lyricists with high batting averages

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Ok, while searching for the Beat (English (who are the non-English Beat?)) I came across this thread:

Unless I've accidentally cut and pasted the wrong thread, it's about bad lyrics or some shit (it was upwards of four minutes ago); I notice that Howard Devoto, Russel Mael and Steven Merritt are all cited as having between one and several ABSOLUTE FUCKING HOWLERS. This sort of surprised me, because I like all of them lots, but I don't think I really disagree with the ones cited. If you agree that they're Good Lyricists or otherwise, does being a Good Music Word Guy entail writing shitloads of absolutely abysmal lyrics in order to stumble across one gem/writing loads of gems but still being inevitably blighted by one stinking motherfucker of a 'the man with the hotdogs sells lemonade/someone over there needs first aid'?

Tell me perfect lyricists what have never fucked up ever, or something.

― ferg (Ferg), Sunday, 22 February 2004 03:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Neil Peart!

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Sunday, 22 February 2004 03:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Just kidding.

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Sunday, 22 February 2004 03:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Tom Barman of dEUS, maybe. He just got better from album to album.

― Simon H., Sunday, 22 February 2004 04:18 (twenty-two years ago)

John Darnielle is pretty much the best lyricist I've ever heard. But even he has occasional missteps, nobody has never fucked up.

― Chris Davis (Chris Davis), Sunday, 22 February 2004 19:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh, uh...Ron Mael. Not Russell. Mutter.

― ferg (Ferg), Sunday, 22 February 2004 19:44 (twenty-two years ago)

the non-english beat were The Beat, an American power pop band best known for the song "Rock N Roll Girl" and suing the other Beat to change their name.

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Sunday, 22 February 2004 19:58 (twenty-two years ago)

two years pass...

i'd be inclined to say robert smith, if he hadn't misfired all over 'kiss me...', 'the top', 'wild mood swings', 'bloodflowers', and *sigh* the last one

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Thursday, 5 October 2006 13:25 (nineteen years ago)

Paddy McAloon...not a duffer in the bunch...immortalized for "you and I, won't make mistakes, the way young lovers do, saying this will last a lifetime, when it's just a year or two"...

― hank (hank s), Thursday, 5 October 2006 14:21 (nineteen years ago)

Little boy got a hot rod,
Thinks it makes him some kind of new God
Well this is one race he won't win,
'Cos life's no cruise with a cool chick
Too many folks feelin' car sick,
but it never pulls in.
= pretty duff.

― deekew (deekew), Thursday, 5 October 2006 14:43 (nineteen years ago)

shane macgowan is actually pretty solid mostly

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Thursday, 5 October 2006 14:45 (nineteen years ago)

Momus, Morrissey, Jarvis Cocker, Warren Zevon, Tom Waits. Oh yes, Tom Waits, you'd think he'd repeat himself eventually but does he? Nope.

― Squirrel_Police (Squirrel_Police), Thursday, 5 October 2006 20:03 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, Zevon.

Becker/Fagen, Todd Rundgren, Randy Newman

― jim wentworth (wench), Friday, 6 October 2006 00:30 (nineteen years ago)

this thread is full of shit. it should be on ilm

― -- (688), Friday, 6 October 2006 00:31 (nineteen years ago)

life's no cruise with a cool chick
Too many folks feelin' car sick

is classic. i love that line.

― jed_ (jed), Friday, 6 October 2006 00:35 (nineteen years ago)

macgowan. yes.

Mike Cooley also comes to mind.

― hearditonthexico (rogermexico), Friday, 6 October 2006 03:39 (nineteen years ago)

Rennie Sparks, maybe? Though I haven't heard a great deal of the Handsome Family.

― clotpoll (Clotpoll), Friday, 6 October 2006 04:36 (nineteen years ago)

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