Song lyrics that can stand alone as poetry

[Nax]

Wont be surprised if its been done before. But it is possibly my favorite P.F. Song ever.

Wish You Were Here
Pink Floyd

So, so you think you can tell
Heaven from Hell,
Blue skys from pain.
Can you tell a green field
From a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?

And did they get you to trade
Your heros for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
And did you exchange
A walk on part in the war
For a lead role in a cage?

How I wish, how I wish you were here.
We're just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl,
Year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have we found?
The same old fears.
Wish you were here.





Gets me every time, my favorite line is
" We're just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl,
Year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have we found?
The same old fears. "

Im thinking about drawing/designing an image to depict this, and then having it tattood on somewhere between my already growing collection of body ink.

[Revolte]

Sounds Of Silence - Simon and Garfunkle

Hello darkness, my old friend
I've come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence

In restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone
'Neath the halo of a street lamp
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence

And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more
People talking without speaking
People hearing without listening
People writing songs that voices never share
And no one dared
Disturb the sound of silence

"Fools", said I, "You do not know
Silence like a cancer grows
Hear my words that I might teach you
Take my arms that I might reach you"
But my words, like silent raindrops fell
And echoed
In the wells of silence

And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made
And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming
And the sign said, "The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls"
And whispered in the sounds of silence

[wlz]

Yes folks, it's finally here! The Best Oxford/Norton Top of The Pops Anthology Ever, edited by Simon Cowel… Now That's what I call poetry/music/other… a quick glance at the top list:

Homer, (Ancient poetry)
Shakira, (or whoever happens to be in the charts at the moment)
The Divine Comedy, (no not the great work by Dante but the beautiful lyricism of the indie pop band!)
Virgil, (oh no, not again, more Ancient literautre)
The Kinks, (if you like a good whine)
Ovid, (what the f%*k…?)
Robbie Williams, (from the Take That Movement)
The Psalms of David, (who's David…? Is that the Ziggy fella or zigazig ah or something?)
Elvis Presley, (for best recitation)
Dante, (didn't he start a band called The Divine Comedy?)
The Spice Girls, (poetically dressed to beat the rest)
Oasis, (poetic sibling rivalry - artistic frustration as they battle to learn guitar chords)
Blur or Bob Dylan, (how many more songs can I write with themes and names taken from REAL POETRY AND NOVELS?)
And finally… whoever the hell you like, it's a free for all!!!!

Best Literary Novel of The Year: Rocky 7 (Shortlisted early for the next Nobel Prize).

Let's take a quick look at an extract from the opening poem 'Kashmir' written by that genius, Robert Plant:

"Whoa-ohh-oh
Whoa-ohhh-oh-oh

Ooooh
Oh baby, I've been flyin'
Nooo-yeah
Oh mama there
Ain't no denyin'

Oh!
Ooooh-yes
I've been flyin'
Ma-ma-ma
Ain't no denyin'
No denyin'-uh

Oh!"

The execution and masterful way in which Plant is quite able to express himself without using too many proper words is amazing. A better critique would be perphaps "awesome" a common literary/musical term in use throughout the explications of such fine readable texts. I can't believe my eyes… can I be reading such power?

Another fine example of a later genre is the girl power movement not to be confused with the flower power counter-culture era. The Spice Girls, boy they really knew how to write a poem:

Yo, I'll tell you what I want, what I really really want,
So tell me what you want, what you really really want,
I'll tell you what I want, what I really really want,
So tell me what you want, what you really really want,
I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna really
really really wanna zigazig ha.

If you want my future forget my past,
If you wanna get with me better make it fast,
Now don't go wasting my precious time,
Get your act together we could be just fine

I'll tell you what I want, what I really really want,
So tell me what you want, what you really really want,
I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna really
really really wanna zigazig ha.

If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends,
Make it last forever friendship never ends,
If you wanna be my lover, you have got to give,
Taking is too easy, but that's the way it is.

What do you think about that now you know how I feel,
Say you can handle my love are you for real,
I won't be hasty, I'll give you a try
If you really bug me then I'll say goodbye.

Yo I'll tell you what I want, what I really really want,
So tell me what you want, what you really really want,
I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna really
really really wanna zigazig ha.

If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends,
Make it last forever friendship never ends,
If you wanna be my lover, you have got to give,
Taking is too easy, but that's the way it is.

So here's a story from A to Z, you wanna get with me
you gotta listen carefully,
We got Em in the place who likes it in your face,
we got G like MC who likes it on an
Easy V doesn't come for free, she's a real lady,
and as for me..ah you'll see,
Slam your body down and wind it all around
Slam your body down and wind it all around.

If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends,
Make it last forever friendship never ends,
If you wanna be my lover, you have got to give,
Taking is too easy, but that's the way it is.

If you wanna be my lover, you gotta, you gotta, you
gotta,
you gotta, you gotta, slam, slam, slam, slam
Slam your body down and wind it all around.
Slam your body down and wind it all around.
Slam your body down and wind it all around.
Slam your body down zigazig ah
If you wanna be my lover.

What fabulous rhyme scheme!

"But is it poetry?" I hear you asking. It doesn't matter, someone is bound to like it and think so.

I refuse to live in a world where Simon Cowel will be the next literary critic! Eat your heart out Harold Bloom!! Freud, tsh! Madonna will sort you out.

[Babyguile]

wlz I'm not sure what your point is. We should keep the two artforms very clearly divided and I'll always and forever believe that. The lyrics I posted were just for fun.

