# The best song lyrics of all time **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 13, 2004, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-song-lyrics-of-all-time/234033 "2004-03-13T04:13:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![grisham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@grisham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grisham)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2004, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-song-lyrics-of-all-time/234033/1 "2004-03-13T04:13:21Z")
Okay I am a lyrics junkie as are many of my friends. We were talking today about some of the lyrics that just make you think, make you cry, or just set themselves out as great. This is just your opinion on what the best are out there from any genre. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2004, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-song-lyrics-of-all-time/234033/2 "2004-03-13T04:33:24Z")
Well… What’s **your** opinion? ---
**Author:** ![Hot\_Buttered\_Toast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b38774/32.png) [@Hot\_Buttered\_Toast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hot_Buttered_Toast)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2004, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-song-lyrics-of-all-time/234033/3 "2004-03-13T04:42:29Z")
Oh, that’s easy. MacArthur Park. It made me think a lot, mainly along the lines of “what was the songwriter _on_” and “how can people possibly like this song”. ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2004, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-song-lyrics-of-all-time/234033/4 "2004-03-13T07:07:50Z")
I love a lot of contemporary pop and rock music, and there are some great lyrics out there. But if you want the best, you have to hand it to Cole Porter, indisputably the greatest popular songwriter of the 20th century. Loads of examples available online. (The Mods don’t want us posting lyrics here). ---
**Author:** ![Homer\_J](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c37758/32.png) [@Homer\_J](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer_J)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2004, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-song-lyrics-of-all-time/234033/5 "2004-03-13T11:59:47Z")
counting crows write some pretty introspective lyrics that really make you think, and damien rice’s new album is very well written as well. ---
**Author:** ![UselessGit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/74df32/32.png) [@UselessGit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UselessGit)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2004, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-song-lyrics-of-all-time/234033/6 "2004-03-13T12:47:58Z")
Smashing Pumpkins’ **Mayonnaise**. There’s something about the lyrics to that song that gets me, although I really don’t understand them as such. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2004, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-song-lyrics-of-all-time/234033/7 "2004-03-13T13:02:48Z")
Frank Zappa _Call Any Vegetable_ Call any vegetable Pick up your phone Think of a vegetable Lonely at home Call any vegetable And the chances are good That a vegetable will respond to you ---
**Author:** ![UnwrittenNocturne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/6de8d8/32.png) [@UnwrittenNocturne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UnwrittenNocturne)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2004, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-song-lyrics-of-all-time/234033/8 "2004-03-13T13:06:00Z")
I am in for almost anything by Leonard Cohen for lyrical value. ---
**Author:** ![Reuben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/54ee81/32.png) [@Reuben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reuben)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2004, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-song-lyrics-of-all-time/234033/9 "2004-03-13T14:02:28Z")
The Pogue’s “A Pair of Brown Eyes” does it for me. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2004, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-song-lyrics-of-all-time/234033/10 "2004-03-13T14:23:23Z")
Was a while before I actually listened to the lyrics but… the song _should_ be enjoying a new burst of fame, if you ask me. [Before the Hobbits were all the Rage (again)](http://www.elyrics.net/go/l/Led%20Zeppelin%20Lyrics/Ramble%20On%20Lyrics/) ---
**Author:** ![cactus\_waltz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@cactus\_waltz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cactus_waltz)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2004, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-song-lyrics-of-all-time/234033/11 "2004-03-13T14:31:44Z")
> [@UnwrittenNocturne](#): > > I am in for almost anything by Leonard Cohen for lyrical value. Oh, indeed. You can take any of his songs and just read as a poem. Tindersticks’ “another night in” has an incredibly moving chorus. ---
**Author:** ![grisham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@grisham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grisham)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2004, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-song-lyrics-of-all-time/234033/12 "2004-03-13T15:08:18Z")
Ok for me many of the aforemetioned would make my list. I would also add a few songs by the strokes. I am not so sure why, but some of their songs especially on their newest album just struck me as good. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2004, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-song-lyrics-of-all-time/234033/13 "2004-03-13T16:15:03Z")
“All This Time” by Sting. ---
