I figured we could just as well try and get this going now, so here it is... Rules are simply to make lists out of the criteria Influence, Impact, Creativity, Linguistic Showcase... I know this will be hard to follow, seeing that few performances are "influential" or "impactful" so Linguistic Ability and Creativity will be main criteria and otherwise, just try and use the criteria as guidelines... When a list is made, i'll throw it up on the main page as soon as possible. I'll assume people can make decent lists overall, so if someone does a guy i don't know, i will leave it for others who know that certain artist to argue, if they have objections for the list. Generally, objections should be objective, but an explanation for a songs position may always be asked... Anyway, I'll start off with some of my favorite lyricists:

Chuck Berry

1. Johnny B. Goode (Chuck Berry's On Top)
2. Brown Eyed Handsome Man (After School Session)
3. You Never Can Tell (St. Louis To Liverpool)
4. Too Much Monkey Business (After School Session)
5. Memphis Tennessee (Single)
6. Back In The USA (More Chuck Berry)
7. Promised Land (St. Louis To Liverpool)
8. Roll Over Beethoven (Chuck Berry's On Top)
9. Maybellene (Chuck Berry's On Top)
10. Bye Bye Johnny (Rockin' At The Hops)

Suggested Albums: Chuck Berry's On Top, After School Session

Jackson Browne

1. Before The Deluge (Late For The Sky)
2. The Pretender (The Pretender)
3. Late For The Sky (Late For The Sky)
4. These Days (For Everyman)
5. Looking Into You (Jackson Browne)
6. Barricades Of Heaven (Looking East)
7. Fountain Of Sorrow (Late For The Sky)
8. From Silver Lake (Jackson Browne)
9. The Only Child (The Pretender)
10. For Everyman (Fo Everyman)

Suggested Albums: Late For The Sky, For Everyman

Nick Cave (Solo, Grinderman, The Birthday Party)

1. More News From Nowhere (Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!)
2. The Mercy Seat (Tender Prey)
3. Tupelo (The Firstborn Is Dead)
4. Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! (Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!)
5. Into My Arms (The Boatman's Call)
6. Red Right Hand (Let Love In)
7. Babe, I'm On Fire (Nocturama)
8. Song Of Joy (Murder Ballads)
9. The Moon Is In The Gutter (From Her To Eternity)
10. The Lyre Of Orpheus (Abattoir Blues/The Lyre Of Orpheus)

Suggested Albums: Dig Lazarus Dig!!!, Tender Prey

Kurt Cobain (Nirvana)

1. All Apologies (In Utero)
2. Dumb (In Utero)
3. Polly (Nevermind)
4. On A Plain (Nevermind)
5. Downer (Bleach [Extra Track])
6. Lounge Act (Nevermind)
7. Heart-Shaped Box (In Utero)
8. Serve The Servants (In Utero)
9. Milk It (In Utero)
10. Swap Meet (Bleach)

Suggested Albums: In Utero, Nevermind

Leonard Cohen

1. Hallelujah (Various Positions)
2. Suzanne (Songs Of Leonard Cohen)
3. Joan Of Arc (Songs Of Love & Hate)
4. Everybody Knows (I'm Your Man)
5. Famous Blue Raincoat (Songs Of Love & Hate)
6. The Stranger Song (Songs Of Leonard Cohen)
7. Take This Longing (New Skin For The Old Ceremony)
8. Bird On The Wire (Songs From A Room)
9. First We Take Manhattan (I'm Your Man)
10. Avalanche (Songs Of Love & Hate)

Suggested Albums: Songs Of Leonard Cohen, Songs Of Love & Hate

Chris Cornell (Soundgarden, Temple Of The Dog, Audioslave, Solo)

1. 4th Of July (Superunknown)
2. Black Hole Sun (Superunknown)
3. Steel Rain (Euphoria Morning)
4. Times Of Trouble (Temple Of The Dog)
5. Jesus Christ Pose (Badmotorfinger)
6. Fell On Black Days (Superunknown)
7. The Day I Tried To Live (Superunknown)
8. Seasons (Singles)
9. Birth Ritual (Singles)
10. Like Suicide (Superunknown)

Suggested Albums: Superunknown, Temple Of The Dog

Elvis Costello

1. Man Out Of Time (Imperial Bedroom)
2. Oliver's Army (Armed Forces)
3. Tokyo Storm Warning (Blood & Chocolate)
4. Pump It Up (This Year's Model)
5. Green Shirt (Armed Forces)
6. Beyond Belief (Imperial Bedroom)
7. Mystery Dance (My Aim Is True)
8. Love For Tender (Get Happy!!)
9. You'll Never Be A Man (Trust)
10. Two Little Hitlers (Armed Forces)

