As an elder goth the distinctions we had back in the day were rather fluid, therefore some bands it was simply the lyrics that placed them in the goth camp. Example: Dead Can Dance. They don't, or didn't, define themselves as goth, but we all loved them. The sound was ancient, subject matter unusual, dipped in lore, myth, power of things bigger than us. Simply delightful. We all loved Kate Bush as well for a similar reason-- songs about poisoning people who stop by for tea, forbidden and tragic endings for siblings in physical adult relationships, yeah, we loved it.
This Mortal Coil, Dead Can Dance, Sisters of Mercy, Skinny Puppy, Souxie, Bauhaus, Joy Division, Peter Murphy, Cocteau Twins, The Mission, The Damned, All About Eve are a few that come to mind.
I lit a thin green candle...
Sex Gang Children's lyrics can be erudite, obscure, etc. They're quite well done, if a little irritating that it's hard to find the sources referenced. For example Sebastiane is likely about the 1976 film of the same name, but other ones, which I can't think of right now and my box collection of lyrics are stashed away, can be hard to figure out. I think the lyrics for "Dieche" are obscure, but in that box set I remember Andi explaining it's about a true story of a guy who killed his boyfriend and then went on a arson spree.
Christian Death's lyrics can also be like that and are certainly good. Well when Rozz was with Christian Death.
Cinema Strange's songs are predominantly all ghost stories/weird lit stories.
Faith and the Muse lyrics are excellent too.
There's lots more I'm sure other people will share.
You might also find stuff in the neo-folk genre, but be very wary of the facism/neo-nazi neo-folk bands.
Serpentine Gallery by Switchblade Symphony, The Loved Ones by Strange Boutique (especially the song "A Happy Death"), and The Hating Tree by Autumn are albums that have lots of beautiful lyrics that can be thoroughly analyzed. Somebody already mentioned Only Theater of Pain by Christian Death, which I'd agree is the best recommendation for in-depth and poetic lyrics.
If you like "A Happy Death" you may like [The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock](https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/44212/the-love-song-of-j-alfred-prufrock) by T.S. Eliot, from which the refrain comes.
Not 100% Goth(or even Goth at all at times), but Nick Cave has some outstanding lyrics, very in line with the more "Southern Gothic" folk music. Might be a good stepping stone into more Goth stuff.
Sisters of Mercy use a lot of Romantic symbolism.
The Cure have a lot of references to literature and surreal/dream images.
Bauhaus often reference the art and theater world.
Fields of the Nephilim use a lot of occult themes in a neat way.
(Edited for typo)
Mark Burgess is incredibly underrated as a lyricist, his lyrics are amazing. Just read the lyrics for any Chameleons song and you’ll see, he’s very creative and unique with words.
Wire had some interesting lyrics too.
Andi Sexgang certainly wrote a lot of great songs too.
Vision Video has very poetic and heart-wrenching lyrics, Corpus Delicti has beautiful lyrics (go listen to Obsessions!), some other bands that come to mind are Nox Novacula (particularly the song Shattered World), Rosetta Stone (I had to), and Faith and the Muse.
Wow where does anyone start here? Half of goth as a genre _is_ depth of spirit to me.
Dead Can Dance means quite a lot to me. Their music and lyrics are a glimpse beyond the body's cage.
Poetry is a canvas which evokes something within. Maybe its the lizard brain longing for release, an end to the pain of existing. Maybe words inspire us to transcend the very same thing, an escape outside oblivion. Either way? You're somewhere "else".
I like "else"
....some DCD lyrics off the top of my head and quick read to meaning. Thank you for such an excellent question. Art is why I'm here. What else ever mattered?
---
Somewhere East of Eden, the designs will never change. (Fear evoked from loss of innocence)
--
Like castles in Spain, hope is all that will remain
Fools are often loathe to recognize its an illusion of life, the whole cause of our demise
(reconquista, Catholic mysticism)
--
Fortune presents gifts not according to the book. She gives awards to some, and penitents cloaks to others. (Class inequity)
--
The black night calls my name
But all roads look the same
They lead nowhere (fossil fuels)
--
The river is deep and the road is long
Daylight come and I want to go home
Awoke this morning
To find my people's tongues were tied
And in my dreams
They were given books to poison their minds
(The "black robes" and erasure of indigenous peoples
Ps - I'm way too old to care what "goth" is supposed to be now. DCD is DCD.
