imagination. It's incredible.

Though, remember -- it's not always the topic and how over/under used it is... It's how it's written. [/b][/quote]Anthony:
Well stated - you make some good points about Morrison. I do remember reading that he starting writing a lot of poetry when he went off to Paris. There was a short period in Paris where he cut down on his drinking & got the creative juices flowing again.


TIS:
Your discussion regarding Billy Joel brings up an interesting point. Joel & other successful songwriters are able to make the listener feel as if they are walking in the shoes of the character or characters in the song.

"We Didn't Start the Fire" is like an oral history lesson of the 20th century. I love the line in "Piano Man" where the 'microphone smells like a beer.' As a listener, I appreciate such attention to detail.

That's why Springsteen's lyrics are so great. There is a song called "You're Missing" on Bruce's last album that describes the complete sense of loss of a widow/widower of 9/11. In fact, Bruce even talked to some of the surviving spouses to get the lyric right:

The coffee cup's on the counter
Jacket's on the chair
Paper's on the doorstep
But you're not there
Everything is everything
But you're missing

Picture's on the nightstand/tv's on in the den
Your house is waiting/for you to walk in
You're missing when I shut out the lights
You're missing when I close my eyes
You're missing when I see the sun rise

In no order

Paul Simon
Carly Simon
Lennon and McCarthy
Smokey Robinson
Bernie and Elton

Let's not forget Carole King who wrote many songs throughout the 60's 70's including, Locomotion, Upon the Roof, Will you Still Love Me Tomorrow.

Not to mention a singer in her own right, with her Tapestry album being a major success in the 70's for those oldsters who may remember.

TIS

And don't forget her contemporary, Neil Sedaka, either.

Elvis ?? AFAIK there are no lyrics from Elvis hand

I wanted to add:

Glenn Miller
Benny Goodmann
Richard Wagner
Richard Strauss
Johan Strauss
Samuel Barber
John Williams
Wolfgang Amadeus Motzart
Bernard Herrmann

I think AL wanted to concentrate on lyricists in this thread.

TIS...by your logic, we'd also have to include Neil Diamond for all the same reasons. I'm not so sure I'd go so far as to put him on the same list! I think both King and Diamond were part of that whole Brill Building songwriting factory...in fact, both have a Monkees tune to their credit!

tony b.

Right on, SC. This is for lyrics. I do not believe Mozart has ever written a lyric.

You are correct. I just thought I should mark these down here... My mistake...

Elvis ?? AFAIK there are no lyrics from Elvis hand [/b][/quote]You are completely right. don't know what I was thinking. I think Elvis is a great performer, not writer. If fact, he stole most of his lyrics, or rather the producers did, from young Black Americans.

Doctor Ferro

How about the operas Mozart wrote??

See, though -- even before that, though -- on the self-titled album, before Morrison got deeply involved with drugs, the lyrics are utterly uh-mazing. Just amazing. But, I think you're looking at it the wrong way, my friend. Whereas most songwriters write an experience of drugs, or "how they make them feel," Morrison did much more and dug much deeper. It's like he carved out a piece of himself. He created much more. He had a way with words; he was an artist. He painted pictures, he developed such an imagination. It's incredible.

Though, remember -- it's not always the topic and how over/under used it is... It's how it's written. [/b][/quote]Hey Anthony

Didn't know if you had seen this story on Rolling Stone's site about Jim Morrison\'s last days

It's very interesting reading. The author, Stephen Davis, also wrote a good biography about Led Zeppelin back in the late 1980s.

You are correct. I just thought I should mark these down here... My mistake... [/b][/quote]Didn't Mozart written operas?

Ohhh! lets not forget Bob Seger!

I was hoping to focus on lyrics in this thread, though. O_O


Thanks for the link. I will be sure to check it out.

I love that album! Yes, Carole King does deserve a spot on this list.

Tupac and Ice T definitely... Just reading these poets brings out so much emotion...

Ice cube's in the mutha-fuckin' housethe nigga you love to hateIce
cube's in the mutha-fuckin' housethe nigga you love to hateIce cube's in
the mutha-fuckin' housethe nigga you love to hateIce cube's in the
mutha-fuckin' housethe nigga you love to hate[ICE
CUBE]Yo, here comes the nigga with the ruff, terrorthe paranoid,
gots to get the boyGet your steel cuz I feel like a headbangerYah, I got
a gang of shits, styles gunsmy uzzie wieghts a mutha-fuckin' tonbucking
down one, bucking down two,bucking down your crew, mutha fuck youPigs
were blue, I where black, nothing but blackCause god damn its a brand new
paybackFuck Pat Sajak, never did nothing for a niggaon tha trigga the
zigga the zag the nickel the bagthe nigga the sag the forty five mag. got
you runnin' like a fagSo, keep your mutha-fuckin' jokesCuz, I'm that
nigga with a fresh pair of locsNo yokes but smokesCrakers and them dirty
mackers friends aren't jackersget yah for your drawers, young niggas out to
kill for carsIce T in the mutha fuckin' houseIce T in the mutha
fuckin' houseIce T in the mutha fuckin' houseIce T in the mutha fuckin'
houseIce T in the mutha fuckin' houseIce T in the mutha fuckin'
house[Ice T]O to the mutha fuckin G I break crazya lot of
niggas hate me but they can't fade meStop me clock me cops wanna glock
memutha fuck mutha fuck pigs can't stop meUHH, am I a G, I got
proofBanged in my youth, keep niggas on the roofwith a scope, dough,
Cube keep the rope Tupac string a nigga up(?Hit the mob dope?)So whats
up PunkYou want what I got step to me wrong fuck around and get shotYour
moms crying fuck her bust herBitch start screaming to me and I'll dust
herPops got the LP phat, track on hitLaid by the mutha fuckin'
BobcatNinety three suckas want me to go outThrow the hoe out, bitch
mutha fucker I'm richTupac's in the mutha fuckin' houseTupac's in
the mutha fuckin' houseTupac's in the mutha fuckin' houseTupac's in the
mutha fuckin' houseTupac's in the mutha fuckin' houseGot any last
wordz[Tupac]Now they're after me, why? cuz a niggas
blackSit backAin't afraid to pull a triggar backLet 'em come step to
a real mutha-fucker[Boom, Boom] Mama ain't raised no suckersDan
Quayle, don't you know you need to get your ass kickedWhere was you when
there was niggas in the caskets?Mutha-fucker rednecks all the sameFeel a
real nigga if he ain't balled and chainedThat's why we burn shit and
wreckCause the punk police ain't learned shit yetYou mutha-fuckas gonna
pay the priceCan't make a Black life, don't take a Black lifeIt's on,
the next real nigga fall deadDred, jheri curl, process, or bald headBe
prepared for the smoke to bustWhat niggas need to do is start loc'in
upUnited we stand divided we fallThey can shoot one niggaBut they
can't take us alll Let's get along with the MexicansAnd we can all have
peace on the sets againImagine that if it took place [ha ha
ha]Keeping the smile off their white fakesI ain't racist but lets
trade placesTrace the hate 'n face it One nigga teach two
niggasthree teach four niggasAnd them niggas teach more niggasAnd
when we blast That'll be the biggest blast you've heardAnd them is my
last wordz