Suggested Albums: Armed Forces, Imperial Bedroom

Ray Davies (The Kinks, Solo)

1. Waterloo Sunset (Something Else By The Kinks)
2. Some Mother's Son (Arthur)
3. People Taking Pictures of Each Other (The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society)
4. Shangri-La (Arthur)
5. Lola (Lola Versus Powerman & The Moneygoround, Part One)
6. Animal Farm (The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society)
7. The Village Green Preservation Society (The Kinks Are The VIllage Green Preservaion Society)
8. Victoria (Arthur)
9. David Watts (Something Else By The Kinks)
10. Apeman (Lola Versus Powerman & The Moneygoround, Part One)

Suggested Albums: Arthur (Or The Fall & Decline Of The British Empire), The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society

Bob Dylan

1. Desolation Row (Highway 61 Revisited)
2. It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) (Bringing It All Back Home)
3. Shelter From The Storm (Blood On The Tracks)
4. Blowin' In The Wind (The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan)
5. Tangled Up In Blue (Blood On The Tracks)
6. Masters Of War (The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan)
7. Visions Of Johanna (Blonde On Blonde)
8. Like A Rolling Stone (Highway 61 Revisited)
9. Gates Of Eden (Bringing It All Back Home)
10. Mr. Tambourine Man (Bringing It All Back Home)

Suggested Albums: Bringing It All Back Home, Blood On The Tracks

Donald Fagen (Steely Dan, Solo)

1. Do It Again (Can't Buy A Thrill)
2. Night By Night (Pretzel Logic)
3. Two Against Nature (Two Against Nature)
4. King Of The World (Countdown To Ecstasy)
5. I.G.Y. (The Night Fly)
6. Kid Charlemagne (The Royal Scam)
7. Barrytown (Pretzel Logic)
8. Deacon Blues (Aja)
9. Black Friday (Katy Lied)
10. The New Frontier (The Night Fly)

Suggested Albums: Pretzel Logic, The Night Fly

Peter Gabriel (Genesis, Solo)

1. Dancing With The Moonlit Knight (Selling England By The Pound)
2. Here Comes The Flood (Peter Gabriel I)
3. Broadway Melody, 1974 (The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway)
4. Supper's Ready (Foxtrot)
5. Solsbury Hill (Peter Gabriel I)
6. The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway (The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway)
7. Get 'Em Out By Friday (Foxtrot)
8. Biko (Peter Gabriel III)
9. The Musical Box (Nursery Cryme)
10. Fly On A Windshield (The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway)

Suggested Albums: The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway (Genesis), Peter Gabriel I

Maynard James Keenan (Tool, A Perfect Circle)

1. Lateralus (Lateralus)
2. Ænema (Ænima)
3. The Noose (Thirteenth Step)
4. The Grudge (Lateralus)
5. Third Eye (Ænima)
6. Vicarious (10.000 Days)
7. Prison Sex (Undertow)
8. Weak & Powerless (Thirteenth Step)
9. Forty Six & Two (Ænima)
10. Sober (Undertow)

Suggested Albums: Lateralus, Ænima

Jerry Leiber (Various Artists)

1. Riot In Cell Block #9 (The Robins single)
2. Spanish Harlem (Ben E. King single)
3. Yakety Yak (The Coasters single)
4. On Broadway (The Drifters single)
5. Stand By Me (Ben E. King single)
6. Poison Ivy (The Coasters single)
7. Charlie Brown (The Coasters single)
8. Jailhouse Rock (Elvis Presley single)
9. Hound Dog (Big Mama Thornton single)
10. Black Denim Trousers & Motorcycle Boots (The Cheers single)

John Lennon (The Beatles, Solo)

1. Imagine (Imagine)
2. A Day In The Life (Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band)
3. Norwegian Wood (Rubber Soul)
4. Working Class Hero (John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band)
5. Jealous Guy (Imagine)
6. In My Life (Rubber Soul)
7. Strawberry Fields Forever (Magical Mystery Tour)
8. Gimme Some Truth (Imagine)
9. Nowhere Man (Rubber Soul)
10. Across The Universe (Let It Be)

Suggested Albums: Imagine, Rubber Soul (The Beatles)

