«Today’s Lyrics Are Pathetically Bad» Rick Beato

My # 1 criteria for good lyrics is: "Does it impress me on any and/or multiple levels?"

I forgot to mention Billy Bragg in my initial post. I submit the following examples, which all come from the same song ("Accident Waiting To Happen"):

Goodbye and good luck to all the rubbish that you've spoken - Goodbye and good luck to all the promises you've broken - Your life has lost its dignity, its beauty and its passion - You're an accident waiting to happen.

One of these nights you're gonna get caught - It'll give you pregnant pause for thought - You're a dedicated swallower of fascism (KINKS reference)

Time up and time out for all the liberties you've taken - Time up and time out for all the friends that you've forsaken - If you choose to waste away like death is back in fashion - You're an accident waiting to happen.

And my sins are so unoriginal - I have all the self-loathing of a wolf in sheep's clothing - In this carnival of carnivores, Heaven help me.

@devinplombier

That beato character appears to be a bit controversial. Perhaps some folks reacted to him rather than to the questions you posed, which are very good questions indeed.

Maybe, you’re on to something? But I will tell you this, if you lead with a negative (negativity).

«Today’s Lyrics Are Pathetically Bad» Rick Beato

Don’t be surprised when you get a negative (negativity) thrown right back at you. It doesn’t matter who you are. It could me, Rick Beato or even our good friend @mahgister.

Karma, the Universe or whatever you want to call it/her, has a way of bounding back at you. It’s a simple universal truth. It has nothing to do with culture, education, taste, lyrics, music or even the internet. It just is... A simple universal truth. Period, full stop. There's no need to philosophize.

Now again, maybe/if when we/you lead with (positivity) something positive like this.

Rick Beato - The Album That Changed My Life

We all can/could have more (positivity) positive responses to the subject at hand and to each other.

A negative motivated in a clear proposition can induce  intelligent discussion...

I think all responses were polite and interesting even those beside the thread question...

Beato is not a negative person but an enthusiast...

I like his posts because of his honesty, right or wrong, he is humorous and plain as Amish bread...

Yeah, your right about the plain Amish bread. I grew up around the Indiana/Ohio state Amish community. Good stuff and good people. You see, you get what you put out...And I don’t agree that being enthusiastic equates to being pathetic. Pathetic is a harsh word and carries a very negative vibration with it. And with all due respect, who is he to judge.

@noromance Agreed.

"Yummy, yummy, yummy I got love in my tummy" -- Ohio Express, 1968

"Louie Louie, oh no no no, take me to where ya gotta go, oh no" -- The Kingsmen, 1963

Pop lyrics have always been terrible, although they may be more consistently bad today.