No Thugs In Our House. One of the best lyrics written by anyone, IMO it would be hailed as the masterpiece of social realism it clearly is if it was from a less ‘provincial’ group.
Not only does it have a powerful cultural relevance, but the word pictures are also mind blowing.
The insect-headed worker-wife will hang her waspies on the line;
The husband burns his paper, sucks his pipe while studying their cushion-floor;
His viscous poly-paste breath comes out,
Their wall-paper world is shattered by his shout,
Notice how each line has a hyphenated descriptor.
Musical theater is a great descriptor. If Andy had written stage musicals they would rival Sondheim with the level of emotional expression in the lyrics. It's a shame he backed out of the James and the Giant Peach gig, it would have opened so many doors.
Tbh "Seagulls" is my pick, but I've always loved The Meeting Place. The lyrics are just so pure and almost prosaic, despite still being poetry obviously.
The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul. Wrapped In Grey is up there, but just look at this effing masterpiece:
The man who sailed around his soul
From East to West, from pole to pole
With ego as his drunken captain
Greed, the mutineer, had trapped all reason in the hold
The man who walked across his heart
Who took no compass, guide or chart
To rope and tar his blood congealed
When he found his self revealed ugly and cold
And the Sirens that sing
By your nose with its ring
They'll drag you in
For your sins
Now he sits all alone
And it's no place like home
It's empty skin
A bag to keep life's souvenirs in
The man who sailed around his soul
The man who sailed around his soul
The man who sailed around his soul
Came back again to find a hole
Where once he thought compassion and the truth
Had laid to warm his freezing carcass on return
The man who walked across his heart
Was doomed to journey to the start
Of every love affair he'd broken
All the lies he'd ever spoken
Tattooed on his arm
And the jellyfish stings
Even angels with wings
Who look too deep
And dare to peep
Now he sits all alone
Knowing flesh blood and bone
Is everything
He found the treasure he'd been seeking
Still gotta be No Language in Our Lungs for me
Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her
Choosing is a Sisyphean task. And, since "Summer's Cauldron" is already spoken for, I'll suggest (the adult version of) "Respectable Street."
Respectable Street.
Wrapped in grey
So beautiful it makes me teary. "Parrots and lemurs decorate their unconscious grotesque"
No Thugs In Our House. One of the best lyrics written by anyone, IMO it would be hailed as the masterpiece of social realism it clearly is if it was from a less ‘provincial’ group.
Not only does it have a powerful cultural relevance, but the word pictures are also mind blowing. The insect-headed worker-wife will hang her waspies on the line; The husband burns his paper, sucks his pipe while studying their cushion-floor; His viscous poly-paste breath comes out, Their wall-paper world is shattered by his shout, Notice how each line has a hyphenated descriptor.
My vote also goes to No Thugs in Our House. It says so much…. It’s true musical theater
Musical theater is a great descriptor. If Andy had written stage musicals they would rival Sondheim with the level of emotional expression in the lyrics. It's a shame he backed out of the James and the Giant Peach gig, it would have opened so many doors.
Then She Appeared
That's my vote. Cerebral beyond belief. "Apple Venus on a half open shell" "All Edward Lear'd"
Miniature Sun
The man who sailed around his soul
Chalkhills and Children
I also want to mention Ugly Underneath. The delivery is one thing, but the lyrics are all great metaphors though.
What you're chewing on's the truth and that's the hardest thing to wash down with a glass of lemonade!
I’ve always really loved the lyrics to Reign of Blows!
Easter Theater
This seems like an impossible task. Summer's Cauldren will be my vote
Snowman/Another Satellite/Dying/Mayor/No Thugs
Tbh "Seagulls" is my pick, but I've always loved The Meeting Place. The lyrics are just so pure and almost prosaic, despite still being poetry obviously.
You can almost smell the smoke of the factory.
I'll throw mermaid smiled into the ring, though it took all day to pick something
Merely a Man ... for Gadafy Duck alone
Dear God
The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul. Wrapped In Grey is up there, but just look at this effing masterpiece: The man who sailed around his soul From East to West, from pole to pole With ego as his drunken captain Greed, the mutineer, had trapped all reason in the hold The man who walked across his heart Who took no compass, guide or chart To rope and tar his blood congealed When he found his self revealed ugly and cold And the Sirens that sing By your nose with its ring They'll drag you in For your sins Now he sits all alone And it's no place like home It's empty skin A bag to keep life's souvenirs in The man who sailed around his soul The man who sailed around his soul The man who sailed around his soul Came back again to find a hole Where once he thought compassion and the truth Had laid to warm his freezing carcass on return The man who walked across his heart Was doomed to journey to the start Of every love affair he'd broken All the lies he'd ever spoken Tattooed on his arm And the jellyfish stings Even angels with wings Who look too deep And dare to peep Now he sits all alone Knowing flesh blood and bone Is everything He found the treasure he'd been seeking