Poetry and Lyrics

We've had other threads like this, I know--but what the heck, I'll start another. I listen to music a lot--like almost constantly. It's a major influence on my writing, both the lyrics and the music itself. I often find myself trying to capture the rhythm of a song I love in a poem. Anyone else do that?

And what about lyrics? Are there any you really love? Find especially poetic? Of course there are--post them here for us all to see!

I just posted this one in a thread on the General Board and, rereading it, just loved the poeticism of it (and that it's about writing).

Song About the Moon
Paul Simon

If you want to write a song about the moon
Walk along the craters of the afternoon
When the shadows are deep
And the light is alien
And gravity leaps like a knife off the pavement
And you want to write a song about the moon
You want to write a spiritual tune
Then nah nah nah
Presto
Song about the moon

If you want to write a song about the heart
Think about the moon before you start
Because the heart will howl
Like a dog in the moonlight
And the heart can explode
Like a pistol on a June night
So if you want to write a song about the heart
And its ever-longing for a counterpart
Write a song about the moon

The laughing boy
He laughed so hard
He fell down from his place
The laughing girl
She laughed so hard
The tears rolled down her face

Hey Songwriter
If you want to write a song about
A face
Think about a photograph
That you really can't remember
But you can't erase
Wash your hands in dreams and lightning
Cut off your hair
And whatever is frightening

If you want to write a song
About a face
If you want to write a song about
The human race
Write a song about the moon
If you want to write a song about the moon
You want to write a spiritual tune
THEN DO IT
Write a song about the moon

***********

Now post those lyrics!

Absolutely the BEST Song

This song has been my favorite forever. I even used it in a story recently (and got slammed by someone that cannot read author's notes over plagarismn, please don't get me started)

In Your Eyes
by Peter Gabriel
Found on the CD So

Love, I get so lost, sometimes
Days pass and this emptiness fills my heart
When I want to run away
I drive off in my car
But whichever way I go
I come back to the place you are

All my instincts, they return
And the grand facade, so soon will burn
Without a noise, without my pride
I reach out from the inside

In your eyes
The light the heat
In your eyes
I am complete
In your eyes
I see the doorway to a thousand churches
In your eyes
The resolution of all the fruitless searches
In your eyes
I see the light and the heat
In your eyes
Oh, I want to be that complete
I want to touch the light
The heat I see in your eyes

Love, I don't like to see so much pain
So much wasted and this moment keeps slipping away
I get so tired of working so hard for our survival
I look to the time with you to keep me awake and alive

And all my instincts, they return
And the grand facade, so soon will burn
Without a noise, without my pride
I reach out from the inside

In your eyes
The light the heat
In your eyes
I am complete
In your eyes
I see the doorway to a thousand churches
In your eyes
The resolution of all the fruitless searches
In your eyes
I see the light and the heat
In your eyes
Oh, I want to be that complete
I want to touch the light,
The heat I see in your eyes
In your eyes
In your eyes
In your eyes

© 1986

Click to expand...

One of my favorite questions when getting to know someone has always been, "Which is more important: the words or the music?" For me, it's always been the words. But lyrics are different than poetry and, somehow, they mean more to me. I've pretty much always got lyrics in my siggy, including right now.


Another Horsedreamer's Blues
Counting Crows

Margery’s dreaming of the middle of the day
Tiyuri to win
perfect Dozen to place
Money is the matter that’s been on her mind
Time ticks by her one race at a time

She’s trying to be a good girl
and give ’em what they want
but Margery’s dreaming of horses

Looking at a green sky
Sun like a red eye
Bright blue horses are the fortune she lives by
She’s tired and lonely
scared and depressed
Her visions of one day go racing the next

She’s trying to be a good girl
And give ’em what they want
but Margery’s dreaming of horses

Margery doesn’t say anything all the way home
So afraid she’ll awake to find she’s all alone

Margery’s wingspans all feathers and coke cans and
TV dinners and letters she won’t send’ and
Every race night is shot through with sunlight
Trying to hit the big one one last time tonight for...
drunken fathers and stupid mothers and
boys who can’t tell one girl from another