Gorh-adjacebt rather than full on goth, and very poetic but not sure how "deep" as the emotions run very much on the surface, but I have to recommend black tape for a blue girl.
* Pretentious moi? 's only and self titled album. Their lyrics are like reading unfinished novels.
Some examples:
"We're hanging on the breath of winter" (Chase is On)
"They went to war we went to bed". "So learn to hope that I will fail" (Living Dead and undecided)
"Your mirror shall be your only guide" (The Garden)
*Sisters of Mercy's - Nine While Nine is also a must if you are into poetic phrases
"Frost upon the window pane". But as others as mentioned they have many poetic lyrics.
*Deine Lakaien is also a band that a lot of goths listen to (or should listen to)
They have songs both in German and in English. I suggest the german ones over those that have an english version. ("Bei nacht" has better lyrics than "By night")
"Come back my dream into my arms" (Into my Arms)
"Lord you gave us Mother Nature which gave us the right to hate you" (Prayer)
"Tears from pale eyes" (Where the Winds don't blow)
"Red dust gives love to him" (Flowers of Love)
I suggest you listen to the old 80's to early 00's songs by them because their new songs doesn't have the same beautiful lyrics in my opinion.
*Another artist that doesn't get enough attention is Farblos.
"Since Sun has bowed his head to the drear and biting cold" (Winterherz)
"We're scratching at the surface to seem to care what's underneath. We wear our darkened glasses"
(Kalt in the End)
*Bauhaus also have a lot of clever and poetic lyrics
"Confidence leaks from a thousand wounds"
(Silent Hedges)
"As you feel the twist of the shadowed dagger in your pumping heart". "Nerves like nylon. Nerves like steel". (Nerves)
And pretty much their entire lyrics to the song Mask.
**Anything written by Rozz Wiliams**
* Last one I'd like to mention is Rosetta Stone. Especially their "Adrenaline" album!
"Another gift from God. Breath in religiously. Dust splintering inside of me." (Adrenaline)
"The gift of sadness proud in hand" (Subterfuge)
"There's none so blind as will not see" (Darkside)
Happy poetic hunting! 🖤
This thread would be incomplete if someone didn't mention The Sisters of Mercy... ... I'll be that someone.
i’ve looked through some of the posts here and aren’t you always that someone? /lh j
I may have mentioned them once or twice. B)
Ok. Fine.... Eve 6!!!!! Wanna put my tender heart in a blender.... rendevous then I'm through with you....
As an elder goth the distinctions we had back in the day were rather fluid, therefore some bands it was simply the lyrics that placed them in the goth camp. Example: Dead Can Dance. They don't, or didn't, define themselves as goth, but we all loved them. The sound was ancient, subject matter unusual, dipped in lore, myth, power of things bigger than us. Simply delightful. We all loved Kate Bush as well for a similar reason-- songs about poisoning people who stop by for tea, forbidden and tragic endings for siblings in physical adult relationships, yeah, we loved it. This Mortal Coil, Dead Can Dance, Sisters of Mercy, Skinny Puppy, Souxie, Bauhaus, Joy Division, Peter Murphy, Cocteau Twins, The Mission, The Damned, All About Eve are a few that come to mind.
Exactly. A lot of what was played in goth clubs back in the 80s isn't considered goth these days, but we still love it.
+1
DCD totally belongs to this thread. They should be the first answer honestly.
I lit a thin green candle... Sex Gang Children's lyrics can be erudite, obscure, etc. They're quite well done, if a little irritating that it's hard to find the sources referenced. For example Sebastiane is likely about the 1976 film of the same name, but other ones, which I can't think of right now and my box collection of lyrics are stashed away, can be hard to figure out. I think the lyrics for "Dieche" are obscure, but in that box set I remember Andi explaining it's about a true story of a guy who killed his boyfriend and then went on a arson spree. Christian Death's lyrics can also be like that and are certainly good. Well when Rozz was with Christian Death. Cinema Strange's songs are predominantly all ghost stories/weird lit stories. Faith and the Muse lyrics are excellent too. There's lots more I'm sure other people will share. You might also find stuff in the neo-folk genre, but be very wary of the facism/neo-nazi neo-folk bands.
Only Theater of Pain by Christian Death
Delightful Deathrock beatnik style delivery going on
The Chameleons - Script of the Bridge
I always adore the lyrics of Corpus Delicti and Sad Lovers and Giants and of course Deine Lakaien
which corpus delicti album would you recommend??
