What Bands/Songs Are Philosophical?

Ronnie James Dio - he's a genius IMO.

Here's one song, Gates of babylon
This song is about how we give into temptation and our fantasies.

"Look away from the sea
I can take you anywhere
Spend a vision with me
A chase with the wind

Move closer to me
I can make you anyone
I think you're ready to see
The gates of Babylon

The power of what has been before
Rises to trap you within
A magic carpet ride a genie maybe more
A city of heavenly sin
Sleep with the devil and then you must pay
Sleep with the devil and the devil will take you away
Oh gates of Babylon

You can see but you're blind
Someone turned the sun around
But you can see in your mind
The gates of Babylon

You're riding the endless caravan
Bonded and sold as a slave
A sabre dance removing all the veils
Getting as good as you gave
Sleep with the devil and then you must pay
Sleep with the devil and the devil will take you away

Look away from the sea
I can take you anywhere
Spend a vision with me
A chase with the wind

Move closer to me
I can make you anyone
I think you're ready to see
The gates of Babylon

The power of what has been before
Rises to trap you within
A magic carpet ride a genie maybe more
A city of heavenly sin
Sleep with the devil and then you must pay
Sleep with the devil and the devil will take you away
Black gates of Babylon

The devil is me
And I'm holding the key
To the gates of sweet hell
Babylon"

the devil symbolizes our temptation.
 
OMG I have an answer to those Public Enemy lyrics

Might Is Right

Might was right when Caesar bled
Upon the stones of rome,
Might was right when Genghis led
His hordes over danube's foam,
And might was right when German troops
Poured down through paris way,
It's the gospel of the ancient world
And the logic of today.

Behind all kings and presidents -
All government and law,
Are army-corps and cannoneers -
To hold the world in awe.
And sword-strong races own the earth,
And ride the conqueror's car -
And liberty has never been won
Except by deeds of war.

What are the lords of hoarded gold -
The silent semite rings?
What are the plunder-patriots -
High-pontiffs, priests and kings?
What are they but bold master-minds,
Best fitted for the fray who comprehend
And vanquish by - the logic of today.

Cain's knotted club is scepter still -
The "right of man" is fraud:
Christ's ethics are for creeping things -
True manhood smiles at "god".
For might is right when empires sink
In storms of steel and flame;
And it is right when weakling breeds -
Are hunted down like game.

Then what's the use of dreaming dreams -
That "each shall get his own"?
By forceless votes of meek-eyed thralls,
Who blindly sweat and moan? no!
A curse is on their cankered brains -
Their very bones decay
Trace your fate in the iron game,
It's the logic of today.

The strong must ever rule the weak,
Is grim primordial law -
On earth's broad racial threshing floor,
The meek are beaten straw -
Then ride to power o'er foemen's necks
Let nothing bar your way:
If you are fit you'll rule and reign,
Is the logic of today.
You must prove you're right by deeds of might -
Of splendor and reknown.
If need be, march through flames of hell,
To dash opponents down - if need be,
Die on scaffold high -
In the morning's misty grey:
For "liberty or death" is still the logic of today.
Might was right when Gideon led
The "chosen" tribes of old,
And it was right when titus burnt,
Their temple roofed with gold:
And might was right from Bunker's hill,
To far Manilla bay,
By land and flood it's wrote in blood -
The gospel of today.

"Put not your trust in princes"
Is a saying old and true,
"Put not your hope in governments"
Rranslateth it anew.
All "books of law" and "golden rules"
Are fashioned to betray:
"The survival of the strongest"
Is the gospel of today.

Might was right when Carthage flames
Lit up the punic foam -
And when the naked steel of Gaul
Weighed down the spoil of Rome;
And might was right when Richmond fell -
And at Thermopylae -
It's the logic of the ancient world -
And the gospel of today.
Where pendant suns in millions swing,
Around this whirling earth,
It's might, it's force that holds the brakes,
And steers through death and birth:
Force governs all organic life,
Inspires all right and wrong.
It's nature's plan to weed-out man,
And test who are the strong.
 
tool, like mentioned meshuggah, and like said they can be hard to understand but jesus christ they are deep once you get down to it

'I
I-This fractal illusion, burning away all structure, towards the obscene,
I-To cleanse, to purge, to breach eternity, and smother all life,
Blind-These mortal men of clay, divine, and dying in their harnessed form
I-this furnace of limitless head, beastial, pure.'

i love their lyrical style and concepts

i also love nevermores philosophical stuff, eg, this godless endeavor

'religion changed the face of man, thou shall not think we all are gone.
the seed of ignorance is born, thou shall not think, thou shall conform'

'to set your mind free, you must first just listen, dont waste your life on worthless hate and contradiction.'
 
I absolutely love Public Enemy. And their political lyrics. Listen to 'Son of a Bush', classic stuff!

'He's a BAAAAd Man' (Flavor Flav) :kickass:

Glad you like, so many people are "hating" of PE, and yet so many artists of a rock genre always put Fight the Power in their top ten. Have you ever listened to any Gil Scott Heron? Hes a black poet/ jazz singer musician.
 
