Best Lyrics 2018

[hawadharma]

Hi there, I think we need a thread for this.
Let's discuss which song(s) have the best lyrics this year.

Criteria to look (for me):
1. Resonance with music
2. Purpose, Meaning and Message
3. Genuineness and Clarity
4. Presentation

For me, the following countries really nailed it in these departments:









While great lyrics are not necessarily be addressing a social or global message, great lyrics might also touch on issues at personal level or even the simplest issue (like pure monkey love). It is all down to the right choice and flow of words which tells stories and connects to the emotion of the listeners, and not just number of words written together to make a song.

What do you think?

 

[Kevan1994]

Honourable Mention: (for the lyric "you're standing in a shadow and wondering why you're in the dark")

 

[FoxOfShadows]

and are far above everyone else in the lyrics department. Clever word play, good message and they get a plus from me for being in their national languages. Italy's 'pacifist bomb' line stands out as one of my favourite lyrics of the year.

and on the other hand both have poor lyrics. I can give Mikolas some leeway because the whole song is very tongue in cheek. On the other hand, one of the reasons I can't get behind 'Toy' is because I really dislike the lyrics. It's a shame because the message is good but the lyrics don't convey it well. The obnoxious clucking and unnesecary pop culture references really annoy me and there's a good ten seconds after the first chorus where I can't make put a word Netta is singing. lyrics are a little pretentious as well.

 

[lolita]

and are far above everyone else in the lyrics department. Clever word play, good message and they get a plus from me for being in their national languages. Italy's 'pacifist bomb' line stands out as one of my favourite lyrics of the year.

and on the other hand both have poor lyrics. I can give Mikolas some leeway because the whole song is very tongue in cheek. On the other hand, one of the reasons I can't get behind 'Toy' is because I really dislike the lyrics. It's a shame because the message is good but the lyrics don't convey it well. The obnoxious clucking and unnesecary pop culture references really annoy me and there's a good ten seconds after the first chorus where I can't make put a word Netta is singing. lyrics are a little pretentious as well.

Agree about all 4 countries. "The best lyrics":
Hey, I think you forgot how to play
My teddy bear’s running away
The Barbie got something to say, hey

My Simon Says leave me alone
I’m taking my Pikachu home
You’re stupid just like your smartphone

I mean, people will throw hate now, but really, this part is cringe, annoys me and reminds me of similar childish style like Rybak's song. The message is little lost behind stupidity like this, and that is one of the reasons I don't like it, but it had lot of potential, to be really quality and good, if it was less cringy in some parts. Lyrics of Italy and France are miles and miles above Israel, and any other country this year.

 

[BernadetteCydonia]

Not exactly "best" but "my personal favourites":

I know I sound biased but I really like the 's verses. And reading the "famous last words" TV tropes page in general because some of those can definitely seem beautiful and meaningful.

and have a lot of nice lines too. And is full of lots of words.

 

[mauve]

Not exactly "best" but "my personal favourites":

I know I sound biased but I really like the 's verses. And reading the "famous last words" TV tropes page in general because some of those can definitely seem beautiful and meaningful.

and have a lot of nice lines too. And is full of lots of words.

Absolutely agree with the Hungarian lyrics. These lines are my absolute favorite. That's what I like about this entry this year. The music - how strange it may sound - connect wonderfully with the lyrics. Sad and strong. Just love it. Also love the lyrics of France, even if this song is not among my top 10. But the lyrics are going straight to the heart. As for Germany, I like the song, like his intention, but am actually not too fond of the lyrics. They seem a little weak to me as there are no strong, memorable pictures.

 

[Citelis]

lyrics are about bullying but no one cares!

 

[EscGeek]

 

[JSSArcos]

 

[ZoboCamel]

Going to echo the common sentiment here about really liking the lyrics in the French and Italian entries. Italy's in particular is fantastic, even if the English translations may not be as impactful as the original – others have mentioned the "pacifist bomb" line, and I personally like the "separate entrances to the same house" bit quite a lot.

Obligatory shoutout to Azerbaijan, giver of lyrical classics such as "misty moon I'm your loon" and the firewalls/cannonballs rhyme

there's a good ten seconds after the first chorus where I can't make put a word Netta is singing.

