Songs with poetic lyrics

[TOG]

Alright, i'm working on a project for which I need to gather some songs with lyrics one could consider poetic. I don't want any sappy romantic shit, but any genre as good, as long as the lyrics could be interpreted as poetic.

I expect at least one serious answer.

[Liam]

Don't have any specific examples off the top of my head, but AFI's more recent stuff comes to mind.

[TOG]

Don't have any specific examples off the top of my head, but AFI's more recent stuff comes to mind.

[Liam]

Not sure what song this is, but someone I know posted this AFI lyric at another forum.

Oh

Five A.M. on the bathroom floor

from the night before,

do you find me dreadful?

What a shame such a sad disgrace.

Such a pretty face

but she's not regretful.

Am I beautiful?

Am I usable?

It's killing time again (killing time again).

Put on your face and let's pretend,

these killing lights won't kill us all again.

Three A.M. on the city street,

when the air is sweet,

I've had my mouth full

but it seems that outside the screen

such a pretty face

often will look dreadful, oh.

Am I beautiful?

Am I usable?

It's killing time again (killing time again).

Put on your face and let's pretend,

these killing lights won't kill us all again.

It's killing time again (killing time again).

Cover your face and we'll pretend,

these killing lights can't kill us all again.

You see they always remember.

They never forget a face

when they cut cut cut cut cut cut cut you up,

cut cut cut cut. They remember.

Cut cut cut cut cut cut cut you up,

cut you up.

It's killing time again (killing time again).

Put on your face and let's pretend,

these killing lights won't kill us all again.

[apsham]

Try looking at some Matthew Good lyrics here, I'll post one example I suppose, called The Last Poem's Poet. I don't know if it fits, but from what I learnt about poetry (I really didn't pay much attention when poetry came along) it repeats itself and such:

The Last Poem's Poet

lit another cigarette

sat down at the table to think

discovered that the secret of the universe

was the ice cubes melting in my drink

what do I get the stuff

what do I get the stuff from

what do you get the stuff and why does it come

had another cigarette

sat down at the table to drink

stop and breathe while I

I think I need to think

I think I need to think hard

hard about my, hard about my

my reasons for doing what I do

my reasons for feeling how I feel

my reasons for doing what I do

my reasons for feeling how I feel

you know, feel about you

lit another cigarette

sat down at the table to think

stop and breathe awhile

what have I learned about love

what have I learned about love you tell me

what have I learned about myself

the last poem's poet

he is not an outspoken man

the last poem's poet

he is, he is not, not an intelligent man

the last poet's poem

will be about the mistakes that he has made in his life

the last poet's poem

will be about everything he would have done differently

if the time would have been right

righter than this

righter than that

you know it's righter than everything you've ever thought was possible

righter than this

righter than that

righter than everything you ever thought possible

and this life is possible in the next one

what is possible in this life is possible for everyone

lit another cigarette

sat down at the table to think

discovered that the secret of the universe was melting slowly in my drink

and I have come to a conclusion

I have come to a conclusion finally

I have come to a conclusion

within conclusion there is delusion

within delusion there is illusion

and within illusion

there is confusion here

there is confusion here

there is confusion here

confusion is the straightest talk you will ever know

confusion doesn't care about what you have or who you know

confusion is a friend of mine

has been for a long, long time

confusion is a friend of mine

you know he has been for a long long long long time

got the balls to show it

the last poem's poet

he's got the reasons to show it

the last poem's poet

lost the fear to blow it

the last poem's poet

he's got the courage to know it

the last poem's poet

the last

the last time I saw your face

my mind led to a race

the last time I saw your face

fell prey to a liar's grace

in the end I will be fine

in the end I will be fine

yeah, in the end I will be fine

in the end I think I'll lose my mind

lit another cigarette

lit another cigarette

and I'm alright

I'm just a little tired I guess

just a little tired

[Guest Yo!]

Kanye West. Period. Every song of his is poetic.

[TOG]

THAT'S THAT CRACK MUSIC NIGGAAAAH

THAT REAL BLACK MUSIC NIGGAH

[Guest Josef Stallion]

rofl, SHUT DOWN~!!!

[tristy]

Saul Williams.

[VerbalPuke]

Here you go, this might work.