Yes it would have been better if they'd written that. The song is by Rahowa - I should have mentioned.

lol I can't believe I've never read the lyrics before, so many great lines in it


"Might was right when Caesar bled
Upon the stones of rome,
Might was right when Genghis led
His hordes over danube's foam,
And might was right when German troops
Poured down through paris way,
It's the gospel of the ancient world
And the logic of today.
Might is right!"

"Might is...
Behind all kings and presidents -
All government and law, "

"What are the lords of hoarded gold -
The silent semite rings?
What are the plunder-patriots -
High-pontiffs, priests and kings?
What are they but bold master-minds,
Best fitted for the fray who comprehend
And vanquish by - the logic of today. "

"might is right when empires sink
In storms of steel and flame;
And it is right when weakling breeds -
Are hunted down like game. "

"Put not your trust in princes"
Is a saying old and true,
"Put not your hope in governments"
Translateth it anew.
All "books of law" and "golden rules"
Are fashioned to betray:
"The survival of the strongest"
Is the gospel of today.
 
more anti-anything-of-'the Christian virtues' really. I mean, it's obviously anti-vegan and anti-secular humanitarian.

Wow I'm glad you like them so much Seditious!:)
It is not actually necessary for a vegan to be opposed to the ideas in Might is Right however. It just depends upon the reasons for being a vegan. If its for health reasons or out of concern for harming any creature.

EDIT
Actually, since Hitler's first laws passed were forbidding vivisection or the boiling (alive) of lobsters, and he himself was a vegetarian, it would seem that concern for animals is not incompatible with the Might is Right philosophy. But that isn't about caring for the weak in the way that is out of touch with nature, rather about creating a society where brutality is used only where justified - and kindness is preferred when it enhances the quality of life for ones people.
Anyway now this is headed off topic...
 
Actually, since Hitler's first laws passed were forbidding vivisection or the boiling (alive) of lobsters, and he himself was a vegetarian, it would seem that concern for animals is not incompatible with the Might is Right philosophy.

"Might is Right" and Darwinism are ill-understood. I think it's more like "Smart is Right" and that seems to be what nature rewards more than pure strength. People got into MiR to defuse their guilt over having invaded other less technologically advanced cultures. But do we need it? I'd rather have well-rounded smart people, of good character, and good health.

From that comes respect for animals. A moronic interpretation of MiR would have the world populated by stupid, angry, violent bears. A smart one recognizes that we treat animals with no respect, and from that comes our lack of respect for nature in general, and therefore we're not appreciating Smart. That's a travesty.

Can't speak for Hitler (more of a Platonist myself) but I think that's not a bad interpretation of the philosophy as a genre.
 
"Might is Right" and Darwinism are ill-understood. I think it's more like "Smart is Right" and that seems to be what nature rewards more than pure strength. People got into MiR to defuse their guilt over having invaded other less technologically advanced cultures. But do we need it? I'd rather have well-rounded smart people, of good character, and good health.

From that comes respect for animals. A moronic interpretation of MiR would have the world populated by stupid, angry, violent bears. A smart one recognizes that we treat animals with no respect, and from that comes our lack of respect for nature in general, and therefore we're not appreciating Smart. That's a travesty.

Can't speak for Hitler (more of a Platonist myself) but I think that's not a bad interpretation of the philosophy as a genre.

You are so wise infoterror. <3

What I like best about the MiR idea is that it shows that "rights" must be fought for and protected by force. "Right" has no authority without "might". "Might" in itself is not necessarily "right", but you can't have "right" without "might".
 
The only lyricists that truly made a difference in the way that I viewed and practised arts are Morrissey, Ian McCulloch and Maynard Ja&#246;es Keenan. In the metal world MJK is the most in-depth lyricist with miles ahead. I could write some examples when wished although the line between "philosophical" and just "poetic" is often thin as certain lines become philosophical upon personal interpretation...
 
You are so wise infoterror. <3

What I like best about the MiR idea is that it shows that "rights" must be fought for and protected by force. "Right" has no authority without "might". "Might" in itself is not necessarily "right", but you can't have "right" without "might".

Exactly. I think that's why all of us here so clearly deny concepts of "duty" (aka other beings having a right to a free pass)
 
The only lyricists that truly made a difference in the way that I viewed and practised arts are Morrissey, Ian McCulloch and Maynard Ja&#246;es Keenan. In the metal world MJK is the most in-depth lyricist with miles ahead. I could write some examples when wished although the line between "philosophical" and just "poetic" is often thin as certain lines become philosophical upon personal interpretation...

I've been wondering about the impact of metal lyrics since I posted this thread. Honestly, apart from early Slayer (a band that recently penned some of the worst and most ridiculous lyrics I've ever come across with that Christ Illusion album), I really havent a clue about metal lyrics, nor care about the lyrics as generally I cant understand them as they're being sung. Moreover, I dont think most metal bands give a damn about their lyrics. Metal is about musicianship and composition more than anything else. The lyrics, like many metal band's bass players, are pushed to the back and drowned out by pummelling drums or blistering lead guitars.


Anyway, Nick Cave is my favorite lyricist, and Nevermore my favorite metal lyricists.