I can get not liking Israel's lyrics, and that's fine, but the ten seconds after the first chorus are, from memory, a mixture of scatting and Hebrew. So it'd be rather surprising if you did understand it!

 

[hawadharma]

Going to echo the common sentiment here about really liking the lyrics in the French and Italian entries. Italy's in particular is fantastic, even if the English translations may not be as impactful as the original – others have mentioned the "pacifist bomb" line, and I personally like the "separate entrances to the same house" bit quite a lot.

Obligatory shoutout to Azerbaijan, giver of lyrical classics such as "misty moon I'm your loon" and the firewalls/cannonballs rhyme



I can get not liking Israel's lyrics, and that's fine, but the ten seconds after the first chorus are, from memory, a mixture of scatting and Hebrew. So it'd be rather surprising if you did understand it!

That Azerbaijan reference tho

Lyric as simple as "Je sui ne ce matin, je m'appelle Mercy" can be spine-chilling and goosebump worthy if put into context..

 

[cegs5]

Definitely are the best.

I don't know what to think about I could have found the lyrics just funny and catchy, but the whole way that fans are trying to promote this ridiculous song as if it were feminist with a deep and serious message just makes me cringe.

should be among the worst. It's like if the songwriters just put together the cheesiest and cliché phrases they could find in a basic Spanish lesson for children under 12.

 

[ZoboCamel]

should be among the worst. It's like if the songwriters just put together the cheesiest and cliché phrases they could find in a basic Spanish lesson for children under 12.

Hard for me to judge there given that I don't speak a lick of Spanish, but Moldova's entry comes across as something similar in English. In that case, though, I think it's part of the charm of it all... it just screams "Moldovan Eurovision entry".

 

[BernadetteCydonia]

lyrics are incredibly cheap and repetitive. Who in the world rhymes chunks of sentences themselves than rappers?!

Number one - keep rolling
Say you're real, I'm hoping
Do you feel the way I do?

Bring it on, it's magic
Are you real? Fantastic!
Say you feel the way I do

And the line "Do you feel the way I do?" comes back to the second verse...

 

[mauve]

Hard for me to judge there given that I don't speak a lick of Spanish, but Moldova's entry comes across as something similar in English. In that case, though, I think it's part of the charm of it all... it just screams "Moldovan Eurovision entry".

I googled the translation of a few songs I like. I think wiwibloggs have good translations. And Spain is really bad lyrically ... well AND musically.

 

[ZoboCamel]

I googled the translation of a few songs I like. I think wiwibloggs have good translations. And Spain is really bad lyrically ... well AND musically.

Yeah, I've seen the translations, and it certainly seemed tacky... but I just meant that that might not be the whole story. A bad translation can turn a text that sounds poetic in its original language into one that's stilted and cheesy in the new language, while a good translation can tighten things up to make an initially weak package a little more presentable.

There's also the possibility that lyrics won't sound quite as bad in their translated format regardless of a flawed translation if, say, the original lyrics have particular negative, language-specific stereotypes associated with them. With English, for example, think of the usual fire/higher/desire rhymes - English speakers make fun of them all the time for being tacky, but that wouldn't really come across in a translation, since non-English speakers wouldn't be aware of those English lyrical tropes.

I mean, the Spanish entry's lyrics certainly don't seem that amazing however you look at them; I'm just saying that it's always a risky business to try and judge the prose of an original text based on its translation. They're never going to be exactly the same, for better or worse.

 

[RainyWoods]

is the song with my favourite lyrics. It's subject matter of caring for the garden of a loved one who is no longer living really hit home for me, and was the final piece of the puzzle I needed to fall in love with "O Jardim".

also has very powerful lyrics and is quite raw in the way it puts across what it wants to tell us.


In terms of English songs I can't really think of any particular stand out to be honest. Most of my favourites are a bit dodgy on the lyrical front. I find quite earnest though, despite all the cliches. My shell softens when I listen to that one. And I think actually has quite some entertaining word play. I'm attracted to that entry in large part thanks to it's slightly loopy lyrical content.