# Bands that have the best lyrics? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 10, 2009, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-have-the-best-lyrics/505963 "2009-08-10T19:30:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TNWPsycho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/47e85d/32.png) [@TNWPsycho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TNWPsycho)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-have-the-best-lyrics/505963/1 "2009-08-10T19:30:24Z")
I probably enjoy lyrics more than the actual songs most of the time. In your opinion, what band has the best lyrics? I really enjoy Danial Davey’s lyrics (Cradle of Filth), also Elijah Alleman (Deadsy) ranks high on my list. ---
**Author:** ![prodicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d9b06d/32.png) [@prodicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/prodicus)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-have-the-best-lyrics/505963/2 "2009-08-10T19:56:17Z")
I don’t know about “best”, but I enjoy The Shins’ lyrics. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-have-the-best-lyrics/505963/3 "2009-08-10T19:59:59Z")
Billy Joel Lyle Lovett Keith Reid Loudon Wainwright III ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-have-the-best-lyrics/505963/4 "2009-08-10T20:00:03Z")
Jethro Tull strikes me as having some of the best lyrics ever. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-have-the-best-lyrics/505963/5 "2009-08-10T20:36:49Z")
Not a band, and I know lots of people find him pretentious, but I’m actually quite a sap for Sting’s lyrics. And while I’m not familiar with their whole body of work, I’ve always found the lyrics to [this Blues Traveller song](http://www.lyricsfreak.com/b/blues+traveler/hook_20020794.html) to be kind of clever. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-have-the-best-lyrics/505963/6 "2009-08-10T20:40:15Z")
I think Rush has mostly evocative and intelligent lyrics. You do have to deal with Geddy Lee singing them, though. That’s a total love/hate thing right there. ---
**Author:** ![HoboStew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f17d59/32.png) [@HoboStew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoboStew)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-have-the-best-lyrics/505963/7 "2009-08-10T20:44:05Z")
**Modest Mouse** has the best lyrics in rock music history for my money. I usually point to [Sytrofoam Boots](http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Styrofoam-Boots-It%27s-All-Nice-On-Ice-Alright-lyrics-Modest-Mouse/F4A333A433981F0648256C540026A27E) as their best, but check just about any song, really. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-have-the-best-lyrics/505963/8 "2009-08-10T20:44:48Z")
Peter Gabriel Bob Dylan (kind of a duh) Richard Thompson ETA: None of these are bands - so sue me. ---
**Author:** ![JCorre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3da27b/32.png) [@JCorre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JCorre)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-have-the-best-lyrics/505963/9 "2009-08-10T20:47:50Z")
Chris Cornell (Soundgarden, Audioslave) writes some pretty good lyrics too. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-have-the-best-lyrics/505963/10 "2009-08-10T20:59:40Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > Richard Thompson I was just thinking of him. Yes, he does. Gentle Giant had some interesting lyrics. ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-have-the-best-lyrics/505963/11 "2009-08-10T21:32:48Z")
Grateful Dead Van Morrison Neil Young Paul Simon Talking Heads (David Byrne solo stuff as well * * * I didnt mention Dylan, as he is probably the measuring stick for comparing all others… ---
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-have-the-best-lyrics/505963/12 "2009-08-10T21:59:24Z")
I’m not a huge lyrics man, more into sounds first, words second. But even I have to bow before the awesome wordsmith that is **Morrissey** and **The Smiths**. When your lyrics are used by other people for a band name, or a film title, you know you’re making a splash. _Panic at the disco_, _Hang the DJ_, _Girlfriend in a coma_, _Shakespears sister_ etc etc. Of course part of this is just because The Smiths were a mighty, influential band; and like all great bands get namechecked a lot regardless of their lyrics. But there’s no denying the exceptional quality of Morrissey’s writing - he’s one of the rare few whose lyrics have passed into the general lexicon of the age. A British Bob Dylan if you like. A less well-known example (in the US) would be **Pulp**. Jarvis Cocker is a gifted lyricist - I know this because I don’t particularly like the band at all, but still have to admire his words. His last solo offering was painfully bad, as well. So he’s following in the steps of the greats like Dylan and Morrissey there as he matures into his solo career. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-have-the-best-lyrics/505963/13 "2009-08-10T22:45:28Z")
Stephen Merrit Of The Magnetic Fields writes some amazing lyrics. ---
**Author:** ![dada2fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ccd318/32.png) [@dada2fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dada2fish)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2009, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-have-the-best-lyrics/505963/14 "2009-08-11T03:54:30Z")
I always thought early Roxy Music had interesting lyrics. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2009, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-have-the-best-lyrics/505963/15 "2009-08-11T04:10:40Z")
I really enjoy the wittiness of The Trash Can Sinatras and the Rave-Ups. Natalie Merchant and Phil Ochs are great at making a social cause listenable. Tim Minchin and Camille West have a way with a humorous song. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2009, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-have-the-best-lyrics/505963/16 "2009-08-11T04:29:18Z")
**Uncle Bonsai** (they’re sort of halfway between Jonathon Coulton and Tom Lehrer.) ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2009, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-have-the-best-lyrics/505963/17 "2009-08-11T04:31:35Z")
A Perfect Circle/Tool ‘Is your halo slipping down, to choke you now?’ Sweet I just made an APC station on Pandora and it started with the track I wanted to hear most. 😉 Snog ‘We are happy little proles, and we’re on our way to work.’ Skinny Puppy ‘in nervous convulsion crouches infant ape trembling in mothers shit cage eyes tear less filled with contempt clinic mask experiment with life and death smell lingering noxious mixed scent anxiety omnipotent doctor grinds the cage door revealing loves primal instinct taken away’ KMFDM ‘Like a fiendish tropic virus Spitting bile at all you whores Razor-sharp tongue-in-cheek Poking in your open sores’ ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2009, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-have-the-best-lyrics/505963/18 "2009-08-11T04:37:52Z")
I forgot two major ones. Bruce Springsteen and Tom Waits. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2009, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-have-the-best-lyrics/505963/19 "2009-08-11T04:45:28Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > I forgot two major ones. > > Bruce Springsteen and Tom Waits. Might as well include Johnny Cash and Leonard Cohen at this point. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2009, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-have-the-best-lyrics/505963/20 "2009-08-11T04:49:56Z")
Tom Waits has quite a way with words, though I was bummed to learn he didn’t come up with one of my favorite lines – “champagne for my real friends and real pain for my sham friends” (he was quoting the painter Francis Bacon, IIRC). Tod Ashley (aka, Tod A.) of Cop Shoot Cop and Firewater is another great lyricist. The raucousness of his music belies the sharp wit and sensitivity of his words. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-have-the-best-lyrics/505963.md?page=2)