LYRICISTS........!!!!

Yup...i think i know where your coming from.... 🙈🙉🙊

Now sidestepping "Agadoo" the best pop song lyric wise is either.......


The Water Boy's - Whole of the moon.
Or
The Water Boy's - Whole of the moon.

TA.💝

Can’t argue with Leonard Cohen, Geoff. Definitely something special.

That wouldn't be a sweeping statement there by any chance Martin?

Statement of fact, mate. Statement of fact.

I always thought the lyrics on this were brilliant. 'Almost Cut My Hair' by Crosby Stills Nash & Young. It was written by David Crosby and was a true anthem of its time. Totally excellent music anyway, love the guitar work.

Obviously it's Nigel Blackwell of the mighty Half Man Half Biscuit. Almost any of his songs prove the point, but 'I Went To A Wedding' will do for starters:

I went to a wedding

Though only the night time

I didn’t know them that well

I watched on from the margins

At the dance floor crowded


The DJ adhered to the rule of occasion

Dancing Queen

Shoop Shoop Song

You’re The One That I Want

They’re the ones that they want

He knew his trade well I could see


And at a table nearby I heard a girl saying

To a tall balding guest

'So you’re Brad Friedel

– I’m mildly impressed '
I thought I’d chance my arm

Her reply won my heart

'So you’re William Pitt

– Elder or Younger? '

And then inexplicably

For reasons unfathomable

But to me wholly admirable

The DJ played us some Tallis

He yanked off The Corrs in disgust and announced Thomas Tallis

Lamentations of Jeremiah


Across an empty dancefloor I walked to commend him

And also enquire if he had any Dowland


The incident passed things got back to normal

At the end of the evening everyone staggered out singing

And they were singing

'Oh you can’t put your foot up in Europe

You can’t show your studs on the ‘nent

They take a dim view of a slightly raised shoe

So think on if you’re up against Ghent, my lad

Think on if you’re up against Ghent'.

Honourable mention goes to the late Mark E Smith of the mighty Fall. Here's 'M5':

'You'll never see me trying to raise Cain

You'll never see me wear a suit of green

There's a slip-road up right ahead

leading to the agragarian


But I'm city born and bred

Too many car-fumes in my head

Just a well-read punk peasant.

But you'd think a country man would understand

the devil makes work for idle hands.

M5 6-7 pm


And the man who pretends he knows it all

is destined to a Mighty Fall.

Gets into your house with cheer,

then proceeds to take all you've got to offer.


This is not an autobahn

It's an evil roundabout

That leads to the Haywain

And you'll never see good trains again.


In late 60s, my daddy said to me,

you'll never see trams and clogs again.

Now they roam the city.

Can these people not understand

The devil makes work for idle hands


M5 6-7 pm

The devil makes work for idle hands.

M5 to the country straight ahead

It's stuffed to the gills with crusty brown bread

Can they not understand

there's nothing worse than a bored man?

M5, 6-7 PM' 

Hi Jammy,

Have a listen to Rod Stewart:

"She was tall, thin and tarty
And she drove a Maserati
Faster than sound
I was heaven bound
Although I must have looked a creep
In my army surplus jeep
Was I being too bold
Before the night could get old
No, no, no, no
She proved me so wrong"

Many examples of fine use of rhyming couplets in his work, the above for "Italian girls" always brings a smile to my face.
One day, hopefully, people will forget the aberration of "Sailing" and realise what a fine lyricist Rod the mod is/was.

Here's a good set of lyrics from Del Amitri ("Surface of the Moon" - it's the only track of theirs I own):

Snow in a soulless city covers up the cracks in the road
As a wastrel buys her cigarettes and wipes her pretty nose
Like a part-time Elvis imitator these streets I knew so well
Have been pasted beyond recognition with a temporary smell
Now the midnight train eases out leaving everyone marooned
And without her it might as well be the surface of the moon
From the well-swept streets of Jackson Heights to the dockside drudgery
Everything's now a replica of what it used to be
And since they tarted up the trenches and painted the bridges blue
It seems less like a home to me than just a place they bury you
Now we're lit up like a cathedral in our frozen concrete ruin
And without her it might as well be the surface of the moon
So I need her and I love her that is true
But I'm stuck here like some shipwreck still holding on to you
So when they beat out the tramps and patch up the slums
Everything will be fine
There'll be a new facade for us to hide behind
So on the ancient trails of our coupling in the places we used to meet
I am amazed by the lack of memories that I thought would flood through me
And the riverside where we first kissed has now been reduced
To a phony old world market where only shoppers get seduced
Now your arms embrace me strangely in your unfamiliar room
And for all I care it might as well be the surface of the moon
Yeah for all I care it might as well be the surface of the moon

Blur - This is a Low

And into the sea, Goes pretty England and me
Around the bay of Biscay, And back for tea
Hit traffic on the Dogger bank
Up the Thames to find a taxi rank
Sail on by with the tide, And go to sleep.

Meanwhile, here's another HMHB classic:

When I had my loft
Converted back into a loft
The neighbours came around and scoffed
And called me retro
But they are the type
Who never used to go to the match
Until the family thing got big
In the late eighties

Dad’s a steward in the stand
Brace of comps in his hand
New men run the creche
While home defeats by Jeunesse D’Esch
In the Lux Familiar cup
Are rendered pointless

Stick a burger in my mouth
Shove a seat beneath my arse
Buy the shirt and shorts and socks
Win the keeper’s sweaty jocks
Point a gun down at your foot
Am I supposed to be at home?

Friday night and the gates are low
And it’s raining
Bastard slip of a sub’s ruined my weekend

So you came and went
‘Cos on crap three million it was spent
And if Josh wants a five man tent
There must be forfeits
Star man said bye bye
And now you’re reaching for the Sky
Sit back relax and watch us die
Of entertainment

Fiancee said that it was fun
Even though the others won
I can’t stand any more
‘Cos I can’t stand anymore
You were blind but you will see
Tonight’s attendance one-two-three

Friday night and the gates are low
And it’s raining
Bastard slip of a sub’s ruined my weekend
Friday night and I just love complaining
And no I haven’t got anything better to do

"Me, I'm just a lawnmower, you can tell me by the way I walk"