Best prog lyrics? (literary or otherwise)

here an exclusive preview to the lyrics of one of the songs from the upcoming album of the Bald Angels; they will show you what a strong lyricist Friede is. to me at least these lyrics totally evoke the scenery. the translation is included in the lyric sheet which comes with the album. (note the interesting rhyming pattern of the song: A-B-A-A-A-B)

Die Priesterin der Gäa                                                                        The Priestess of Gaia

Sie stand bei einem heil'gen Born                                                    She stood by a holy spring
In wallenden Gewändern                                                                    In seething robes.
Ihr Haupt war völlig kahlgeschor'n,                                                   Her head was completely shorn
Sie hielt ein großes Muschelhorn,                                                    She held a big conch horn,
Sie blies darauf der Erde Zorn                                                          On which she blew the wrath of earth
Und konnte doch nichts ändern.                                                       But couldn't change anything.

Sie blies ein Lied von Untergang                                                      She blew a song of ruin
Und schleichender Zerstörung.                                                         And creeping destruction.
Sie blies es viele Stunden lang,                                                        She blew it for many hours,
Jedoch des Muschelhornes Klang,                                                  But the sound of the conch horn,
In dem urzeit'geTrauer schwang,                                                      In which ancient sorrow rang,
Fand keinerlei Erhörung.                                                                    Was not heeded at all.

Sie hatte lange nicht geglaubt                                                           Long time she had not believed
An dieser Welt Verderben.                                                                  In the perdition of the world.
Dann ward der Wald des Laubs beraubt,                                       Then the wood was robbed of its foliage,
So kahl beinahe wie ihr Haupt,                                                         Almost as bald as her head,
Und was die Bäume so entlaubt,                                                     And what had defoliated the trees
Das war das Wäldersterben.                                                            Was the decease of the forests.

Es dämmerte der Abend schon,                                                      Evening was already dawning,
Die Nacht, sie rückte näher.                                                              Night was approaching.
Verklungen war des Hornes Ton,                                                    The horn's sound had faded away,
Verweht im Wind sein leeres Droh'n.                                              Its hollow threat blown with the wind.
Da hatte sie eine Vision                                                                     Then she had a vision
Der Göttermutter Gäa.                                                                        Of Gaia, the Mother Goddess.

Die Göttermutter Gäa sprach:                                                           The Mother Goddess spake:
"Ach, dass ich so geschändet!                                                         "Alas, how I have been defiled!
Womit verdien' ich diese Schmach,                                                 With what do I deserve this ignominy,
Womit dies große Ungemach?                                                        With what this huge adversity?
Fast liegt die ganze Erde brach!                                                       Almost all of Earth lies barren!
Wer weiß, wo das noch endet?                                                        Who knows where this will end?

Vielleicht in hundert Jahren schon,                                                  Maybe in but a hundred years,
Vielleicht sogar noch eher,                                                                Maybe even sooner,
Erhält die Menschheit ihren Lohn,                                                   Mankind will receive its reward,
Ganz ohne Absolution".                                                                      Without any absolution".
Damit verblasste die Vision                                                              Thus faded the vision
Der Priesterin der Gäa.                                                                      Of the Priestess of Gaia.

Sie sehnte nach den Hügeln sich                                                   She longed for the hills
Des Sonnenlandes Aea.                                                                   Of the sunland Aea.
Dann, als das Tageslicht entwich                                                   Then, as daylight eluded
Und in den heil'gen Hain sich schlich                                            And into the holy grove
Die Nacht, da weinte bitterlich                                                          Crept night, there wept bitterly
Die Priesterin der Gäa.                                                                      The Priestess of Gaia.

(Lyrics and translation by Friederike Greifswald-Tolleson)

this song is based on a dream we surprisingly both had. that we had shared a dream made such an impression on us that we founded the religion of which we are High Priestesses. it is the only song which features double lead vocals; I wrote 2 independent  voices for it. usually I just sing some harmony vocals


Edited by BaldJean - March 22 2008 at 15:54

Individual songs: "Sleepless" and "Neurotica" by King Crimson, "Time" by Pink Floyd. Reading Waters' words without the music, you realise how poetic and well-written they actually are. "Starless", also, so much detail and emotion in so little amount of words.

Albums: "In the Court of the Crimson King", "Misplaced Childhood". Both are full of amazingly-written phrases, it surprised me just how good a lyricist Fish was.

Pink Floyd - Dogs, Echoes, Time...

The lyrics for Roger Water's Amused To Death album beats everything I've heard so far. What he wrote on "Animals" is also among my favourite lyrics.

Collapes The Light Into Earth by Porcupine Tree is also among my favourites.

Codis wrote: What about Gerald Bostock's masterpiece "Thick As A Brick"?  Or "A Passion Play"?

I love A PASSION PLAY, but I get irritated by its lyrics. "She lay her head upon my disbelief" - oh, come ON!

Please only quote example extracts of lyrics. They are covered by copyright in the same way as the music is.

What about Gerald Bostock's masterpiece "Thick As A Brick"?  Or "A Passion Play"?

Hmmm... 'Keep it simple' seems to be the best policy. I agree with Progfrog and Progbagel that Roger Waters used to be a highly efficient lyricist, on "Dogs" in particular. When you grow up with a track like that, you can never get it out of your head. The same goes for SELLING ENGLAND and THE LAMB LIES DOWN, at least for me, but here it's not so much the message that appeals to me but rather PG's baroque word-play! I also enjoy AQUALUNG, and even MINSTREL IN THE GALLERY (particularly the lyrics on the B-side), but as I indicated once before, Ian Anderson can be rather vague sometimes, and you hear him thinking: "Oh, the cleverness of me!"

I have similar problems with Pete Hammill: he's far too verbose. When you just see his words printed, they do not convince, but they really come alive through his extraordinary performances.

Someone mentioned the Canterbury Scene. Well, Robert Wyatt and his partner Alfreda Benge can be very, very good - particularly on SHLEEP, CUCKOOLAND and - dammit, what was last year's album called again? No showing off, just evoking sad, dreamy, confused, angry moods. Superb!

hmm for me its:

I am also a huge fan of Akerfeldt's lyrics.