Best Songwriters

[RobW]

I don't think a thread on songwriters hasn't been made yet, according to search anyway.

So I ask you all: Who writes the best songs, and who writes the best lyrics?


I think the Dead Milkmen, Atom and his Package and the Smashing Pumpkins write great melodies, and of course, Joe Stummer writes brilliant tunes and lyrics. The Smashing Pumpkins have done some great lyrics as well, along with some by Minor Threat and Germs, but not all. And who could forget the Bonzo Dog DooDah Band?

Tell us about your favourites.

[Piedude-KT]

Weird Al Yankovic. Everybody knows he's great....
Paul Weller is pretty awesome at songwriting too, I don't know too many, but Chris Ballew from PUSA writes great tunes too....

[Shave]

Tim armstrong writes most of the rancid song which most of have lyrics of great meaning

And the pixies' lyrics are so fantastically random at times that they are pure genious

[Discodoris]

All time favourites for me are Elvis Costello and Paul Simon.

Very different styles, but both carefully balance their lyrics and music so beautifully...

[RobW]

I have to agree with all three of you. :D

[carpefula]

All time favourites for me are Elvis Costello and Paul Simon.

Very different styles, but both carefully balance their lyrics and music so beautifully...


Paul Simon...HELL YES

Other than that all i can manage today is hatred for bad writers so i'm not going to mention any because i don't want to ruin the mood :D

[junior]

Tom McRae ande Jeff Buckley for me.

[Peachey...]

Second that!

[pebble_rebel]

This'll get your heckles up. But for me it was the lyrical genius of Peter Doherty and the fabulous melodies of Carl Barat. For all Peter's twatting about his stuff is just poetry (check out the lyrics for "Hooray for the 21st century" for proof. Its utter poetry, but dont look at his poetry as most of it is untranslatable shit done under heavy influence of crack). I know you'll probably think this post is silly just because there fairly modern and people always have a thing for nostalgia when ever it comes to the ultimate... whatever. Like how maraly manson will always be the sexiest and james dean will always be the coolest (despite being a pussy). [/RANT]

[Cynic]

Badly Drawn Boy

I rarely listen to the words of songs but rather to how they sound as a whole however.

[Cherokee Red]

Pedro the lion - David Bazaan's lyrics are so hard hitting and real. Definatley one of, if not my favourite writers. :)

[faragher]

Joni Mitchell - proper songwriting
Eliza Carthy - a modern and much underated writer

[FoxDhoj]

Beck. He's got truly random lyrics. And I'm liking a lot of indie bands lyrics recently...

[GorillaBearBear]

Morrissey has always been a fantastic lyricist, although his music is lacking nowadays. And he's a tit.

I totally agree with the Paul Simon mootage. He has a very lovely delicacy with his words. (I particularly like these two: "She says honey take me dancing but they ended up-a sleeping in a doorway, with the bodegas and the lights all over broadway" for a bizarre shock factor (from Diamonds in the soles of her shoes) and "It's all over the evening news, all about the fire in your life on the evening news" for the subtle way he gets a certain point across (from Crazy love Vol. II)

Sage Francis is a very very good lyricist, and his word plays are hilarious and moving in equal measure. His words can be cryptic or straightforward, but they are almost always poignant and galvinizing.

Tonedeff is similar. He is an incredibly witty emcee, with moments of amazing clarity and poignancy. Lyrics like "We're all just little kids with scarred hearts/from other little kids" and "I try to be strong as she hops out the door but even hardest hearts break when they dropped to the floor like porcelain" (Both from Porcelain) really get me. To cap it all off, he has amazing flow and is a very dope producer.

In the same vein, Deacon the Villain, kno, Natti, SOS and whoever else has been in Cunninlynguists all have a turn of sentimentality in them with songs like Love Aint, Mic like a Memory and Rain. Plus kno is the hottest producer in hip hop right now. Fact.

Bob Dylan, latterly more than formerly, in my opinion. Surprised no one's mentioned him actually. A very interesting turn of phrase ("Last night I danced with a stranger" from love sick springs to mind).

Ryan Adams (note lack of B) and similarly Jeff Tweedy (of Uncle Tupelo and Wilco fame) both have excellent lyrics in their own ways. Tweedy's got an excellent way of masking things in bizarre metaphor (I am an American Aquariam drinker/ I assassin down the avenue) while Ryan Adams has both an astounding ability to put emotion into his words as well as his melodies.

On a very Different Tack, Abdominal and D-sisive from the latest DJ Format are both the whitest and wittiest rappers around at the moment (almost)

Buck 65's canadian-cum-texan drawl, coupled with his detailed and poignant story like lyrics are always impressive. Also a fantastic DJ, huttah!

Finally because I've already typed to much, I'm going to put down Boatds of Canada. Even though they do not have lyrics. They have the best, and I really mean the best, ear for aesthetic sounds in the world. The sheer beauty they can cram into one single song is awe-inspiring. And just inspiring, actually.

[Shave]

how the fuck could i have missed off trent reznor???

he wrote what to me is one of the lyrically best songs ever with hurt

[vVaddi]

John Lennon/ Paul McCartney

[gwasanaethau]

how the fuck could i have missed off trent reznor???
I don't know, but I second your opinion. Bravo.

[esquilax]

Richey Edwards. Wrote the majority of The Holy Bible, so clearly a genius.

[woobi]

Connar O'berst (Bright Eyes), and of course...Freddy Mercury.

Everyone has to agree with Freddy Mercury.

[MONKEY050]

Yes, Freddy Mercury did write a quite a few songs that are still commonly heard today.

Also, I'd like to vote Paul McCartney (how predictable.).
With his newest album (Chaos and Creation in the Back Yard), evidently, he's still writing great songs. My favorites on that album are Fine Line and English Tea.

Except I'm a bit disappointed he used a chord progression I was getting ready to make into something for my band. It's the beginning of "Too Much Rain". :rolleyes: Oh well.

Edit:
Haha, I only had read a couple posts and skipped over this one somehow...
John Lennon/ Paul McCartney
Quoted for truth.

Edit2: Also, Ringo Starr did a pretty good job with Choose Love. Has that classic rock touch to it.

[Maple Moose]

Kurt Cobain.

[argh]

Tim McIlrath from Rise Against. Their songs are soo well written it amazes me. I keep choosing them for the random lyrics in my sig.

I agree with too many other writers already in the thread to name them all also.

[captain canuck]

...i think a lot of choices for best lyricist (not necessarily those on the thread, mind you) are very biased by people's own musical preferences - whether that has to do with lyrics or not.

Among modern musicians, I'd have to say I most appreciate the lyrical talents of Matthew Caws, David Byrne, Tom Waits, both Johns from They Might Be Giants, and Elliot Smith.

[da-geezer]

James Taylor for the win; listening to his albums chronologically, gaves you a good inight into his life.

Also, teh teletubbies.

[Soma]

Billy Corgan!!! :p

[RobW]

Billy Corgan!!! :p



Someone's seconded me, thank you.

Today when I was listening to "Where Boys Fear to Tread" I thought how can anyone possibly make a few chords go on for that long and stay powerful and effective? I haven't grown out of anything by Smashing Pumpkins even though I've had Siamese Dream for three years, I can still listen to all of it and enjoy it like the first time.

[Soma]

^^ You are my friend Rob W :D
Siamese Dream is a masterpiece, along with Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness and Adore.. ah and I'm thinking of posting another Billy Corgan thread on here, because there was an interview on the radio with him when he came to Aus. My firend saw him in concert, I didn't :(