Was Dylan The Best Lyricist Of All Time?

[Joe Schmoe]

The best lyricist I have heard recently is Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes.) He is that rare songwriter whose words are as impressive on paper as they are set to music.

 

[pandabighead]

hi i new here and thought i would add my favs to a couple of these fav posts as an intro, bit of a dylan but what about bernie taupin, surely better than springsteen imo.
pbh

 

[jliedeka]

I forgot about Robert Hunter, Jerry Garcia's lyricist. I have a co-worker who says Ray Davies and Elvis Costello are the two best English lyricists. I think they are both worth a mention.

Jim

 

[hasslethehoff]

the five best rappers of all time

dylan,
dylan,
dylan,
dylan,
and
dylan

-dave chappelle

 

[3db]

I forgot about Robert Hunter, Jerry Garcia's lyricist. I have a co-worker who says Ray Davies and Elvis Costello are the two best English lyricists. I think they are both worth a mention.

Jim

I forgot about Ray Davies. I love his wit and how his lyrics reflect some of the more "different" aspects in our lives.

 

[stratman]

Donald Fagen, "ironist" supreme.

 

[Nimrod]

Dylan is the best Ever,

Everybody else = GAME OVER

 

[stratman]

Rodgers and Hammerstein spanked all. (including Dylan)

 

[serhat13]

I'd Say Eminem is tha Best Lyricist eva

i dont think any one can beat im

 

[jamie2112]

I'd Say Eminem is tha Best Lyricist eva

i dont think any one can beat im

You have got to be kidding ........Right?...eva what is eva is that some hood slang ...

 

[Adam]

Welcome to the forum, serhat13, and thanks for the input. Whatever speaks to you, my friend. Variety is the spice of life, as they say.

 

[Sheep]

You have got to be kidding ........Right?...eva what is eva is that some hood slang ...

I'm going to give it to The Mars Volta.

"Clipside of the pinkeye flight
I'm not the percent you think survives
I need sanctuary in the pages of this book
Gestating with all the other rats
Nurse said that my skin will need a graft
I am of pockmarked shapes
The vermin you need to loathe

Now I'm lost
last night I heard lepors
flinch like birth defects
it's musk was fecal in origin
as the words dribbled off of its chin
it said I'm lost
I'm lost
now I'm lost
dolls wreck the minced meat of pupils
cast in oblong arms length
the hooks have been picking their scabs
where wolves hide in the company of men
it said
I'm lost
I'm lost
now I'm lost
are you peaking in the red
perforated at the neck
what of this mongrel architect
a broken arm of sewers set
past present and future tense
clipside of the pinkeye fountain
now I'm lost
it's been said
long time ago
you'll be the first and last to know
you'll never know"

Live.

SheepStar

 

[jamie2112]

Mars Volta writes some very good music, lyrically and musically......

 

[Sheep]

Mars Volta writes some very good music, lyrically and musically......

You a fan?

SheepStar

 

[jamie2112]

You a fan?

SheepStar

For sure. A good buddy of mine is their sound engineer. I have all of their releases and some live stuff as well...

 

[Sheep]

For sure. A good buddy of mine is their sound engineer. I have all of their releases and some live stuff as well...

Cool!

I'm not a fan of their new stuff, but DITC and FTM are some of my favorites.

SheepStar

 

[DrSunnysock]

I admit to being a huge Bob Dylan so I am biased. But I believe Dylan wrote some of the best lyrics that have EVER been written. Has anyone just read the lyrics to "All Along The Watch Tower"? No musical accompanyment, just read the words to the song. It reminds me of Robert Blake.

When Dylan was asked, "Do you consider yourself a poet or a song writer?", he laughed, "I consider myself a song and dance man"!

There is no best songwriter.

 

[dronezero]

Dylan is absolutely the greatest lyricist. Few can come close to his brilliance. Off the top of my head the few that do:
Leonard Cohen (ex: Famous Blue Raincoat; Hallelujah)
Phil Ochs (ex: Cruxifiction; Changes)

And while Dylan wasn't technically a good vocalist, he was quite effective at conveying the emotion in his songs, which is more important. For example take a listen to Masters of War and just listen to the venom drip from his voice, quite effective.

And I'm sorry, I like The Doors, but Jim Morrison was a horrible lyricist.

 

[TLS Guy]

John Dowland by a mile, at least in the English language.

 

[jostenmeat]

John Dowland by a mile, at least in the English language.

I love his Fantasies if only for their chromatic insanity.

Sorry guys, I don't have a candidate. Instrumental lover.

Anyhoo, I still love Dowland songs, nevertheless. Very popular. Some ECM jazz renditions out there I believe, and I think Sting did some as well, but I am way too apprehensive to give that one a listen.