I wanna write some lyrics. Give me some homework!

[Taverner]

I learned bass by studying and playing with Paul McCartney, Prakash John and Mike Gordon.

I learned guitar by studying and playing with The Stones, The Beatles, Lou Reed and VU.

I learned keyboard by - -well I learned that when I was 6. And in all truth, I learned guitar when I was 14...

BUT I DIDN'T GET GOOD at the guitar until I was in Peace Corps and played along with my 12 string to all that stuff. And later with my Strat.

Keyboards - want a fun one? Fender Rhodes virtual organ to Stones' You Can't Always Get What You Want.

Seriously, that's the bomb

Anyway - I need to write lyrics. Who should I study?

Everything I write sounds like shit.

I'm a Journalist/Tech Writer, not a Bob Dylan, dammit!

[Taverner]

1. Oh and please don't say Dylan. Only Dylan can write like Dylan.

Anyone else sounds like they're aping Dylan.

[GReedDiamond]

2. I was a Deadhead before I was a "punk rocker"...

...and I always enjoyed the lyrics of Robert Hunter, Grateful Dead lyricist.

Also, Captain Beefheart.

Just off the top of my head.

And my band, Green Sparkle Frog.

[i_sometimes]

3. I was a punk rocker

before I got into The Dead! I had to learn more than three chords though to follow along.

I have no tips for writing lyrics though, my head is full of songs, so much so that when I do write, I can see the traces of them, especially the Indigo Girls.

[jeepnstein]

4. Some of my favorite song writers?

Darrell Scott.
Townes Van Zandt
Eminem - Seriously.

Most importantly, you have to study yourself. Just like writing music is all about getting that sound in your head out there to the world writing lyrics is about telling the world all about that thing you wish to share. Good lyricists are good story tellers.

[limpyhobbler]

5. how about Tom Petty or Neil Young? try to make it rhyme.

[Whisp]

6. how about Leonard Cohen

he was/is a poet/writer before a songwriter/singer/musician so should be right up your alley.

[Taverner]

7. Ooh. OK. That works. Everybody knows....

[Whisp]

8. Tower of Song, yum

[Whisp]

9. ok, I'll give you some homework.

write something about shopping for groceries.
make the mundane something more.

[Taverner]

11. I tried this and it worked!

[Whisp]

12. yay. you going to post what you did?

[Saving Hawaii]

10. The Church, Steve Kilbey is an excellent lyricist.

Remote Luxury, Heyday, and Starfish are all good older (80s) albums.
After Everything, Forget Yourself, Uninvited, and Untitled are all good newer (00s) albums.

I never did like anything they were putting out in the 90s... I don't think they did either. It was a painful transition for them between their older, poppier sound and what they're doing now, which is substantially different.

If you need lyrics, this is the site for 'em: http://homepage.mac.com/fipster/church/albums/church-albums.html

EDIT: And no, it's not a religious band. I'm pretty certain none of them are even Christians.