Bad Lyrics in Prog |
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chopper
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: July 13 2005 Location: Essex, UK Status: Offline Points: 19965 |
Posted: February 25 2009 at 08:03 |
Jon Anderson extracts the michael from his own lyrics in "Going for the One" ("but they're so hard to find in my cosmic mind").
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Raff
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: July 29 2005 Location: None Status: Offline Points: 24392 |
Posted: February 25 2009 at 08:06 |
Hey! Leave my husband alone! |
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Alberto Muņoz
Forum Senior Member Joined: July 26 2006 Location: Mexico Status: Offline Points: 3577 |
Posted: February 25 2009 at 10:19 |
Metallica's first album.
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fuxi
Prog Reviewer Joined: March 08 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 2459 |
Posted: February 25 2009 at 11:47 |
The funny thing is there's an American philosophy professor who takes Anderson's lyrics very seriously indeed. Bill Martin is his name, if I remember it right. (He also plays bass guitar and wrote liner notes for the latest series of Yes reissues.) He's written a big fat book on the subject. He takes CTTE, for example, and starts interpreting the lyrics in the light of Plato, Nietzsche, St. Augustine and what-have-you! Just goes to show that for some "academics" anything goes! Now will someone PLEASE rearrange my liver? To the solid mental grace?
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Trademark
Forum Senior Member Joined: November 21 2006 Location: oHIo Status: Offline Points: 1009 |
Posted: February 25 2009 at 12:51 |
Whoa!! Hold on there Fuxi.
You can't just jump all the way to liver rearrangement. There's a whole series of steps toward that type of enlightenment. It takes a lifetime and many of us never attain full liver rearrangement.
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Visitor13
Forum Senior Member VIP Member Joined: February 02 2005 Location: Poland Status: Offline Points: 4702 |
Posted: February 25 2009 at 12:59 |
Not quite true; full liver rearrangement does not have to be a distant goal. There is a well-trodden shortcut, involving lots of booze and unhealthy food.
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BaldFriede
Prog Reviewer Joined: June 02 2005 Location: Germany Status: Offline Points: 10261 |
Posted: February 25 2009 at 15:35 |
With some lyrics people will argue heavily whether they are bad or good. Here a nice example:
Some Questions about Hats"Can one wear uncanny hats?Can one weather hats? Can one wear feather hats? Concentrate on irate hats Radiate from hats When sated, vacate hats Doors of open water elicit ooh & aahing Can the wet attract a hat? Can hats favor fire? Can a hat aspire to higher things? Can one pit hats against vicious things? Pernicious things? Liquorice fish with wings? Can hats favor fire? Can a hat aspire to higher things? Can one dismiss hats as simple things? Vapid things? Scant, evanescent things?" Now are these bad or good lyrics? Or what? |
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BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue. |
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Visitor13
Forum Senior Member VIP Member Joined: February 02 2005 Location: Poland Status: Offline Points: 4702 |
Posted: February 25 2009 at 16:14 |
^ Good. Witty and quite imaginative.
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~Rael~
Forum Senior Member Joined: April 11 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 247 |
Posted: February 25 2009 at 17:43 |
Maybe as Primus song. Probably works better as a song, or some bizzare grammatical exercise. And I am really surprised people were saying Genesis's "Wind and Wuthering" (an excellent title, it does mean something) song lyrics are bad. They are some of the best, in my opinion, even "All In a Mouse's Night." Sure, its goofy, but I still find it clever. Please explain why the lyrics of "The Eleventh Earl of Mar" are so bad, because I find them very good, way above the norm. And, to me, "Blood on the Rooftops" is one of the lamer songs on the album, though still good. The best, by far, is "One for the Vine," a song I put in my top ten, musically and lyrically. And "Blood on the Rooftops |
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I repeat myself when under stress, I repeat myself when under stress, I repeat myself when under stress, I repeat myself when under stress, I repeat myself when under stress . . .
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J-Man
Prog Reviewer Joined: August 07 2008 Location: Philadelphia,PA Status: Offline Points: 7826 |
Posted: February 25 2009 at 17:55 |
Haha. It's kind of funny you should say that. The original title was Metal Up Your Ass. |
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Check out my YouTube channel! http://www.youtube.com/user/demiseoftime |
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J-Man
Prog Reviewer Joined: August 07 2008 Location: Philadelphia,PA Status: Offline Points: 7826 |
Posted: February 25 2009 at 17:58 |
Well, I've got to say that they're very deep. But when deep unlocks a true inner meaning, I like it. That seems to me like it involves thinking, but doesn't get you anywhere once you do the thinking. Genesis is a good example of great, deep thought-provoking lyrics. |
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Check out my YouTube channel! http://www.youtube.com/user/demiseoftime |
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Failcore
Forum Senior Member Joined: October 27 2006 Status: Offline Points: 4625 |
Posted: February 26 2009 at 00:45 |
I think people often confuse crap lyrics with lyrics they don't like. There is a difference, Most of the lyrics I have heard in prog I think are good. Even some of the fantasy stuff is decent as long as it doesn't get too dragon and wizard laced. I mean, hell, aren't works such as the Iliad or A Midsummer Night's Dream considered literary masterpieces? It's all made up fantasy sh*t. If you think prog lyrics are bad, you really need to listen to more mainstream music. I mean after all, it's fun to see how many euphemisms for sex you can think of.
