Joyful Lyricists...

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BVS

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Ok, so this idea came from a discussion in another thread...

I'm looking for lyricists that can truly write about joy, optimism, happiness, etc...

There are so many topics sung about in music, but one must admit there are some that come up more often than others...

And amongst those topics the emotions range from anger, despair to joy and hope...

But where do the majority of your favorite lyricist fall?

Here's the excerpt from that thread:

...writing about optimism is hard. Think back and the majority of your favorite lyricist probably have much more melancholy than optimism or joy. This is something as a hobby song writer that I struggle with myself...

My theory is that it's easy to stop and reflect on the dark times. Break ups, death, loss; it's human nature to stop and reflect when these things happen. In times of true joy you don't want to stop, you just want to keep living it because it may end. I think that's why so many love songs or joyful songs can sound very forced or cliched... that's just my theory.


So maybe I'm way off, maybe it's just my music collection. What are your thoughts?

Who do you think can write about these things well? And post specific songs and/or lyrics...
 
Jonathan Richman comes to mind right before I head off to bed.


Any particular song? I looked him up and all I found were somewhat humerous songs, which I remember the Lesbian Bar song, but I think humor songs kinda fit into their own category...
 
Bjork, as much through the delivery as the actual lyrics though.
 
Nick Cave when he puts his mind to it can be quite joyful a la Breathless.

The sky of daytime dies away
And all the earthly things they stop to play
For we are all breathless without you

I listen to my juddering bones
The blood in my veins and the wind in my lungs
And I am breathless without you

Still your hands
And still your heart
For still your face comes shining through
And all the morning glows anew

Still your soul
Still your mind
Still, the fire of love is true
And I am breathless without you

And this song by Patrick Watson, Luscious Life, is just an ode to well life...weird but cool video.

YouTube - Patrick Watson - Luscious Life
 
Any particular song? I looked him up and all I found were somewhat humerous songs, which I remember the Lesbian Bar song, but I think humor songs kinda fit into their own category...

Now it's too early in the morning for me to think :) , but I think songs like I Was Dancing in the Lesbian Bar are examples of his kind of quiet joy, his celebration of small things that bring happiness and pleasure.

Maybe you were thinking more of ecstatic joy?

During the day today, I'll try to think of more examples.
 
Now it's too early in the morning for me to think :) , but I think songs like I Was Dancing in the Lesbian Bar are examples of his kind of quiet joy, his celebration of small things that bring happiness and pleasure.

Maybe you were thinking more of ecstatic joy?

No I agree...
 
:hug:

I'm joyful when I think of you. :)

Well when I was typing out the title I did think of you...:giggle:

Mission accomplished. I got the attention I was looking for. :wink:

I'll have to go through my iTunes later and see if anything jumps out at me. In the meantime, elfa's "One Day Like This" is an excellent example. That song makes me so happy. I can't think of a particular lyricist who is consistently joyful (Bjork was a good suggestion, though - I'll have to think about her lyrics more), but maybe I can come up with some songs. I remember in the past trying to make 'happy mixes' for people and finding it to be pretty tough.

Ok, I just thought of one. Here's a happy song. Certainly not great lyrics or anything, and in fact it sounds corny in writing, but I really like it - it makes me smile every time it pops up in an iTunes shuffle - just a very simple feel-good summer song. Last summer martha was working on a wedding mix and sadly I didn't think of it until after the fact. I can't find an mp3 or video but here are the lyrics.

UNDER THE WARM SUN by A Girl Called Eddy

Under the warm sun
Under the warm sun

I've found my way
It took a while
Now it's not hard
For me to smile
We found a place
Under the warm sun

Living a life
We always dreamed
Me loving you
You loving me
We found a place
Under the warm sun

And life is sweeter than I ever thought it could be
If you'd have told me I never would have believed

The trouble can go
Back where it came
Give me some joy
You're all the same
We found a place
Under the warm sun

I've been so tired of being so cold
Just wanted that sunny place to grow old
Give up the chase
Under the warm sun

And life is sweeter than I ever thought it could be
If you'd have told me I never would have believed

I found my way
It took some time
Now we are here
Now we can shine
We found a place
Under the warm sun
Under the warm sun
Under the warm sun
Under the warm sun
Under the warm sun
 
I suppose the band whose work makes me smile most often is Jars of Clay. They're a Christian band, but many of their songs are not necessarily about God. They're one of the more popular Christian bands, and have had a lot of crossover success outside of the genre.

Here are some of my favorites, particularly on joy, happiness, etc.

FLY Lyrics - JARS OF CLAY

I NEED YOU Lyrics - JARS OF CLAY

DISAPPEAR Lyrics - JARS OF CLAY

THESE ORDINARY DAYS Lyrics - JARS OF CLAY

Another person that pops into my head for this topic is Shania Twain. She's quite good at singing about this kind of thing.
 
The Beach Boys had some crackers
Michael Stipe is a versatile man and I think esp on Up he wrote some excellent uplifting stuff

some Paul Simon lyrics are quite heartwarming, but I guess not really joyful

:hmm:
 
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