Great songs with lame lyrics

I don’t understand the posts that say 98% of all rock songs or whatever...that makes no sense. That is implying that 98% of all rock songs are great.

 

The people here know a lot about music.

Math? Not so much.

 

There are actually people who seem to think that all rock or pop songs are great - or almost all. I've encountered them. It does not matter what song comes on the radio, they will grin, sing along, tap their hands or feet (if it's that kind of song), anything from Celine Dion to Kiss to Black Sabbath to Magma. Probably not people on this forum though.

 

The lyrics of most Cream originals make the lyrics of Phish songs seem like marvels of diamond-cut lucidity, in comparison.

 

Well, Kurt was keenly attuned to every known self-destructive rock'n'roll idiocy, not just those expressed by Neil Young.

 

It's a shame too cuz as time passes by those weak lyrics really hold back those songs from really being classics.

 

Kurt Cobain is the patron saint of this thread. He just utterly excreted his lyrics many many times.

 

Benny and the Jets just cannot be a bad lyric if it works so well. You know it works.

 

Imo, Light My Fire was a better one.

 

BS

“Here we are now entertain us”—that line alone summarized the grunge movement

When you add the happy accident of the song title it’s genius

 

Not to mention much of the lyrics were a complete mystery until they released a lyric sheet with the Come As You Are single.

 

True, and it made for some very... interesting lyrics as well. Better interesting and stupid to boring and stupid I say.

 

Kaaa-boom! Actually, the lyrics for "There's A Place" or "Think For Yourself" impressed me more than those of "A Day In The Life" or "For No One"
on first impression. That opinion still lingers on in 2018.

 

Mulatto...albino...mosquito...libido. Let's call the whole thing off.

 

How can it be a "great song", if it has lame lyrics? Doesn't make sense.

 

Half of Paul McCartney's solo work. Some of John's (which is really unexpected). Like the music but the words are often dumb.

 

Thumbsed up for that There's a Place mention. I think that's a very deep, mature and relatable song, echoing to stuff John would start writing in '65 with songs like Help! and In My Life. Agreed about Think For Yourself being more impressive than For No One as well.

 

I'm surprised to see this comment. I find lyrics play a far smaller role in comparison to melody.

 

Gene Clark sang "She Loves You" the last time I saw him perform in 1988 and raved about the songwriting.
I'd say that that guy has a modicum of credibility when it comes to quality songcraft. How many Dave Marsh
tunes can you hum?

 

Man, even though I'm pretty sure that's not what he's saying, that's exactly what it sounds like to me!

One listener's lame is another listener's Shakespeare. Plant's my favorite vocalist but a lot of his pre-Physical Graffiti, lyrics, to put it charitably, don't hold up. "To be a rock and not to roll" comes to mind.

 

I loved "Rain" by The Beatles since I first heard it on the radio in '66.
Only noticed how lame the lyrics really were in the 1980s.

 

The Ramones surely win this thread by a landslide.

And i say that as a diehard fan in a positive way.

 

Bald, Dog Years and Tai Shan

The unholy trinity and the only 3 Rush songs i actively dislike

 

Wow, you're right. When you said it I was a little surprised. Just read them and now that they're not fitting into a melody yes I definitely agree.