Lyrics, great ones?

[James]

What song contains the best lyrics, in your opinions? 

My  favorite overall lyrics are probably from the songs "Beloved Wife" by Natalie Merchant, "Skyline Pigeon"  by Elton John and Pat´s "Daddy I´m Alright".

But my favorite line/segment from a lyric is probably this one from Don McClean´s "Vincent" :

"For they could not love you
But still your love was true
And when no hope was left inside
On that starry, starry night

You took your life as lovers often do
But I could have told you, Vincent
This world was never meant for one
As beautiful as you"

Pretty great, IMHO. 

You guys?......

 

[Mary Ellen]

 

 

[James]

I remember first hearing that song, Mary Ellen, when I first bought the "Fresh" album back in 1976 or so.  Prior to that I´d owned the "Best Of...featuring EC" and was very familiar with the songs on that album.  As I spun "Fresh" and got to know "If You Change Your Mind", I remember being perplexed at how that song did not make the cut for the "Best Of...." album.

"If You Change...." is another genius melody that is more evidence of Eric Carmen´s melody genius.  Sometimes I think that song is his best.  I also love the climax at the end.

It´s lyrics are really great, especially for a teenage kid going through ups and downs with his girlfriend back in the day.

P.S.   I also always found the lyrics to "Under My Thumb" to be pretty romantic, at least from my point of view.

:-)

[Mary Ellen]

James,

Think the lyrics of IYCYM are timeless and for all ages.  ?

Landslide by Stevie is also very beautiful to me.

Well, I've been afraid of changing
'Cause I've built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Even children get older
And I'm getting older too

 

[Mary Ellen]

 

 

[Theresa Conner]

On 2/14/2016, 10:53:09, Mary Ellen said:

 

 

O my Lord that was great wonderful magnificent

[Mary Ellen]

 

When people speak about lyrics as "that's deep!" this is a lyric and song I'd think of:

"...And the words of the prophets are written on the subway walls,
And tenement halls,
And whispered in the sounds of silence..."
- - - Paul Simon, "Sounds of Silence"

 

[Katariina]

I just like that version of Simon&Garfunkel , and if you mentioned the lyrics....I wanted to try if I can post a youtube link correctly (as Bernie taught once)

[Mary Ellen]

Katariina, I saw your separate post with the song above.  Very nice.  ?

Here's another of my all time faves - God Only Knows/Beach Boys

Written by Brian Wilson/Tony Asher 

I may not always love you
But long as there are stars above you
You never need to doubt it
I'll make you so sure about it

God only knows what I'd be without you

If you should ever leave me
Though life would still go on believe me
The world could show nothing to me
So what good would living do me

God only knows what I'd be without you
 

[Mary Ellen]

Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life), Green Day

Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go
So make the best of this test and don't ask why
It's not a question but a lesson learned in time

It's something unpredictable but in the end is right
I hope you had the time of your life

[Mary Ellen]

Keane - Somewhere Only We Know

Oh simple thing, where have you gone?
I'm getting old and I need someone to rely on
So tell me when you're gonna let me in
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin

And if you have a minute, why don't we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know?
This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go? So why don't we go?

Oh, this could be the end of everything
So why don't we go somewhere only we know?
Somewhere only we know
Somewhere only we know

[Matthew C. Clark]

The Ides Of March "Vehicle" (1970)  Hey, well i'm the friendly stranger in the black sedan won't you hop inside my car, I got pictures, got candy i'm a loveable man & I can take you to the nearest star, i'm your vehicle baby, I take you anywhere you want to go, i'm your vehicle woman, right now (or by now) i'm sure you know, that I love ya (love ya) I need ya (need ya) I want to got to have you child great god in heaven you know I love you  Well, if you wants to be a movie star I could have take you to Hollywood, but if you want to stay just the way you are you know I think you really should i'm your vehicle baby, I take you anywhere you want to go, i'm your vehicle woman right now (or by now) i'm sure you know, that I love ya (love ya) I need ya (need ya) I want to got to have you child great god in heaven you know I love you (oh you know I do) (guitar break) (repeat first verse) That I love ya (love ya) I need ya (need ya) I want ya, I got to have ya great god in heaven you know I love you (and i'm your vehicle babe.....all right) you know I love ya, (love ya) I need ya (need ya) I want to got to have you child "Great god in heaven you know I lllooooovvveeee you".  

[PaulMaul]

Alice Cooper's "No More Mr. Nice Guy" is a brilliant lyric.

Pete Townshend is a great lyricist. Examples include "Run, Run, Run", "Tattoo", "I Can't Reach You", and a ton of others.

