Music What songs have great lyrics?

[JollyYoshi]

Lyrics are not necessarily a vital part of music though they can add so much more meaning and depth into one song.

To make the topic more interesting to talk about, I don’t want to just talk about your all-time favorite song but really any song you think has great lyrics.

For now, I will mention one. The song is called “Anticipation” and is sung by Carly Simon. The song says “Anticipation…Is keeping me waitin”. And I actually do really feel like that sometimes. Whenever I’m excited for a package, it feels like forever until it comes, “keeping me waiting” while when I don’t anticipate it, it comes before I even get out of bed.

Another lyric I like from the song is “these are the good ol’ days”. Eventually, they will be. Every single day today will eventually be looked upon by many as the good ol’ days. I do understand that today there were many problems and likely more problems than yesterday, and we should hope to have less problems tomorrow. I can see how looking on today as the good ol’ days may be a bit negative as that’s saying tomorrow won’t be that good. Though maybe, if we can’t enjoy tomorrow, then maybe let’s enjoy some of today while it’s here?

The rest of you don’t have to go in depth like I did but I’m very interested to see your answers.

 

[Zexy]

I absolutely love Panic at the Disco - House of Memories for the lyrics.

If you're a lover, you should know
The lonely moments just get lonelier
The longer you're in love than if you were alone
Memories turn into daydreams, become a taboo
I don't want to be afraid
The deeper that I go
It takes my breath away
Soft hearts, electric souls
Heart to heart and eyes to eyes
Is this taboo?
Baby, we built this house on memories
Take my picture now, shake it 'til you see it
And when your fantasies become your legacy
Promise me a place in your house of memories

 

[toastghost]

marina's first album has amazing lyrics. a personal favorite is in seventeen, where marina just goes off about how living with her dad was like. the lyric "you want a hassle free life? go get your upper class wife, oh she's got all the personality of a lemon that has been truly sucked dry" is ICONIC.

another great one is in obsessions, specifically when she recounts a day where her anxiety was overwhelming, and that verse is great because it focuses on pretty inocuous things that in hindsight don't matter at all, but since she's having an anxiety attack it all builds up. "supermarket, oh what packet of crackers to pick? they're all the same, one brand, one name, but they're really not. look, look, just choose something quick, people are staring, time to go quick. skin is on fire, just choose something, something, something. pressure overwhelming, next minute i'm turning out of the door facing one week without food. a day, a day, where things, things are pretty bad. but don't let it make you feel sad, the crackers were probably bad luck anyway."

 

[Zexy]

Travis - Side

Oh, I believe there's someone watching over you
They're watching every single thing you say
And when you die they'll set you down and take you through
You'll realise one day
Ahhh
That the grass is always greener on the other side
The neighbour's got a new car that you wanna drive
And when time is running out you wanna stay alive
We all live under the same sky
We all will live, we all will die
There is no wrong, there is no right
The circle only has one side

 

[SunGodNika1997]

Here Comes a Regular - The Replacements

A really sad but beautiful song about someone that’s seemingly unwanted everywhere except for the bar they frequent.

And sometimes I just ain't in the mood
To take my place in back with the loudmouths
You're like a picture on the fridge that's never stocked with food
I used to live at home, now I stay at the house
And everybody wants to be special here
They call your name out loud and clear
Here comes a regular
Call out your name
Here comes a regular
Am I the only one here today?

 

[Zexy]

Metallica - Nothing else matters

So close no matter how far
Couldn't be much more from the heart
Forever trusting who we are
And nothing else matters

Never opened myself this way
Life is ours, we live it our way
All these words I don't just say
And nothing else matters

Trust I seek and I find in you
Every day for us something new
Open mind for a different view
And nothing else matters

Never cared for what they do
Never cared for what they know
But I know

 

[DigitalGen6]

Metallica - Nothing else matters

So close no matter how far
Couldn't be much more from the heart
Forever trusting who we are
And nothing else matters

Never opened myself this way
Life is ours, we live it our way
All these words I don't just say
And nothing else matters

Trust I seek and I find in you
Every day for us something new
Open mind for a different view
And nothing else matters

Never cared for what they do
Never cared for what they know
But I know

I’ve heard of this song before (about 4 years ago but didn't actually listen to it).

A 14/15 year old song:
Barbie - Two Voices, One Song

If I could wish for one thing, I’d take the smile that you bring.
Wherever you go in this world, I’ll come along!
Together we dream the same dream.
Forever I’m here for you, you’re here for me.
Oh ooh oh.
Two voices, one song.
Oh ooh oh.
Two voices, one song…

This gives me Pokémon Contest/Showcase vibes.
(Imagine Serena and May singing this or Serena and Lisia or something)
I’m gonna make a remix of it in GarageBand.

 

[SunGodNika1997]

Most of the Time - Bob Dylan

Most of the time
It's well understood
Most of the time
I wouldn't change it if I could
I can't make it all match up
I can hold my own
I can deal with the situation
Right down to the bone
I can survive
And I can endure
And I don't even think
About her
Most of the time

Dylan is my all-time favorite. The thing that gets me about this verse is how it continually sounds more and more triumphant, right until you hit that last line, and it brings you back down to reality.

