Slap MessageBoards
General Discussion => MUSIC => Topic started by: dunc on February 12, 2021, 06:22:20 PM
-
Love a good base line and many aspects of music. But the one thing that gets me are great lyrics .You can sing like half cut magpie and I will still love it if the lyrics are great. I have been listening to Mountain Goats and Silver Jews for this reason and would love some more suggestions. Any great artists with great lyrics you care to share?
-
jason molina no question. big david german guy too, but molina is lyricism perfected in my mind and heart. this stanza is so perfectly heavy and understated at the same time. it outshines most careers.
“When I die
Put my bones in an empty street
To remind me how it used to be
Don't write my name on stone
Bring a Coleman lantern and a radio
A Cleveland game and two fishing poles
And watch with me from the shore
Ghostly steel and iron ore
Ships coming home”
-
jason molina no question. big david german guy too, but molina is lyricism perfected in my mind and heart. this stanza is so perfectly heavy and understated at the same time. it outshines most careers.
“When I die
Put my bones in an empty street
To remind me how it used to be
Don't write my name on stone
Bring a Coleman lantern and a radio
A Cleveland game and two fishing poles
And watch with me from the shore
Ghostly steel and iron ore
Ships coming home”
Awesome will def check it out. Thanks.
-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJP-oGBPPh0
-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJP-oGBPPh0
[/quote
Great song and artist. You nailed it!
-
andre nickatina says shows me some snaps
andre nickatine....... i forget but it's good lyrics
-
"He's got two bent pigs in the crack downstairs below
Stewing at the door I said, "Why you so slow?"
Got a schizophrenic acquaintance patient no place to go,
Stops with his dips in my window
We're moving in, on, with you,
You're moving in, on me and,
Henny Penny, Cocky Locky, Goosey Loosey
Turkey Lurky, Ducky Lucky, Chicky Licky"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YMrSDIShxs
-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJP-oGBPPh0
i think he’s great and i love this record, but i hate this song. i think it’s why his career is so neat. people can really love different tunes of his for the same reasons
-
Propagandhi
Birdcloud
Bright Eyes
Inner Terrestrials
Leonard Cohen
The Rebel Spell
Saul Williams
Willie Dunn
-
For those feeling angsty / heartbroken / generally pissed off, I don't think there's ever been a better lyricist in hardcore than Wes Eisold:
"I took a shot at the world
And I missed (amo te')
Traded my bow for a new year's kiss
Broken arrows and loveless wrists
Tell "J.C." I'm dying in Mass
And if it wasn't so cold
I'd swear this was hell"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tujbl6qwkIc
-
Expand Quote
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJP-oGBPPh0
That's funny, cause i didn't like this song at first either. His albums get heavy rotation from me in the winter months.
-
Propagandhi
Birdcloud
Bright Eyes
Inner Terrestrials
Leonard Cohen
The Rebel Spell
Saul Williams
Willie Dunn
Weakerthans/ John K Samson
-
cocteau twins ;)
-
Modest Mouse
Thou
Bathory
Ah So many...
-
"He's got two bent pigs in the crack downstairs below
Stewing at the door I said, "Why you so slow?"
Got a schizophrenic acquaintance patient no place to go,
Stops with his dips in my window
We're moving in, on, with you,
You're moving in, on me and,
Henny Penny, Cocky Locky, Goosey Loosey
Turkey Lurky, Ducky Lucky, Chicky Licky"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YMrSDIShxs
Classic!!!
-
Modest Mouse
Thou
Bathory
Ah So many...
I don't think I've ever understood a single Thou lyric unless it was a Nirvana cover.
-
Expand Quote
Modest Mouse
Thou
Bathory
Ah So many...
I don't think I've ever understood a single Thou lyric unless it was a Nirvana cover.
Ha that’s fair... i usually have to look them up. But still They’re always out there and interesting to me. “Into the marshlands” comes to mind..
-
cocteau twins ;)
This made me laugh hard!!! I love the Cocteau Twins beautiful garbled words.
-
moby
-
moby
He did that album with all the ads on it.
-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJP-oGBPPh0
This shit is so good. I've never heard of this band before. I used to love music so much but its been a long time since I've heard something new that's given me that feeling
-
Pixies
-
Propagandhi
Birdcloud
Bright Eyes
Inner Terrestrials
Leonard Cohen
The Rebel Spell
Saul Williams
Willie Dunn
Yes! That whole band swells with talent. And to watch Chris rip guitar and sing is a sight to behold.
