This site will not give full lyrics to songs without
permission. Lyrics are copyright and songwriters should respect
the copyright of others, they too will become copyright owners.
It is true that many songwriters and record companies do not really
object to their lyrics being published. It is a grey area. In fact
freely publishing lyrics should be a good way of getting songs recorded
by others - something which is desirable for a songwriter. Nevertheless
the lyrics of a song are an essential part of the song itself so
you can understand that some may wish to protect them. Those looking
after the interests of The Beatles for example have been very active
in seeking out even remote fan sites and prohibiting their publication
of lyrics.
A Selection of Notable Lyrics
Greensleeves Traditional
Alas my love, you do me wrong To cast me off discourteously
For I have loved you so long
Delighting in your company.
Around and Around Chuck Berry, 1958.
Twelve o' clock Well the place was packed Front doors was locked Well
the place was packed When the police knocked Both
doors flew back
But they kept on rockin' Going round and round Yeah
reelin' and a rockin' What a crazy sound Well they
never stopped rockin' Till the moon went down.
Poison Ivy Leiber; Stoller
She's pretty as a daisy, But look out man she's
crazy She'll really do you in If you let her get
under your skin.
When the Girl in your Arms Tepper; Bennett 1961
When the girl in your arms Is the girl in your heart, Then you've
got everything.
Don't Think Twice It's Alright Bob Dylan, 1962
When the rooster crows at the break of dawn
Look out your window and I'll be gone
You're the reason I'm travelling on
So don't think twice it's alright.
Mr Tambourine Man Bob Dylan
Take me disappearing through the smoke rings of my
mind Down the foggy ruins of time Far past the
frozen leaves The haunted frightened trees Out
to the windy beach Far from the twisted reach Of
crazy sorrow.
Nadine Chuck Berry, 1963
I caught a loaded taxi
Paid up ev'rybody's tab
Flipped a twenty dollar bill and told him
Catch that yellow cab.
Amazing Journey Pete Townshend, 1968
Sickness will surely take the mind Where minds
can't usually go Come on the amazing journey And
learn all you should know.
Father and Son Cat Stevens
From the moment I could talk
I was ordered to listen.
Warning Aynsley Dunbar
(Performed by Black Sabbath 1970).
Sorrow grips my voice
As I stand here all alone
And watch you slowly take away
A love I've never known.
Little Bit of Sympathy Robin Trower, 1973/74
If the sea was ice and the land all gone Would
you still be a friend to me When my time is passed
is it too much to ask For a little bit of sympathy.
Water of Love Mark Knopfler, 1978
There's a bird up in the tree, sittin' up high Just
a waitin' for me to die If I don't get some water
soon I'll be dead and gone in the afternoon.
Water of love deep in the ground But there aint
no water here to be found Someday baby when the river
runs free 'S gonna carry that water of love to me.
Before They Make Me Run Jagger; Richards, 1978 (probably Keith Richards)
(slightly edited)
I'm gonna find my way to heaven
Cos I did my time in hell
I wasn't looking too good but I was feeling real well.
So after all is said and done
Im gonna move while it's still fun
I will walk before they make me run.
Family Tree Gerry Rafferty, 1979
In all the years we had as part of a family tree We
knew the good and bad I can see it in you, you can see it in
me.
Heartbreaker B, R, and M Gibb
Suddenly everything I ever wanted
Has passed me by.
Astral Plane Jonathan Richman
Tonight I'm all... alone in my room, I'd go insane...if
you won't Sleep with me I'll still... be with you... I'm
gonna meet you on the astral plane.
Web Sites with Lyrics
There are many sites on the web which publish lyrics,
but as soon as you venture into this territory you get into the
seamy side of the internet. This is not just because lyrics sites
are a lucrative commercial enterprise, but also, being unlawful,
such sites are to some extent disreputable. You do not, for example
find sites such as the BBC publishing song lyrics. Many lyrics sites
load their site heavily with advertising. A song lyric might easily
be only 500 bytes of data, but these sites present lyrics with large
amounts of graphical advertising and the page of lyrics for just
one song might easly
have a total download size of hundreds of times the size it needs to be.
The thing which I particularly object to is that
some lyrics sites do not even credit the songwriters at all
and usually
lyrics are classified by performer, or album etc. That is quite the wrong approach. There is only one song, but it might be performed my many artists. Songs should be listed by TITLE!
Those lyrics sites which do give songwriter details
can be one of the few places on the web where that information
can be found.
There are many such sites and can easily be found
using a search engine. Beware of advertising and popups!
I will list only sites which I have found to be good and which DO list
the songwriters.
