The Best Poetry Songs Of All Time
When we say poetry songs, we are not referring to Hip hop or Rap. We are referring to songs built around spoken worker, that a re accompanied by pop music hooks.
An early example of avante guard poetry meets pop music is KING MISSLE John S. Hall is a New York Poetry Legend, whose experimental alt rock back carved it’s own nitche in Alternative Music in the early 90’s. They blew up due to a hit on MTV, yet Hall’s more serious works are why his name is still spoken of wioth such reverence amongst poets and indie rock lovers alike.
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” by Gil Scott-Heron:
Gil Scott-Heron ushered us into a new era as country with this powerful poem that was performed as a song.
“The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” is a famous poem and song by Gil Scott-Heron that gained popularity during the civil rights movement in the 1960s and 1970s. The phrase itself has become a powerful slogan symbolizing resistance, activism, and the idea that true change cannot be captured or controlled by mainstream media. The controversy surrounding this phrase stems from its interpretation and application in various contexts.
Suzanne Vega is known as a singer, a femminist acivist and just beyond too cool. Yet many of her songs were simply poems, part spoken and part sang. Tom’s Diner for example, originally was an accapella song that sounded closer to a poem that a song.
Then came “Blood Makes Noise” the most spoken and dancable yet. She has released a collection of writing called The Passionate Eye.
Stephen Jesse Bernstien collaborating with Steve Fisk and Subpop records produced the memorable “More Noise Please”
Steven Jesse Bernstein, an underground poet, actor, and was born on December 4, 1950, in Los Angeles and tragically died by suicide on October 22, 1991, in Seattle.
Bernstein’s workwas a walk through of mental illness, addiction, and the darker parts of life. His performances were raw and honest, which resonated with an audience in need of unapologetic art.
William S Burroughs has been remixed to and in, death. He was a genius whom is still beloved by poets and DJs alike.
Tom Waits short story meets song “What’s He Building In There” is a terrifying, explosive, unsettling and neurotic music meets narration. A must hear.
When filmmaker David N. Donihue started releasing his poems as videos, few were prepared for how ambitious the poetry presentaitons would be. Everything’s Poetic, which is half song and half poem, is certain to keep you glued.
Donihue’s other Poetry combining a song, includes this years “The SOulful VS The Socialite”, a heavy account of losing those you love while on your path to artistic success.
And of course, you cannot ignore the amazing poetry of Common, who brings his poem into more musical environments than any poet ever has, at times even collaborating with the likes of Mary J Blidge. Common, is an uncommon genius.
Common didn’t just stick with small stages of course. He went, a deserved to go, huge.
Patty Smith reads Tyger by William Blake and performs it as an amazing song.
Bob Dylan is the richest and most successful poet of all time. His guitar allowed his poetry to go further into the mainstream than any printed book could have taken him in that era. In 2016 Dylan finally got his acclooydes as a poet, taking home a Nobel Prize in Literature in 2016.