Joni Mitchell

1. Both Sides Now (Clouds)
2. The Circle Game (Ladies Of The Canyon)
3. A Case Of You (Blue)
4. Big Yellow Taxi (Ladies Of The Canyon)
5. The Last Time I Saw Richard (Blue)
6. Woodstock (Ladies Of The Canyon)
7. Down To You (Court And Spark)
8. Free Man In Paris (Court And Spark)
9. River (Blue)
10. All I Want (Blue)

Suggested Albums: Blue, Ladies Of The Canyon

Jim Morrison (The Doors, Solo)

1. Celebration Of The Lizard (Waiting For The Sun [Bonus Track])
2. The End (The Doors)
3. When The Music's Over (Strange Days)
4. Orange County Suite (LA Woman [Extra Track])
5. The Crystal Ship (The Doors)
6. The Soft Parade (The Soft Parade)
7. Peace Frog (Morrison Hotel)
8. Strange Days (Strane Days)
9. Riders On The Storm (LA Woman)
10. Moonlight Drive (Strange Days)

Suggested Albums: Strange Days, The Doors

Morrissey (The Smiths, Solo)

1. The Hand That Rocks The Cradle (The Smiths)
2. Everyday Is Like Sunday (Viva Hate)
3. The Queen Is Dead (The Queen Is Dead)
4. Suffer Little Children (The Smiths)
5. Nowhere Fast (Meat Is Murder)
6. The Death Of A Disco Dancer (Strangeways, Here We Come)
7. I Know It's Over (The Queen Is Dead)
8. How Soon Is Now? (Meat Is Murder)
9. The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get (Vauxhall & I)
10. This Charming Man (The Smiths)

Suggested Albums: The Smiths (The Smiths), The Queen Is Dead (The Smiths)

Randy Newman

1. God's Song (Sail Away)
2. Rednecks (Good Old Boys)
3. Political Science (Sail Away)
4. The Great Nations Of Europe (Bad Love)
5. Old Kentucky Home (12 Songs)
6. A Piece Of The Pie (Harps & Angels)
7. Wedding In Cherokee County (Good Old Boys)
8. I'm Dead (Bad Love)
9. Lover's Prayer (12 Songs
10. Burn On (Sail Away)

Suggested Albums: Sail Away, Good Old Boys

Rakim (Eric B. & Rakim, Solo)

1. Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em (Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em)
2. Casualties Of War (Don't Sweat The Technique)
3. Lyrics Of Fury (Follow The Leader)
4. Untouchables (Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em)
5. Waiting For The World To End (The Master)
6. Follow The Leader (Follow The Leader)
7. The 18th Letter (The 18th Letter)
8. Musical Massacre (Follow The Leader)
9. In The Ghetto (Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em)
10. My Melody (Paid In Full)

Suggested Albums: Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em, Follow The Leader

Paul Simon (Solo, Simon & Garfunkel)

1. The Boy In The Bubble (Graceland)
2. Patterns (Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme)
3. The Sounds Of Silence (The Sounds Of Silence)
4. The Cool, Cool River (Rythm Of The Saints)
5. Graceland (Graceland)
6. A Poem On The Underground Wall (Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme)
7. The Boxer (Bridge Over Troubled Water)
8. Leaves That Are Green (The Paul Simon Songbook)
9. Bridge Over Troubled Water (Bridge Over Troubled Water)
10. America (Bookends)

Suggested Albums: Parsley Sage Rosemary & Thyme (Simon & Garfunkel), Graceland

Bruce Springsteen

1. Thunder Road (Born To Run)
2. 4th Of July, Asbury Park (The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle)
3. Darkness On The Edge Of Town (Darkness On The Edge Of Town)
4. Backstreets (Born To Run)
5. This Hard Land (Greatest Hits)
6. Atlantic City (Nebraska)
7. Badlands (Darkness On The Edge Of Town)
8. Jungleland (Born To Run)
9. It's Hard To Be A Saint In The City (Greetings From Asbury Park, NJ)
10. Racing In The Streets (Darkness On The Edge Of Town)

Suggested Albums: Born To Run, Darkness On The Edge Of Town

Joe Strummer (The Clash, Solo)

1. Straight To Hell (Combat Rock)
2. London Calling (London Calling)
3. The Magnificent Seven (Sandinista!)
4. Death Or Glory (London Calling)
5. Julie's Been Working For The Drug Squad (Give 'Em Enough Rope)
6. Somebody Got Murdered (Sandinista!)
7. Lost In The Supermarket (London Calling)
8. Shaktar Donesk (Global A Go-Go)
9. London's Burning (The Clash)
10. White Man In Hammersmih Palais (The Clash)

Suggested Albums: London Calling, Sandinista!