[Mary Ellen]

The Who - Won't Get Fooled Again (Pete Townshend)

Last line -

Yeah
Meet the new boss
Same as the old boss

 

 

[LC]

Mary Ellen, I LOVE that Keane song you quoted above. One of my three or four favorite post-1980s songs by anybody. It's always sort of reminded me just a little bit of Boats-era Eric.

Anyway, I haven't spun it in a while, so....

 

 

[LC]

James, good thread... and a chance to quote one of my favorite lyrics (which I tossed into another thread here quite a while ago): Jackson Browne's "In the Shape of a Heart." I remember Newsweek reviewing it way back when (1990-91) and saying that this song "nailed heartbreak to the wall." I love the lines about the "hole left in the wall from same ancient fight, 'bout the size of a fist, or something thrown that had missed...."  And later, in the last verse, the hole in the wall comes up again... when he drops the "ruby that she wore" into it. This is one of those lyrics that sets a scene and tells a story in a literate way....

It was a ruby that she wore
On a chain around her neck
In the shape of a heart
In the shape of a heart
It was a time I won't forget
For the sorrow and regret
And the shape of a heart
And the shape of a heart
I guess I never knew
What she was talking about
I guess I never knew
What she was living without

People speak of love don't know what they're thinking of
Wait around for the one who fits just like a glove
Speak in terms of belief and belonging
Try to fit some name to their longing
People speak of love

There was a hole left in the wall
From some ancient fight
About the size of a fist
Or something thrown that had missed
And there were other holes as well
In the house where our nights fell
Far too many to repair
In the time that we were there

People speak of love don't know what they're thinking of
Reach out to each other though the push and shove
Speak in terms of a life and the learning
Try to think of a word for the burning

You keep it up, you try so hard
To keep a life from coming apart
And never know
What breaches and faults are concealed
In the shape of a heart

It was the ruby that she wore
On a stand beside the bed
In the hour before dawn
When I knew she was gone
And I held it in my hand
For a little while
And dropped it into the wall
Let it go, heard it fall
I guess I never knew
What she was talking about
I guess I never knew
What she was living without

People speak of love dont know what theyre thinking of
Wait around for the one who fits just like a glove
Speak in terms of a life and the living
Try to find the word for forgiving

You keep it up, you try so hard
To keep a life from coming apart
And never know
The shallows and the unseen reefs
That are there from the start
In the shape of a heart

 

 

 

[Mary Ellen]

On February 17, 2016 at 8:56:41 PM, Matthew C. Clark said:

The Ides Of March "Vehicle" (1970)  Hey, well i'm the friendly stranger in the black sedan won't you hop inside my car, I got pictures, got candy i'm a loveable man & I can take you to the nearest star, i'm your vehicle baby, I take you anywhere you want to go, i'm your vehicle woman, right now (or by now) i'm sure you know, that I love ya (love ya) I need ya (need ya) I want to got to have you child great god in heaven you know I love you  Well, if you wants to be a movie star I could have take you to Hollywood, but if you want to stay just the way you are you know I think you really should i'm your vehicle baby, I take you anywhere you want to go, i'm your vehicle woman right now (or by now) i'm sure you know, that I love ya (love ya) I need ya (need ya) I want to got to have you child great god in heaven you know I love you (oh you know I do) (guitar break) (repeat first verse) That I love ya (love ya) I need ya (need ya) I want ya, I got to have ya great god in heaven you know I love you (and i'm your vehicle babe.....all right) you know I love ya, (love ya) I need ya (need ya) I want to got to have you child "Great god in heaven you know I lllooooovvveeee you".  

Matthew,

I like this song, but the first line freaks me out just a little.  

M.E.

[AnneNR]

RE: "Vehicle" by The Ides of March,

Hey, Mary Ellen, this was just one example of a cool song having a great melody and instrumentation, but you gotta think twice when you pay attention to the lyrics. . .  considering the tempo of the song, the timing of singing the words as quickly as is being done, this song is rather attention-getting --- it's just the subject matter that can make you uncomfortable.  It sounds like a pimp is propositioning someone off the street into the business.   

AnneNR

[AnneNR]

Most everyone is familiar with the instrumental version of "Love Is Blue", but not many know the lyrics which are simple and effectively communicate depth of feeling and concept with the words chosen ---

Blue, blue, my world is blue
Blue is my world since I'm without you
Gray, gray, my life is gray
Cold is my heart since you went away

Red, red, my eyes are red
Crying for you alone in my bed
Green, green, my jealous heart
I doubted you and now we're apart

When we met how the bright sun shone
Then love died, now the rainbow is gone

Black, black, the nights I've known
Longing for you so lost and alone
Gone, gone, the love we knew
Blue is my world now I'm without you.

