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Some of the Greatest Lyrics

I would love to get a thread going on concentrating on sets of lyrics (couplets, stanzas, etc.), as opposed to the normal conversation based upon entire songs and such. Feel free to list your faves here. I use many of these threads to discover new tunes and educate myself on the power of song. Can't wait to hear some of your suggestions and ideas. Here is a few but by no means an authority:

Tom Waits: from Cold, Cold Ground

there's a ribbon in the willow
and a tire swing rope
and a briar patch of berries
takin over the slope
the cat'll sleep in the mailbox
and we'll never go to town
til we bury every dream in
the cold cold ground

John Prine: from Late John Garfield Blues

Midnight fell on Franklin Street
And the lamppost bulbs were broke
For the life of me, I could not see
But I heard a brand new joke
Two men were standing upon a bridge
One jumped and screamed you lose
And just left the odd man holding
Those late John Garfield blues

Tags: Great, lyrics, songwriters

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Permalink Reply by Will James on January 10, 2013 at 8:38am

You quote from Diamonds in the Rough, Prine's second album. Although this question is more specific than this response, any song from that album is at the top of my lyrics list. Sorry if that doesn't respond directly to your question; don't know how I would chose. Too many.

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Permalink Reply by Jay Hill on January 10, 2013 at 3:49pm

I agree. Prine is just too difficult to pin down, but most of the great ones are. Do you you enjoy any of the new writers (Josh Ritter, Bright Eyes,etc.)? Just curious...would like to add some new fellows to the listening table.

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Permalink Reply by steviedal on January 12, 2013 at 2:56pm

If you want "new" artists with great lyrics you could try Iron & Wine (Sam Beam) , really good. The album Our Endless Numbered Days is a good starting point ( acoustic and you can hear the words easily !).

I also enjoy Magnolia Electric Co...........Fading Trails and What Came after The Blues are good albums.

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Permalink Reply by Kevin Smith on January 12, 2013 at 6:16pm

If you're interested in "new" writers, definitely check out Oliver John-Rodgers (or, OJR). One of his songs ("Move On") has been on the featured playlist here for a coupla weeks now. Lyrics for everything he's recorded to date are at www.oliverjohnrodgers.bandcamp.com.

He's a really talented 20-yr old who looks like he could be going places....

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Permalink Reply by Emilien on January 12, 2013 at 12:44pm

" don't know how I would chose. Too many. " is the best answer. I agree there are too many good singer-songwriters. and it's great!

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Permalink Reply by steviedal on January 10, 2013 at 11:00am

Seen the arrow on the doorpost
Saying, “This land is condemned
All the way from New Orleans
To Jerusalem”
I traveled through East Texas
Where many martyrs fell
And I know no one can sing the blues
Like Blind Willie McTell

Well, I heard that hoot owl singing
As they were taking down the tents
The stars above the barren trees
Were his only audience
Them charcoal gypsy maidens
Can strut their feathers well
But nobody can sing the blues
Like Blind Willie McTell

See them big plantations burning
Hear the cracking of the whips
Smell that sweet magnolia blooming
See the ghosts of slavery ships
I can hear them tribes a-moaning
Hear that undertaker’s bell
Nobody can sing the blues
Like Blind Willie McTell

There’s a woman by the river
With some fine young handsome man
He’s dressed up like a squire
Bootlegged whiskey in his hand
There’s a chain gang on the highway
I can hear them rebels yell
And I know no one can sing the blues
Like Blind Willie McTell

Well, God is in His heaven
And we all want what’s His
But power and greed and corruptible seed
Seem to be all that there is
I’m gazing out the window
Of the St. James Hotel
And I know no one can sing the blues
Like Blind Willie McTell

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Permalink Reply by Jay Hill on January 10, 2013 at 4:14pm

Dylan...what else can a man say?..The trouble with narrowing some of the great wordsmiths down would be which lyrics to chisel away from the greatest tunes put to record. I really enjoy his new record a lot. One of my favorite quotes comes from John Prine. When told he was the new Bob Dylan he replied "I didn't know anything was wrong with the old one"? Great stuff!!

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Permalink Reply by steviedal on January 11, 2013 at 10:27am

Agreed.

i just chose this cos it's my favourite song of his.

Today anyway !

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Permalink Reply by steve werth on January 11, 2013 at 12:46pm

And to think His Bobness didn't consider this worthy of inclusion on "Infidels"! This is like time travel for me!

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Permalink Reply by Terry Roland on January 10, 2013 at 4:25pm

Bruce Cockburn: from "Tokyo"

They're getting prepared to haul a car out of the river
Noise and smoke and concrete seem to be going on forever
Grinding gears and drivers getting high on exhaust
I'm thinking about the water down below and what got lost
Pachinko jingle and space torpedo beams
Comic book violence and escaping steam
Grey suited business men pissing against the wall --
Cut to crumbling guardrail, slow motions car fall
Oh Tokyo -- I never can sleep in your arms
Mind keeps on ringing like a fire alarm
Me and all these other dice bouncing around in the cup
Did you have to show me that accident scene
Didn't I get enough shaking up?
Still I'm gonna miss you...

John Stewart: from "Runaway Train"

I'm worried about you
I'm worried about me
The curves around midnight
Aren't easy to see
Flashing red warnings
Unseen in the rain
This thing has turned into
A runaway train

Long-distance phone calls
A voice on the line
Electrical miles
That soften the time
The dynamite too
Is hooked on the wire
And so are the rails
Of American Flyers

Blind boys and gamblers
They invented the blues
Will pay up in blood
When this marker comes due
To try and get off now
It's about as insane
As those who wave lanterns
At runaway trains