So she takes her pills
careful and round
one of these days she’s gonna throw the whole bottle down
But she’s trying to be a good girl
And give ’em what they want
but Margery’s dreaming of...
Trying to be a good girl
And give ’em what they want
but Margery’s dreaming of horses

I have two songs that I can't quite live without right now. I have no idea if it is for lyrical quality or whatever else, but I urge y'all to hear them. I think they are perfect examples of good lyrics made incredible due to profilic performance. In both these songs, the music is dictated by the text, and not the other way around, whis is often the case.

----------------------------
Waterboys - "Too Close To Heaven"

All your trouble will be over, so will your pain
you are gonna see those blue skies bursting right through the rain
The higher you climb, the lower you fall
You got too close to heaven, that's all

Now in the morning you can cry all you want to
- we'll spend the whole day weeping
Right now I want you to lay down your weary head
and let me see you sleeping
You've been walking around baby, inflamed and ashamed
feeling like you're one inch tall
You got too close to heaven, that's all

You're way too hard on yourself baby
- you got some pretty basic things wrong
You wouldn't believe me if I told you why I wrote you into this song
You're looking at your heart baby, and you're calling it black
but like Icarus and like Saul
You got too close to heaven, that's all

Now I know this hurt you're feeling - I've felt these same things too
I've got spaces way down deep inside of me that are just the same as you
You wanna wrap your arms around your head, turn out the lights
and roll yourself into a ball
You got too close to heaven, that's all

Are you blinded by the brilliance ?
Are you dazzled by the Light ?
Why is it I see nothing but emptiness in your tired beaten eyes
that once were bright
I know you just can't help but run when you hear that sweet voice call
You got too close to heaven, that's all

I walked a mile for you baby
so won't you smile for me baby?
----------------------------


----------------------------
Lamb - "Gabriel"

i can fly
but I want his wings
i can shine even in the darkness
but I crave the light that he brings
revel in the songs that he sings
my angel gabriel

i can love
but I need his heart
i am strong even on my own
but from him I never want to part
he's been there since the very start
my angel gabriel
my angel gabriel

bless the day he came to be
angel's wings carried him to me
heavenly
i can fly
but I want his wings
i can shine even in the darkness
but I crave the light that he brings
revel in the songs that he sings
my angel gabriel

----------------------------
On the other hand, Lamb's singer Lou Rhodes can read a grocery list, and I'd still swoon...

These are all wonderful! I'm so glad y'all are posting in this thread. Too often, people fail to see how beautifully poetic lyrics can be. I've tried to write some lately, too, and boy it isn't easy!

I think Joni Mitchell is a great poet. This is one of my all-time favorite lyrics of hers.

Little Green

Born with the moon in cancer
Choose her a name she will answer to
Call her green and the winters cannot fade her
Call her green for the children who’ve made her
Little green, be a gypsy dancer

He went to california
Hearing that everything’s warmer there
So you write him a letter and say, her eyes are blue.
He sends you a poem and she’s lost to you
Little green, he’s a non-conformer

Chorus:

Just a little green
Like the color when the spring is born
There’ll be crocuses to bring to school tomorrow
Just a little green
Like the nights when the northern lights perform
There’ll be icicles and birthday clothes
And sometimes there’ll be sorrow

Child with a child pretending
Weary of lies you are sending home
So you sign all the papers in the family name
You’re sad and you’re sorry, but you’re not ashamed
Little green, have a happy ending

Chorus:

Just a little green
Like the color when the spring is born
There’ll be crocuses to bring to school tomorrow
Just a little green
Like the nights when the northern lights perform
There’ll be icicles and birthday clothes
And sometimes there’ll be sorrow

And another of my favorite lyrics (and songs) ever by another great poet/musician, Jackson Browne.

