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Strength in Lyrics

jammingwhileIcanjammingwhileIcan Posts: 89
edited April 2010 in Other Music
Are there any bands out there, past or present, that has lyrics on par or better than PJ in terms of depth and quality? I would love to find some more music with meaningful lyrics and there has to be a bunch of great bands I just don't know about. Thanks for the help
Nothing but thanks for those willing to give of their soul to a stranger. And I hate to say it but The Who are overated.
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Comments

  • jmuthjmuth Posts: 29
    Not sure what kind of music you like but I have been listening to White Denim these days.
    They don't have quite the lyrics, but the music is f'n rockin. Very spurratic.
  • keeponrockinkeeponrockin Posts: 7,446
    The Tragically Hip
    Wilco

    These two are as good or better IMO.
    Believe me, when I was growin up, I thought the worst thing you could turn out to be was normal, So I say freaks in the most complementary way. Here's a song by a fellow freak - E.V
  • DewieCoxDewieCox Posts: 11,430
    It's all relative. Lotsa people bag on Robert Plant, but what other words would fit the music that well?
  • JDBJDB Posts: 277
    Axl Rose. His lyrics, especially on the Use Your Illusions, are pretty heartfelt.
  • jammingwhileIcanjammingwhileIcan Posts: 89
    DewieCox wrote:
    It's all relative. Lotsa people bag on Robert Plant, but what other words would fit the music that well?


    I agree for Zep his lyrics fit perfectly. But they never really claimed to be lyric buffs. I just want to find a band that is awesome lyrically first and music a close second.
    Nothing but thanks for those willing to give of their soul to a stranger. And I hate to say it but The Who are overated.
  • jammingwhileIcanjammingwhileIcan Posts: 89
    keeponrockin wrote:
    The Tragically Hip
    Wilco

    These two are as good or better IMO.


    Thanks,
    Wilco's lyrics are ok, but The Hip had a pretty unique style, thanks for letting me know about them.
    Nothing but thanks for those willing to give of their soul to a stranger. And I hate to say it but The Who are overated.
  • keeponrockinkeeponrockin Posts: 7,446
    'Wheat Kings' is about as perfect as you can get lyrically, talking about an innocent man who was convicted.
    'Fiddler's Green' is sad, but hopeful, and again brilliant.
    Believe me, when I was growin up, I thought the worst thing you could turn out to be was normal, So I say freaks in the most complementary way. Here's a song by a fellow freak - E.V
  • GardenpartyGardenparty Posts: 1,910
    I've always thought Shannon Hoon was a great lyricist, so i'll say Blind Melon
    “I know this song so well, I can smoke a cigarette, have a drink, brush my teeth, take a shit, and mow the lawn while singing it. But I'll only be doing a couple of those things during this version.”
  • mfc2006mfc2006 HTOWN Posts: 37,484
    Elliott Smith wrote some seriously amazing lyrics. most of them are a bit sad/dark, so you have to be in the right mood.
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  • mookeywrenchmookeywrench Posts: 5,953
    Silver Jews

    David Berman is one of the best contemporary songwriters out there
    350x700px-LL-d2f49cb4_vinyl-needle-scu-e1356666258495.jpeg
  • megatronmegatron Posts: 3,420
    bright eyes..conor that is
  • keeponrockinkeeponrockin Posts: 7,446
    How could I forget the amazing Ryan Adams.

    Best songwriter of the last 20 years, and one of the best all time.
    Believe me, when I was growin up, I thought the worst thing you could turn out to be was normal, So I say freaks in the most complementary way. Here's a song by a fellow freak - E.V
  • musicismylife78musicismylife78 Posts: 6,116
    arcade fire-one of the most brilliant bands of our generation. their beauty and genius is the ability to create an unbelieveable album like funeral. one that deals with sad, scary, and meloncholy topics, but does it in a way that you feel happy, excited and that life affirming feeling after a listen.

    Radiohead-lyrics are top notch. like arcade fire its a combination of the lyrics and the music here. thoms lyrics are able to cut through the mire and shock us.

    Tool-extremely complex music here. any band that deals with metaphysics, jungian philosophy, zen buddhist thoughts in lyrics is alright with me.

    Modest Mouse-like myself isaac brock is a searcher. Isaac deals in lyrical topics like what is our purpose in life, whats the universes purpose, what role do we play.

