No Language in Our Lungs - XTC
Off He Goes - Pearl Jam
Better Angels of Our Nature - Monks of Doom
What a Good Boy - Barenaked Ladies
Everlong - Foo Fighters
Pain Lies on the Riverside - Live
There’s Atmosphere by Joy Division,
There Is a Light That Never Goes Out by the Smiths
Spirit by Bauhaus
Mothsby Jethro Tull
Stockton Gala Days by 10,000 Maniacs
Thank Youby Dido
Dylan’s Talkin’ WW III Blues.
Every after the war cliche skewered, verse by verse
And then ending with the brilliant
Well, in a different vein, I nominate Flight Of The Conchords. Specifically:
Carol Brown
Business Time
The Most Beautiful Girl In The Room
The Living Years by Mike and the Mechanics.
I don’t think it was one of my parameters.
so, if you have more, please share!
I’ve been waiting for the thread to build a bit before adding more of my own personal favorites, and many, in the meantime, have been mentioned.
Songs with good lyrics are amazing. I could probably just write “Sting” and be comfortable with that. The man is an incredible lyricist. But I’ll pick out a few of my favorites instead of just referencing his entire body of work.
the pleasure, the privilege is mine…
Sympathy for the Devil-Rolling Stones’
The New York Mining Disaster-Bee Gees
Born in the U.S.A. -B. Springsteen.
Eleanor Rigby-The Beatles
I’ve always adored the lyrics to Joni Mitchell’s “Marcie”, but the melody is soooo drawn-out. I’ve had to adopt my own melody for it in order to enjoy singing it to myself around the house.
Preceded by many excellent examples, this post can quickly become lost and forgotten, perhaps rediscovered ten years from now. I offer “Lamento boliviano” by Dimi Bass (Raúl Federico Gómez) y Natalio Faingold (SADAIC). Dimi Bass was with Alcohol Etílico (Ethyl Alcohol, official site) in 1986 when he co-wrote it.
One section in particular of the lyrics caught my ear: “Nena no te peines en la cama, que los viajantes se van a atrasar” – like “Girl don’t comb your hair in bed, because the traveling salesmen are going to lose time / be delayed”. Like, the guy is drunk and crazy (borracho y loco) while inside him is a volcano that soon will erupt.
[ul]
[li] a lyrics page[/li][li] wiki, however trustworthy, for an interpretation of the lyrics[/li][li] Lamento boliviano, Enanitos Verdes live; (Little Green Men, wiki)[/li][li] Lamento boliviano, Toke D Keda[/li][/ul]
If the lyrics are too evocative, at least the song has a very danceable rhythm.
Always on my Mind - Willie Nelson
What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong, Israel Kamakawiwo’ole (Braddah Iz), Eva Cassidy
In My Life - The Beatles
American Tune - Paul Simon
Kathy’s Song - Simon and Garfunkel (specifically for the phrase: “There, but for the grace of you, go I”)
Hallelujah - Leonard Cohen, Allison Crowe
(When I list more than one version, its because I like both, or all)