I Thought I Was a Child

It's such a clever innocence with which you do your sorcery
As if somehow the years just bow and let that young girl go free
I thought I was a child until you turned and smiled
I thought I knew where I was going until I heard your laughter flowing
And came upon the wisdom in your eyes
Surprise--

I've spent my whole life running 'round
Chasing songs from town to town
Thinking I'd be free so long as I never let love slow me down
So lonely and so wild until you turned and smiled
By now I should have long been gone
But here I am still looking on
As if I didn't know which way to run

It's such a clever innocence with which you show myself to me
As if you know how it feels to never be who you wanted to be
I thought I was a child until you turned and smiled
I thought that I was free but I'm just one more prisoner of time
Alone within the boundaries of my mind
I thought I was a child

I've got my MP3 library on random, and a favourite with great lyrics that I almost had forgot came up.

Michael Stipe has his moments now and then:

------------------------------------
REM - "Electrolite"

Your eyes are burning holes through me.
I'm gasoline.
I'm burnin' clean.

Twentieth century go and sleep.
You're plasticine.
That is obscene.
That is obscene.

You are the star tonight.
Your sun electric, outta sight.
Your light eclipsed the moon tonight.
Elecrolite. You're outta sight.

If I ever want to fly.
Mulholland Drive.
I am alive.

Hollywood is under me.
I'm Martin Sheen
I'm Steve McQueen
I'm Jimmy Dean

You are the star tonight.
Your sun electric, outta sight.
Your light eclipsed the moon tonight.
Elecrolite.
You're outta sight.

If you want to fly.
Mulholland Drive.
Up in the sky.
Stand on a cliff and look down there.
Don't be scared, you are alive.
You are alive.

You are the star tonight.
Your sun electric outta sight.
Your light eclipsed the moon tonight.
Elecrolite.
You're outta sight.

Twentieth century go and sleep.
Really deep.
We won't blink

You're eyes are burnin' holes through me.
I'm not scared
I'm outta here.
I'm not scared.
I'm outta here.

I love this one because it's so very fun for me to sing along to. I never fail to trip over the line "to burst grin giggle bliss skip jump and sing and shout". It also never fails to bring a smile to my face when it feels like there's nothing worth smiling about.

Doing the Unstuck
The Cure

it's a perfect day for letting go
for setting fire to bridges boats
and other dreary worlds you know
let's get happy!
it's a perfect day for making out
to wake up with a smile without a doubt
to burst grin giggle bliss skip jump and sing and shout
let's get happy!
but it's much to late you say
for doing this now
we should have done it then
well it just goes to show
how wrong you can be
and how you really should know
that it's never too late
to get up and go
it's a perfect day for kiss and swell
for rip-zipping button-popping kiss and well...
there's loads of other stuff can make you yell
let's get happy!
it's a perfect day for doing the unstuck
for dancing like you can't hear the beat
and you don't give a further thought
to things like feet
let's get happy!
but it's much too late you say
for doing this now
we should have done it then
well it just goes to show
how wrong you can be
and how you really should know
that it's never to late
to get up and go
kick out the gloom
kick out the blues
tear out the pages with all the bad news
pull down the mirrors and pull down the walls
tear up the stairs and tear up the floors
oh just burn down the house!
burn down the street!
turn everything red and the beat is complete
with the sound of your world
going up in fire
it's a perfect day to throw back your head
and kiss it all goodbye
it's a perfect day for getting old
forgetting all your worries
life
and everything that makes you cry
let's get happy!
it's a perfect day for dreams come true
for thinking big
and doing anything you want to do
let's get happy!
but it's much to late you say
for doing this now
we should have done it then
well it just goes to show
how wrong you can be
and how you really should know
that it's never too late
to get up and go
kick out the gloom
kick out the blues
tear out the pages with all the bad news
pull down the mirrors and pull down the walls
tear up the stairs and tear up the floors
oh just burn down the house!
burn down the street!
turn everything red and the dream is complete
with the sound of your world
going up in fire
it's a perfect day to throw back your head
and kiss it all goodbye

minsue said:

Doing the Unstuck
The Cure

Click to expand...