 

[Zexy]

Kansas - Dust In The Wind

"I close my eyes
Only for a moment, and the moment's gone
All my dreams
Pass before my eyes, a curiosity

Dust in the wind
All they are is dust in the wind

Same old song
Just a drop of water in an endless sea
All we do
Crumbles to the ground, though we refuse to see

Dust in the wind
All we are is dust in the wind

Now don't hang on
Nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky
It slips away
And all your money won't another minute buy

Dust in the wind
All we are is dust in the wind"

 

[Neo Blaze]

Fleetwood Mac - Landslide

Well, I've been afraid of changing
'Cause I've built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Even children get older
And I'm getting older too

 

[Zexy]

Marina - Are you satisfied?

High achiever, don't you see?
Baby, nothing comes for free
They say I'm a control freak
Driven by a greed to succeed
Nobody can stop me
'Cause it's my problem if I want to pack up and run away
It's my business if I feel the need to smoke and drink and sway
It's my problem, it's my problem if I feel the need to hide
And it's my problem if I have no friends and feel I want to die

 

[Beer&Nyquil]

pretty much any hotelier song

 

[FelipePR]

I'm not a very savvy music person, especially with songs in English. But, among which I know, and remember Lol, I especially appreciate the lyrics of Memory (Cats) and The Music Of The Night (The Phantom of the Opera).

As well as the songs from the movie Tarzan: You'll Be In My Heart and Two Worlds, although the scope of the last song is more limited to the story that takes place.

As for Brazilian songs, we have a children's song that, I think, has a lyrical meaning that is both poignant and simple: Aquarela by Toquinho. Unfortunately, I couldn't find an official English version of the song. However, there is a translation, more concerned with the metric than with the accuracy of the text, by Rita Cammarota.

 

[carpology]

any yorushika song has beautiful lyrics!!! one of my favourites is hanamotase. here is a translation. one of my favourite parts from the song is this:

Surely you’ll come back tomorrow,
Coming home like nothing ever happened.
I can hear you opening the door now,
Saying, “sorry for being late.”
I’ve been waiting for just those words,
Waiting intently for the sunset…

another one i adore is shisouhan! the music video has subtitles with an english translation. here's one of my favourite parts from this one:

You, who are so kind to others, could never understand this loneliness of mine.
I don't want to die, but I can't go on living;
that's why I write songs.
I think disparagement, disappointment, and disgust all have their eyes on me.
That's why I write songs that hurt people.
That's why I write vapid songs such as this.

 

[toastghost]

any yorushika song has beautiful lyrics!!!

I love yorushika! their music got me through some super tough times, and itte is one of my favorite songs ever.

 

[carpology]

me too!!! they're my absolute favourite music artist of all time. itte was one of the first songs of theirs that i listened to! it's so good. for me everything about them is simply unmatched...

 

[DigitalGen6]

This just became one of my favorite songs lmao
Lalala sore wa lalala sore wa
O-nee-sa-n
I also really like Haruka’s theme and Dawn’s theme along with a few other Japanese endings (and Squishy’s song)

 

[colours]

I could run
I could cry, I could plead
I ould say it's never gonna get any better and leave
I could throw my hands up
I could fall to my knees
I could tell myself I'm strong enough
To give all the love that I need
But I still need you
To ease my load
Hold me when the lightning strikes
Lead me home
When I don't know which way is right
Love me when it's hard
I promise that I'm not
Leaving from your side
And when I fall apart
Promise in the dark
You'll be my nightlight

from illenium - nightlight

absolutely beautiful song with equally beautiful lyrics

 

[Mythra]

Most of the Time - Bob Dylan

Most of the time
It's well understood
Most of the time
I wouldn't change it if I could
I can't make it all match up
I can hold my own
I can deal with the situation
Right down to the bone
I can survive
And I can endure
And I don't even think
About her
Most of the time

Dylan is my all-time favorite. The thing that gets me about this verse is how it continually sounds more and more triumphant, right until you hit that last line, and it brings you back down to reality.

Here I thought I was one of two people who listened to Oh Mercy.

Thanks, I'll listen again. Dylan is also an all time favourite of mine.

We live in a political world
Love don't have any place
We're living in times
Where men commit crimes
And crime don't have any face

 

[Dubious Disc]

(Oh my God) That's so insane
(Oh my God) That's such a shame
Next to them, my sh*t don't feel so grand
But I can't help myself from feeling bad
I kinda feel like two things can be sad

The world's smallest violin
Really needs an audience
So if I do not find somebody soon (That's right, that's right)
I'll blow up into smithereens
And spew my tiny symphony
Just let me play my violin for you

...

Somewhere in the universe
Somewhere someone's got it worse
Wish that made it easier
Wish I didn't feel the hurt

AJR - World's Smallest Violin

As someone who's constantly plagued by the notion of "other people have problems way worse than yours, so you don't deserve to feel bad", and has trouble asking for help or talking about my problems because of it, the lyrics in this song resonate with me to my core. A lot of AJR's songs have this "depressing lyrics, cheerful delivery" vibe that's oddly comforting.