[rimbaud]

Sounds Of Silence - Simon and Garfunkle

Hello darkness, my old friend
I've come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence

In restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone
'Neath the halo of a street lamp
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence

And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more
People talking without speaking
People hearing without listening
People writing songs that voices never share
And no one dared
Disturb the sound of silence

"Fools", said I, "You do not know
Silence like a cancer grows
Hear my words that I might teach you
Take my arms that I might reach you"
But my words, like silent raindrops fell
And echoed
In the wells of silence

And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made
And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming
And the sign said, "The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls"
And whispered in the sounds of silence

I love that song the movie too

[Silas Thorne]

wlz, you crack me up! The Spice Girls, terrific!

[Silverblue]

a great great rocking and unusual song from the 90's heather nova

----------------


There are parts of me he'll never know, my wild horses and my river beds, and in my throat voices he'll never hear.
He pulls at me like a cherry tree, and I can still move but I don't speak about it.
Pretend I'm crazy, pretend I'm dead. He's to scared to hit me now - he'll bring flowers istead

I need an island, somewhere to sink a stone
I need an island, somewhere to bury you,
Somewhere to go

And the dogwoods shimmer in October sun, "oh sweet thing", he sings to me,
"You're the only one."

I need an island, somewhere to sink a stone
I need an island somewhere to bury you,
Somewhere
I need an island, somewhere to sink a stone
I need an island, somewhere to bury you,
Somewhere to go.

And I don't know why I can't tell my sister,
He spat in my face again, and I don't want to die here.
You know that dream when your feet won't move,
you want to come but your body won't let you.
He steals it from me.He steals it from me.
It shines like sweat, like jewels, like something that has died to soon.
He ****s with the beauty.
A kiss, a kick, a kiss, a kick, a kiss kiss kick. He steals it from me.
It's out of my hands again.

I need an island, somewhere to sink a stone
I need an island, somewhere to bury you,
Somewhere to go, to go.....

[stlukesguild]

It does seem a rather sad comment upon the current state of poetry that this thread and the "stellar" examples of the poetic brilliance of illiterate rock stars is is virtually the most active commentary upon poetry... classic or contemporary... within the poetry boards... on a site devoted to literature, no less.

[sixsmith]

It does seem a rather sad comment upon the current state of poetry that this thread and the "stellar" examples of the poetic brilliance of illiterate rock stars is is virtually the most active commentary upon poetry... classic or contemporary... within the poetry boards... on a site devoted to literature, no less.

Sadder still when newly minted poet laureates are spruiking the poetic wares of rock stars.

[PeachesPieces]

If these have not been mentioned before in this thread i would have to suggest Dark Star and St. Stephen by the Grateful Dead as well as Minstral in the Gallery by Jethro Tull

[pjjrfan1]

Anything by Paul Simon I consider poetry. although I haven't followed him since the mid 70's so a lot of his new stuff I don't know about. Bob Dylan's songs also. I like a song by Joni Mitchell called Both Sides Now. Bow and Flows of angel hair and ice cream castle in the air and feathered canyons everywhere, I've looked at clouds that way, but now they only block the sun , they rain and snow on everyone, so many things I could've done but clouds got in my way. I've looked at clouds from both side now,from up and down and still somehow it's clouds illusions I recall I really don't know clouds at all.

I don't find it sad that so many songs are considered poetry, while the literary merits may be lacking, the message in my mind has always been the beauty of poetry. I'll take it anyway it comes to me, as long as I get something from it.

[Silverblue]

and hop !

I was the driver for the drive-by of the neighbor's dog
Dad had always hated him and he said "Come on son,
"Get into the Vega now and I'll go get my shotgun"
It was a military holiday and kids were everywhere
I hid behind the steering wheel and tried to disappear
I tried to speak but couldn't, Dad was whistling and drinking beer
And I prayed "Dear God, if You save this dog
"I will never get high, I will never jack off
"I will do all the things that I should but have not
"I'll be a good boy from now on"
We turned around the corner soon and saw the neighbor's yard
Dad lit up a cigarette and rolled his window down
And grinning like an idiot he stuck his head and body out
And I prayed "Dear God, if You save this dog
"I will never get high, I will never jack off
"I will be all the things that I should but have not
"I'll be a good boy from now on"
Well he popped in a shell and took aim with the gun
Then a flash and a bang and the dog it was gone. . .
Jumped up and he ran away
Dad had shot right through his chain
Dad said "Take me to the Dairy Freeze, I want to have a shake"
We sipped them on the benches there and stared out on the lake
And Dad has never said another word about that day
And I hope you're not disappointed, God
'Cause I still get high and I still jack off
And you knew I was lying but you still saved that dog
You're such a good God
Such a good, good God
You're such a good goddamned backwards dog
And I'll be a good boy from now on

[Paulclem]

It does seem a rather sad comment upon the current state of poetry that this thread and the "stellar" examples of the poetic brilliance of illiterate rock stars is is virtually the most active commentary upon poetry... classic or contemporary... within the poetry boards... on a site devoted to literature, no less.

It's a bit of speculative fun.

[Heathcliff]

I don't mind song lyrics as poetry, providing they use legitimate words.

Gonna, wanna, imma, HATE THEM!! I don't mind lemme though. If they are in talking marks, fair enough, but too much unintelligent jargon is inconvenient.

Words like Fergalicious. If that is a word...

[Paulclem]

I don't mind song lyrics as poetry, providing they use legitimate words.

Gonna, wanna, imma, HATE THEM!! I don't mind lemme though. If they are in talking marks, fair enough, but too much unintelligent jargon is inconvenient.

Words like Fergalicious. If that is a word...

It is an Irish cannibal word referring to the fact that fergus is delicious.