**Author:** ![klockwerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/klockwerk/32/6475_2.png) [@klockwerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/klockwerk)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2004, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-song-lyrics-of-all-time/234033/14 "2004-03-13T16:57:56Z")
“You Look So Fine” by Garbage ". . .You look so fine I want to break your heart and give you mine. . . " My favourite line from a song ever. ---
**Author:** ![NotTheGreatGatsby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e9a140/32.png) [@NotTheGreatGatsby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotTheGreatGatsby)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2004, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-song-lyrics-of-all-time/234033/15 "2004-03-13T17:01:31Z")
Period. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2004, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-song-lyrics-of-all-time/234033/16 "2004-03-13T17:42:24Z")
\*Real Good and Free \* & _Cold Blue Steel & Sweet Fire_ by Joni Mitchell ---
**Author:** ![Roadwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@Roadwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roadwalker)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2004, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-song-lyrics-of-all-time/234033/17 "2004-03-13T17:48:36Z")
Bruce Springsteen’s lyrics are some of my favorites, _The River_ may be the one that I like most. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2004, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-song-lyrics-of-all-time/234033/18 "2004-03-13T17:53:49Z")
I’m partial to “I don’t need you, you egotistical git” songs. Basia “How Dare You”: For the first three choruses, the lyrics are: > [@](#): > > So now you think I’m yours > And you don’t have to try > Seems nothing I do is right > > How dare you talk to me like that > If you’re not careful I’ll get mad > How dare you talk to me like that > Let this be a warning For the last chorus, after a whole song of built-up frustration and anger, they become: > [@](#): > > Now you think I’m yours > And you don’t have to try > Seems nothing you do is right Cher’s “Believe” has a similar line, about “'Cos I’ve had time to think it trough And maybe I’m too good for you” And of course, we have My Fair Lady. Near the end of the show/movie, Eliza sings a song called “Without You”: > [@](#): > > There’ll be spring every year without you. > England still will be here without you. > There’ll be fruit on the tree. > And a shore by the sea. > There’ll be crumpets and tea without you. > > Art and music will thrive without you. > Somehow Keats will survive without you. > And there still will be rain on that plain down in Spain, > even that will remain without you. > I can do without you. > > You, dear friend, who taught so well, > You can go to Hartford, Hereford and Hampshire. > > They can still rule with land without you. > Windsor Castle will stand without you. > And without much ado we can all muddle through without you. > > Without your pulling it, the tide comes in > Without your twirling it, the earth can spin > Without your pushing them, the clouds roll by, > If they can do without you, ducky, so can I > I shall not feel alone without you > I can stand on my own without you > So go back in your shell > I can do bloody well > Without you! ---
**Author:** ![cactus\_waltz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@cactus\_waltz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cactus_waltz)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2004, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-song-lyrics-of-all-time/234033/19 "2004-03-13T17:57:58Z")
> [@grisham](#): > > I would also add a few songs by the strokes. I am not so sure why, but some of their songs especially on their newest album just struck me as good. I also think their lyrics came across as good, but I can’t for the life put any deeper meaning to any of them, except maybe for “NYC cops”. I feel like the lyrics are just there to accompany the music. ---
**Author:** ![gentle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eb8c5e/32.png) [@gentle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gentle)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2004, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-song-lyrics-of-all-time/234033/20 "2004-03-13T18:00:29Z")
Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service is one of [the most amazing of today’s lyricists](http://www.deathcab.addr.com/lyrics.htm). His songs are poetic slapstick, lithely lyrical snapshots of everyday beauty and the waves and cycles of modern relationships, a Richard Brautigan of songs. He crafts love songs that transcend the love-song genre, partly thanks to his gift for metaphor, symbolism and allusion, partly in the wisdom, irony and experience personified by the multitude of voices and stories. > [@](#): > > When we laugh indoors, the blissful tones bounce off the walls and fall to the ground > Peel the hardwood back to let them loose from decades trapped and listen so still > This city is my home, construction noise all day long and gutter punks are bumming change > So I breed thicker skin and let me lustrous coat fill in and I’ll never admit that I loved you, Guenivere > I’ve always fallen fast with too much trust in the promise that “no one’s ever been here, so you can quell those wet fears.” > I want purity, I must have it here right now. But don’t you get me started now > December’s chill comes late, the days get darker and we wait for this direness to pass > There are piles on the floor of artifacts from dresser drawers, and I’ll help you pack. > – _We Laugh Indoors_ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-song-lyrics-of-all-time/234033.md?page=2)