    The Shins-James Mercer has highly intelligent lyrics. like isaac brock the lyrics are steeped in very heady topics.

    Aesop Rock-hip hop, but for my money, the top of the top, the cream of the crop in terms of hip hop lyricists

    Conor Oberst-he seems to have shed and hated the "new dylan" label, but there is a reason he was called this in the first place.

    The National-for someone who is in their twenties, lost, and confused this is THE band. Arguably the reason i quit my job. Saw myself in the lyrics and it scared the hell out of me. The feeling of going to a job day in day out, out of obligation, even though you hate it, not knowing who you are, feeling like you wasted your life, all of that is in the lyrics.

    Sufjan-again, like Radiohead, Sufjan is able to cut to the chase, sort of get things in perspective, and blow the listener away by the sheer beauty of it all. Say what you want about his post Illinois output, but Michigan, Illinois, and Seven Swans, are among the best albums of the decade, and the lyrics are a huge part of it.
  • musicismylife78musicismylife78 Posts: 6,116
    Damien Rice and Joe Purdy. Josh radin. The decemberists. Sam Beam
  • musicismylife78musicismylife78 Posts: 6,116
    ray lamontagne is pretty unbelievable. alot of his stuff almost reads like poetry. google the lyrics to empty. the guy is unbelieveably talented. plus i think the music itself it pretty unique to anyone these days. i am pretty much convinced I could play a ray song for my grandfather, who listens to tony bennett, frank, dean martin, keely smith, that whole crowd, and if i was to somehow slip one song in by ray and not tell him, he wouldnt be able to tell the different. ray has this almost 1950's, early 1960's feel to his music that i love
  • LiftedLifted Posts: 1,836
    some of these may be too obvious for a mention, but all of them write better lyrics than pearl jam in my opinion...i love pearl jam's lyrics because most of them mean something to me, but from a world play standpoint, they can't touch these four.

    bob dylan - greatest of all-time
    wilco (jeff tweedy)
    neko case - probably my personal favorite if we exclude dylan
    bright eyes (conor oberst)
  • LiftedLifted Posts: 1,836
    musicismylife78 wrote:
    ray lamontagne is pretty unbelievable. alot of his stuff almost reads like poetry. google the lyrics to empty. the guy is unbelieveably talented. plus i think the music itself it pretty unique to anyone these days. i am pretty much convinced I could play a ray song for my grandfather, who listens to tony bennett, frank, dean martin, keely smith, that whole crowd, and if i was to somehow slip one song in by ray and not tell him, he wouldnt be able to tell the different. ray has this almost 1950's, early 1960's feel to his music that i love

    you just perfectly described how his music is not unique. he's got a great voice, but my problem with him has always been that he is incredibly boring to listen to, and there is nothing original about his sound.
  • DewieCoxDewieCox Posts: 11,430
    Them Crooked Vultures has some really kickass lyrics.
  • Drop1The0LeashDrop1The0Leash Posts: 954
    DewieCox wrote:
    Them Crooked Vultures has some really kickass lyrics.

    Yes, Josh Homme for that matter has some of the best lyrics ever!!! :thumbup:
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  • musicismylife78musicismylife78 Posts: 6,116
    Tiki Barber wrote:
    musicismylife78 wrote:
    ray lamontagne is pretty unbelievable. alot of his stuff almost reads like poetry. google the lyrics to empty. the guy is unbelieveably talented. plus i think the music itself it pretty unique to anyone these days. i am pretty much convinced I could play a ray song for my grandfather, who listens to tony bennett, frank, dean martin, keely smith, that whole crowd, and if i was to somehow slip one song in by ray and not tell him, he wouldnt be able to tell the different. ray has this almost 1950's, early 1960's feel to his music that i love

    you just perfectly described how his music is not unique. he's got a great voice, but my problem with him has always been that he is incredibly boring to listen to, and there is nothing original about his sound.


