Best and Worst prog lyrics

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Posted: September 20 2023 at 21:22

Drink up dreamers, you're running dry (love this)

C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon
Lady kiss that frog (hate this)

Edited by Heart of the Matter - September 20 2023 at 21:30

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Posted: September 20 2023 at 18:25

^ ALL those are great, I'm a huge Dylan fan myself, but these are prog lyricists only sadly.

The Wheel of Time Turns, and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the shadow.

Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time...

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Posted: September 20 2023 at 18:23

Frets N Worries wrote:

^ Hamill? Waters?

Hi,

I wonder if he knows of Roy Harper? ... heck, even Bob Dylan! Robin Williamson! Heck, Jim M even has books of poetry available.

One of our old favorites in the 60's started their material with a poem ... and we thought it was cool, too!

Edited by moshkito - September 20 2023 at 18:25

Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told!
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Posted: September 20 2023 at 11:59

^ Hamill? Waters?

The Wheel of Time Turns, and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the shadow.

Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time...

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Posted: September 20 2023 at 11:56

moshkito wrote:

Hi,

The sad side for me, as a writer, is that there is no such thing as "good" or "bad" and every day I look at this thread, I get sadder yet some more.

Thousands of years of literature and stuff has a lot of different ways to saying things, but we think some is good and the rest is bad ... and in the end, that is an illusion ... since a bad actor and singer can make one lyric sound right and better than it might be.

Some folks think that Prufrock is nuts and an ideal in poetry ... others think Shakespeare is ... and in the end, that is not the point ... the expression that it brought out is ... and there is no better or worse, but I get really sad seeing this commercially minded thing consistently putting down material that has a right to be there ... regardless of what we think!

Thanks for bringing up literature!

I've always considered Jon Anderson of Yes to be an English poet in the mold of the famous "Romantic" movement (Shelley, Keats, Byron etc.). Sure, some (much) of his stuff is a confusing hash, but when he is on, he is sublime!

Not far behind Anderson is Peter Gabriel. The sign of good lyrics is that they stand on their own as poetry, without the music.

Prog is fortunate to have many excellent poets contributing. Peter Sinfield, Richard Palmer James and others were visionaries. I'd add Ian Anderson to the mix.

Thoughts?

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Posted: September 19 2023 at 23:51

Hi,

The sad side for me, as a writer, is that there is no such thing as "good" or "bad" and every day I look at this thread, I get sadder yet some more.

Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told!
www.pedrosena.com

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Posted: September 19 2023 at 20:08

Here, I'll do my own (Atmos)

Picking a worst one was hard, they're all not great...

(Taken from Part 8 of 'The Stardust Medley')

VIII. BACK

Please come back

Why did you go

Don’t fade into black

We hope you enjoyed the show

Of radiation seeping into his soul

There’s no way he could’ve survived

Please come back

Come Back

Come Back…

That needs a re-write... well, making a debut is a learning experience.

Taken from "Hole in the Wall"

The end does not come quickly

As we are drifting here alone

The officer with open casket

The frozen child with no home

None of em are great, check the album's comments on YouTube for all the lyrics. everyone can pick out a least favorite then LOL

The Wheel of Time Turns, and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the shadow.

Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time...

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Posted: September 19 2023 at 19:58

cstack3 wrote:

Frets N Worries wrote:

Here's a REALLY hot take, I like it more than Watcher of the Skies. (as of now, but that'll probably change)

An underrated gem for sure!

On an unrelated note, Cstack joined prog archives the same day my brother was born! Day, Month, and Year!!

An auspicious event for sure! Clap

Indeed!

The Wheel of Time Turns, and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the shadow.

Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time...

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Posted: September 19 2023 at 18:25

Frets N Worries wrote:

Here's a REALLY hot take, I like it more than Watcher of the Skies. (as of now, but that'll probably change)

An underrated gem for sure!

On an unrelated note, Cstack joined prog archives the same day my brother was born! Day, Month, and Year!!

An auspicious event for sure! Clap

I am not a Robot, I'm a FREE MAN!!

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Posted: September 19 2023 at 15:17

Here's a REALLY hot take, I like it more than Watcher of the Skies. (as of now, but that'll probably change)

An underrated gem for sure!

On an unrelated note, Cstack joined prog archives the same day my brother was born! Day, Month, and Year!!

Edited by Frets N Worries - September 19 2023 at 15:18

The Wheel of Time Turns, and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the shadow.

Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time...

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Posted: September 19 2023 at 15:10

Frets N Worries wrote:

I'm surprised no one has mentioned 'Time Table' it's pretty fantasy

Actually, I view it as more of a lens through history! Gabriel is pining about the days of King Arthur & knights of the round table.

"Time Table" does not seem to be the most popular Genesis song on this website, but I think it is sublime!

A carved oak table,
Tells a tale
Of times when kings and queens sipped wine from goblets gold,
And the brave would lead their ladies from out of the room to arbors cool.