Angelic Upstarts - "Woman In Disguise"

She's been through history, but always appeared as the foe,

I saw her on a sailing ship, it's name was the bounty and she captained it,

She spoke of blossoms that were to bloom, and the country whistled to her tune,

But the flowers were full of discontent, and the youth were raped of everything they had left.

[Chorus]

Man and woman, child and youth,

It must be now you know the truth,

She's the woman in disguise, she's the one who tells the lies.

Fight against the ugly race, and the idle wealth that's lost all face,

Man and woman, child and youth

It must be now you know the truth,

She's the woman in disguise, she's the one who tells the lies.

Deceitful heart that beats so strong, and it's our blood that pumps it along,

I must be happy, I must be free, It's your choice you've gotta see,

The birds fly free, but in the same cage as you and me,

I was born with nothing but not in debt,

I won't pay for something that I'll never get.

[Chorus]

Woman in disguise [x3]

Man and woman, child and youth,

It must be now you know the truth,

She's the woman in disguise, she's the one who tells the lies.

Man and woman, child and youth,

She's the woman in disguise

Edited June 13, 2006 by VerbalPuke

[ACCBiggz]

True Self by SOiL

Honor - Choices that you make, reflect of whom you truly are

Courage - Rise above the masses, live your life complete and strong

Compassion - Is the power that must be used for the good of all

Loyal - To the ones in my care, standing true for what the cause

My soul has been searching, longing for something

I see my true self and I have learned well

Honesty - There are no shades of grey, only truth as it can be

Sincere - Don't need to give my word, to speak of such, is the same thing

Courtesy - There's no need to prove strength, even respect your enemies

Values - This is the code I feel, emotions without words, can speak

My soul has been searching, longing for something

I see my true self and I have learned well

My true self

Insight, intelligence, integrity, the honor that is in my soul

[Steeb]

Saul Williams.

[Lord Nibbler]

There is a city by the sea

A gentle company

I don't suppose you want to

And as it tells its sorry tale

In harrowing detail

Its hollowness will haunt you

Its streets and boulevards

Orphans and oligarchs it hears

A plaintive melody

Truncated symphony

An ocean's garbled vomit on the shore,

Los Angeles, I'm yours

Oh ladies, pleasant and demure

Sallow-cheeked and sure

I can see your undies

And all the boys you drag about

An empty fellow found

From Saturdays to Mondays

You hill and valley crowd

Hanging your trousers down at heel

This is the realest thing

As ancient choirs sing

A dozen blushing cherubs wheel above

Los Angeles my love

O what a rush of ripe elan

Languor on divans

Dalliant and dainty

But oh, the smell of burnt cocaine

The dolor and decay

It only makes me cranky

Oh great calamity,

Ditch of iniquity and tears

How I abhor this place

Its sweet and bitter taste

Has left me wretched, retching on all fours

Los Angeles, I'm yours

[TheCrippler]

the language in the dimmer rooms seems to represent its light source well

how soft they speak and seem to be at peace

with the movement of the music and the madness that is pulling me into this

and the shades of the lamps are woven red

the light, it stains and consecrates

anointing all forgotten forms that swirl and smoke

and haunt this place

the girls in gowns all nurse the dark

pulling it near to their swelling breasts

and watch as it seeps to their hearts

and beats within their virgin chests

and here i know seduction breeds from wanton hearts that would

seduce and grows and spreads its vine

and leaves embracing those who might have moved

but now we're made to drink the night from vials black and thick

with such intoxicating delights would leave you drunk

inside this dream

and you watch them take the light from you

and you find yourself on a velvet couch

tasting the skin of a foreign girl

her eyes are black and wet like oil

and she ties your hands with a string of pearls

and you tremble like a frightened bird

as she closes in and captures you to place you

in a silver cage deep within her poisoned womb

so once your safe inside, she might let you out

to fly in circles around the room

but its always night and there is no moon

and you wonder if you are alive

and you're not sure if you want to be

but you drink her sweat like it was wine

and you lay with her on a bed of blue and its awful sweet

like the fruit she cuts and feeds to you

[Crybaby Bunting]

Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Iron Maiden might just get you through the whole of your project

Hear the rime of the ancient mariner

See his eye as he stops one of three

Mesmerises one of the wedding guests

Stay here and listen to the nightmares of the sea.

And the music plays on, as the bride passes by

Caught by his spell and the mariner tells his tale.

