Best Prog Lyricist

I voted Peter Gabriel.

Just like some other people here I'm missing Peter Hammill. And what about Mr. Sinfield... Maybe his lyrical work on 'Islands' wasn't all that impressive but 'Epitaph'? 'Schizoid Man'?

On the other hand...Neil Peart...ahh...choices, choices...

James Lee wrote: Hmm, no mention by anyone of either Sinfield or Palmer-James...lyricists so talented that they were band members without even playing an instrument...(IMHO Hammill's lyrics always reminded me of a weepy teenage girl writing poems in her diary. Glad to see he was passed over...)

I mentioned Pete above with Greg... James.. since they did do quite a lot of writing together.  Actually I understand they are working together again... which would be a great thing if they ever get recorded...

"One of my favourite lyrics is 'Still Life'. Grim, darkly comic, beautifully written, and all embracing the horror of immortality."
I hear you. my friend Blacksword, that's IMHO one of his finest lyrics, and that's very much, since 90 % of his lyrics are pure mastery (the other 10 % being 'only' great). This reflection on the horror of immortality is an eulogy on the acceptance of death as a factor that may help life to make sense and have a purpose.

That's kind of optimism hidden under a guise of apparent gloomy pessimism. 'Still Life' is actually a very optimistic album.

I admit I also forgot another great Peter, Sinfield of course. But back to Hammill - I think that he was Fish's major influence not only as a lyricist, but also as a vocalist. Fish tosses his words, a bit far from the usually delicate theatralism of Gabriel's. Fish's vocal tone is similar to that of Gabriel's (that's nature, not plagiarism), but his singing style is closer to that of Hammill's. Even Hmmill had to erase Fish's input for 'The Fall of the House of Usher' since he sounded too similar to his own input (they played different characters in this concept album).

Closer to Gabriel was Peter Nicholls in IQ's early days, but his tone was closer to that of Psychodelic Furs and Talking Heads lead singers.

I'll stop digressing. Regards.

My vote goes to Gabriel, who else did more complex and inteligent lyrics about almost everything?

History: Can Utility and the Coastlinres

Religion: Supper's Ready

Violence and Love: Musical Box

Mithology: Fountain of Salmacis

Politics: The Knife

Gangs fights: Battle for the Eping Forest

Novelists works: White Mountain (Based in Jack London's White Fang)

Social Issues mixed with Sci Fi: Get 'Em Out By Firiday

Botanics: The Return of the Giant Hogweed

Humour: Harold the Barrel

And of course The Lamb that covers all those issues and Sci Fi.

Almost all his songs are stories that the listener can follow and keep the interest, I believe nobody ever did something similar.

Iván

Certif1ed wrote: I think most people who hear Gabriel's influence on Fish hear similarities in vocal tone rather than lyrics - Fish's lyrics owe more to Hammill, IMO.  "...examine the shadows on the other side of morning, examine the shadows on the other side of mourning  Promised wedding now a wake" (as in funeral, but it's supposed to sound like awake to blur the two ideas). I'm always misquoting lyrics, but these mean something to me!

 Should not have relied on my memory!! The correct words give it a significantly different meaning.

I did realise this when I played it last night

zappa123 wrote: My vote goes to Peter Gabriel and Zappa of course.Anyone heard lyrics on Dinah-moe-humm and I'm the slime.Also I had to say that Roger Waters lyrics on The wall is really a masterpiece.

Roger Waters  I found Frank Zappa's lyrics amusing more than anything else, but to be honest I'm no expert on Zappa. I love his guitar playing. I would be surprised if there were many guitarists more skilled and versatile then he was.

Certif1ed wrote: emdiar wrote: Fish writes like an angst ridden sixth form drama student. Most angst-ridden sixth form students just write self-evident humourless junk with little or no reference to real life or themes outside of their angst. At least Fish had the intelligence to inject a large amount of irony and understanding of the human psyche under emotional stress before exaggerating it into angst! "Here I am once more in the playground of the broken hearts, I'm losing on the swings, I'm losing on the roundabouts..." "The game is over...".  Yes, there is angst, but the multitude of images that spring forth from these lyrics shows a very mature form - and "Fugazi" is pratically pure prose, so the "sixth-form" reference sounds a bit flippant to me. There's certainly drama in these lyrics, I'll warrant you that! For non-angsty Fish lyrics, check out "Garden Party", "Forgotten Sons", "Assassing", "Jigsaw", "Heart of Lothian" (for starters!). I'm not trying to force opinions here, just attempting to highlight the incredible depths and inventiveness of Fish's lyrics to stem this kind of light dismissal.

I accept your point re depths and inventiveness Cert.,  personal taste also plays a role. Fish's lyrics are literate and literary in nature, clever and laden with irony, word-play, and poetic devices, I can't and won't deny that. Perhaps I was a little unfair to dismiss him so out of hand. I seem to have a problem with Fish...I just can't feel the same way about him as you do.....

No, really, it's me, not you, I guess I'm just not ready to commit just yet.....You should meet other..... No, wait, that's the wrong speech

In support of the Hammill contingent - and really just to confirm his talent rather than be confrontational - this doesn't look very girly or particularly angsty to me...

A bit rough in places, compared to the seamlessness of Fish (who gets a mention...), but beautifully constructed and with a good punch at the end (any excuse to disseminate great lyrics!);

Ophelia : Peter Hammill

"This one's authentic, son of a gun,
a soundtrack from China in the universal tongue....
The world is our oyster to plunder at will
though the palats is jaded by all but the thrill
of fish out of water, life in the raw...
Without understanding of what life's worth fighting for.
Out of universal language some stuff never translates -
the reports come in clusters but for words it's too late...
Six o'clock entertainment, tears of anguish and rage...
in the zoos of the media the spirit of moment is caged.
There's only one language the whole world comprehends,
there's only one message as the darkness descends...
do you still have a question or do you retract?
There's a whole world of difference between the observer and the act.
They're playing world music in Tiananmen Square.
They're playing world music in Tiananmen Square.
The whistle of bullets in the air."