By coincidence, the song currently playing in my speakers is this:

--------------------------------------
The Cure - "The Kiss"

Kiss me kiss me kiss me
Your tongue is like poison
So swollen it fills up my mouth
Love me love me love me
You nail me to the floor
And push my guts all inside out

Get it out get it out get it out
Get your fucking voice
Out of my head

I never wanted this
I never wanted any of this
I wish you were dead
--------------------------------------

I've saiid it before, and I'll say it again, they must be the most versatile rock band that have ever existed.

#L

Liar said:

I've saiid it before, and I'll say it again, they must be the most versatile rock band that have ever existed.

#L

Click to expand...

I wholeheartedly agree. They are one of the few bands who's every song can suck me right in to the emotions being expressed. From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea does so to the point that I can physically feel it. This sort of tug near my throat, like someone is pulling a string.

[color=66cc66]From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea

every time we do this
i fall for her
wave after wave after wave
it's all for her
i know this can't be wrong i say
(and i'll lie to keep her happy)
as long as i know that you know
that today i belong
right here with you
right here with you...

and so we watch the sun come up
from the edge of the deep green sea
and she listens like her head's on fire
like she wants to believe in me
so i try
put your hands in the sky
surrender
remember
we'll be here forever
and we'll never say goodbye...

i've never been so
colourfully-see-through-head before
i've never been so
wonderfully-me-you-want-some-more
and all i want is to keep it like this
you and me alone
a secret kiss
and don't go home
don't go away
don't let this end
please stay
not just for today

never never never never never let me go she says
hole me like this for a hundred thousand million days
but suddenly she slows
and looks down at my breaking face
why do you cry? what did i say?
but it's just rain i smile
brushing my tears away...

i wish i could just stop
i know another moment will break my heart
too many tears
too many times
too many years i've cried over you

how much more can we use it up?
drink it dry?
take this drug?
looking for something forever gone
but something
we will always want?

why why why are you letting me go? she says
i feel you pulling back
i feel you changing shape...
and just as i'm breaking free
she hangs herself in front of me
slips her dress like a flag to the floor
and hands in the sky
surrenders it all...

i whish i could just stop
i know another moment will break my heart
too many tears
too many times
too many years i've cried for you
it's always the same
wake up in the rain
head in pain
hung in shame
a different name
same old game
love in vain
and miles and miles and miles and miles and miles
away from home again...
[/color]

Two words

Tom Waits

All The World Is Green

I fell into the ocean
When you became my wife
I risked it all aganist the sea
To have a better life
Marie you're the wild blue sky
And men do foolish things
You turn kings into beggars
And beggars into kings

Pretend that you owe me nothing
And all the world is green
We can bring back the old days again
And all the world is green

The face forgives the mirror
The worm forgives the plow
The question begs the answer
Can you forgive me somehow
Maybe when our story's over
We'll go where it's always spring
The band is playing our song again
And all the world is green

Pretend that you owe me nothing
And all the world is green
We can bring back the old days again
And all the world is green

The moon is yellow silver
Oh the things that summer brings
It's a love you'd kill for
And all the world is green

He is balancing a diamond
On a blade of grass
The dew will settle on our graves
When all the world is green

*****
And a sentimental favorite for me because of the times my dad took me to Coney Island...

Coney Island Baby

Every night she comes
To take me out to dreamland
When I'm with her, I'm the richest
Man in the town

She's a rose, she's the pearl
She's the spin on my world
All the stars make their wishes on her eyes

She's my Coney Island Baby
She's my Coney Island Girl
She's a princess in a red dress
She's the moon in the mist to me
She's my Coney Island Baby
She's my Coney Island Girl

And now, from my randonm MP3 selection, something not at all serious.

----------------------
K's Choice - "Somethings Wrong"

When your pubic hair’s on fire’ something’s wrong
When you think you’re the Messiah’ something’s wrong
When you mistake a plane for Venus’ something’s wrong
When your girlfriend’s got a penis

Something’s wrong...