Also any band Jello Biafra fronts has good lyrics.
-
Townes Van Zandt is one of the best songwriters who ever lived imo. His words are poetry.
-
Townes Van Zandt is one of the best songwriters who ever lived imo. His words are poetry.
seconded. dude held it together on every record too. even when he was checking out of life, he could still pull out an all-timer like "a song for."
i'll throw joni mitchell in the mix. she has such an earthly and simple way of communicating at times that rly fuckin hits
-
I'mma huge Sebadoh/Lou Barlow fan so it's a little biased but Loobie is a great writer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clqRnoo8Icg (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clqRnoo8Icg)
I have always loved these lyrics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brNeeNBVTqM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brNeeNBVTqM)
and very popular one and rightfully so - Elliott smith writes a beautiful song. I can't listen to him too often cuz it puts me in a weird mood though haha
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APPbDOBzdi4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APPbDOBzdi4)
Also always loved David Bazan from Pedro the lion's stuff
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBt9h6of_mI (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBt9h6of_mI)
-
Expand Quote
Propagandhi
Birdcloud
Bright Eyes
Inner Terrestrials
Leonard Cohen
The Rebel Spell
Saul Williams
Willie Dunn
Jords Drumming too! Overall great band, I need to get into Chris' podcast...
-
Soulja Boy off in this hoe
Watch me crank it, watch me roll
Watch me crank that Soulja Boy
Then Superman that hoe
Now watch me (Crank that Soulja Boy)
Now watch me (Crank that Soulja Boy)
Now watch me (Crank that Soulja Boy)
Now watch me (Crank that Soulja Boy)
Now watch
-
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Propagandhi
Birdcloud
Bright Eyes
Inner Terrestrials
Leonard Cohen
The Rebel Spell
Saul Williams
Willie Dunn
Yes you do!
The podcasts are usually 1/3 about the history around the song, 1/3 the technical details of recording, and 1/3 about the meanings.
-
https://youtu.be/cI7brs4yfJo
Always been a big fan of Listener.
Shit’s dope. I fuck with spoken word.
He also did a track with The Chariot on their final album called David De La Hoz and it fuckin goes
-
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Propagandhi
Birdcloud
Bright Eyes
Inner Terrestrials
Leonard Cohen
The Rebel Spell
Saul Williams
Willie Dunn
Yes you do!
The podcasts are usually 1/3 about the history around the song, 1/3 the technical details of recording, and 1/3 about the meanings.
propagandhipod is taking up too much of my time already...
-
-Bonnie prince billy/ palace music/ palace brothers
-Bill Callahan/ smog
which youve probably heard before if yr into David berman/ silver jews, since theyr all on Drag City (label)
-
I'm not really into poetry, but I liked David Berman's book of poems too
https://textz.com/textz/Actual%20Air.pdf
-
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Propagandhi
Birdcloud
Bright Eyes
Inner Terrestrials
Leonard Cohen
The Rebel Spell
Saul Williams
Willie Dunn
Yes you do!
The podcasts are usually 1/3 about the history around the song, 1/3 the technical details of recording, and 1/3 about the meanings.
What the podcast called? Definitely checking it out.
-
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Propagandhi
Birdcloud
Bright Eyes
Inner Terrestrials
Leonard Cohen
The Rebel Spell
Saul Williams
Willie Dunn
Yes you do!
The podcasts are usually 1/3 about the history around the song, 1/3 the technical details of recording, and 1/3 about the meanings.
https://www.patreon.com/posts/catastrophic-ep-21248606
-
Prefab Sprout / Paddy McAloon.
-
Tom Waits is pretty great! Lots of range, with songs like "Drunk On The Moon" or "Ol' 55" to "God's Away on Business" and "Step Right Up."
Also I got wayyy into a Michael Gira (from Swans) album after hearing this one, loved the lyrics
http://youtu.be/GAKetEPZb8c
-
Bright Eyes
Smog/Bill Callahan
Spoon
They Might Be Giants (nerdy cool)
Red House Painters/Sun Kil Moon
The Microphones/Mount Eerie
Destroyer
Pavement/Stephen Malkmus
Lucy Dacus
Bonnie Prince Billy
Elliott Smith
-
Townes Van Zandt is one of the best songwriters who ever lived imo. His words are poetry.
Townes is untouchable.
Of names not mentioned so far, Jason Isbell is my choice. His words are so deliberate and concise, and they convey so much.