Driven south to the land of the snow and ice

To a place where nobody's been

Through the snow fog flies on the albatross

Hailed in God's name, hoping good luck it brings.

And the ship sails on, back to the North

Through the fog and ice and the albatross follows on.

The mariner kills the bird of good omen

His shipmates cry against what he's done

But when the fog clears, they justify him

And make themselves a part of the crime.

Sailing on and on and north across the sea

Sailing on and on and north 'til all is calm.

The albatross begins with its vengeance

A terrible curse a thirst has begun

His shipmates blame bad luck on the mariner

About his neck, the dead bird is hung.

And the curse goes on and on at sea

And the verse goes on and on for them and me.

"Day after day, day after day,

we stuck nor breath nor motion

as idle as a painted ship upon a painted ocean

Water, water everywhere and

all the boards did shrink

Water, water everywhere nor any drop to drink."

There calls the mariner

There comes a ship over the line

But how can she sail with no wind in her sails and no tide.

See...onward she comes

Onward she nears out of the sun

See, she has no crew

She has no life, wait but there's two.

Death and she Life in Death,

They throw their dice for the crew

She wins the mariner and he belongs to her now.

Then...crew one by one

they drop down dead, two hundred men

She...she, Life in Death.

She lets him live, her chosen one.

"One after one by the star dogged moon,

too quick for groan or sigh

each turned his face with a ghastly pang

and cursed me with his eye

four times fifty living men

(and I heard nor sigh nor groan)

with heavy thump, a lifeless lump,

they dropped down one by one."

The curse it lives on in their eyes

The mariner he wished he'd die

Along with the sea creatures

But they lived on, so did he.

And by the light of the moon

He prays for their beauty not doom

With heart he blesses them

God's creatures all of them too.

Then the spell starts to break

The albatross falls from his neck

Sinks down like lead into the sea

Then down in falls comes the rain.

Hear the groans of the long dead seamen

See them stir and they start to rise

Bodies lifted by good spirits

None of them speak and they're lifelesss in their eyes

And revenge is still sought, penance starts again

Cast into a trance and the nightmare carries on.

Now the curse is finally lifted

And the mariner sights his home

spirits go from the long dead bodies

Form their own light and the mariner's left alone.

And then a boat came sailing towards him

It was a joy he could not believe

The pilot's boat, his son and the hermit,

Penance of life will fall onto him.

And the ship it sinks like lead into the sea

And the hermit shrieves the mariner of his sins.

The mariner's bound to tell of his story

To tell this tale wherever he goes

To teach God's word by his own example

That we must love all things that God made.

And the wedding guest's a sad and wiser man

And the tale goes on and on and on.

[probablyoliver]

The main three I can think of are Saul Williams, Bright Eyes and Ballboy, all three sound more like poetry put to music then actual songs, and for a lot of songs, it works extremely well.

[fineintent]

turn left up the street

nothing but grey concrete and dead beats

grab something to eat, maccy d's or kfc?

only one choice in the city.

done voicing my pity

now let's get to the nitty gritty,

tune reminds me of my first e

plight unique, still 16 and feeling horny.

point to the sky feel free

sea of people all equal,

smiles in front and behind me.

swimming the deep blue sea

corn fields sway lazily

all smiles, all easy

where you from what you on and whats your story?

mesmorising tones, rising pianos,

this is my zone - so stop cloning.

pick paper scissors or stone

coz you and me are the same

known you all me life i dont know your name.

the name's 'european bob', sorted.

anyway have a dance now, see ya later

please to meet ya,

likewise, a pleasure

(Chorus)

we were just standing here minding our own

we went on and on 'we all smile we all sing'

weak become heroes and the stars aligned 'we all sing we all sing'

but the night slowly fades and goes slow motion

all the comotion becomes floating emotions

same piano loops over.

arms wave eyes roll back and jaws fall open

see in soft focus

chatting to this bloke in the toilets.

dizzy new heights, blinded by the lights

these people are for life

its all back to his place at the end of the night.

