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03 Sep 02 - 12:31 AM (#775944) Subject: Most poetic song?? From: GUEST,Waldo There are songs whose lyrics would work well at a poetry reading, and then there are those which, when read aloud, sound stilted, confusing or just plain ridiculous. (Seems to me there was a DJ a few years back who did a bit with reading rock lyrics - I remember him reading Mellencamp's "Scarecrow" and getting to the part about "to call it eh your job oh huh sho' don't make it right" - it was hysterical). Anyhow, excepting those songs that started out as poetry (Robert Burns, Robert Service, etc.) what are the songs wherein the lyrics transcend the music in a powerful way? Many Paul Simon songs come to my mind, and some Dylan, but I'm sure there are plenty others out there. My sentimental vote, though, goes to "Sounds of Silence". |
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03 Sep 02 - 02:29 AM (#775971) Subject: RE: Most poetic song?? From: Peg David Bowie, Leaonard Cohen, Kate Bush, Tori Amos, Neil Peart, Ian Anderson, Neil Finn, Justin Hayward, Robin Williamson, Brendan Perry, Bernie Taupin, Joni Mitchell... for starters...
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03 Sep 02 - 03:55 AM (#775988) Subject: RE: Most poetic song?? From: Teribus Eric Bogle - "Safe in the Harbour"
Example
"Ah to throw off the shackles
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03 Sep 02 - 05:07 AM (#776013) Subject: RE: Most poetic song?? From: Hrothgar And to continue the Stan Rogers connection - "Bluenose."
"See her bow lift free of Mother Sea
"She will range far south from the harbour mouth etc., etc. |
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03 Sep 02 - 09:07 AM (#776129) Subject: RE: Most poetic song?? From: GUEST,Fred Miller |
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03 Sep 02 - 09:30 AM (#776144) Subject: RE: Most poetic song?? From: GUEST,Fred Miller Whoops. I just wanted to ask Peg--Peg who are you?! You say such odd interesting things. But Neil Peart? Well, I guess it's one of those things I don't get. Anyway, I think Steve Allen originated the comic device of reading songs aloud, and various people have been doing it since. Some songs work okay on the page, but I think it's sometimes after you've heard the music. Some of Paul Simon's are like that--you can't help hearing the sense the music makes of them, once you've heard it. I like a Natalie Merchant song called You'll Never Know, which looks fairly pedestrian, but has a tragic psychology. An admired childhood friend is dead and so is not there to see how compromised the "I" of the song has become. Which is sad, but I think it's the musical swell, the sense of release from having to live up to one's standards,(as projected onto the admired friend) that makes it tragic rather than simply sad. Reminds me of John Updike's Deaths of Distant Friends. Some of Lucinda William's, some Cowboy Junkies read pretty well. Joni Mitchell's People's Parties reads fine. |
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03 Sep 02 - 11:40 AM (#776210) Subject: RE: Most poetic song?? From: GUEST,Taliesn One candidate for capturing a moment: "Night in the City" Light up ,light up Light up your lazy blue eyes Moon's up , night's up Taking the town by surprise Night time ,night time, Day left an hour ago City light time Must you get readt so slow There are places to come from and places to go Night in the city looks pretty to me Night in the city looks fine music comes spilling out into the street Colors go flashing in time..... Joni Mitchel_ 1968_ first album |
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03 Sep 02 - 01:03 PM (#776259) Subject: RE: Most poetic song?? From: GUEST,allen woodpecker "Dark Horse on the Wind" by Liam Weldon. The most poetic piece ever to emerge on the subject of Ireland's history?? Could well be. You could sing it to any tune you like, and it would still be wonderful. A.W. |
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03 Sep 02 - 01:21 PM (#776269) Subject: RE: Most poetic song?? From: Mudlark Yeah, Joni Mitchell...Hissing of Summer Lawns album especially. Also Ani d'Franco and Suzanne Vega for contemporary stuff. And Randy Newman ("Human kindness, overflowing, and I think it's gonna rain today") And many of Michael Smith's songs, like The Dutchman...
Teribus...beautiful excerpt from "Safe in the harbor." Lots of old traditional ballads have great words, parts of which are sheer poetry, like Mary Hamilton, Skye Boat Song, Twa Sisters, Pretty Polly, The Great Silkie...very powerful stuff...but to my mind they seem to need the melody to bring them to life. Whereas I will never forget Pete Seeger illustrating a beautiful tune, but with words that sound dumb when spoken, by reciting Greensleeves in leaden cadence...
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03 Sep 02 - 02:48 PM (#776308) Subject: RE: Most poetic song?? From: late 'n short 2 "Standing in the Light" is another Eric Bogle song that quickly comes to mind. |
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06 Nov 02 - 03:01 PM (#820176) Subject: RE: Most poetic song?? From: weerover Just found this thread while looking for something else: dunno about most poetic song, but for me the most poetic lines (in the context of the song as a whole are: "...as white as the hands of a priest or a hangman The snow spread its blanket the next Christmas round..." (The Tinkerman's Daughter, Michael McConnell) |
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06 Nov 02 - 04:30 PM (#820245) Subject: RE: Most poetic song?? From: mg Raglan Road but I guess it started out as a poeM???? mg |
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06 Nov 02 - 05:38 PM (#820277) Subject: RE: Most poetic song?? From: Francy Charles Badger Clark's Annie Laurie/Bad Half Hour with music by Tom Russell............Frank of Toledo |
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06 Nov 02 - 06:03 PM (#820282) Subject: RE: Most poetic song?? From: GUEST,iggy Just listen and then read most of Stan Rogers work. Yes, that's poetry. iggy |
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06 Nov 02 - 10:47 PM (#820463) Subject: RE: Most poetic song?? From: leprechaun Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young |
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06 Nov 02 - 11:22 PM (#820475) Subject: RE: Most poetic song?? From: Bert Much of Gordon Lighfoot's work is great poetry. "The lamp is burning low upon my table top the snow is softly falling..." And I did hear someone (was it Parkinson?) read You ain't nothin' but a hound dog once, and it was great. |
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07 Nov 02 - 01:01 AM (#820514) Subject: RE: Most poetic song?? From: GUEST Sweater Song by Weezer. |