The greatest poets of Rock & Roll

[Loren Booda]

In my opinion, Rock & Roll offers great music, but not so great lyrics. Who, like Bob Dylan, bucks the latter trend?

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

I would add Paul Simon!

 

[Danger]

Simon is great, and I really love his integration of real-life African musicians for the "Graceland" album. Ironic, I think, that Art Garfunkle declared upon their break-up that Simon couldn't make it without him (same as Jerry Lewis said about Dean Martin).
I think that Springsteen nails down the vox populi better than any other North American balladeer. In olden times, Arlo Guthrie was pretty tuned in. Unfortunately, my knowledge of overseas music is virtually non-existent, so I can't comment upon that.

 

[DR13]

Evenflow by Pearl Jam

 

[lisab]

Simon is great, and I really love his integration of real-life African musicians for the "Graceland" album. Ironic, I think, that Art Garfunkle declared upon their break-up that Simon couldn't make it without him (same as Jerry Lewis said about Dean Martin).
I think that Springsteen nails down the vox populi better than any other North American balladeer. In olden times, Arlo Guthrie was pretty tuned in. Unfortunately, my knowledge of overseas music is virtually non-existent, so I can't comment upon that.

I love Graceland, brings back memories of Alaska, I listened to it a lot up there.

But I have to admit...

As if everybody knows
What I was talking about
As if everybody here would know
Exactly what I was talking about
Talking about diamonds on the soles of her shoes

...I have no idea what he was talking about.

 

[GeorginaS]

Don Henley in countless songs.

The more I know, the less I understand
All the things I thought I knew, I'm learning again
I've been tryin' to get down
to the heart of the matter
But my will gets weak
and my thoughts seem to scatter
But I think it's about forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if, even if you don't love me anymore

 

[Danger]

Don Henley in countless songs.

The more I know, the less I understand
All the things I thought I knew, I'm learning again
I've been tryin' to get down
to the heart of the matter
But my will gets weak
and my thoughts seem to scatter
But I think it's about forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if, even if you don't love me anymore

For me, it was "Boys of Summer", because an incredibly gorgeous young lady, who was the keyboardist, bass player, and co-lead singer of a band used to sing it for me. That's not to detract from the fact that it's a damned good song, and I like the original Henley version.

 

[encorp]

Leonard Cohen.

 

[Gokul43201]

I like a lot of Billy Joel's lyrics (in addition to those already named above).



There is, of course, the original poet of Rock & Roll: the Lizard King.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Also, I would add Bernie Taupin, who wrote many of the lyrics for Elton John's stuff. For example, Candle in the Wind, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, and Love Lies Bleeding.

 

[daniel_i_l]

As mentioned above, Billy Joel and Bernie Taupin have some amazing lyrics. For example, Billy Joel's "Angry Young Man":

...
I believe I've passed the age of consciousness and righteous rage,
I've found that just surviving was a noble fight
I once believed in causes too, had my pointless point of view
Life went on no matter who was right or wrong.

And there's always a place for the angry young man
With his fist in the air and his head in the sand
He's never been able to learn from mistakes
He can't understand why his heart always breaks
His honor is pure, and his courage as well
He's fair and he's true, and he's boring as hell
And he'll go to his grave as an angry old man.
...

and Vienna:

Slow down, you crazy child
you're so ambitious for a juvenile
But then if you're so smart, tell me
Why are you still so afraid?
...
You've got your passion, you've got your pride
but don't you know that only fools are satisfied?
Dream on, but don't imagine they'll all come true
When will you realize, Vienna waits for you?

In these songs and in many others he manages to express in a few lines ideas that'd take me a few pages to write about.

In addition, The Beatles have a few songs with great lyrics such as "Let it Be", "Across the Universe" and "She's Leaving Home".

The Grateful Dead also have some interesting, though somewhat cryptic, lyrics. "A Box of Rain" is one of my favories.

I'd also like to add the Eagles (Don Henley in particular). In my opinion, "The Last Resort" is particularly powerful:

...
We satisfy our endless needs and
justify our bloody deeds,
in the name of destiny and the name
of God

And you can see them there,
On Sunday morning
They stand up and sing about
what it's like up there
They call it paradise
I don't know why
You call someplace paradise,
kiss it goodbye

(The song is more about the environment then religion but those lines are my favorite)

 

[Danger]

Also, I would add Bernie Taupin, who wrote many of the lyrics for Elton John's stuff. For example, Candle in the Wind, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, and Love Lies Bleeding.

I disagree only in one regard... you discredited him. Every bloody song by Elton that is worth listening to was written by Bernie. "Love Lies Bleeding" is one of my absolute favourites, and is of course a companion to "Funeral For a Friend" (same idea as Queen's "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions" going together). Come to think of it, I suppose that "Funeral For a Friend" has nothing to do with Bernie since it has no lyrics. Oh, well, I can't always be right.

 

[Danger]

Oh, well, I can't always be right.

WTF?!
Did I just post that?!
Ignore it... I was drunk... aliens took over my brain...
Of course I'm always right. I can't believe that I slipped up like that.

 

[Jack21222]

In my opinion, Rock & Roll offers great music, but not so great lyrics. Who, like Bob Dylan, bucks the latter trend?

This is more along the lines of hardcore punk in the modern rock genre, not Bob Dylan.

Rise Against has some great lyrics.

http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/3530822107858735734/"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnbvOi4SpSk

Others by this band to look up: Hero of War, Audience of One, Paper Wings

 

[chaoseverlasting]

Pink Floyd, Led Zepplin, Hendrix, Clapton, Incubus, ACDC, Deep Purple, Pearl Jam, A Perfect Circle (APC) all have some great lyrics. Slightly off genre, Tool (progressive metal) has some great lyrics. Tool also covered Imagine by John Lennon and imo, its much much better than the original.

