Rock Lyrics That Could Be Poetry

[LouLit01]

Wish You Were Here

Pink Floyd

So, so you think you can tell
Heaven from hell
Blue skies from pain
Can you tell a green field
From a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?

Did they get you to trade
Your heroes for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
Did you exchange
A walk on part in the war
For a lead role in a cage?

How I wish, how I wish you were here
We're just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl
Year after year
Running over the same old ground
What have we found?
The same old fears
Wish you were here

Songwriters: David Gilmour / Roger Waters

[JasD455899]

The whole song is not particularly worthy - Steve ' he makes a living off other people's taxes' Miller is not Bob Dylan - but it has a passage that certainly qualifies ...

Rise up with the new dawn's early morning
Feel the sunshine warm upon your face
Tomorrow's come a long, long way to help you
Yes, it's your saving grace

The new dawn always grants an opportunity to start over.

[MaVolta]

The Best Is Yet To Come  -  Scorpions

Across the desert plains
Where nothing dares to grow
I taught you how to sing
You taught me everything I know
And though the night is young
And we don't know if we'll live to see the sun

The best is yet to come

(Chorus)

Thinking of the times
How we laughed and cried
I wouldn't change a thing
I couldn't even if I tried
Through the wind and rain
The spirit of our song remains the same

And the best is yet to come

(Chorus)

Bridge:

Oh can you feel it in the air
It's in your heart and everywhere
We got to keep that dream alive

We cross another road
And face another day
Soldiers never die
They only fade away
How can we grow old
When the soundtrack of our lives is rock and roll

And the best is yet to come

Chorus:

I know, you know
That we've only just begun
Through the highs and lows
And how can I live without you
You're such a part of me
And you've always been the one
Keeping me forever young
And the best is yet to come

Hey - aye - oh
Don't look now, the best is yet to come
Hey - aye - oh
Take my hand, the best is yet to come

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Eric M Bazilian / Fredrik Thomander / Anders Wikstrom / Rudolf Schenker / Mikael Nord Anderson / Hans Gardemar / Martin Hansen / Matthias Jabs

The Best Is Yet to Come lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc, BMG Rights Management

One of their many songs that capture the life of being in a rock n roll band. This one from 2010 reflects over the years past and looks forward to the future. One of my favorite songs.

[JohnD131536]

Stairway To Heaven - the Led Zeppelin

[DarcyFarrow]

Calypso (John Denver):  I used to teach this in my college English classes to illustrate poetic devices.  Alliteration, assonance, parallelism, imagery, rhythm that imitates the rocking of a boat (Calypso is about Jacques Cousteau's ship)--the song has it all.

[LouLit01]

Calypso (John Denver):  I used to teach this in my college English classes to illustrate poetic devices.  Alliteration, assonance, parallelism, imagery, rhythm that imitates the rocking of a boat (Calypso is about Jacques Cousteau's ship)--the song has it all.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

You talked me into buying the song from iTunes and I'm not sorry I did. But I'm not seeing everything you're seeing.

Alliteration, assonance, consonance, and imagery are the stuff songs are made of. They're common in songs, they're de rigueur. Denver makes good use of these but not great or inspired use.

This is the line that defined the song for me:

To light up the darkness and show us the way

Really? Could we be more trite? 

To sail on a dream on a crystal clear ocean,
To ride on the crest of a wild raging storm

Crystal clear ocean? Weak

Wild raging storm? Weak

The music is very good for John Denver. Not so very good for Pink Floyd, or The Doors, or Rogers and Hart, or Gilbert and Sullivan. Why? John Denver doesn't take chances. He never pushes the envelope. This makes him very popular but not particularly accomplished.

The music mimics a boat rocking on ocean swells, okay. Have you heard Four Dance Episodes from Aaron Copland's Rodeo? Copland writes a symphony that is completely and unmistakably American. He elicited hoe-downs and hoof beats from the world's finest symphony orchestras. That's impressive.

 Mimicking ocean swells, not so much.

You can use the John Denver song to teach English students all you said, but why would you?

Here are examples off the top of my head:

L.A. Woman

Driving down your freeways
Midnight alleys roam
Cops in cars, the topless bars
Never saw a woman so alone
So alone, so alone, so alone
Motel money murder-madness
Let's change the mood from glad to sadness

When the Music's Over

What have they done to the earth?
What have they done to our fair sister?
Ravaged and plundered and ripped her and bit her
Stuck her with knives in the side of the dawn
And tied her with fences and dragged her down

I hear a very gentle sound
With your ear down to the ground

We want the world and we want it
We want the world and we want it
Now
Now?
Now!