.... originally sung by Vicky Leandros for a Eurovision Song Contest, English words are not exact translation, but very good nonetheless.... though I believe Paul Mauriat and his orchestra gave it more feeling and emotion.

AnneNR

[James]

Anne, "Love is Blue" (instrumental version) was my first favorite song, at least with respect to songs from the radio. 
I remember sitting by the radio, ....and I´d just wait there until DJ played it. Loco kid I was.

James

[James]

I´ll post the video of "Beloved Wife", (the lyrics follow it).

Simple, organic, but deep and hits to the core of it all :

youtube.com/watch?v=uLDPkLu_CUw

 

Lyrics:  Beloved Wife"

You were the love
For certain of my life
You were simply my beloved wife
I don't know for certain
How I'll live my life
Now alone without my beloved wife
My beloved wife

I can't believe
I've lost the very best of me

You were the love
For certain of my life
You were simply my beloved wife
I don't know for certain
How I'll live my life
Now alone without my beloved wife
My beloved wife

I can't believe
I've lost the very best of me

You were the love
For certain of my life
For fifty years simply me beloved wife
With another love I'll never lie again
It's you I can't deny
It's you I can't defy
A depth so deep into my grief
Without my beloved soul
I renounce my life
As my right
Now alone without my beloved wife
My beloved wife
My beloved wife

My love is gone she suffered long
In hours of pain

My love is gone
Now my suffering begins

My love is gone
Would it be wrong if I should
Surrender all the joy in my life
Go with her tonight?

My love is gone she suffered long
In hours of pain

My love is gone
Would it be wrong if I should
Just turn my face away from the light
Go with her tonight?

 

[AnneNR]

13 hours ago, James said:

Anne, "Love is Blue" (instrumental version) was my first favorite song, at least with respect to songs from the radio. 
I remember sitting by the radio, ....and I´d just wait there until DJ played it. Loco kid I was.

James

No stranger than myself at a preschool age waiting to hear "Sukiyaki" (a.k.a. "Ue O Muite Arukou") by Kyo Sakamoto, and still loving it through all these years.

I learned that grade school & pre-high school kids can be narrow-minded in their likes and dislikes in music, and intolerant in the extreme of any minority of others who did not fall in line with the majority of what was being listened to --- case in point: my younger brother D.A. loved Ricky Nelson because my mother was such a big fan and had every record (LP) he came out with when it came out, but by the time my brother was in grade school and kids were allowed to bring music to school to be played on phonographs during rainy day recess, he was ridiculed and made fun of by his piers. 

I am only two years older so I saw this first hand.  Second case in point, I really liked Elvis Presley a lot, but playing Elvis on a rainy day recess during the Christmas season was met with a similar reaction from the kids in the grade schools we attended (the audience of children were mostly R & B, Motown, and the like).  I heard more than one disparaging word against the Beach Boys whenever a classmate brought up the fact they liked listening to them, so I learned not to say anything specifically about a lot of the music I liked because they didn't want to hear it---not to mention it gave them a reason to pick on you and get you into an actual fist fight.  Kids can be contentious and prejudicial little brats.

But I maintained my difference of opinion and was not swayed away from a very eclectic variety of music genres, like the instrumental "Love Is Blue" by Paul Mauriat et al; or the "Sukiyaki" song; or "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" by Ennio Morricone.

AnneNR

[Matthew C. Clark]

Chicago R&B group The Dells did the remake in 1969 doing a melody of "I Can Sing A Rainbow"/"Love is Blue" in 1969 & the song went to # 22 on the Billboard Top 40.  Matt 

[ter2]

Love this topic and already see some favorites posted!

I will add Babylon - David Gray

Sunday all the lights of London shining, sky is fading red to blue

Kickin through the autumn leaves and wondering where it is 

you might be going to

Turnin back for home, you know I feel so all alone, I can't believe

Climbing on the stair, I turn around to see you smiling there

in front of me

If you want it, come and get it

for cryin' out loud

the love that I was giving you, was never in doubt.....

my favorite verse starts about 2:37

 

 

[ter2]

and Snow Patrol/Martha Wainwright - Set the Fire to the Third Bar

I find a map and draw a straight line

over rivers, farms, and state lines

The distance from here to where you'd be

is only finger- lengths that I see

I touch the place, where I'd find your face

my fingers in creases, of distant dark places....

....I'm miles from where you are, I lay down on the cold ground

and I pray that something picks me up 

and sets me down, in your warm arms...