 

[Andy]

Very hard to beat the rolling stones when it comes to lyrics, guns n roses aint too bad either.

 

[marcusl]

Ditto to all of the above. I'd add Jerry Garcia.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I disagree only in one regard... you discredited him. Every bloody song by Elton that is worth listening to was written by Bernie. "Love Lies Bleeding" is one of my absolute favourites, and is of course a companion to "Funeral For a Friend" (same idea as Queen's "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions" going together). Come to think of it, I suppose that "Funeral For a Friend" has nothing to do with Bernie since it has no lyrics. Oh, well, I can't always be right.

Yep. As for Funeral for a Friend, those are the most ragged pages in my Elton John Complete piano book [or any piano book that I have]. Bet I've play that one a thousand times! Great stuff!

Okay, maybe not a thousand, but hundreds of times to be sure.

 

[nobahar]

Don't know if they count as Rock'n'Roll: But The Jam, especially 'That's Entertainment' and 'Underground'.

 

[turbo]

Have to add Jackson Browne. He was writing songs for other performers before he got recorded. My favorite Browne tune is "For a Dancer".

 

[Danger]

I don't think that one could consider him "poetic", but Warren Zevon definitely had a way with words. Also Frank Zappa. (Maybe I should just compile a list of artists whose name begins with "Z".) I wish that I could nominate Gordon Lightfoot, but he's a folkie rather than a rocker. The lines between genres get more blurred every day.

 

[Danger]

Have to add Jackson Browne. He was writing songs for other performers before he got recorded. My favorite Browne tune is "For a Dancer".

As with my response to Georgina, I agree with the choice of artist but have a different favourite song by him—"Running on Empty".

 

[lisab]

Leonard Cohen.

I second that.

 

[Lacy33]

Simon is great, and I really love his integration of real-life African musicians for the "Graceland" album. Ironic, I think, that Art Garfunkle declared upon their break-up that Simon couldn't make it without him (same as Jerry Lewis said about Dean Martin).
I think that Springsteen nails down the vox populi better than any other North American balladeer. In olden times, Arlo Guthrie was pretty tuned in. Unfortunately, my knowledge of overseas music is virtually non-existent, so I can't comment upon that.

Arlo Guthrie hates me. I musta asked for his autograph too many times through the years.
I vote Michael Jackson for lyrics.

 

[Danger]

Ivan's mention of Taupin made me realize that I have been in error throughout most of this thread, in that I've been guilty of the common lack of distinction between the singer and the song. Just because someone performs a work doesn't necessarily mean that he wrote it or even believes in its message. Sometimes the credit should go to the composer instead.
There are a couple of lads who I should have mentioned earlier due to their mastery of capturing certain aspects of "the human condition"—Don McLean and Meatloaf.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Don McLean

Oh man, how did I miss that one?! He's one of my absolute favorites. I esp love his song, Starry Starry Night.

 

[Gokul43201]

Oh man, how did I miss that one?! He's one of my absolute favorites. I esp love his song, Starry Starry Night.

Show of hands ... who knows more than two songs by Don McLean? I've only heard Vincent and Pie. What are his other noteworthy (or listenworthy) pieces?

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Show of hands ... who knows more than two songs by Don McLean? I've only heard the two.

And if she asks you why,
you can tell her that I told you
That I`m tired of castles in the air.
I`ve got a dream I want the world to share
And castle walls just lead me to despair.

Hills of forest green where the mountains touch the sky,
A dream come true, I`ll live there till I die.
I`m asking you to say my last goodbye.
The love we knew ain`t worth another try.

Save me from all the trouble and the pain.
I know I`m weak, but I can`t face that girl again.
Tell her the reasons why I can`t remain,
Perhaps she`ll understand if you tell it to her plain.

But how can words express the feel of sunlight in the morning,
In the hills, away from city strife.
I need a country woman for my wife;
I`m city born, but I love the country life.

For I will not be part of her cocktail generation:
Partners waltz, devoid of all romance.
The music plays and everyone must dance.
I`m bowing out. I need a second chance.

Save me from all the trouble and the pain.
I know I`m weak, but I can`t face that girl again.
Tell her the reasons why I can`t remain,
Perhaps she`ll understand if you tell it to her plain.

And if she asks you why, you can tell her that I told you
That I`m tired of castles in the air.
I`ve got a dream I want the world to share
And castle walls just lead me to despair.

 

[Danger]

Oh man, how did I miss that one?! He's one of my absolute favorites. I esp love his song, Starry Starry Night.

The opening line is "Starry starry night", but the actual title is "Vincent". It's a tribute to van Gogh.
Gokul, "Dreidel" is also on that album, and is pretty okay.
Lisa, I hardly ever know the lyrics to songs, due to a hearing problem, but I have an idea about the "diamonds in the soles of her shoes" line from Simon. Since the theme of the album is African, might this be a reference to smuggling diamonds out of a mine by stepping upon them and having them become imbedded in the tread of one's footwear? That wouldn't actually work, of course, since the workers are strip-searched and X-rayed, but it's the first thing that came to mind upon reading those words.

 

[JDStupi]

I don't know exactly how everyone defines "Rock and Roll" whether it include modern "rock" like music or strictly Classic Rock and what not, if the latter, then I have to say the modern band, The Shins always have some pretty good lyrics, many times poetic.

This is a good poetic treatment of the timeless subject of love

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-P15e6NvtU&feature=channel good song about social issues

And a good song about humanity

There are plenty more, with poetic treatments of everyday life and love etc etc, but I believe The Shins deserve a mention