Alliteration, assonance, consonance, imagery, symbolism, and metaphor beyond the scope of Denver's talent.

 All in my humble opinion, of course (SmileyFace)

High school or college students?

[LouLit01]

Evangeline

The Band

She stands on the banks of the mighty Mississippi
Alone in the pale moonlight
Waiting for a man, a riverboat gambler
Said that he'd return tonight

They used to waltz on the banks of the mighty Mississippi
Loving the whole night through
'Til the riverboat gambler went off to make a killing
And bring it on back to you

Evangeline, Evangeline
Curses the soul of the Mississippi Queen
That pulled her man away

Bayou Sam, from the south Lousianna
Had gambling in his veins
Evangeliiiiiiine, from the Maritiiiiiiimes
Was slowly going insane

High on the top of hickory hill
She stands in the lightning and thunder
Down on the river the boat was a-sinking
She watched that queen go under

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Robbie Robertson

[LouLit01]

That'll Be The Day

Buddy Holly

Well, that'll be the day when you say goodbye
Yes, that'll be the day when you make me cry
You say you gonna leave, you know it's a lie
'Cause that'll be the day when I die

Well, you give me all your lovin' and your turtle dovin'
All your hugs and kisses and your money, too
Well, you know you love me, baby
Still you tell me, maybe
That some day, well, I'll be blue

Well, that'll be the day when you say goodbye
Yes, that'll be the day when you make me cry
You say you gonna leave, you know it's a lie
'Cause that'll be the day when I die

Well, when Cupid shot his dart
He shot it at your heart
So if we ever part and I leave you
You say you told me, an' you told me boldly
That someday, well, I'll be blue

Well, that'll be the day when you say goodbye
Yes, that'll be the day when you make me cry
You say you gonna leave, you know it's a lie
'Cause that'll be the day when I die

[LouLit01]

Memphis, Tennessee 

Chuck Berry

Long distance information, give me Memphis, Tennessee
Help me find the party trying to get in touch with me
She could not leave her number, but I know who placed the call
'Cause my uncle took the message and he wrote it on the wall

Help me, information, get in touch with my Marie
She's the only one who'd phone me here from Memphis, Tennessee
Her home is on the south side, high up on a ridge
Just a half a mile from the Mississippi bridge

Help me, information, more than that I cannot add
Only that I miss her and all the fun we had
But we were pulled apart because her mom did not agree
And tore apart our happy home in Memphis, Tennessee

Last time I saw Marie, she was waving me goodbye
With hurry-home drops on her cheek that trickled from her eye
Marie is only 6 years old, information, please
Try to put me through to her in Memphis, Tennessee

[LouLit01]

Hey, Hey, What Can I Do?

Led Zeppelin

I said I got a little woman and she won't be true

In the bars with the men who play guitars
Singin', drinkin' and rememberin' the times
My little lover does a midnight shift
She followed around all of the time

I guess there's just one thing a-left for me to do
Gonna pack my bags and move on my way
'Cause I got a worried mind
Sharin' what I thought was mine
Gonna leave her where the guitars play

[ik307]

Great song! (Zeppelin) Also kinda hot, haven't heard it in awhile. It's google/you tube time!

P.S. - love the quotes!

[LouLit01]

Shelter From the Storm

Bob Dylan

Suddenly I turned around and she was standin' there
With silver bracelets on her wrists and flowers in her hair
She walked up to me so gracefully and took my crown of thorns
Come in, she said, I'll give ya

Shelter from the storm

[BarbaraK341561]

"The first time ever I saw your face

I thought the sun rose in your eyes

And the moon and the stars were the gifts you gave.."

--- Roberta Flack

Still gives me goosebumps 

[BeatleloverKT]

Bleed to love her   The Mac

"Once again she steals away

Then she reaches out to kiss me

And how she takes my breath away

Pretending that she won't miss me"......

[LouLit01]

I've seen the bright lights of Memphis
And the Commodore Hotel
And underneath a street lamp I met a Southern belle
Well she took me to the river, where she cast her spell
And in that Southern moonlight, she sang the song so well

Little Feat

[Raynyky]

Lucky Man-ELP

A bullet had found him
His blood ran as he cried
No money could save him
So he laid down and he died

[BeatleloverKT]

Everytime you go away by Hall&Oates

"Babe, if we can't solve any problems

Why do we lose so many tears?

