# Best lyricist? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 15, 2000, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-lyricist/25658 "2000-07-15T09:59:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gatsby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@Gatsby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatsby)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2000, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-lyricist/25658/1 "2000-07-15T09:59:11Z")
Ok, who writes the best lyrics? My vote is Tom Waits. A lyrical genius. One of my musical heroes. Many other come to mind, I know there are many genres, but I request only your favorite. IOW: one artist per reply, if you would. Who is your own personal, quintessential lyricist? ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2000, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-lyricist/25658/2 "2000-07-15T10:36:09Z")
Elvis. No, not the (un)dead one…Costello. ---
**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:** [July 15, 2000, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-lyricist/25658/3 "2000-07-15T10:51:08Z")
Tom Lehrer. ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2000, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-lyricist/25658/4 "2000-07-15T10:55:29Z")
You may be right, **Robot Arm** …Tom Lehrer may be better than Elvis Costello… ---
**Author:** ![Gatsby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@Gatsby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatsby)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2000, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-lyricist/25658/5 "2000-07-15T11:28:43Z")
Costello is a great choice. I have a shitload of his stuff. What about Lehrer? You guys have a site where I can find some prior to purchase? FTP preferred. No Napster! ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2000, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-lyricist/25658/6 "2000-07-15T11:34:38Z")
Richard Thompson Some of Stings stuff. Some of Billy Joel Crosby ,Stills & Nash ---
**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:** [July 15, 2000, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-lyricist/25658/7 "2000-07-15T11:39:37Z")
I wasn’t trying to change anybody’s mind. I think Lehrer stands out because the style that he did so well, no one else even attempts. But there’s more to life and art than brilliant wit. I’m going to keep thinking about this and see if I can come up with someone who’s eloquence is the equal of Tom Lehrer’s cleverness. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2000, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-lyricist/25658/8 "2000-07-15T12:46:50Z")
Without a doubt, Paul Simon. I’ve heard Bob Dylan is good, but I could never get past his nasally voice to listen. ---
**Author:** ![Oblio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c4cdca/32.png) [@Oblio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oblio)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2000, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-lyricist/25658/9 "2000-07-15T14:25:42Z")
Robert Hunter ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2000, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-lyricist/25658/10 "2000-07-15T15:02:42Z")
Top 3: Bob Dylan Robert Hunter Leonard Cohen If I had to go with just one, it would be Dylan. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2000, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-lyricist/25658/11 "2000-07-15T15:15:47Z")
When I wasn’t being chased by wooly mammoths and sabre tooth tigers, I felt that **Pete Sinfield’s (_King Crimson_)** lyrics were pure poetry, or at least literature (or maybe it was just the drugs). ---
**Author:** ![Sealemon88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@Sealemon88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sealemon88)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2000, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-lyricist/25658/12 "2000-07-15T16:00:30Z")
I can’t believe I got here before Coldfire. 😃 Neil Peart still stands as the best lyricist. ---
**Author:** ![Sn-man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sn-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sn-man)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2000, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-lyricist/25658/13 "2000-07-15T16:11:53Z")
INPO: Roger Waters Ronnie Van Zant Neil Young Bob Dylan Billy Joel ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2000, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-lyricist/25658/14 "2000-07-15T16:34:06Z")
but Cole Porter and Ira Gershwin blow all these others away (though Dylan comes close) ---
**Author:** ![stuyguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2000, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-lyricist/25658/15 "2000-07-15T16:39:49Z")
They are ALL amateurs compared to Stephen Sondheim. The man has elevated lyric-writing to a level others have yet to even approach. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2000, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-lyricist/25658/16 "2000-07-15T17:32:52Z")
Carole King Ray Davies Billy Bragg Neil Morrisey Joni Mitchell Pete Seeger if we want to get into older stuff then Hoagy Charmicheal and yeah Ira Gershwin,Cole Porter - good call ---
**Author:** ![ThisYearsGirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@ThisYearsGirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisYearsGirl)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2000, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-lyricist/25658/17 "2000-07-15T17:42:45Z")
Carole King Ben Folds Van Morrison Bruce Springsteen (and if you disagree with me on this, listen to “It’s Hard to Be a Saint in the City” off the “Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ” album–just fantastic.) Bob Dylan George Gershwin Billie Holiday (I don’t know if she wrote a lot of her songs, but “Strange Fruit” is one of the best songs ever written, not question) Pete Townshend ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2000, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-lyricist/25658/18 "2000-07-15T17:48:24Z")
**Archive Guy** You forgot Johnny Mercer…That old black magic has me in its spell… **Stuyguy** Agreed. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2000, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-lyricist/25658/19 "2000-07-15T17:48:42Z")
Come on people, the best is obviousy Lennon-McCartney. Followed closely by Paul Simon And a close third is Sting ---
**Author:** ![Barney111](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@Barney111](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barney111)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2000, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-lyricist/25658/20 "2000-07-15T17:49:04Z")
Dylan, Dylan, Dylan, Dylan, Dylan… runners up (no particular order): John Lennon Bernie Taupin John Prine Randy Newman Lyle Lovett Jackson Browne James Taylor [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-lyricist/25658.md?page=2)