Most annoying lyrical clichés?

[Torniojaws]

I was again writing lyrics for an album, and this idea popped into my mind. I was constantly re-writing some parts because I either had used them already, or I felt they've been in a bazillion other songs

So, time to list 'em Your (least) favourite clichés in rock/metal lyrics? (or any genre).

- Rhyming "fate" with "hate"
- "They" (as in some group of conspirers)
- "These wounds are hard to heal" (and similar)
- "Fuck" (comes off as childish now there's a double entendre...)
- "My baby left me" (this one's often used in comedies when a blues song is improvised )

:Spin:

 

[Machinated]

completely agree with yours.

i also hate any mention of looking into mirrors.

 

[DanLights]

some rhymes are terribly cliche, like cry and why, or to put it more specific and still equally cliche "hush little baby don't you cry, don't ever ask the reason why".
It's also pretty hard to not use "I" at the beggining of every line, I always laugh at The Gathering's lyrics like "I have to go, but I can't go, and if I move, I will die, I, I, I etc etc"

 

[The Unavoidable]

- "They" (as in some group of conspirers)


:Spin:

Haha, YES! I know exactly what you mean and I absolutely HATE seeing/hearing that in lyrics, it's so damn cliché! uke:

 

[Chryst Krispies]

I hate when BROOTAL bands write songs about killing/chopping up dead chicks etc. Then I meet them in real life and I think to myself, "These motherfuckers couldn't chop up carrots..."

Calling yourself the "disease"

Rhyming words with the same word...I'm lookin at you lil wayne.

I hate happy lyrics. Fuck off with your happiness.

WHEN THE BAND USES LIKE A PHRYGIAN DOMINANT SCALE OR WHATEVER THEY HAVE TO GIVE THE SONG SOME MIDDLE EASTERN OR EGYPTIAN NAME. Like really what the fuck.

 

[DanLights]

I hate when BROOTAL bands write songs about killing/chopping up dead chicks etc. Then I meet them in real life and I think to myself, "These motherfuckers couldn't chop up carrots..."

This is more than cliche, it's just plain silly. I was in a band that used to do that, I even tried writing some uhm... REAL lyrics to a couple songs and the singer ditched them out, not brutal enough hahahaha

Calling yourself the "disease"

Don't quite get this one, don't think I've seen it

I hate happy lyrics. Fuck off with your happiness.

totally agreed. There's this November's Doom song that's all about the dude's kid, and I'm hearing the song going like "you're the light of my eyes, I love you you're so damn cool I wanna hug you" and I'm thinking "yeah so when's something gonna happen to the girl or something? that's it? you're happy with your kid??? that's the whole song?? props to you dude, but come oooooonnn the band's called November's DOOOOM for god's sake where's the doom?

 

[Chryst Krispies]

Like all these metal bands always have lyrics like " We are the disease, we bla bla bla." Like. No you're not any fucking disease. All these new Whitechapel/ImpendingDoom/etc etc bands use it all the time.

Lyrics are too fucking predictable. I listen to the radio and I know the song before it happens haha.

 

[Scott Horner]

Anything written by Fred Durst.

 

[updog]

Like all these metal bands always have lyrics like " We are the disease, we bla bla bla." Like. No you're not any fucking disease. All these new Whitechapel/ImpendingDoom/etc etc bands use it all the time.

agreed.

 

[updog]

Anything written by Fred Durst.

His lyrics actually aren't always that bad. I mean they usually suck and the themes suck, but the use of words is IMO good in his music.

 

[DanLights]

Like all these metal bands always have lyrics like " We are the disease, we bla bla bla." Like. No you're not any fucking disease. All these new Whitechapel/ImpendingDoom/etc etc bands use it all the time.

Lyrics are too fucking predictable. I listen to the radio and I know the song before it happens haha.

Oh riiight like the Slipknot cliche. They started it and I think it's cool for them casue I truly get the point of Corey's lyrics (which are pure awesomeness once you pay attention IMO), but I've never even heard Whitechapel/impendin doom or any of those bands you mentions so I wouldn't know

His lyrics actually aren't always that bad. I mean they usually suck and the themes suck, but the use of words is IMO good in his music.

yeah, like I'm a motherfucking chainsaw, get your ass raw hahahahahaha

that parts always cracks me up

 

[guitarguru777]

Anything wher the singer feels he needs to scream utter nonsense in between lyrical content.......

ex:
I am the one you love to hate ...
I am the one who steals your fate ...
(non lyrical scream that means absolutely nothing)

Word of advice to singers if your mouth open WORDS BETTER FUCKING COME OUT!

 

[slashvanyoung]

Many Black Metal bands have horribly cliché-ridden lyrics and I'm not only talking about the obvious ones whose "Satan" is equivalent to Sammy Hagar's "Love".

But this thread has made me dig up some old lyrics from a former singer and I'm absolutely dying in laughter right now.

 

[greyskull]

the word baby... in general.

 

[Chryst Krispies]

My favorite lyric is .

"BREEEEEEEE."

 

[JamieK]

Anything written by a power metal band

 

[MattB74]

I do my own solo thing, and lyrics are tough! Sometimes you get a good line right away, or you have to wait a bit. I usually start with a songtitle and go from there.

I try to get lyrics down quick and early, and usually after repeating them a few times better words come out or I scrap them completely and start over. Other times I just give up and figure that if I growl them enough no one will notice how bad they are. I want to do the best I can, but sometimes you just have to let it go and move on. Overusing a thesaurus can be brutal too...

 

[NikSin]

I hate hearing "crashing/falling down around me/you" and its various morphings.

or something like... "I watch your hopes and dreams fall dooooooooown, pick up the pieces off the grooooooooooound"

 

[MetalJonesy]

"the writing's on the wall"

 

[narcossintese]

Anything you would find on a Stratovarius song.