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Posted

Well, you've got to remember, he wrote it while they were on a hippie pilgrimage with the Maharishi - you know, nature and yoga and shit. You can't really write "How Can You Sleep?" when you're sitting in circles, singing kum-ba-ya and meditating for inner peace.

Posted

Look, we can go through their entire post-Rubber Soul discography if you want—I'm sure there's many examples of childish sentiments to be found. I happened to highlight the most egregious example.

 

Speaking of Rubber Soul, I'm listening to it right now. "Nowhere Man" always bugged me.

Posted

I had considered writing a parody rap version of "I Am the Walrus" for the line "Bitch you been a naughty ho, you let your niggas down" but I couldn't think of anything else of that quality.

Posted

great beatles lyrics:

 

"a day in the life"

"eleanor rigby"

"julia"

"yer blues"

"hey jude"

"tomorrow never knows"

"here comes the sun"

"come together"

"happiness is a warm gun"

"for no one"

"taxman"

"strawberry fields forever"

"let it be"

 

I'd agree with inc's sentiment that rock lyrics approaching poetry is rare, but aside from dylan i think the beatles came the closest with the most consistency. they weren't terribly original lyricists (except for lennon's confessionals), but they could pick apart a style that was out there, find out what makes it good, and make it their own. they had some hammy bullshit (to this day i can't listen to "it's only love" and some others), but on the whole i certainly wouldn't say lyrics were their weak point.

 

sometimes with their stuff it gets hard to judge whether they're "good" lyrics or not, like "honey pie" or "why don't we do it in the road." they don't stand on their own well, but the lyrics are just a small part of the framework of the style they're trying to accomplish, and to that end, they're successful. "honey pie" is supposed to be hokey and old-school, and it is. "why don't we..." is supposed to be ridiculously simple, bluesy and raunchy, and it is.

Posted
I had considered writing a parody rap version of "I Am the Walrus" for the line "Bitch you been a naughty ho, you let your niggas down" but I couldn't think of anything else of that quality.

it might help if, like lennon, you work on it while on drugs.

Posted

Eh. I can think of other songwriters whose lyrics surpass the Beatles in terms of poetry, like Tom Waits, Nick Cave, Lou Reed (mainly thinking the VU-era, here, though his solo stuff has some gems)...there are some others, but those are the most immediately recognizable names.

 

Still, the Beatles, more often than not, got the job done.

Posted
Eh. I can think of other songwriters whose lyrics surpass the Beatles in terms of poetry, like Tom Waits, Nick Cave, Lou Reed (mainly thinking the VU-era, here, though his solo stuff has some gems)...there are some others, but those are the most immediately recognizable names.

 

Still, the Beatles, more often than not, got the job done.

shit. forgot about reed.

Posted
"a day in the life"

"eleanor rigby"

"julia"

"yer blues"

"hey jude"

"tomorrow never knows"

"here comes the sun"

"come together"

"happiness is a warm gun"

"for no one"

"taxman"

"strawberry fields forever"

"let it be"

Lennon

McCartney

Lennon

Lennon

McCartney

Lennon

Harrison

Lennon

Harrison

McCartney

Harrison

Lennon

McCartney

 

Six for Lennon, three for Harrison, and four for McCartney. And, honestly, I'd only count maybe two of those for McCartney ("Eleanor Rigby", "Hey Jude").

Posted
"a day in the life"

"eleanor rigby"

"julia"

"yer blues"

"hey jude"

"tomorrow never knows"

"here comes the sun"

"come together"

"happiness is a warm gun"

"for no one"

"taxman"

"strawberry fields forever"

"let it be"

Lennon

McCartney

Lennon

Lennon

McCartney

Lennon

Harrison

Lennon

Harrison

McCartney

Harrison

Lennon

McCartney

 

Six for Lennon, three for Harrison, and four for McCartney. And, honestly, I'd only count maybe two of those for McCartney ("Eleanor Rigby", "Hey Jude").

Trust me, "Let it Be" was all Paul's.

 

And y'all be hating on "Dear Prudence"? That's messed up

Guest krazykat72
Posted

Am i reading wrong or did you give Happiness is a Warm Gun to Harrison?

I'm pretty sure that's Lennon.......While My Guitar Gently Weeps, which is even better, is Harrison.

 

Also, I've read Lennon's I am the Walrus, while drug related, was also in response to Dylan's Subterranean Homesick Blues. (with "non sensical" lyrics)

 

 

-Paul Jacobi-

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