Whoa, so you go again

When the leading man appears

Always the same thing

But can't you see we've got everything

Going on and on and on?".......

[MaVolta]

Nothing Else Matters - Metallica

So close, no matter how far
Couldn't be much more from the heart
Forever trusting who we are
And nothing else matters

Never opened myself this way
Life is ours, we live it our way
All these words, I don't just say
And nothing else matters

Trust I seek and I find in you
Every day for us something new
Open mind for a different view
And nothing else matters

Never cared for what they do
Never cared for what they know
But I know

So close, no matter how far
It couldn't be much more from the heart
Forever trusting who we are
And nothing else matters

Never cared for what they do
Never cared for what they know
But I know

I never opened myself this way
Life is ours, we live it our way
All these words, I don't just say
And nothing else matters

Trust I seek and I find in you
Every day for us something new
Open mind for a different view
And nothing else matters

Never cared for what they say
Never cared for games they play
Never cared for what they do
Never cared for what they know
And I know, yeah, yeah

So close, no matter how far
Couldn't be much more from the heart
Forever trusting who we are
No, nothing else matters

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: James Alan Hetfield / Lars Ulrich

Nothing Else Matters lyrics © Creeping Death Music

[Raynyky]

Mona Lisa's and Mad Hatters-Elton John

[BeatleloverKT]

Break on through (To the other side) by the Doors

"We chased our pleasures here

Dug our treasures there

But can you still recall

The time we cried

Break on through to the other side"......

[Raynyky]

I Talk To The Wind-King Crimson 

Said the straight man to the late man
Where have you been
I've been here and I've been there
And I've been in between

I talk to the wind
My words are all carried away
I talk to the wind
The wind does not hear
The wind cannot hear

I'm on the outside looking inside
What do I see
Much confusion, disillusion
All around me

I talk to the wind
My words are all carried away
I talk to the wind
The wind does not hear
The wind cannot hear

You don't possess me
Don't impress me
Just upset my mind
Can't instruct me or conduct me
Just use up my time

I talk to the wind
My words are all carried away
I talk to the wind
The wind does not hear
The wind cannot hear

I talk to the wind
My words are all carried away
I talk to the wind
The wind does not hear
The wind cannot hear

Said the straight man to the late man
Where have you been
I've been here and I've been there and
I've been in between

[BeatleloverKT]

Cruisin' by Smokey Robinson (IMO, the best song he ever did, pure poetry in song)

"Baby let's cruise, away from here

Don't be confused, the way is clear

And if you want it you got it forever

This is not a one night stand

Let the music take your mind

Ooh just release and you will find"......

[MaVolta]

I was going to post this song here, and realized that it also fit the "titles w/places" category, so it's both here and there! It's hauntingly beautiful words and music by MK. If you don't know the song, here is a link.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNAE90YO6c0

Sands of Nevada - Mark Knopfler

These tables are haunted
By the ghost of Las Vegas
Their chips were once mountains
But they came here to play
They could take me if they wanted
But I have nothing worth counting
And like the sands of Nevada
They go drifting away

Lady luck's still a mystery
With her head on my shoulder
And I don't know why
I still want her to dance
I guess that's all history
What it is is a I'm older
And I'm still a fool
For a one-way romance

Her dice were red rubies
They rolled and they tumbled
And I never saw time
Running out with my roll
And in the wasteland of cut glass
My dreams were crumbled
And I've paid with whatever
I had left for a soul

Now the dawn's broken even
On a empty horizon
No reason for folding
No reason to stay
It's too soon to be leaving
Too late for criticizing
And the sands of Nevada
They go drifting away

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Mark Knopfler

Sands of Nevada lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

[nyadrn]

---

@MaVolta wrote:

I was going to post this song here, and realized that it also fit the "titles w/places" category, so it's both here and there! It's hauntingly beautiful words and music by MK. If you don't know the song, here is a link.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNAE90YO6c0

Sands of Nevada - Mark Knopfler

These tables are haunted
By the ghost of Las Vegas
Their chips were once mountains
But they came here to play
They could take me if they wanted
But I have nothing worth counting
And like the sands of Nevada
They go drifting away

Lady luck's still a mystery
With her head on my shoulder
And I don't know why
I still want her to dance
I guess that's all history
What it is is a I'm older
And I'm still a fool
For a one-way romance

Her dice were red rubies
They rolled and they tumbled
And I never saw time
Running out with my roll
And in the wasteland of cut glass
My dreams were crumbled
And I've paid with whatever
I had left for a soul

Now the dawn's broken even
On a empty horizon
No reason for folding
No reason to stay
It's too soon to be leaving
Too late for criticizing
And the sands of Nevada
They go drifting away

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Mark Knopfler

Sands of Nevada lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

---

I love Mark Knopfler!

