Most overrated Lyricists

Interesting list, not sure if I care or agree: http://flavorwire.com/219132/10-of-rock-n-rolls-most-overrated-lyricists

I definitely agree with Jim Morrison.

I'm not really a lyrics person unless there's a great turn of phrase (a la Jethro Tull) or if something really annoys me (like the Doors).

Not only do Morrison's lyrics usually make no sense, they're also often grammatically incorrect which annoys me to no end. Lyrics like "you know they are a liar" just totally grate on my nerves.

tohostudios wrote:

I definitely agree with Jim Morrison.

I'm not really a lyrics person unless there's a great turn of phrase (a la Jethro Tull) or if something really annoys me (like the Doors).

Not only do Morrison's lyrics usually make no sense, they're also often grammatically incorrect which annoys me to no end. Lyrics like "you know they are a liar" just totally grate on my nerves.

I totally agree with that one too plus the Robert Plant.

It's all according to the perspective of the listener. It's all opinion. One person will think a lyric is sheer genius and the guy next to him will be rolling on the floor laughing at the stupidity of it all.

That's why I never even think about or compare lyricists, it just starts arguments and I don't need to waste my time on those.

S.D. wrote:

It's all according to the perspective of the listener. It's all opinion. One person will think a lyric is sheer genius and the guy next to him will be rolling on the floor laughing at the stupidity of it all.

That's why I never even think about or compare lyricists, it just starts arguments and I don't need to waste my time on those.

such is all of music. Its all in the ear of the listener.

I find it easier to critique musical elements than lyrics, simply because I know more about that part of it. Lyrics have never been an important part to me...unless they are so stupid that they distract from the music.

You're going to hate me for this, but to be honest a lot of dio lyrics (mainly dio solo) were pretty much "word salad" lyrics. I mean, trying to decipher the meaning of songs like holy diver or the last in line could drive one mad. Good thing he had a killer voice and can pull those lyrics off. R.I.P. Ronnie

Hadley wrote:

You're going to hate me for this, but to be honest a lot of dio lyrics (mainly dio solo) were pretty much "word salad" lyrics. I mean, trying to decipher the meaning of songs like holy diver or the last in line could drive one mad. Good thing he had a killer voice and can pull those lyrics off. R.I.P. Ronnie

Totally agree with you. How many songs can include the words whips, chains, heaven, hell, rock, roll, magic, dark, heart, evil, sacred, etc.,? Over and over again from song to song with meaningless dribble. Like you said, at least his voice covered his lack of lyrical prowess.

I love Jim Morrison's lyrics personally and I think they were well written, I even like the lyrics to Light My Fire and he didn't write that one aside from one line.

GrandNational wrote:

Hadley wrote:

You're going to hate me for this, but to be honest a lot of dio lyrics (mainly dio solo) were pretty much "word salad" lyrics. I mean, trying to decipher the meaning of songs like holy diver or the last in line could drive one mad. Good thing he had a killer voice and can pull those lyrics off. R.I.P. Ronnie

Totally agree with you. How many songs can include the words whips, chains, heaven, hell, rock, roll, magic, dark, heart, evil, sacred, etc.,? Over and over again from song to song with meaningless dribble. Like you said, at least his voice covered his lack of lyrical prowess.

But that was the beauty of Dio lyrics. They really didn't have a meaning. Any meaning derived were from the listener. It was just a mastery of rhyming and 'dark sounding' words and phrases.

you forgot to mention the word "rainbow" which shows up about a zillion times.

S.D. wrote:

you forgot to mention the word "rainbow" which shows up about a zillion times.

And "mountain", how could I forget that one?

ultmetal wrote:

GrandNational wrote:

Hadley wrote:

You're going to hate me for this, but to be honest a lot of dio lyrics (mainly dio solo) were pretty much "word salad" lyrics. I mean, trying to decipher the meaning of songs like holy diver or the last in line could drive one mad. Good thing he had a killer voice and can pull those lyrics off. R.I.P. Ronnie

Totally agree with you. How many songs can include the words whips, chains, heaven, hell, rock, roll, magic, dark, heart, evil, sacred, etc.,? Over and over again from song to song with meaningless dribble. Like you said, at least his voice covered his lack of lyrical prowess.

But that was the beauty of Dio lyrics. They really didn't have a meaning. Any meaning derived were from the listener. It was just a mastery of rhyming and 'dark sounding' words and phrases.

Scott, we all know that there's a truth that's hard as steel, and that life's a never ending wheel. Between the velvet lies, the vision never dies my friend.

Speaking of meaningless word-play... Kurt Cobain takes the cake.

Troublezone wrote:

Speaking of meaningless word-play... Kurt Cobain takes the cake.

Nirvana sucks bottom line.

Dylan? Really? Out of the hundreds of songs he's written, they're gonna pick on one?
Guess I'm just one of those orthodox people they mention!

GrandNational wrote:

Scott, we all know that there's a truth that's hard as steel, and that life's a never ending wheel. Between the velvet lies, the vision never dies my friend.

http://www.themetallian.com/metallian/metal/generators/diolyrics

sheets wrote:

GrandNational wrote:

Scott, we all know that there's a truth that's hard as steel, and that life's a never ending wheel. Between the velvet lies, the vision never dies my friend.

http://www.themetallian.com/metallian/metal/generators/diolyrics

That was pure genius. Love it! Proves my point.

I didn't know over half of those names...

Mglaffas81 wrote:

I didn't know over half of those names...

me neither but there are a good number of overrated old lyricists to go around..

I kinda/sorta wonder how one would judge the lyrics of a death metal band w/out reading the words off the insert.

What do they mean Jim Morrison? Jim was amazing!

For me it is Manzarek, Densmore, and Krieger that made The Doors great. As Morrison maybe overrated, they are underrated even more.

And where is Elvis Costello on that list?

Funny thing is when I first saw the title to this thread I was all ready to go off on my dislike for Jay-Z as a "lyricist".