Billosaur's Journal: Non-tech Rant: Blender Magazine 40 Worst Rock Lyricists

OK, I'm going off on a rant here (apologies to Dennis Miller)... I hear something on the radio this morning about Blender magazine's list of the 40 worst lyricists in rock. Number 1 is Sting, and I'm on the fence about that, but then they get to Number 2: Neil Peart, drummer/songwriter for Rush. OK, now you've pissed me off.

I take enough flack for liking Rush (my wife doesn't get it, but then I don't get her love of Bruce Springsteen, though she grew up near his house... but I digress...) from those who don't consider them a real band, determine them to be formulaic, and generally have contempt for their music. Like being a Red Sox fan, you learn to live with it. But this just shows how far some people have their head up their ass. While no one will confuse Neil with Shakespeare, the songs he's written over the year have heft and resonance, and he does come up with the occasional turn of phrase that leaves you scratching your head, but then have you listened to some of today's pop tunes or rap songs? It just goes to show that intellectual snobbery is alive and well in the universe, especially when it comes to criticism.

I also found number 10 interesting: Jim Morrison. Now, you can go two ways here: his lyrics can be out there, but the fact is, backed up by the music, he created a lot of powerful stuff. Again, too intellectual for "the critics."

meh

[stoolpigeon]

I blew through the list last week (or whenever I saw it linked on digg) and it's idiotic. their complaints are just people trying to be all superior and funny. The only explanation I can think is it's a piece written purely to generate buzz - and if they are talking about it on the radio it appears to have worked.

Re:

[Billosaur]

Well, I heard it on WFAN in New York... not sure how many music geeks you'll find listening to a sports-talk radio station. Yeah, I couldn't take too much of it seriously -- they put the screws to anybody who was well-read as if the only people allowed to write rock lyrics are addled, foaming-at-the-mouth idiots. It must be nice to have a forum where you can say whatever you like... oh wait...

Apologies to Dennis Miller?

[smooth wombat]

Why are you apologizing for that moron? He used to be ok (in a generic sort of way) to listen to but now that he's a shill for Fox and more particularly O'Reilly, the guy, like Whoopi after her Vick comments, has lost all credibility in my eyes.

He couldn't even keep his job at ABC doing monday night football! How hard is it to make comments about players or voice your knowledge of the game?

No apologies necessary.