I just want to shoutout Propaghandi again too. From “Dear Coach’s Corner” - “It takes a village to raise a child, but just a flag to raze the children.” Shiiiiiiiiiit.
-
Tom Waits is pretty great! Lots of range, with songs like "Drunk On The Moon" or "Ol' 55" to "God's Away on Business" and "Step Right Up."
Also I got wayyy into a Michael Gira (from Swans) album after hearing this one, loved the lyrics
http://youtu.be/GAKetEPZb8c
Yeah Tom Waits is brilliant. I am a big fan.
-
Dan Higgs from Lungfish
"I am everywhere all the time
You will know me by my smell
East-West on the greyhound line
Tracing invisible trails
Here is my head in a Lucite box
You will know me by my frequency
Here is my footprint on the face of Mars
In the Year of Our Lord, 10, 000 B.C
It's later than I thought it could get
I lust in brand new ways
I loiter below the weather clock
To await the appointed day
When the bibles rise in the urban skies
And combust in electric flames
The birds sustain a monotone drone
Until we forget our names
These dreams we dream in common
You know the ones where we eat our organs
That dream is the last reminder
That dream is the final warning
Those who heed greet those who defy
Those who admit salute those who deny
And rise to a certain altitude
Where the divided mind is nullified
Choose your choice at the chosen time
Remove your face at the designated place
Peel your skin at the beginning, friend
It will be returned at the end
Labor and toil and trial and task
The nature of which depends who you ask
One thing is certain
This much is clear
The first day is looming
The last day is near"
-
Willy Vlautin from Richmond Fontaine and The Delines is also a published novelist. His lyrics are usually melancholic vignettes. Heartbreaking at times. I love him.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z4ZYa3JS4E&ab_channel=RichmondFontaine-Topic
I saw the yobs and D.O.A but I couldn't go home
So I went down to the yards and I sat by the concrete wall
And the wind picked up and I fell asleep on the dirt and gravel at the Welhorn Yards
Harry shook me awake as the wind howled above us and it nearly scared me to death
From a distant street light I saw the cut on his face and his blood soaked shirt
"Everything went wrong," he cried. "I lost the money and I think J.P is gone. He was just laying on the floor when I ran for the door."
At the Welhorn Yards, that night at the Welhorn Yards
Harry smoked cigarettes as the wind flurried above us
I gave him all the money I had and I gave him my ID and coat and watched him disappear down the road
I sat back down and fell into the uneasiest of sleeps
The worst nightmares of sleeps
Where a madman came after me
His hair was on fire and his eyes were bleeding
And he said he was gonna kill me
-
There are a bunch of modern folk singers putting out really good stuff right now. Matt Heckler, Willi Carlisle, Benjamin Tod/Lost Dog Street Band, The Hill Country Devil, Jason Dea West just to name a few.
-
Loving most of the recommendations so far!!
-
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
-
Holy shit, Neil Young hasn't been mentioned yet.
Dude is the singer/songwriter of all time.
"Sailin' hardships through broken harbors
Out on the waves in the night
Still the searcher must ride the dark horse
Racing alone in his fright"
That first line alone....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSWxU-mirqg
-
Holy shit, Neil Young hasn't been mentioned yet.
Dude is the singer/songwriters of all time.
"Sailin' hardships through broken harbors
Out on the waves in the night
Still the searcher must ride the dark horse
Racing alone in his fright"
That first line alone....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSWxU-mirqg
Thanks for this. I have dusted off NY since you posted this and really loving him.
-
ASMZ/Efrim Menuck:
https://youtu.be/a_ZRTAOV4r8
https://youtu.be/6fDG3hz84Ug
https://youtu.be/SGcK6w_ewLo
"Black Waters Blowed/Engine Broke Blues":
I found a penny where the black waters blowed
A dagger, a crown, or a home in the snow
And scraps, soil, and sentries for the children below
There's ones that are liars & ones that don't know
There's ones that are shattered while others get saved
I will not be buried in my mother's grave
I'm a wing in the water between the dull waves
There's ones that are shattered & others get saved
The Gallows was hungry & tawdry & slow
And fists full of candy for the children below
The bones of a horse, knee-deep in snow
There's one that are liars & ones that don't know
We go too slow - ignore...
We go too slow - hurrah
We go too slow - ignore...
It was
No joke
When your engine broke
And the monsters came – a’brawling...
Those bankers
Always win,
And this trouble
That you're in
Is not your own
We're each and all this fallen...
