Booking Through Thursday: Lyrics

If you’re anything like me, there are songs that you love because of their lyrics; writers you admire because their songs have depth, meaning, or just a sheer playfulness that has nothing to do with the tunes.

So, today’s question?

* What songs … either specific songs, or songs in general by a specific group or writer … have words that you love?
* Why?
* And … do the tunes that go with the fantastic lyrics live up to them?


I can't resist today's Booking Through Thursday topic because yes, I am a lyric girl. I can enjoy catchy music with bad lyrics, but for a full on love affair to take place, the lyrics have to express what I myself cannot. If that makes sense.

So of course I've chosen Andrew Peterson, who has such a way with words it makes me weep...that makes me long to write myself, to somehow bring expression to the things that are deeper than words can ever describe.

Because I know a lot of you are probably not familiar with Andrew Peterson, he's a Christian artist, singer/songwriter type. He's also the author of a children's fantasy book which is pretty darned good. Truth be told, though, if he released a book of his essays, I'd put down a good bit of money for it, buy it for everyone I know, and keep it in a cherished place. So, um, I'm a fan.

He often uses the device of storytelling in his songs...which of course I love. But I've picked out a few of my favorites here. This was incredibly difficult. I don't think there's a song I don't like. I have listened to all of his music so much that each song has woven itself a bit into the fabric of my life. I love that about music...it lives and captures our memories for us.

From "Queen of Iowa" about a living room concert performed for a woman suffering from AIDS
"She was pretty as a flower in a crystal vase
It lights up the room as it withers away"
For some reason I love that descriptor

And possibly my favorite lyric that I seem to quote all the time, from "The Silence of God"
"And the man of all sorrows, he never forgot
What sorrow is carried by the hearts that he bought
So when the questions dissolve into the silence of God
The aching may remain, but the breaking does not
The aching may remain, but the breaking does not
In the holy, lonesome echo of the silence of God"

And from "For the Love of God" I love the truth of these words...
"Now, love is not a feeling in your chest
It is bending down to wash another’s feet
It is faithful when the sun is in the west
And in the east

It can hurt you as it holds you
In its overwhelming flood
Till only the unshakeable is left"

Another example of the beautiful poetic nature of his lyrics can be found in "Just As I Am" (a song that played a big role in healing for me)
"All of my life
I've held on to this fear
Its thistles and vines
Ensnare and entwine
What flowers appeared"
(The album Love and Thunder is absolutely full of this kind of goodness)

I could pretty much go on forever. If I still have readers left who haven't checked out Andrew Peterson...do it now. :)

I do want to mention a few other music wordsmiths that I love. I would be remiss in not saying how much I love the lyrics of Paul Simon. And I know I'm choosing quality here because we studied them as poems when I was in high school. :) One of my favorite Simon and Garfunkel songs is "The Dangling Conversation" here's the part that I love the most:
"And you read your Emily Dickinson,
And I my Robert Frost,
And we note our place with bookmarkers
That measure what we've lost.
Like a poem poorly written
We are verses out of rhythm,
Couplets out of rhyme,
In syncopated time
Lost in the dangling conversation
And the superficial sighs,
Are the borders of our lives."

Man is that ever good writing. And the whole song has that sorrowful feel to it...love it. ;)

And of course the masterpiece, "Sound of Silence"
"Fools said I,you do not know
Silence like a cancer grows.
Hear my words that I might teach you,
Take my arms that I might reach you.
But my words like silent raindrops fell,
And echoed
In the wells of silence"

Absolutely chill bump inducing even without the music!!!!

Okay, one more! Then I'll stop, I promise! This is the lovely Sara Groves, from "Add to the Beauty" and I have always thought this line to be brilliant--
"This is grace, an invitation to be beautiful."

Okay I'll stop...but if you love any of these artists, I'd love for you to share your favorite lyrics by them in comments. (chances are it's one of my favorites to if it's an AP lyric. ;)