yo, they could settle wars with this

if only they will

imagine the world's leaders on pills

and imagine the morning after

wars causing disaster

don't talk to me i don't know ya

but this aint tomorrow for now i still love ya

hours fly over

sail round, diamonds and pearls

never seen so many fit girls

discover new worlds

look at my watch can't focus

last two hours are lost

every move fills me with lust

all of life's problems i just shake off

hell, mad little events happen

things map out and a few little blue maidens are like

the toilets

big beefy bouncers out to reveal us

geezers on e's and first timers

kids on wizz, darlings on charlie

all come together for this party

all races, many faces from places you never heard of

where you from whats your name and what you on

sing to the words, flex to the fat ones

the tribal drums

suns rising

we all smile we all sing

(Chorus)

we were just standing here minding our own

we went on and on 'we all smile we all sing'

weak become heroes and the stars aligned 'we all sing we all sing'

then the girl in the cafe' taps me on the shoulder

i realise 5 years went by and i'm older

memories smoulder, winters colder

but that same piano loops over and over and over

the road shines and the rain washes away

same chinese takeaway

selling shit in a tray

it's dark all round

i walk down

same sights same sounds

new beats though

solid concrete under my feat

no surprises no treats

the world stands still as my mind sloshes round

the washing up bowl in my crown

my life's been up and down since i walked from that crowd

(Chorus)

we were just standing here minding our own

we went on and on 'we all smile we all sing'

weak become heroes and the stars aligned 'we all sing we all sing'

outta respect for johnny walker

paul oakenfold

nicky holloway

danny rampling

and all the people who gave us these times

and to the government

i stick my middle finger up

with regards to the criminal justice bill

for all the heroes i met along the way

(over) 'weak become heroes and the stars aligned'

we all sing we all sing

weak become heroes and the stars aligned

we all sing we all sing

(Chorus)

we were just standing here minding our own

we went on and on 'we all smile we all sing'

weak become heroes and the stars aligned 'we all sing we all sing'

Edited June 13, 2006 by fineintent

[TOG]

Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Iron Maiden might just get you through the whole of your project

Hear the rime of the ancient mariner

See his eye as he stops one of three

Mesmerises one of the wedding guests

Stay here and listen to the nightmares of the sea.

And the music plays on, as the bride passes by

Caught by his spell and the mariner tells his tale.

Driven south to the land of the snow and ice

To a place where nobody's been

Through the snow fog flies on the albatross

Hailed in God's name, hoping good luck it brings.

And the ship sails on, back to the North

Through the fog and ice and the albatross follows on.

The mariner kills the bird of good omen

His shipmates cry against what he's done

But when the fog clears, they justify him

And make themselves a part of the crime.

Sailing on and on and north across the sea

Sailing on and on and north 'til all is calm.

The albatross begins with its vengeance

A terrible curse a thirst has begun

His shipmates blame bad luck on the mariner

About his neck, the dead bird is hung.

And the curse goes on and on at sea

And the verse goes on and on for them and me.

"Day after day, day after day,

we stuck nor breath nor motion

as idle as a painted ship upon a painted ocean

Water, water everywhere and

all the boards did shrink

Water, water everywhere nor any drop to drink."

There calls the mariner

There comes a ship over the line

But how can she sail with no wind in her sails and no tide.

See...onward she comes

Onward she nears out of the sun

See, she has no crew

She has no life, wait but there's two.

Death and she Life in Death,

They throw their dice for the crew

She wins the mariner and he belongs to her now.

Then...crew one by one

they drop down dead, two hundred men

She...she, Life in Death.

She lets him live, her chosen one.

"One after one by the star dogged moon,

too quick for groan or sigh

each turned his face with a ghastly pang

and cursed me with his eye

four times fifty living men

(and I heard nor sigh nor groan)

with heavy thump, a lifeless lump,

they dropped down one by one."

The curse it lives on in their eyes

The mariner he wished he'd die

Along with the sea creatures

But they lived on, so did he.

And by the light of the moon

He prays for their beauty not doom

With heart he blesses them

God's creatures all of them too.

Then the spell starts to break

The albatross falls from his neck

Sinks down like lead into the sea

Then down in falls comes the rain.

Hear the groans of the long dead seamen

See them stir and they start to rise

Bodies lifted by good spirits

None of them speak and they're lifelesss in their eyes

And revenge is still sought, penance starts again

Cast into a trance and the nightmare carries on.

Now the curse is finally lifted

And the mariner sights his home

spirits go from the long dead bodies

Form their own light and the mariner's left alone.

And then a boat came sailing towards him

It was a joy he could not believe

The pilot's boat, his son and the hermit,

Penance of life will fall onto him.

