Sitting here browsing the net while listening to various selections of some classic concert performances on wolfgangsvault.com. Free to join - TONS of stuff to listen to online.

Got to thinking about what song/album I would consider the best for lyrical content. They are:

Single song - The Rolling Stones: Sympathy For The Devil
Album - Genesis: The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway

What do you got?

Led Zeppelin "Stairway to Heaven"

Single song; '20 Million Things' from Thanks I'll Eat It Here - Lowell George (little Feat)



Album; The Bears - Rise and Shine

Generals gathered in their masses

Just like witches at black masses....


NUFF SAID

"... swallowing the colors of the sound I hear..." Ozzy.

Tom,

So cool that you'd pick them - Adrian Belew's bar band before being "discovered" as a guitar player by Zappa and Bowie. Belew's solo stuff has some great lyrics too (e.g. Lone Rhino) and the guy has one of the best voices in rock. Saw the Bears in a club in Toronto when they toured their self-titled album. Really talented group of players.

like a rolling stone or stairway to heaven,pigs three different ones(pink floyd)

Nobody puts as much thought into their lyrics as Rush - song after song.

Interesting that an American would be pointing this out to a Canuck!

Simplicity off Bob Seger's newest album Face The Promise
Keep it simple.

Simplicity it works for me
It keeps me runnin' hard, and sharp and true
I focus on the basic stuff
And pretty soon I'm comin up on you
So much clutter clouds our way
Fundamentals win the day

And I can dig this one Mike picked, WAR PIGS!;

Generals gathered in their masses
Just like witches at black masses
Evil minds that plot destruction
Sorcerer of death's construction
In the fields the bodies burning
As the war machine keeps turning
Death and hatred to mankind
Poisoning their brainwashed minds, oh lord yeah!

Politicians hide themselves away
They only started the war
Why should they go out to fight?
They leave that to the poor
Yeah!

Time will tell they are power minds
Making war just for fun
Treating people just like pawns in chess
Wait 'till their judgement day comes
Yeah!

when the bird is out and the music can barely be heard ove the exhaust its Sabbath or Salmon's pick, Rush

An amazing band and a whole lot of music from just three people.

still in the money are Priest and Maiden

ROCK ON!

Ah yes, forgot about the local boys and the lyrical stylings of Mr. Peart. Neil is from the Niagara region and played in area bands when I was a youngin'.

Check out this pic of young Neil:



Here's another one of a local band called The Majority. Neil is at the top right. The guy to the bottom right is Bob Keep who played keys for the band. I was in a band with Bob from about 1980 to 1983. Funny how the same sweater was worn!

As a kid I thought a girl was singing for Rush. I didn't understood "they call me the working man" for a long time!

Funny...watched this today

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oYmJGg65Uo

I would have to go with Pink Floyd, The Wall..

As for a song..

In the Air Tonight comes to mind first.

I totally agree. It's amazing to see those 3 guys put out the music they do live. Along with Neil getting lowered into the drum set!

I've probably seen them a dozen times and they never get old.

BTW if you don't own the dvd Rush in Rio, BUY IT!!!!

The Bears, Rise and Shine disk is in my top twenty. Lone Rhino is in there to. Wish I would have seen The Bears. But I did see Adrian play with the reformed band members in The Psychodots.

It was probably one of the best concerts I've seen. It was in the Agora, an old (small) dance hall right across from OSU. Adrien requested no smoking, so we had to go outside to smoke. I went out one of the side doors and lit up. I started talkin' to a fellow smoker about the band. Turned out I was talking with Chris Arduser the drummer. He was really surprised I found a copy of Rise and Shine. It had been out of print for some time. Had I known I would meet the band members, I would have brought the disk for signing.

My good friend Jeff and I had seats right next to the sound board, and we had a great conversation with the sound engineer. It was also a memorable show for my friend. Jeff died from a brain tumor a short time after that show.

Jeff and I also got to see Adrien play with King Crimson for the Three of a Perfect Pair tour. Another memorable concert, what a great group of musicians!



Jeff was responsible for my eclectic musical tastes. He turned me on to so many artists and types of music. All this talk about Adrien has me wondering what he's been doing. The last disk I have is Acoustic Adrian Belew.

Tom,

That's a great story. Sorry to hear about your friend Jeff. The Perfect Pair tour was a memorable one for me as well. I caught them at the CNE Bandshell in Toronto.

A Day in the Life by The Beatles, one of the best ever.

Steve

Alice's Restaurant tells the story of a man and his garbage. Try that one.

Funny how most of what's being suggested here comes from "the era".

Hope I don't sound like an old man here (and if I do, sit me down on the front porch to shake my fist at the neighbourhood kids on the front lawn), but there was so much more creativity "back in the day".

There are more recent contributors too, I feel. Adrian Belew as mentioned, Tom Petty, John Mellencamp...the list goes on.

That album was my very first LP.

"..it's been awhile, but I still remember just the way you taste" - STAIND - Ain't that the truth?

"....you've got to promise not to stop when I say 'When'..." - FOO FIGHTERS - It hurts so good, don't it?

"...Breathe out, so I can breathe you in..." - FOO FIGHTERS - In love, or in lust? Who cares?

Uh oh, did I scare everyone off here? Wazzup?

I think that every time I get the last word too!
What about any Billie Holiday song? Such a sad life, no wonder why she sang the blues.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5r4iyMOp1gY
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billie_Holiday

nobody mentions,traffic,spooky tooth,savoy brown,dylan,neil young,led zepplin,king crimson and there are many other ones

I can't think of what song I like that has the best lyrics. I like alot of songs. Since we are on a Firebird site, I will mention "Freebird in a Firebird" by Heartland and "Firebird Fly" by Little Big Town. Both are country rockish and I'm more of a rock gal myself. Any rock is good for cruising around.

remember that very well, still have it too...20 minute long "song"

Radio stations have a habit of playing Alice's Restaurant every Thanksgiving due to the story.

Dark Side of the Moon By Pink Floyd is another great one as well...

Steve

I guess you missed the 2nd post to the thread.

I have missed that... but I did recently play it for my two youngest kids , 23, 26...they had never heard of it...but loved it....
they said: "its from the "hippie days" " lol

How bout "Big Bottoms" Spinal Tap. I still laugh at that 20 some years later.