[LouLit01]

---

@nyadrn wrote:

---

@MaVolta wrote:

I was going to post this song here, and realized that it also fit the "titles w/places" category, so it's both here and there! It's hauntingly beautiful words and music by MK. If you don't know the song, here is a link.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNAE90YO6c0

Sands of Nevada - Mark Knopfler

These tables are haunted
By the ghost of Las Vegas
Their chips were once mountains
But they came here to play
They could take me if they wanted
But I have nothing worth counting
And like the sands of Nevada
They go drifting away

Lady luck's still a mystery
With her head on my shoulder
And I don't know why
I still want her to dance
I guess that's all history
What it is is a I'm older
And I'm still a fool
For a one-way romance

Her dice were red rubies
They rolled and they tumbled
And I never saw time
Running out with my roll
And in the wasteland of cut glass
My dreams were crumbled
And I've paid with whatever
I had left for a soul

Now the dawn's broken even
On a empty horizon
No reason for folding
No reason to stay
It's too soon to be leaving
Too late for criticizing
And the sands of Nevada
They go drifting away

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Mark Knopfler

Sands of Nevada lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

---

I love Mark Knopfler!

---

I'm glad you posted it here because it's a perfect example of this topic.  

Here's one I think fits very well:

Sugar Magnolia blossom's blooming
Head's all empty and I don't care
Saw my baby down by the river
Knew she'd have to come up soon for air

Sweet blossom come on under the willow
We can have high times if you'll abide
We can discover the wonders of nature
Rolling in the rushes down by the riverside

She's got everything delightful
She's got everything I need
Takes the wheel when I'm seeing double
Pays my ticket when I speed

She comes skimming through rays of violet
She can wade in a drop of dew...

Here's the rest, if anyone's interested:

Grateful Dead, BTW

https://www.google.com/search?q=sugar+magnolia+lyrics&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS875US875&oq=sugar&aqs=chrome.0...

I know a poem when I read a poem and these two songs fit. 

[BeatleloverKT]

Sara Smile   Hall&Oates

"Baby hair with a woman's eyes

I can feel you watching in the night

All alone with me and we're waiting

For the sunlight

When I feel cold, you warm me

And when I feel I can't go on

You come and hold me"......

[nyadrn]

Please Forgive Me. Melissa Etheridge

It's been so long since I've touched
So long since I wanted
Then you made me laugh
And my heart opened

I want you to find me charming and wise
I just want you to find me
Somewhere here inside
I barely know you
We've been sort of friends
So what if I called you and called you again
What would I tell you
Where would I begin

Please forgive me
If I don't know what to do
It's an old fire
This familiar desire
But my skin is painfully new

There's a light in my window
It shines all night long
In the morning my coffee
Is sweet but it's strong
I carefully reach out from behind these walls
I'll take a deep breath and give you a call
Hello how are you
Not much at all

Lost in this hole
That has ripped through my soul
I unlock this secret inside
What should I think
I've had too much to drink
As my mind and my body collide

[BeatleloverKT]

Whole lotta love by Led Zeppelin

"You need cooling

 Baby I'm not fooling

I'm gonna send ya

Back to schooling"......

[BeatleloverKT]

Lay lady lay by Dylan (One of my all time favorite songs ever)

"Lay lady lay

Across my big brass bed

Lay lady lay

Across my big brass bed

Whatever colors you have in your mind

I'll show them to you and you'll see them shine".......

[LouLit01]

Mysterious Ways

U2

Johnny take a walk
With your sister the moon
Let her pale light in
To fill up your room
You've been living underground
Eating from a can
You've been running away
From what you don't understand

Love!

She's slippy
You're sliding down
She'll be there
When you hit the ground

It's alright, it's alright, it's alright
She moves in mysterious ways
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright
She moves in mysterious ways

Johnny take a dive
With your sister in the rain
Let her talk about the things
You can't explain
To touch is to heal
To hurt is to steal
If you want to kiss the sky
Better learn how to kneel (on your knees boy!)

She's the wave
She turns the tide
She sees the man inside the child, yeah

It's alright, it's alright, it's alright
She moves in mysterious ways
It's alright,…