A time of valor, and legends born
A time when honor meant much more to a man than life
And the days knew only strife to tell right from wrong
Through lance and sword.

Why, why can we never be sure till we die
Or have killed for an answer,
Why, why do we suffer each race to believe
That no race has been grander
It seems because through time and space
Though names may change each face retains the mask it wore.

A dusty table
Musty smells
Tarnished silver lies discarded upon the floor
Only feeble light descends through a film of grey
That scars the panes.
Gone the carving,
And those who left their mark,
Gone the kings and queens now only the rats hold sway
And the weak must die according to nature's law
As old as they.

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Posted: September 19 2023 at 12:36

I'm surprised no one has mentioned 'Time Table' it's pretty fantasy

The Wheel of Time Turns, and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the shadow.

Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time...

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Posted: September 19 2023 at 12:35

Spacegod87 wrote:

cstack3 wrote:

However, the lyrics of Yes, King Crimson and Genesis, although fanciful, do not go down the rabbit hole of fantasy in the form of Dungeons & Dragons etc. Beats the hell out of me how that started!!

I reckon a lot of prog SOUNDS nerdy to people who aren't into prog.

I remember my younger brother walking into the room while I was playing 'Karn Evil 9' and his exact words were: "What the hell is this nerd sh*t?" lol.

And what do people associate nerds with? High fantasy, D&D, etc.

Good point, mate!

I guess that, upon casual listening, early KC (ITCOTCK for example) went close to the fantasy realm....

The rusted chains of prison moons

Are shattered by the sun,

I walk a road, horizons change

The tournament's begun....

etc. etc.

Plus the artwork, especially "Lizard" (drawing more from medieval England than Tolkien). It still featured a few "worms" aka dragons etc.

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Posted: September 19 2023 at 06:23

I reckon a lot of prog SOUNDS nerdy to people who aren't into prog.

I remember my younger brother walking into the room while I was playing 'Karn Evil 9' and his exact words were: "What the hell is this nerd sh*t?" lol.

And what do people associate nerds with? High fantasy, D&D, etc.

Levitating downwards,
atomic feedback scream.

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Posted: September 19 2023 at 06:12

such a cynic when there are so many great options

what about?

''Curse my inadequate bladder''

''Damn, nearly stood on an adder''

or even

'' yadda, yadda, yadda!''

(ok not enough syllables in that last one but why spoil a good 'joke' Wink

)

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Posted: September 18 2023 at 23:33

^ I thought they could not find a better rhyme for "sadder". Big smile

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Posted: September 18 2023 at 22:56

cstack3 wrote:

Psychedelic Paul wrote:

The best and the worst lyrics all in one song....

ELP - Still You Turn Me On

Every day a little sadder

A little madder

Someone get me a ladder

“Somebody get me a ladder” refers to hitting rock bottom and wanting help to climb out.

That ladder line refers to just how crazy the whole ELP stage experience had become. It references Emersons continued escalation in showman ship, specifically when Emerson had his keyboard rig lifted off the stage, at one point failing and leaving Emerson stranded in mid air, a situation which facilitated Emerson calling out for the aforementioned piece of climbing equipment.

The song itself is Lake addressing his audience, saying that no matter the madness, it was all worth it for the crowd reaction.

Edited by Hugh Manatee - September 18 2023 at 22:58

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Scuttling across the floors of uncertain seas

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Posted: September 18 2023 at 22:43

Originally posted by I prophesy disaster

I prophesy disaster wrote:

Hugh Manatee wrote:

Personally I cringe when I hear:

"How did he lose

Six Million Jews."

Hugh Manatee wrote:

As for "Lucky Man", Lake wrote those lyrics when he was 12 and it was nothing more than a filler to begin with. It was only the magnificent first take moog solo at the end that lifts it above mediocre (and if I'm not mistaken, it is probably ELPs best known/ most popular song).

In Australia (at least), ELP's version of "Fanfare for the Common Man" became synonymous with sporting events for decades following the Montreal Olympics in 1976.

On television, I sometimes hear parts of "Karn Evil 9" played in shows set in the '70s.

Sure, I'm an Aussie to, but I wonder how many people even knew who "Fanfare..." was by, let alone listen to the whole track from beginning to end.

...and "Lucky Man" was featured on "The Simpsons".

For me, those lines from (Hymn) just seem to trivialize what it's trying to address. A simplistic take on an extremely complex situation.

Why not attack this god for the total 60 million people estimated to have died during that particular conflict?

Edited by Hugh Manatee - September 18 2023 at 22:56

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Posted: September 18 2023 at 21:18

- not a terrible lyric, its more the ''even though your flesh has crystallized'' bit I don't like personally and in general its just very heavy handed. For me most of Lake's best lyrics are on Trilogy including the excellent From The Beginning especially showed that he could write a great lyric as well as the pseudo hymn The Endless Enigma. I also enjoy the romanticism of Trilogy a lot. However as good as they tracks were on the album, ELP though struggled to get these songs across live and so I think a more theatric approach beckoned. Context is important here.

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