Pete Townshend (The Who, Solo)

1. Won't Get Fooled Again (Who's Next)
2. 5:15 (Quadrophenia)
3. My Generation (The Who Sings My Generation)
4. Behind Blue Eyes (Who's Next)
5. Rael (The Who Sell Out)
6. The Punk & The Godfather (Quadrophenia)
7. Sally Simpson (Tommy)
8. Baba O'Reily (Who's Next)
9. Go To The Mirror! (Tommy)
10. I've Had Enough (Quadrophenia)

Suggested Albums: Who's Next, Quadrophenia

Tom Waits

1. Singapore (Rain Dogs)
2. Take It With Me (Mule Variations)
3. The One That Got Away (Small Change)
4. Earth Died Screaming (Bone Machine)
5. Bad As Me (Bad As Me)
6. Alice (Alice)
7. Downtown Train (Rain Dogs)
8. The Piano's Been Drinking (Small Change)
9. God's Away On Business (Blood Money)
10. Underground (Swordfishtrombones)

Suggested Albums: Rain Dogs, Mule Variations

Roger Waters (Pink Floyd, Solo)

1. Time (Dark Side Of The Moon)
2. Dogs (Animals)
3. Wish You Were Here (Wish You Were Here)
4. Echoes (Meddle)
5. Sheep (Animals)
6. Eclipse (Dark Side Of The Moon)
7. Cymbaline (Soundtrack For The Film More)
8. Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Wish You Were Here)
9. Hey You (The Wall)
10. Us & Them (Dark Side Of The Moon)

Suggested Albums: Dark Side Of The Moon, Animals

Thom Yorke

1. Street Spirit (Fade Out) (The Bends)
2. Paranoid Android (OK Computer)
3. Myxomatosis (Hail To The Thief)
4. The Daily Mail (Single)
5. Jigsaw Falling Into Place (In Rainbows)
6. Pyramid Song (Amnesiac
7. Optimistic (Kid A)
8. Bloom (King Of Limbs)
9. Sail To The Moon (Hail To The Thief)
10. Knives Out (Amnesiac)

Suggested Albums: Hail To The Thief, The Bends

Neil Young (Solo, Buffalo Springfield, CSNY)

1. Thrasher (Rust Never Sleeps)
2. Broken Arrow (Buffalo Springfield Again)
3. Abulance Blues (On The Beach)
4. Rocking In The Free World (Freedom)
5. Cortez The Killer (Zuma)
6. After The Gold Rush (After The Gold Rush)
7. Revolution Blues (On The Beach)
8. Pocahontas (Rust Never Sleeps)
9. The Needle & The Damage Done (Harvest)
10. Southern Man (After The Gold Rush)

Suggested Albums: On The Beach, Rust Never Sleeps

Warren Zevon

1. Desperados Under The Eaves (Warren Zevon)
2. Disorder In The House (The Wind)
3. Genius (My Ride's Here)
4. Transverse City (Transverse City)
5. Play It All Night Long (Bad Luck Streak In Dancing Schools)
6. Mutineer (Mutineer)
7. Lawyers, Guns & Money (Excitable Boy)
8. Carmelita (Warren Zevon)
9. Porcelain Monkey (Life'll Kill Ya)
10. Sentimental Hygiene (Sentimental Hygiene)

Suggested Albums: Warren Zevon, Exictable Boy

Hallelujah for #1 on Cohen's. Also, I would suggest Stranger Song to be on there as well

Strnger Song is at #5.. Hallelujah could be #1, yeah...

Some more lists:

Jackson Browne
1. Late For The Sky (Late For The Sky)
2. Before The Deluge (Late For The Sky)
3. These Days (For Everyman)
4. Barricades Of Heaven (Looking East)
5. Fountain Of Sorrow (Late For The Sky)
6. From Silver Lake (Jackson Browne)
7. For A Dancer (Late For The Sky)
8. Looking Into You (Jackson Browne)
9. The Late Show (Late For The Sky)
10. The Pretender (The Pretender)

Bob Dylan
1. Desolation Row (Highway 61 Revisited)
2. It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) (Bringing It All Back Home)
3. Shelter From The Storm (Blood On The Tracks)
4. Blowin' In The Wind (The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan)
5. Tangled Up In Blue (Blood On The Tracks)
6. Masters Of War (The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan)
7. Like A Rolling Stone (Highway 61 Revisited)
8. Visions Of Johanna (Blonde On Blonde)
9. Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands (Blonde On Blonde)
10. Mr. Tambourine Man (Bringing It All Back Home)

John Lennon
1. Imagine (Imagine)
2. A Day In The Life (Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band)
3. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (Rubber Soul)
4. Jealous Guy (Imagine)
5. In My Life (Rubber Soul)

Someone else think up 6-10

Also, move Thrasher up for the Neil Young list.