When you like music more than life’ something’s wrong
When you start sleeping as you drive’ something’s wrong
When you’re favorite drink is thinner’ something’s wrong
When you’re proud to be a sinner

Something’s wrong...

When a canary drives a tractor’ something’s wrong
When your president’s an actor’ something’s wrong
When your jacket’s plagued with dandruff’ something’s wrong
If you think that this song matters

Something’s wrong...

OK, Liar, now it's my turn to be shocked. I've never heard anyone else quote that song!

Two words......again

Tom Waits

Broken Bicycles


Broken bicycles, old busted chains,
rusted handlebars out in the rain.
Somebody must have an orphanage for
all these things that nobody wants anymore.

September's reminding July
it's time to be saying good-bye.
Summer is gone but our love will remain
like old broken bicycles out in the rain.

Broken bicycles, don't tell my folks
there's all these playing cards pinned to the spokes.
Laid down like skeletons out on the lawn,
one wheel won't turn when the other has gone.

The seasons can turn on a dime,
somehow I forget every time.
All that you've given me will always stay.
They're broken, but I'll never throw them away.

well

If we are going to quote Mr Waits:

House Where Nobody Lives:

There's a house on my block
That's abandoned and cold
Folks moved out of it a
Long time ago
And they took all their things
And they never came back
Looks like it's haunted
With the windows all cracked
And everyone call it
The house, the house where
Nobody lives

Once it held laughter
Once it held dreams
Did they throw it away
Did they know what it means
Did someone's heart break
Or did someone do somebody wrong?

Well the paint was all cracked
It was peeled off of the wood
Papers were stacked on the porch
Where I stood
And the weeds had grown up
Just as high as the door
There were birds in the chimney
And an old chest of drawers
Looks like no one will ever
Come back to the
House were nobody lives

Once it held laughter
Once it held dreams
Did they throw it away
Did they know what it means
Did someone's heart break
Or did someone do someone wrong?
So if you find someone
Someone to have, someone to hold
Don't trade it for silver
Don't trade it for gold
I have all of life's treasures
And they are fine and they are good
They remind me that houses
Are just made of wood
What makes a house grand
Ain't the roof or the doors
If there's love in a house
It's a palace for sure
Without love...
It ain't nothin but a house
A house where nobody lives
Without love it ain't nothin
But a house, a house where
Nobody lives.


I could put 5 or 6 Tom waits songs down here
I Wish I Was In New Orleans probably one of my favorites

But Instead:
Roxy Music:
Nightingale
(Ferry/Manzanera)

Before the morning comes, will I hear your song
Come little nightingale, I won't be here for long

When you're up there flying, do you care
If there's no one else around?
When your lover leaves you in the air
Do you waver, do you fall?

Now while the moon is high
Shall we, nightingale,
Duet all through the night
A pair of souls for sale
Stars cluster glistening
Captive till the dawn
Patiently listening
They've heard it all before

Should I stay here or should I go?
I couldn't bear to be alone
Was it really love I saw?
Oh, now I'll never know
What is this I hear?
I recognise that song
Sweet little nightingale I knew you'd come along
Soon when the morning comes.
We will both be gone
So sing pretty nightingale
Lead, I'll follow on.

Another one that, for me at least, must be sung at the top of my voice

Silent All These Years
Tori Amos

excuse me but
can i be you for a while
my dog won't bite
if you sit real still
i got the anti-christ
in the kitchen
yellin' at me again
yeah i can hear that

been saved again
by the garbage truck
i got something to say
you know but nothing comes
yes i know what you think of me
you never shut up
yeah i can hear that

but what if i'm a mermaid
in these jeans of his
with her name still on it
hey but i don't care
cause sometimes i said
sometimes i hear my voice
and it's been
here silent all these years

so you found a girl
who thinks really deep thoughts
what's so amazing
about really deep thoughts
boy you best pray
that i bleed real soon
how's that thought for you

