Uh oh. Blender's "The 40 Worst Lyricists In Rock".

[phlemmy]

Now with Jon Anderson.. I have no idea wtf he's talking about at all.
For example : Don't surround yourself with yourself/move on back to squares/send an instant karma to me/initial it with loving care
Again, WTF?!

He's talking about playing chess.

[sloop_john_b]

What if he didn't write the stuff? We'd get stuck with 30 years of "Hey baby it's a quarter to eight/I feel I'm in the mood"

If only...

[charlyg]

I always assumed it was two squares. This would fit the rest of the chess references. looks like someone beat me to it, but the "two" part stands

[sloop_john_b]

Take a straight and stronger course to the corner of your life.
Make the white queen run so fast
She hasnt got time to make you a wife.

cause its time, its time in time
With your time and its news is captured
For the queen to use.
Move me on to any black square,
Use me any time you want,
Just remember that the golds
for us to capture all we want, anywhere,
Yea, yea, yea.

A reference to chess - perhaps an attempt to relate a chess game to something more personal? I'm not always following the imagery in that song but it obviously makes reference to a game of chess.

[winston]

IMO Jethro Tull and Led Zeppelin should not be on that list. Actually to be honest many of the artists that are on the list should not be there. The lyrics that are being placed under the spotlight in 2007 (by some twerp or group of twerps) mean little today and perhaps are incomprehensible in today’s vernacular but roll back the time machine a few years and the lyrics fit right in with the times as they were a changing (sorry Bob just a little poetic license in play).

[nattiep]

Ok, that was an example, and I realize it was about chess, but used as a metaphor as something else. What is that something else?
Perhaps I should pick a different song.
Ok, Heart Of The Sunrise. Please explain this song to me.


"Straight light moving and removing
SHARPNESS of the colour sun shine
Straight light searching all the meanings
Of the song
Long last treatment of the telling that
Relates to all the words sung
Dreamer easy in the chair that really fits
You"

Yeeeeah. The meanings of the song. Please, enlighten me.

Now, since they're talkinga bout bad lyrics. Someone explain "My Humps".

IMO Robert Plant should be on the list as worst because he had to steal all of his lyrics. Takes the lead singer 4 albums before he writes anything of consequence. By default he's on there.

[sloop_john_b]

IMO Jethro Tull and Led Zeppelin should not be on that list. Actually to be honest many of the artists that are on the list should not be there. The lyrics that are being placed under the spotlight in 2007 (by some twerp or group of twerps) mean little today and perhaps are incomprehensible in today’s vernacular but roll back the time machine a few years and the lyrics fit right in with the times as they were a changing (sorry Bob just a little poetic license in play).

Point well taken, Brian. There's no way for me to ever truly know the extent that Dylan's words embodied the 60's or how Plant's words embodied the 70's. But there's certainly something to be said for the fact that Dylan's songs not only hit home with me, but have changed my life, as an artist and a thinker - they're still as relevant as ever here in 2007.

All Plant did was diminish the importance of good lyrics (not to mention good vocals) in rock 'n roll, thereby paving the way for most of the rock music of the next 15-20 years. Most of his good lyrics were written by obscure bluesmen anyway, right?

[charlyg]

Just a minor detail, JB. It should be the goal's, not the golds. IMHO of course.

[sloop_john_b]

Ok, that was an example, and I realize it was about chess, but used as a metaphor as something else. What is that something else?
Perhaps I should pick a different song.
Ok, Heart Of The Sunrise. Please explain this song to me.

"Straight light moving and removing
SHARPNESS of the colour sun shine
Straight light searching all the meanings
Of the song
Long last treatment of the telling that
Relates to all the words sung
Dreamer easy in the chair that really fits
You"

Yeeeeah. The meanings of the song. Please, enlighten me.

Had to read the rest of the lyrics, but it seems to be about finding moments of clarity or peace in life, whether being in nature (or somewhere peaceful) or lost in a daydream.

[sloop_john_b]

Just a minor detail, JB. It should be the goal's, not the golds. IMHO of course.

Thanks Charly, just copied it from a site quick. That makes it even more clear!

[charlyg]

I do the same thing, and TRY to check it for accuracy, sometimes I forget....

They are usually close but not exact.....

[winston]

IMO Jethro Tull and Led Zeppelin should not be on that list. Actually to be honest many of the artists that are on the list should not be there. The lyrics that are being placed under the spotlight in 2007 (by some twerp or group of twerps) mean little today and perhaps are incomprehensible in today’s vernacular but roll back the time machine a few years and the lyrics fit right in with the times as they were a changing (sorry Bob just a little poetic license in play).

Point well taken, Brian. There's no way for me to ever truly know the extent that Dylan's words embodied the 60's or how Plant's words embodied the 70's. But there's certainly something to be said for the fact that Dylan's songs not only hit home with me, but have changed my life, as an artist and a thinker - they're still as relevant as ever here in 2007.

All Plant did was diminish the importance of good lyrics (not to mention good vocals) in rock 'n roll, thereby paving the way for most of the rock music of the next 15-20 years. Most of his good lyrics were written by obscure bluesmen anyway, right?

John,

In my view the fact that Dylan's writing style is still meaningful today means that he was writing in a style that was timeless in approach. If you are a critic or fan of literary writing styles you have to admit that he is probably the best lyric writer of the 60's by far.

I will not defend Page's or Plant's lifting of lyrics from old blues standards in fact I believe that they did not pay a big enough price for that misadventure. However the lyrics that they used as an example were in fact giving a nod to a series of books that were very much in vogue at the time. Books by JR Tolkien were everywhere and that whole mythology took a life of it's own. Zeppelin were caught up in the same wave as those who read his books. It was a huge phenomena at the time. I happen to really like "Ramble On" It's a catchy tune and the phrasing is very unique.

[lyle_from_minneapolis]

My favorite lousy phrasing is when Stevie Nicks sings "when the rain wa-SHEZZ you clean..."

I know I've said that before, but for some reason it always strikes me as a lyric that was born too fast. Lyrics should sound the way their spoken, and as cryptic as he may be, Dylan never failed me there. And yes, I agree Dylan was the best lyricist of the 60's...and perhaps to this day, if you consider post-Tin Pan Alley writing.

[charlyg]

My roomate in the Navy school on Treasure Island (70-72) flunked out of college due to Tolkein, and he was one of the sharpest people I have known. I then started my Tolkein journey! As an aside, he also turned me on to Harlan Ellison!!

[lyle_from_minneapolis]

Awesome writers, both.