Get started for free The Beatles – Hey Jude The melody here is so simple, and yet this song has been covered by more artists than you can count – it’s all thanks to those incredibly powerful lyrics. Sung in the first person, from the point of view of a young man who doesn’t want to be forced to join the army, makes the song all the more personal. With Vietnam raging, and conscription forcing young Americans to fight in a war they didn’t understand, the lyrics captured all of their rage, fear and disgust perfectly. The protest song to end all protest songs, Dylan voiced the concerns of a generation when he penned this anti-war lyric.

“I think you will find/When your death takes its toll/All the money you made/Will never buy back your soul…” The song was shelved for a few years as a result, but thankfully couldn’t be hidden away for too long! Bob Dylan – Masters of War

The song’s lyrics were so unusual that they actually caused friction within the band, with Beach Boy Mike Love complaining that they were nonsensical, and would alienate their fans. Full of layers of surreal symbolism, it’s the product of the truly unique imagination of the lyrical genius Van Dyke Parks (with the help of some very illegal substances).Ĭreating image upon image, the words flowing, perfectly fitting Brian Wilson’s incredible ode to the sea. Quite simply one of the most beautiful lyrics ever written – and one of the strangest too.

We’d love to hear your favourites too, and what they mean to you, and why. Here are some of the finest ever recorded, and a little explanation about each one. There are plenty more bad lyrical attempts out there than good – and that’s why we cherish those great lyrics all the more. “I don’t want to see a ghost/It’s the sight that I fear most/I’d rather have a piece of toast…” To prove just how tricky and rare it is to craft exquisite lyrics like theirs, it pays to look at the other end of the scale: The best lyrics read like the finest poetry, and many would argue that the likes of Neil Young and Bob Dylan are indeed poets as well as songwriters.

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