Songwriters have a natural gift for the spoken and sung word. It’s no surprise that legendary songwriters like Leonard Cohen had backgrounds in poetry and authorship. That being said, many songwriters through the years have boasted an incredible ability to make their lyrics sound like pure poetry. The following three songwriters are just a few that I think turned poetic lyrics into incredible songs, and they deserve more credit for those talents. Let’s take a look!
Videos by American Songwriter
Nick Drake
Nick Drake has gained a cult following in the decades since he passed away in 1974. However, I think he deserves way more mainstream attention for his incredible songwriting ability.
Five Leaves Left, Drake’s debut album from 1969, is one of the best examples of his poetic nature. This folk record feels like a journal of sorts, with a simplistic focus on lyricism over musicality. However, the actual sound of the songs on this album is nothing to sneeze at. “River Man” is a personal favorite.
“For when she thought of summer rain / Calling for her mind again / She lost the pain / And stayed for more.”
Fiona Apple
Fiona Apple isn’t exactly underrated, but I wish more people took the time to really listen to her lyrics. She’s a bona fide poet from an era of brash, harsh rock music. In the context of 90s and 2000s popular music, she often falls through the cracks in favor of the era’s showier pop icons. Apple has mastered the art of turning diaries into songs, and she manages to produce music that is both relatable to most yet incredibly personal all at once.
Her talent hasn’t waned, either. Her 2020 album, Fetch The Bolt Cutters, is full of introspective, gorgeous tunes, like “I Want You To Love Me”.
“All my particles disband and disperse / And I’ll be back in the pulse / And I know none of this will matter in the long run / But I know a sound is still a sound around no one.”
Jeff Buckley
The late great Jeff Buckley is one of those rare songwriters who can perfectly blend singing ability with songwriting and composition that just feels like poetry. He’s a legend, and that’s really saying something, considering that he changed the world of alternative and folk rock with just one album.
Grace is one of the most poetic works to come out of the mid-1990s. Most know this album from Buckley’s cover of “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen, but his original works on this record are absolutely beautiful. “Lover, You Should’ve Come Over” is just one example.
“Looking out the door, I see the rain / Fall upon the funeral mourners / Parading in a wake of sad relations / As their shoes fill up with water / Maybe I’m too young / To keep good love from going wrong / But tonight you’re on my mind / So you never know.”
Photo by David Gahr/Getty Images
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.