Giuseppe Zangara Posted January 22, 2005 Report Posted January 22, 2005 WOOF Fortunately, quality lyrics are rarely integral to a good song.
The Man in Blak Posted January 22, 2005 Report Posted January 22, 2005 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.
Nighthawk Posted January 22, 2005 Report Posted January 22, 2005 All their lyrics were crap. Not very good musicians either. Excellent composers... that's where it's at.
Giuseppe Zangara Posted January 22, 2005 Author Report Posted January 22, 2005 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.
Giuseppe Zangara Posted January 22, 2005 Author Report Posted January 22, 2005 All their lyrics were crap. I wouldn't say all—or even most—of their lyrics were crap. Most of it was acceptable, which is all you can ask out of rock lyrics, really. Something approaching genuine poetry is rare.
Nighthawk Posted January 22, 2005 Report Posted January 22, 2005 I spoke in hyperbole, but it wasn't one of their strengths, I'm sure you'll agree.
Giuseppe Zangara Posted January 22, 2005 Author Report Posted January 22, 2005 I agree. Hey, here's a bad lyric from a good song: "He who fucks nuns will later join the church." Wow.
The Man in Blak Posted January 22, 2005 Report Posted January 22, 2005 I spoke in hyperbole, but it wasn't one of their strengths, I'm sure you'll agree. Discounting when Lennon would drop acid and write crazy, unintelligible stuff like "I Am The Walrus", I'd agree with you, yeah.
Nighthawk Posted January 22, 2005 Report Posted January 22, 2005 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.
Edwin MacPhisto Posted January 22, 2005 Report Posted January 22, 2005 I agree. Hey, here's a bad lyric from a good song: "He who fucks nuns will later join the church." Wow. Hey, I always kinda liked that line.
rising up out of the back seat-nuh Posted January 22, 2005 Report Posted January 22, 2005 The line before it is what makes the Clash lyric so bad. And it's not really that good a song.
Giuseppe Zangara Posted January 22, 2005 Author Report Posted January 22, 2005 I don't get that post at all.
godthedog Posted January 22, 2005 Report Posted January 22, 2005 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.
godthedog Posted January 22, 2005 Report Posted January 22, 2005 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.
Giuseppe Zangara Posted January 22, 2005 Author Report Posted January 22, 2005 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.
Giuseppe Zangara Posted January 22, 2005 Author Report Posted January 22, 2005 I'll add Elvis Costello to the above, though he's often guilty of overly precious wordplay and forcing certain turns of phrase.
godthedog Posted January 22, 2005 Report Posted January 22, 2005 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.
The Man in Blak Posted January 23, 2005 Report Posted January 23, 2005 "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").
DMann2003 Posted January 23, 2005 Report Posted January 23, 2005 "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
Giuseppe Zangara Posted January 23, 2005 Author Report Posted January 23, 2005 I like "Dear Prudence" in spite of its awful lyrics. Which was the point of this thread.
Special K Posted January 24, 2005 Report Posted January 24, 2005 I always liked Siouxsie and the Banshees' cover of 'Dear Prudence.'
Guest krazykat72 Posted January 27, 2005 Report Posted January 27, 2005 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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