Was Dylan The Best Lyricist Of All Time?

[racquetman]

Definitely depends on the era you grew up in. For me, I consider Adam Duritz of Counting Crows the best song writer I've come across. His lyrics really have an impact on me - very thought provoking and right on the money. August and Everything After is the only album I own that I can listen to beginning to end.

 

[Starmax]

best lyricist

For each individual, "best" means what most has meaning to THEM. It matters not that scholars consider Shakespeare to be the greatest English language dramatist of all time...if you happen to relate to the dialogue and plot structure of "The Andy Griffith Show" more than you do "Othello," well you'd be an idiot, but you wouldn't care!

 

[goodman]

Dylan sure thinks he is? In an interview in the Scorsese documentary that appeared on public TV, he said he didn't know how he did it or how any person could have done it, implying that some magical muse had taken possession of him and written the lyrics for him. As a friend of mine says, "Without chemicals, life itself would be impossible".

 

[maphiker]

Personally, I've never cared for Dylan musically and never understood his lyrics or why people thought they were so great. "All Along the Watchtower" is a good example of lyrics that are just non-sensical to me.

"All Along the Watchtower" is generally believed to be the story of Christ dying on the cross. Dylan frequently used "the joker" to refer to God. The reference comes from Taro cards where "the joker" represents spirituality.
Listen again to this song. Talk about scary?

 

[Starmax]

"All Along the Watchtower" is generally believed to be the story of Christ dying on the cross. Dylan frequently used "the joker" to refer to God. The reference comes from Taro cards where "the joker" represents spirituality.
Listen again to this song. Talk about scary?

Thanks for that tidbit, maphiker. I'm going to go back and listen to the song with that context in mind. Speaking of Christ metaphors/allegories, so is the movie "Cool Hand Luke" and the book/movie "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest!"

 

[WeAreSurrounded]

Also add Roger Waters as doing "Knockin' on Heaven's Door". It's from the soundtrack to "The Dybbuk of the Holy Apple Field" an Israeli film from 1998. I was able to find and download two minutes of it. Since its intersperced, at times, with dialog, perhaps that's all there is to it.

WAS: You can hear its "clean" version (without dialog) on R.Water's "Flickering Flame" compilation album.

And by the way, you can certainly add Waters name to the list as one of the best rock lyricists of the past 30 years or so.

WAS: I second that with both hands down !!!

 

[sivadselim]

Neil Young ranks up there near the top.

 

[markw]

Well said.

The answer to the question: no. He is one in a list of great lyricists.

I'd have to put Paul Simon in this category also. He's a little too "literate" for many people to appreciate but, all in all, he's up there with the best.

 

[BostonMark]

subjective

Neil Young ranks up there near the top.

although I think this thread is HIGHLY subjective, I would also put Neil Young near the top of my list. His songs have so much feeling in them.

I think it is truly impossible to state a particular song writer is the BEST, becuase it is a very personal subjective experience.

One man's poetry is another man's rubbish.

That being said, a few more of my favorites

Roger Waters for angst ridden rock
Lennon/McCartney for simple but very catchy lasting tunes
Sting
Giacomo Puccini - italian opera
Richard Wagner - german opera
Hatfield/Urich/Hammett- thinking man's heavy metal
Frank Zappa - just plain out there kinda stuff!

 

[Joe Schmoe]

There are some Bob Dylan lyrics that I really enjoy. "Like a Rolling Stone", for one. On the other hand, I just don't understand what a lot of his lyrics are supposed to mean. "All Along the Watchtower", in particular, never made any sense at all to me! (FWIW you can probably guess that I am also not a fan of obscure poetry. )

 

[Starmax]

There are some Bob Dylan lyrics that I really enjoy. "Like a Rolling Stone", for one. On the other hand, I just don't understand what a lot of his lyrics are supposed to mean. "All Along the Watchtower", in particular, never made any sense at all to me! (FWIW you can probably guess that I am also not a fan of obscure poetry. )

Along those lines, what the hell did most of the Beatles lyrics mean? "I am the eggman, I am the walrus, goo-goo-ga-choo" or "sitting in his armchair you can feel his disease" make absolutely no sense to me on a conscious level, but I don't care, I still love those songs, not in spite of, but BECAUSE of those silly lyrics. Rock and roll is full of poetic dream verse: Steely Dan, Yes, the Doors, Talking Heads...that's just for starters.

 

[cab03004]

Ok. I recognize that Dylan had some good lyrics. However to say he was the greatest lyricist of all time seems like people are just accepting it without even thinking about it. I listen to Bob Dylan, and for my money, his lyrics can't even touch Billy Joel's, who I believe is the greatest lyricist of all time. There was so much more depth to his lyrics than Dylan's, who mostly focused on anti establishment and drugs. You just can't compare How Many Roads, or All Along the Watchtower to songs like Only the Good Die Young, or Summer Highland Falls. Not only are Joel's lyrics more clever just for the words themselves, but also for the meaning. I just can't believe no one has even suggested Billy Joel yet, which is why I joined this forum.

 

[stratman]

It's just a matter of personal taste and I've noticed it's generational.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

...and then there is Neil Peart (of Rush.)

"Philosophers and plowmen, each must play his part, to sow a new mentality closer to the heart.
The blacksmith and the artist, each practiced in their art, must forge a new reality closer to the heart.
Whoa whoa you can be the Captain, and I will draw the chart, sailing into destiny closer to the heart."

Brings tears to my eyes.

 

[AUtiger]

Great Kyricists

Bob influenced a whole generation and had Everyone doing his songs (those listed and Joni Mitchel, The Band, The Dead, etc.) No one has been copied as much as Dylan, which speaks for itself. Another favorite is Jim Morrison. Just short lived.

 

[Mudcat]

Neil Young????

Neil Young ranks up there near the top.

As sing as he doesn't sing his own stuff.

 

[Arthur1]

best lyricist

TOM WAITS!!!!!

Did i mention Tom Waits??

TOM WAITS!

 

[2ofHearts]

I am not a huge Bob Dylan, but I am a fan of Jarvis Cocker, who's started an album with the lyrics "I'm not Jesus, but I have the same initials..."

 

[Symptom7]

Dylan, Springsteen

You're absolutely right. Dylan and Springsteen are at the top, in that order. Yes, Sting and many others have written great lyrics, but these 2 have the most truth and conviction. As for "Not getting it" I must assume those people have not heard(read) the best of their lyrics: "My back pages" (Dylan) : "For You" (Springsteen). There's a reason why so many other artists cover these 2 lyrical masters. They can recognize greatness. And maybe to help some get passed the raw (pure) sound of their voices. We're talking about meaningful clever melodic lyrics and song structure, not vocal ability. For some to say, they don't get it, just blows my mind. Please listen to, or just read the words of the 2 example I have listed before you make you're judgements. If you still don't get, all I can say is "You haven't lived life"

 

[Joe Schmoe]

For some to say, they don't get it, just blows my mind. Please listen to, or just read the words of the 2 example I have listed before you make you're judgements. If you still don't get, all I can say is "You haven't lived life"

There are Plenty of Dylan songs that I get and that make perfect sense (Like a Rolling Stone, eg) There are others, however, that remain obscure and impenetrable (All along the Watchtower, for instance.) Springsteen's songs always make sense overall, even when a few passages don't. (The most random and pointless lyrics I have ever heard, however, are by Jon Anderson of Yes.)