And the ship it sinks like lead into the sea

And the hermit shrieves the mariner of his sins.

The mariner's bound to tell of his story

To tell this tale wherever he goes

To teach God's word by his own example

That we must love all things that God made.

And the wedding guest's a sad and wiser man

And the tale goes on and on and on.

[Benji]

Just grab the album "Euphoria Morning" by Chris Cornell, it's all you need in life.

[K]

Jurassic 5 - Thin Line.

Yo, this is a lesson in friendship

The depths of a kinship

What women and men begin with, and then slip

My pen drips

As I scribble my thoughts on thin strips

Of emotion

A fraction, seduction, attraction

Eruption of passion

Corrupts if a lasted friendship's involved

But love to cross the line

But that's why we built these walls

[Hook: Nelly Furtado]

We been friends for a long time, a very close friend of mine

Love you like you was mine, but respect a thin line

I love you like you was mine, think about you all the time

Very close friend of mine, but respect a thin line

[Akil]

Opposite's attract

When the female and male come in contact

Sticky situation in fact

Tryin not to let the feelings catch

But there's a thin line between both of y'all

So you respect that

And entertain the idea, but get brought back

To reality, and could you really live with that?

Decision, based on intuition

You love and keep your distance

Hug and kiss in friendship

[Marc 7]

An ongoing kinship, we was people to begin with

Disrespect was not intended

but your feelings sparked the sentence

Sometimes you're too intense in your quest to invent

The perfect man, please understand, my rhyme is your repent

[(Hook) - repeat 2X]

[soup]

Man, too bad that we became friends first

I'm not on expert on how relationships should work

But, (echos) from the minute it as known

It changed the whole tone on how we spoke on the phone

Yo, it was cool but I felt it wasn't enough

And I was stuck when your moms would pick it up

Over you, all my buddies would swoon

But I felt we were in tune, you let me up in your room. (Damn)

But to me girl, you're still off limits

No matter all the times that I hinted. (Yo, whatchu doin after this?)

Infactuation was authentic, but yo I just pretended

So I wouldn't lose the friendship

Maybe, I should spill all my guts

Or write a letter, then tear it up

Or do a song, just to say what's up

I want ... just ... a touch

[(Hook) - repeat 2X]

[Nelly Furtado]

I can't do this anymore

See my heart just falls out when you walk in the door

Friendship turns into lust and this only tip

That I can't comprehend even if I knew it

Can't do justice to these things that I'm feeling

You got someone else, don't wanna be caught stealing

Hell if she knew she would never leave us alone

in the roo-ooo-ooom

[Chali 2na]

This was a lesson in friendship

I stress in this sentence

Should women and men be friends first?

And then slip?

My pen drips as I scribble my thoughts on thin strips

of devotion

[Akil]

Opposites attract

And best friends make a perfect match

If you only knew that

Once you cross, ain't no turning back

The minute you let him in it and he hit that

That's that

[Marc 7]

We was people to begin with, but you was too relentless

Jeporidizing kinship, respect is intended

Resolve is my intent

While we got it in

I'm tryin to salvage a friendship

[(Hook) - repeat 2X]

The Beastie Boys song, Negotiation Limerick File is a song whose versus are made up entirely of Limericks. Is that appropriate?

My DJ's got the cuts and the beats are on

We're comin with the limericks and we're comin' strong

And the rhythm's on time

to every word and rhyme

When it comes to keep it real I keep it really wrong

At the risk of sounding crass I would like to mention

That I am well aware of your wack intentions

To usurp my prose

you so and so

It's my primary bone of contention

I tell you everybody I've had it

With all these people with static

I'll go insane

if it don't rain

Sucker MC's are problematic

I love it when you hit those switches

A curve ball's what my pitch is

So here we here we come

Like dum ditty dum

I keep all five boroughs in stitches

The sound sounds sweeter through the echolex

It'll spin you around and throw you in a hex

Until you feel no pain

inside your brain

All your worries are soothed by the sound effects

Read it in the Post and the Daily News

Listen everybody let's show improve

Don't let me begin

about heroin

Living six feet deep just ain't the move

We're giving you soul power

I like it sweet and sour

When it comes to rhymes

and beat designs

I'm at the control tower

Tell me what makes you so afraid

Of all those people you say you hate

Just give it one time

for your mind

And let's try to negotiate