Feathers
In your spokes
Motherfuck these
Weathered yokes,
I wish we could
But worries always calling...
Thieves
In our clothes
Trophies for their trifles
They don't know
Their glory's only
Vapors...
And pennies
For our pride
Goddamn these
Tired eyes
I'm so in love
With all
Our still born labors...
No homeland for the gentle-hearted
Lack and tears for the young departed
For all the good they never started
We're building train wrecks in the setting sun
We're building train wrecks in the setting sun
We're building train wrecks in the setting sun (in the setting sun)
-
not in the same indie vein as op, but Dar Williams and Jim Croce some of my fav lyrics for different reasons.
-
Willy Vlautin from Richmond Fontaine and The Delines is also a published novelist. His lyrics are usually melancholic vignettes. Heartbreaking at times. I love him.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z4ZYa3JS4E&ab_channel=RichmondFontaine-Topic
I saw the yobs and D.O.A but I couldn't go home
So I went down to the yards and I sat by the concrete wall
And the wind picked up and I fell asleep on the dirt and gravel at the Welhorn Yards
Harry shook me awake as the wind howled above us and it nearly scared me to death
From a distant street light I saw the cut on his face and his blood soaked shirt
"Everything went wrong," he cried. "I lost the money and I think J.P is gone. He was just laying on the floor when I ran for the door."
At the Welhorn Yards, that night at the Welhorn Yards
Harry smoked cigarettes as the wind flurried above us
I gave him all the money I had and I gave him my ID and coat and watched him disappear down the road
I sat back down and fell into the uneasiest of sleeps
The worst nightmares of sleeps
Where a madman came after me
His hair was on fire and his eyes were bleeding
And he said he was gonna kill me
Love it
This is nowhere near as good but I though you might like it, it’s about skating
https://m.soundcloud.com/gutty-2/badass-by-bushweek-1
-
This might not be complex lyricism but few musicians/songwriters might've put out something with this great storytelling, feeling and realism. RIP to a great one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuPxlVJ3NVc
-
Rodriguez.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01kcxQi63ms
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVdWXqtk484
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZkfZQfQ7Ko
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esG4gK-pieA
I mean the whole of Cold Fact, but these are my faves for lyrics.
-
Steve Earle and his story songs. And Guy Clark.
-
^^^Justin Townes Earle too. It's really heart breaking listening to Steve Earles new album covering his son's songs.
-
^^^Justin Townes Earle too. It's really heart breaking listening to Steve Earles new album covering his son's songs.
that last song on the steve record is fucking heartbreaking. JTE's last record "saint of lost causes" is a really really special collection of tunes
-
Steve Earle and his story songs. And Guy Clark.
Chris knox has great story songs.Check this dozzy
http://youtu.be/4pETUTyahxg
-
I'mma huge Sebadoh/Lou Barlow fan so it's a little biased but Loobie is a great writer
Love Sebadoh so much ...
& whenever someone asks this kind of question about lyrics, I always think of:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=k98Qsu2_Qvk
First heard it on the college radio station in my town when I was maybe 11 years old, was the first time I heard a song that was politically aware and had a narrative but wasn’t something like Bob Dylan.
I still remember what it felt like sitting on the rug in front of my little boombox and realizing you can insert any country name in place of Britain, how the U.S. wasn’t an exception. It really made me think about life in a way that changed me, that has stayed with me.
-
Propagandhi
Birdcloud
Bright Eyes
Inner Terrestrials
Leonard Cohen
The Rebel Spell
Saul Williams
Willie Dunn
This is a good list. Would add Elliott Smith and Perfume Genius for some sadboy shit (like Bright Eyes).
-
Morbid Angel (A,B,C,F,G albums)
The Mars Volta are fascinating especially on De-loused
-
I just want to post again to say propagandhi, fucking so deep/ thoughtful and yet still so political (and dare I say even a tad spiritual these days?).
I have a friend that is really into metal and punk but doesn’t worship them and I simply can’t fathom why...
I don’t think they’ll ever not be my favorite band and I’m fine with that!
-
I just want to post again to say propagandhi, fucking so deep/ thoughtful and yet still so political (and dare I say even a tad spiritual these days?).
I have a friend that is really into metal and punk but doesn’t worship them and I simply can’t fathom why...
I don’t think they’ll ever not be my favorite band and I’m fine with that!
Their lyrics tore huge gaping holes in my early 20’s psyche. And I’m forever grateful for it, even if they moved away from me musically, I’ll still listen to them for what they say.