    While in general tiki it seems like me and you seem to enjoy the same sort of music, i got to disagree here. the original poster asked for bands who have mindblowing lyrics. it doesnt matter really how boring rays sound is, or if he sounds unoriginal, his lyrics are original and i stand by my statement that his lyrics are poetry. and top of the line poetry at that. Sure ray wears his influences on his sleeve, but who doesnt? The point i was making though is his vocal and musical sound is unique to today. not too many bands these days, or musicians are hearkening back to the 1950's, or early 1960's, almost r and b, blue eyed soul sound that ray does so well. I absolutely love the Sam and Dave sound to his songs, and i love the pastoral and southern atmosphere the music creates.
  • musicismylife78musicismylife78 Posts: 6,116
    i also think dylan is undoubtably the best lyricist of all time. but alot of his importance comes from his lyrics, as opposed to the musical form of it all. sure he is an innovator in music itself, but it seems to me, more important, is the lyrics. he is always 10 steps ahead of everyone else. and when the world catches up, he changes shape, becomes something different, and blows us all away, with something unheard of and totally unique.
  • keeponrockinkeeponrockin Posts: 7,446
    Black Thought from the Roots.
    Believe me, when I was growin up, I thought the worst thing you could turn out to be was normal, So I say freaks in the most complementary way. Here's a song by a fellow freak - E.V
  • craigbcraigb Posts: 806
    DewieCox wrote:
    It's all relative. Lotsa people bag on Robert Plant, but what other words would fit the music that well?

    And anyone who knows Ten Years Gone can see this. A beautiful song with great lyrics.
    "Speak clearly if you speak at all; carve every word before you let it fall"

    Los Angeles 10.7.2009
  • keeponrockinkeeponrockin Posts: 7,446
    craigb wrote:
    DewieCox wrote:
    It's all relative. Lotsa people bag on Robert Plant, but what other words would fit the music that well?

    And anyone who knows Ten Years Gone can see this. A beautiful song with great lyrics.
    Agreed. Fantastic song.
    Believe me, when I was growin up, I thought the worst thing you could turn out to be was normal, So I say freaks in the most complementary way. Here's a song by a fellow freak - E.V
  • LiftedLifted Posts: 1,836
    musicismylife78 wrote:
    Tiki Barber wrote:
    musicismylife78 wrote:
    ray lamontagne is pretty unbelievable. alot of his stuff almost reads like poetry. google the lyrics to empty. the guy is unbelieveably talented. plus i think the music itself it pretty unique to anyone these days. i am pretty much convinced I could play a ray song for my grandfather, who listens to tony bennett, frank, dean martin, keely smith, that whole crowd, and if i was to somehow slip one song in by ray and not tell him, he wouldnt be able to tell the different. ray has this almost 1950's, early 1960's feel to his music that i love

    you just perfectly described how his music is not unique. he's got a great voice, but my problem with him has always been that he is incredibly boring to listen to, and there is nothing original about his sound.


    While in general tiki it seems like me and you seem to enjoy the same sort of music, i got to disagree here. the original poster asked for bands who have mindblowing lyrics. it doesnt matter really how boring rays sound is, or if he sounds unoriginal, his lyrics are original and i stand by my statement that his lyrics are poetry. and top of the line poetry at that. Sure ray wears his influences on his sleeve, but who doesnt? The point i was making though is his vocal and musical sound is unique to today. not too many bands these days, or musicians are hearkening back to the 1950's, or early 1960's, almost r and b, blue eyed soul sound that ray does so well. I absolutely love the Sam and Dave sound to his songs, and i love the pastoral and southern atmosphere the music creates.

    you may have a point. i haven't been able to listen to him long enough to let his lyrics sink in. he's always bored me too much as i said before. anyway, you did say "the music itself is unique" or something of that sort, which was what i was commenting on. wasn't trying to say his lyrics aren't unique, as i've never payed much attention to them.
  • One Song GloryOne Song Glory Posts: 710
    My vote is for R.E.M. as many of my other favourites have already been listed. Michael Stipe's a lyrical mastermind!
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  • g under pg under p Surfing The far side of THE Sombrero Galaxy Posts: 18,209
    A man with serious strength in his lyrics Michael Franti. Strong political and social justice lyrics to love and relationship issues the man covers it all.
    Michael Franti (born April 21, 1966) is an American poet, musician, and composer of African, Native American, Irish, French, and German descent.[1] Franti is the creator and lead vocalist of Michael Franti & Spearhead, a band that blends hip hop with a variety of other styles including funk, reggae, jazz, folk, and rock. He is also an outspoken supporter for a wide spectrum of peace and social justice issues.

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    *The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite INSANE*....Nikola Tesla(a man who shaped our world of electricity with his futuristic inventions)


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