Rank the albums based solely on lyrical quality

  • 8 Replies
  • 1602 Views
*

restofit

  • Status: Experienced Mofo
  • *****
  • 710
Rank the albums based solely on lyrical quality
« on: April 14, 2019, 03:31:41 AM »
Here's how I think the albums would rank lyrically:

AB, JT, UF, SOI/SOE, Zooropa, Rattle And Hum, Pop, ATYCLB, HTDAAB, War, Boy, NLOTH, October

Does this look about right? I think that even though HTDAAB was a middle of the road bore-fest it still had some of Bono's best lyrical work (in places) when compared to the other post-Pop albums.

*

laoghaire

  • Status: Experienced Mofo
  • *****
  • 9047
Re: Rank the albums based solely on lyrical quality
« Reply #1 on: April 14, 2019, 12:52:52 PM »
My take:

- Pop and Zooropa deserve much higher rankings on that list imho. Those are some of Bono's absolute finest lyrics. They are important (as in meaning-of-life issues) and crafted in layers, and logical/cohesive/sensical, etc.

- Again, my comments are just imho, but I don't rank TUF that highly. Not that I don't like the lyrics there, and they absolutely suit the nature of the album, but they don't seem that strong to me.

- I love October but, yup, RIP briefcase.

- I'm on record as having an allergy to Bomb. I don't even know the album well enough to intelligently rank its lyrics (I snooze every time I try to listen). Thinking about SYCMIOYO, that song has both awful lyrics (tough, you think you got the stuff? Really?) and real gut punchers (you know the ones). Vertigo is good lyrically, not the best but fun and meaningful with a cool twist. COBL is mediocre lyrically, though I do like the last lines.
WINNER: Thread of the YEAR (Serious Awards)

*

riffraff

  • *
  • 49870
  • Surrender, dislocate
Re: Rank the albums based solely on lyrical quality
« Reply #2 on: April 14, 2019, 01:01:05 PM »
AB, POP, UF, Zooropa, JT. After those, all are equal, imo.
Surrender, dislocate

*

imaginary friend

  • Status: Experienced Mofo
  • *****
  • 6065
  • transgender surgery on illegal aliens in prison 24
Re: Rank the albums based solely on lyrical quality
« Reply #3 on: April 14, 2019, 09:32:32 PM »
Pop at #1, and it's a big f-n drop to whatever's #2. Right now, that's NLOTH for me, but it could be TJT a week from now.

Beyond that...not really a lyrics guy, so I'd really have to think about how the rest of their albums rank. maybe I'll expand this post later.
find a station anywhere   http://radio.garden/listen/magic-fm/82GNMn3f

add some fun to your life while learning about music:   https://codepen.io/jakealbaugh/full/qNrZyw

*

Soloyan

  • Status: Experienced Mofo
  • *****
  • 5098
  • I'm not sleeping
    • GREG LEMOND FANS
Re: Rank the albums based solely on lyrical quality
« Reply #4 on: April 17, 2019, 12:02:53 PM »
I agree, Pop is an absolute peak for me.

Achtung Baby is probably at #2, the Joshua Tree as #3. After that, I don't really care for lyrics that much, I'm afraid, except for the occasional punchline.
A dangerous idea that almost makes sense...

*

Melon

  • Status: Elevated
  • ***
  • 234
Re: Rank the albums based solely on lyrical quality
« Reply #5 on: February 17, 2023, 03:49:11 PM »
1. Pop + Achtung Baby
2. Zooropa
3. The Joshua Tree
4. The rest

I think Bono at his peak is an amazing poet. Every album has highlights for me lyrically. Even songs that are pretty mediocre in their catalogue can have a great lyric like "The DNA lotto may have left you smart, but can you stand up to beauty, dictator of the heart" or "as you enter this life, I pray you depart, with a wrinkled face, and a brand new heart".

*

Alphane

  • Status: Experienced Mofo
  • *****
  • 2006
  • Romans 6:23
Re: Rank the albums based solely on lyrical quality
« Reply #6 on: February 20, 2023, 11:28:30 AM »
Pop
AB
TJT
Zooropa
RAH
ATYCLB
NLOTH
SOI
HTDAAB
SOE
TUF
War
Boy
October

*

laoghaire

  • Status: Experienced Mofo
  • *****
  • 9047
Re: Rank the albums based solely on lyrical quality
« Reply #7 on: February 20, 2023, 11:46:44 AM »
That’s a solid ranking there.
WINNER: Thread of the YEAR (Serious Awards)

*

Codeguy

  • *
  • 18106
  • (He, His, Him, Romeo not Juliette, that fucker)
Re: Rank the albums based solely on lyrical quality
« Reply #8 on: February 27, 2023, 05:33:35 PM »
1. Achtung Baby
2. Unforgettable fire
3. Zooropa
4. Pop
5. NLOTH
6. WAR
7. Joshua Tree (sorry folks several songs on JT have mediocre lyrics)
8. R&H
9. Boy
10 October
11. ATYCLB
12. SOE
13. SOI
14. HTDAAB
-------

Too tall to be a despot