Randy Newman /zombie thread
DJ Assault’s “Nut in Your Eye” is one of the most deeply profound songs in existence as far as I’m concerned. He truly is a wordsmith and an expert lyrical craftsman, layering in delicate nuance and subtlety in every verse.
“Ho don’t cry when I nut in your eye” - there are literally thousands of possibly interpretations for this! Only Mr. Assault knows the true underlying meaning, and I’m sure to create a shroud of mystique around himself he’s not going to be sharing the answer with the masses…
Just for something different, Tim Armstrong of Rancid/Operation Ivy/Transplants gets my vote. While he’ll certainly never win any literary awards, his way of phrasing and the emotion that is evident in his lyrics will forever keep me as a fan.
My initial post doesn’t seem to have shown up, but off the top of my head, Prince, R Kelly, Dave Grohl
[quote]DBCooper wrote:
It doesn’t hurt that Danny Carey is the greatest living drummer on the planet, either.
[/quote]
What?!? Neil Peart!
I’d say Biggie or Steve Earle, because nobody can tell a story the way these two can.
[quote]strungoutboy21 wrote:
[quote]DBCooper wrote:
It doesn’t hurt that Danny Carey is the greatest living drummer on the planet, either.
[/quote]
What?!? Neil Peart![/quote]
Rush has ghonorrhea, Tool is invincible=Carey>Peart
Adam Duritz (Counting Crows), James Taylor, Noel Gallagher (Oasis), Ne-yo (this may not really be a personal favorite of mine…but the man penned the #1, #2, and #3 most radio played songs of all time. That’s impressive), I really like Will Hoge, Dylan is timeless and probably the general consensus for the best ever…I don’t like the way he sings though. Elton John is up there too…he gets a lot out of simple lyrics.
The list goes on. I think Lennon was grossly overrated although ‘‘A Day in The Life’’ could be argued as the greatest song of all time.
James McMurtry is my favorite songwriter. His dad wrote the Lonesome Dove books.
[quote]AnthonyLovesU wrote:
AElton John is up there too…he gets a lot out of simple lyrics.
[/quote]
I’m pretty sure that Berny Taupin writes most, if not all, of Elton Johns lyrics and Elton John puts them to music. Not to take away from his obvious talents, but he probably could not be considered the ‘best’ songwriter.
What can we say constitutes best anyway? If someone was to write one song that was widely regarded the best of all time, but did not write another lyric as long as they lived, where would they figure into such arguments?
[quote]SpankyLovesalot wrote:
A definite under-rated songwriter who never gets mentioned in these discussions is Tom Waits. Not a great singer, but some truly beautiful songs.[/quote]
Word. And a great singer, too. 
Together with Brian Wilson and not to forget Carol King.
Makkun
[quote]DBCooper wrote:
[quote]strungoutboy21 wrote:
[quote]DBCooper wrote:
It doesn’t hurt that Danny Carey is the greatest living drummer on the planet, either.
[/quote]
What?!? Neil Peart![/quote]
Rush has ghonorrhea, Tool is invincible=Carey>Peart[/quote]
I like Tool better but Peart is a better drummer. Not only that he writes the lyrics too.
[quote]strungoutboy21 wrote:
[quote]DBCooper wrote:
[quote]strungoutboy21 wrote:
[quote]DBCooper wrote:
It doesn’t hurt that Danny Carey is the greatest living drummer on the planet, either.
[/quote]
What?!? Neil Peart![/quote]
Rush has ghonorrhea, Tool is invincible=Carey>Peart[/quote]
I like Tool better but Peart is a better drummer. Not only that he writes the lyrics too.[/quote]
I’m just bustin’ your balls. Carey writes most of Tool’s songs. Not the lyrics per se, but he writes the structure of the song and all that. He uses Fibonacci sequences to link everything together. But really, they’re both so good it’s just a matter of preference. As a drummer, all I know is every time I listen to Tool Carey makes me want to quit drumming altogether.
[quote]DBCooper wrote:
[quote]strungoutboy21 wrote:
[quote]DBCooper wrote:
[quote]strungoutboy21 wrote:
[quote]DBCooper wrote:
It doesn’t hurt that Danny Carey is the greatest living drummer on the planet, either.
[/quote]
What?!? Neil Peart![/quote]
Rush has ghonorrhea, Tool is invincible=Carey>Peart[/quote]
I like Tool better but Peart is a better drummer. Not only that he writes the lyrics too.[/quote]
I’m just bustin’ your balls. Carey writes most of Tool’s songs. Not the lyrics per se, but he writes the structure of the song and all that. He uses Fibonacci sequences to link everything together. But really, they’re both so good it’s just a matter of preference. As a drummer, all I know is every time I listen to Tool Carey makes me want to quit drumming altogether.[/quote]
I agree they are both good. Yeah I also use to play the drums a bit. Wasn’t that great though.
big Tool fan so definitely agree there. Not many bands base their timing on the Fibonacci Sequence.
also the “hidden track” on 10000 Days. 10 Mind-Blowing Easter Eggs Hidden in Famous Albums | Cracked.com
When I think of songwriters, I usually think of people who’s songs are often made more popular by others or often covered. Kris Kristofferson, Steve Goodman, John Prine. Steve Earle tells a pretty good story as well.
Paul Westerberg
Elvis Costello
Richard Butler
(Lyrics only)
All these replies and only one shout out to Tom Waits? Shocking.
"When travelling abroad in the continental style
it’s my belief one must attempt to be discreet!
And subsequently bear in mind your transient position,
which allows you a perspective that’s unique.
Though you’ll find your itinerary’s a blessing and a curse,
your wanderlust won’t let you settle down.
And you’ll wonder how you ever fathomed that you’d be content
to stay within the city limits of a small midwestern town.
Most vagabonds I knowed don’t ever want to find the culprit
that remains the object of their long relentless quest.
The obsession’s in the chasing and not the apprehending;
the pursuit you see and never the arrest.
Without fear of contradiction- bon voyage is always hollered
in conjunction with a handkerchief from shore
by a girl that drives a rambler and furthermore is overly
concerned that she won’t see him anymore!
Planes and trains and boats and buses characteristically
evoke a common attitude of blue…
unless you have a suitcase; a ticket and a passport
and the cargo that they’re carrying is you.
A foreign affair, juxtaposed with a stateside
and domestically approved romantic fancy
is mysteriously attractive, due to circumstances knowing,
it will only be parlayed into a memory."
Gets me every fucking time.
Varied, experimental, honest - qualities an artist of any kind should aspire to in my opinion. His songs are stories with heart and baws.
Tom Waits was a great songwriter.