Seriously. about 80% of the prog lyrics I have heard fall into either the good or great category. And btw , I love the message in SIT by Beardfish, so bite me you hairless land mammals!! |
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fuxi
Prog Reviewer Joined: March 08 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 2459 |
Posted: February 26 2009 at 02:42 |
Here comes the bishop, all dressed up
he's got eyes in the back of his head One wave of his funny old stick - there's a band of light across your eyes! I'm sorry people, but as far as lyrics go, this is plain terrible. The story is set early in the 18th century, isn't it? My grasp of Scottish history is not that strong, but one thing I DO know is that, in those days, no-one would have spoken of a bishop's "funny old stick"... As for ONE FOR THE VINE, it's got a delightful main melody (although I'm always put off by the rattling percussion during that instrumental bit in the middle) but, once again, the lyrics are amateurish. The point of view keeps changing from the third person singular to the first, and back again - makes me wanna shout to Phil: Come on man, MAKE UP YOUR MIND. But it must be added that such lyrics are by no means as awful as Jon Anderson's hippy-dippiest moments. |
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fuxi
Prog Reviewer Joined: March 08 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 2459 |
Posted: February 26 2009 at 02:49 |
Nothing wrong with fantastic themes as such. For example, I thoroughly enjoy "Broadway Melody of 1974" or "Dancing with the Moonlit Knight". It's nonsense, but DELIGHTFUL nonsense, thanks to Peter Gabriel's wit. |
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fuxi
Prog Reviewer Joined: March 08 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 2459 |
Posted: February 26 2009 at 03:05 |
I wonder if the author of these lyrics was inspired by a well-known poem by Langston Hughes which is also full of rhetorical questions. Somehow, the cadence seems similar: What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore-- And then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over-- like a syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sags like a heavy load. Or does it explode? |
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Blacksword
Prog Reviewer Joined: June 22 2004 Location: England Status: Offline Points: 16130 |
Posted: February 26 2009 at 04:41 |
I couldn't agree more about 11th Earl of Mar. The lyrics are among the worst the band ever penned after Gabriel left. I reckon Banks was the main culprit. His lyrics were bland at best, and awkward and cringy at worst. I'm quite surpised other members of the band didn't point out how bad the lyrics were, to whoever wrote them. It must have been obvious that lines like 'funny old stick' and 'riding along on the crest of a wave' were simply not good enough. |
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Gustavo Froes
Forum Senior Member Joined: October 06 2008 Location: Rio,Brazil Status: Offline Points: 385 |
Posted: February 26 2009 at 07:46 |
No they're not.
They're actually the only reason why this song exists,sice it closes the album as an exact reprise of the opening track.If however you do find it so cool,you should leave it aside and listen to Dancing With the Moonlit Knight more often.
Lyrics are very important in prog.
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fusionfreak
Forum Senior Member Joined: August 23 2007 Location: France Status: Offline Points: 1317 |
Posted: February 26 2009 at 07:53 |
Many interesting points of view so far.I sometimes pay attention to lyrics but I don't care about quality.If music and sounds are great I'm really happy.Some lyrics are funny by the way:"I like bananas cos they got no bones,I like marijuana cos it gets me stoned!"(Bananas by Man).
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I was born in the land of Mahavishnu,not so far from Kobaia.I'm looking for the world
of searchers with the help from crimson king |
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~Rael~
Forum Senior Member Joined: April 11 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 247 |
Posted: February 26 2009 at 08:04 |
Since when has tense change been a rule in a poem? Since when has poetry had rules at all (aside from be Modernism)? Plus, the tense change makes since. "Fifty thousand men were sent to do the will of one. His claim was phrased quite simply, though he never voiced it loud, I am he, the chosen one. In his name they could slaughter, for his name they could die. Though many there were believed in him, still more were sure he lied, But they'll fight the battle on. Then one whose faith had died Fled back up the mountainside, But before the top was made, A misplaced footfall made him stray From the path prepared for him. Off of the mountain, On to a wilderness of ice. This unexpected vision made them stand and shake with fear, But nothing was his fright compared with those who saw him appear. Terror filled their minds with awe. Simple were the folk who lived Upon this frozen wave. So not surprising was their thought, This is he, God's chosen one, Who's come to save us from All our oppressors. We shall be kings on this world. Follow me! l'll play the game you want me, Until I find a way back home. Follow me! I give you strength inside you, Courage to win your battles-- No, no, no, this can't go on, This will be all that I fled from. Let me rest for a while. He walked into a valley, All alone. There he talked with water, and then with the vine. They leave me no choice. I must lead them to glory or most likely to death. They travelled cross the plateau of ice, up to its edge. Then they crossed a mountain range and saw the final plain. Still he urged the people on. Then, on a distant slope, He observed one without hope Flee back up the mountainside. He thought he recognized him by his walk, And by the way he fell, And by the way he Stood up, and vanished into air." The bold is basically dialogue, or thoughts of the main character (except the first which is the original king), though there are no quotes. . . maybe that threw you for a loop, but no rule says there need to be quotes. It's pretty clear what the intention is. The tense shift has a purpose, and it is not a particularly hard poem to understand. The cyclical story of these lyrics is ingenious. The way this poem (as it works very well alone, without music) is structured is brilliant. There is nothing "amateurish" about it. Edited by ~Rael~ - February 26 2009 at 08:11 |
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I repeat myself when under stress, I repeat myself when under stress, I repeat myself when under stress, I repeat myself when under stress, I repeat myself when under stress . . .
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friso
Prog Reviewer Joined: October 24 2007 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 2505 |
Posted: February 26 2009 at 09:27 |
I need you and you need me
Also I need to be free Free as the word free can mean To stand secure outside this dream Starstruck moonman looks so blind You're still a slave within your mind I just love Kahn's Space Shanty, but the opening lyrics are plain awfull....
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