I've noticed over the years that many of the songs I listen to have terrible lyrics. This ranges from the mundane, illogical and even rhyming the same word with itself -- terrible. I have listed a few notable songs that have some pretty poor lyrics. Overall, the songs are pretty good though.
Black Sabbath -- War Pigs
In War Pigs, one of the most classic metal songs, Ozzy Osbourne felt that it was okay to rhyme the same word with itself.
The song OPENS with:
"Generals gathered in their masses, just like witches at black masses. . ." Okay... masses and masses... really?
Megadeth -- You're Dead
This song comes off of Megadeth's United Abominations album which pretty much rips on the United Nations the whole time. I might agree, but I still don't like when musicians inject politics into their music. The album is bland; so bland that I didn't notice this little gem of a lyric until about five years after I bought the CD:
"One day I'll dance on you're grave, even if you're buried at sea. . ." Well, wtf, that's just retarded. Dear Dave Mustaine, even though you have long dumb-looking hair, you are not metal-Jesus. No walking on water for you.
Iron Maiden -- The Prisoner
It pains me to put Maiden on this list... but just know that this song is otherwise awesome. It comes off of their third and best album Number of the Beast. I'm pretty sure they wrote it as a homage to the old TV show by the same name -- The Prisoner. I think that's where they get the opening dialogue of the song from. So the whole song is about busting out of prison, essentially, which you'll see, is a pretty hard thing to write good lyrics about:
"Run, fight to breathe, it's gunna be tough -- now you see me, now you don't . . . if you kill me, it's self defense, if I kill you they'll call it vengeance, spit in your eye, I will defy. . ." Now, I mean, come on! At least they save the song with a badass chorus with some good vocal melody.
That's all for now. As I listen to my iTunes and hear more terrible lyrics I'll do a follow-up post. Out.
Black Sabbath -- War Pigs
In War Pigs, one of the most classic metal songs, Ozzy Osbourne felt that it was okay to rhyme the same word with itself.
Ozzy Osbourne
The song OPENS with:
"Generals gathered in their masses, just like witches at black masses. . ." Okay... masses and masses... really?
Megadeth -- You're Dead
This song comes off of Megadeth's United Abominations album which pretty much rips on the United Nations the whole time. I might agree, but I still don't like when musicians inject politics into their music. The album is bland; so bland that I didn't notice this little gem of a lyric until about five years after I bought the CD:
"One day I'll dance on you're grave, even if you're buried at sea. . ." Well, wtf, that's just retarded. Dear Dave Mustaine, even though you have long dumb-looking hair, you are not metal-Jesus. No walking on water for you.
Dave "Jesus" Mustaine
Iron Maiden -- The Prisoner
It pains me to put Maiden on this list... but just know that this song is otherwise awesome. It comes off of their third and best album Number of the Beast. I'm pretty sure they wrote it as a homage to the old TV show by the same name -- The Prisoner. I think that's where they get the opening dialogue of the song from. So the whole song is about busting out of prison, essentially, which you'll see, is a pretty hard thing to write good lyrics about:
Bruce Dickinson
(WTF)
"Run, fight to breathe, it's gunna be tough -- now you see me, now you don't . . . if you kill me, it's self defense, if I kill you they'll call it vengeance, spit in your eye, I will defy. . ." Now, I mean, come on! At least they save the song with a badass chorus with some good vocal melody.
That's all for now. As I listen to my iTunes and hear more terrible lyrics I'll do a follow-up post. Out.