I'd say The Pretender seems very low for the Jackson list... I think he makes some exellent describtions and expresses himself in a brilliant metaporic sense... I'd have it above These Days probably...

Finished the Lennon list and put 'em all up... Made some minor changes to them, welcome to discuss it.. Also moved Thrasher up to #2...

Very nice. I might say Tangled Up in Blue > Blowin' in the Wind, but that's a tough call.

Yeah, i think Tangled... is definitely the better written lyric, but Blowin' has quite some influence and cultural impact to its name...

Added a Tom Waits list... Also, I've considered if Late For The Sky really fits Browne's #1... It's a great lyric, but i don't see it on the same level as some of the ones below it... I'd probably move it down to #4, under These Days, making Before The Deluge #1... As said, it's a great lyric and i guess many people think it's brilliant, but I also have some idea that it's regarded his #1 lyric because whoever was in charge of the Lyricists-forum to begin with put it there, without it ever really being discussed...

Punk and the Godfather should definitely be on Townshend's list. Above Sally Simpson, I'd say.

Jackson Browne (ver. 2.0)

1. Before The Deluge (Late For The Sky)
2. The Pretender (The Pretender)
3. Late For The Sky (Late For The Sky)
4. These Days (For Everyman)
5. Looking Into You (Jackson Browne)
6. Barricades Of Heaven (Looking East)
7. Fountain Of Sorrow (Late For The Sky)
8. From Silver Lake (Jackson Browne)
9. For A Dancer (Late For The Sky)
10. My Opening Farewell (Jackson Browne)

There are simply too many awesome Jackson Browne lyrics. If you want to bump any off, I've taken the liberty of narrowing the list down for you:

Honourable Mentions
Song For Adam
Rock Me On The Water
I Thought I Was A Child
The Times You've Come
For Everyman
Farther On
The Late Show
Your Bright Baby Blues
The Only Child
In The Shape Of A Heart
Sky Blue And Black
The Naked Ride Home

Joni Mitchell
1. Both Sides Now
2. The Circle Game
3. The Last Time I Saw Richard
4. Big Yellow Taxi
5. Free Man In Paris
6. Blue
7. A Case Of You
8. Woodstock
9. Chelsea Morning
10. Little Green

Recommended Listening: Blue; Ladies Of The Canyon

Lyricists who need lists (highest priority):

Maynard James Keenan
Warren Zevon
Bob Marley
Van Morrison (reserved by The Man)
Morrissey
Lou Reed
Eddie Vedder
Chuck Berry (reserved by Brett Alan)
Paul McCartney
John Fogerty

Jim Morrison

1. The End
2. The Crystal Ship
3. When the Music's Over
4. Break on Through (To the Other Side)
5. Moonlight Drive
6. Not to Touch the Earth (see note below)
7. The Unknown Soldier
8. People Are Strange
9. Riders on the Storm
10. The Soft Parade

RECOMMENDED LISTENING: The Doors, Strange Days

NOTE: If Celebration of the Lizard is in the running, I would probably put that at number one and have Not to Touch the Earth be ineligible). Also, is the material off of American Prayer eligible? If so, I would probably put the Ghost Song in the top five.

Ray Davies

1. Waterloo Sunset
2. Some Mother's Son
3. People Taking Pictures of Each Other
4. Shangri-La
5. Lola
6. Animal Farm
7. Lazing on a Sunny Afternoon
8. Victoria
9. David Watts
10. Apeman

RECOMMENDED LISTENING: Arthur, The Village Green Preservation Society

Davies is my all-time favorite lyricists... so underrated.

Finally, It's Alright Ma is getting it's just due! Easily the best Dylan lyrics, for me.

Jim Morrison:
1. The End
2. When The Music's Over
3. The Soft Parade
4. Riders On The Storm
5. The Crystal Ship
6. Strange Days
7. Break On Through
8. Moonlight Drive
9. Queen Of The Highway
10. Waiting For The Sun

Kurt Cobain:
1. All Apologies
2. Dumb
3. Polly
4. Downer
5. On A Plain
6. Lounge Act
7. Heart-Shaped Box
8. Serve The Servants
9. Milk It
10. Swap Meet

And for Waters, I think Dogs should be #1, hands down. 17 minutes, and the words never get boring. Amazing.