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Anyone still do insightful or intelligent lyrics?

I have always loved lyrics as much as music and think that music I enjoy must be a combination of both good lyrics and good musicianship. I love some of Paul Simon's lyrics from as far back as the '60's. He was only 16 when he wrote "Sounds of Silence." There are dozens of other examples from Simon and Garfunkel.

Lyle Lovett has written some great lyrics i.e. "Simlpe Song."

Bob Seger, Jackson Browne, Hoyt Axton, John and Paul, Mick and Richard, Emmylou Harris, Gordon Lightfoot, and even Midge Ure have written things that impressed me, but I find very few people writing great lyrics anymore!

Is anyone writing intelligent, insightful lyrics anymore?
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sbachman
41 posts
 
For a modern poet and good musician also, check out Jason Mraz. You will not be disappointed. Young and up and comer.

Good Listening,

Steve
marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
Marco,
You catch my mind with Byrne, Eno. Somehow whenever one speaks of Laurie Anderson, William Burroughs one's always thinking of Byrne, Eno, Fripp, Manzanera...
It seems that this group dictated one of the best and most "clever" janre(s) throughout the whole "song" history.
sjorgensen
34 posts
 
Although C&W is not my first choice, I totally enjoy Nanci
Griffith, her lyrics, voice and sound! "Other Voices/Other Rooms" got a lot of attention some years back.
cpdunn99's avatar
cpdunn99
639 posts
 
Definitely Dylan, as someone else mentioned. "Love and Theft" is, like most of Dylan's songs, full of intelligent, challenging, and imaginative lyrics.

The only other person, IMHO, who writes intelligently (and emotionally) is the much unheraled Tom Ovans.
cdelplato
110 posts
 
I'll second Regiolanthe's :

>> " XTC continue to be some of the wittiest lyricists around (okay - so they've been around for close to 30 years, but they're still going)" <<

For starters, grab XTC's "Skylarking" - you will not be disappointed.

CD
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