Love that line...- M

my scream got lost in a paper cup
you think there's a heaven
where some screams have gone
i got 25 bucks and a cracker
do you think it's enough
to get us there

but what if i'm a mermaid
in these jeans of his
with her name still on it
hey but i don't care
cause sometimes i said
sometimes i hear my voice and it's been
here silent all these

years go by will i still be waiting
for somebody else to understand
years go by if i'm stripped of my beauty
and the orange clouds raining in my head
years go by will i choke on my tears
till finally there is nothing left
one more casualty
you know we're too easy easy easy

well i love the way we communicate
your eyes focus on my funny lip shape
let's hear what you think of me now
but baby don't look up
the sky is falling

your mother shows up in a nasty dress
it's your turn now to stand where i stand
everybody lookin' at you
here take hold of my hand
yeah i can hear them

but what if i'm a mermaid
in these jeans of his with her name still on it
hey but i don't care
cause sometimes i said
sometimes i hear my voice
i hear my voice
i hear my voice
and it's been here silent all these years
i've been here silent all these years
silent all these
silent all these years

Favorite Songs

Gotta start with ...

"Can't Ya see"
by Marshal Tucker Band..
This song moves me deeply...story of my life.

as well as...

"Knock Knock Knocking on Heavens Door"
by Eric Clapton...

And I'm not a big Guns & Roses fan

But the Song .."Every Rose has it's Thorns"
Moves me deeply too..

walksaway singing.."Every cowboy has his sad
sad song...every rose has its thorns."..

Re: well

Tathagata said:

If we are going to quote Mr Waits:

House Where Nobody Lives:

Click to expand...

And just think, we haven't even touched Cohen or Dylan yet.

Re: Re: well

Angeline said:

And just think, we haven't even touched Cohen or Dylan yet.

Click to expand...

Or Pink Floyd, The Doors, and John Lennon

Lennon is my hero (working-class, just like me).

Angeline said:

Lennon is my hero (working-class, just like me).

Click to expand...

That is one of the most powerful songs ever written.
still makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up...
" God" is another one
Across the Universe is still one of my favorites though

Tathagata said:

That is one of the most powerful songs ever written.
still makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up...
" God" is another one
Across the Universe is still one of my favorites though

Click to expand...

Nothing's gonna change my world.

Angeline said:

Nothing's gonna change my world.

Click to expand...

hehehe
yeah that's the line



fuck let's just print it out


Across the Universe:

Words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup,
They slither while they pass, they slip away Across the Universe.
Pools of sorrow, waves of joy are drifting through my opened mind,
Possessing and caressing me.

Jai Guru Deva Om
Nothing's gonna change my world, Nothing's gonna change my world.
Nothing's gonna change my world, Nothing's gonna change my world.

Images of broken light which dance before me like a million eyes,
They call me on and on Across the Universe.
Thoughts meander like a restless wind inside a letter box,
They tumble blindly as they make their way Across the Universe

Jai Guru Deva Om
Nothing's gonna change my world, Nothing's gonna change my world.
Nothing's gonna change my world, Nothing's gonna change my world.

Sounds of laughter, shades of earth are ringing
Through my open ears inciting and inviting me.
Limitless, undying love, which shines around me like a million suns,
And calls me on and on Across the Universe

Jai Guru Deva Om
Nothing's gonna change my world, Nothing's gonna change my world.
Nothing's gonna change my world, Nothing's gonna change my world.




( BTW David Bowies Version of this is worth a listen sometime)

You started it, T!


Working Class Hero
John Lennon

As soon as you're born they make you feel small
By giving you no time instead of it all
Till the pain is so big you feel nothing at all
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

They hurt you at home and they hit you at school
They hate you if you're clever and they despise a fool
Till you're so fucking crazy you can't follow their rules
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

When they've tortured and scared you for twenty odd years
Then they expect you to pick a career
When you can't really function you're so full of fear
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

Keep you doped with religion and sex and TV
And you think you're so clever and classless and free
But you're still fucking peasants as far as I can see
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

There's room at the top they are telling you still
But first you must learn how to smile as you kill
If you want to be like the folks on the hill
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

If you want to be a hero well just follow me
If you want to be a hero well just follow me