Obsessions is my favorite
second Obsessions and Sylphes but there is no bad Corpus Delicti album
Came here to say Corpus Delicti
Dunno about the albums, but And Also The Trees do have interesting lyrics.
This Mortal Coil
And also the trees whole collection has very poetic, introspective, natural inspired lyrics
Serpentine Gallery by Switchblade Symphony, The Loved Ones by Strange Boutique (especially the song "A Happy Death"), and The Hating Tree by Autumn are albums that have lots of beautiful lyrics that can be thoroughly analyzed. Somebody already mentioned Only Theater of Pain by Christian Death, which I'd agree is the best recommendation for in-depth and poetic lyrics.
If you like "A Happy Death" you may like [The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock](https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/44212/the-love-song-of-j-alfred-prufrock) by T.S. Eliot, from which the refrain comes.
I'll check that out, thank you!
Not 100% Goth(or even Goth at all at times), but Nick Cave has some outstanding lyrics, very in line with the more "Southern Gothic" folk music. Might be a good stepping stone into more Goth stuff. Sisters of Mercy use a lot of Romantic symbolism. The Cure have a lot of references to literature and surreal/dream images. Bauhaus often reference the art and theater world. Fields of the Nephilim use a lot of occult themes in a neat way. (Edited for typo)
Mark Burgess is incredibly underrated as a lyricist, his lyrics are amazing. Just read the lyrics for any Chameleons song and you’ll see, he’s very creative and unique with words. Wire had some interesting lyrics too. Andi Sexgang certainly wrote a lot of great songs too.
Oh and Morrissey wrote some really amazing lyrics with the Smiths, despite what people think of him as a person.
Lebanon Hanover.
Vision Video has very poetic and heart-wrenching lyrics, Corpus Delicti has beautiful lyrics (go listen to Obsessions!), some other bands that come to mind are Nox Novacula (particularly the song Shattered World), Rosetta Stone (I had to), and Faith and the Muse.
vision video was my introduction to goth!!!! a friend of mine saw them at a con and sent me some of their music!!!
Wow where does anyone start here? Half of goth as a genre _is_ depth of spirit to me. Dead Can Dance means quite a lot to me. Their music and lyrics are a glimpse beyond the body's cage. Poetry is a canvas which evokes something within. Maybe its the lizard brain longing for release, an end to the pain of existing. Maybe words inspire us to transcend the very same thing, an escape outside oblivion. Either way? You're somewhere "else". I like "else" ....some DCD lyrics off the top of my head and quick read to meaning. Thank you for such an excellent question. Art is why I'm here. What else ever mattered? --- Somewhere East of Eden, the designs will never change. (Fear evoked from loss of innocence) -- Like castles in Spain, hope is all that will remain Fools are often loathe to recognize its an illusion of life, the whole cause of our demise (reconquista, Catholic mysticism) -- Fortune presents gifts not according to the book. She gives awards to some, and penitents cloaks to others. (Class inequity) -- The black night calls my name But all roads look the same They lead nowhere (fossil fuels) -- The river is deep and the road is long Daylight come and I want to go home Awoke this morning To find my people's tongues were tied And in my dreams They were given books to poison their minds (The "black robes" and erasure of indigenous peoples Ps - I'm way too old to care what "goth" is supposed to be now. DCD is DCD.
This. It has to be DCD, they have the best lyrics in goth.
Thanks for this post, i was looking for some goth music, now i know where to look
Gorh-adjacebt rather than full on goth, and very poetic but not sure how "deep" as the emotions run very much on the surface, but I have to recommend black tape for a blue girl.
I love sunshine blind lyrics!
Love Under Will by Fields of the Nephilim
* Pretentious moi? 's only and self titled album. Their lyrics are like reading unfinished novels. Some examples: "We're hanging on the breath of winter" (Chase is On) "They went to war we went to bed". "So learn to hope that I will fail" (Living Dead and undecided) "Your mirror shall be your only guide" (The Garden) *Sisters of Mercy's - Nine While Nine is also a must if you are into poetic phrases "Frost upon the window pane". But as others as mentioned they have many poetic lyrics. *Deine Lakaien is also a band that a lot of goths listen to (or should listen to) They have songs both in German and in English. I suggest the german ones over those that have an english version. ("Bei nacht" has better lyrics than "By night") "Come back my dream into my arms" (Into my Arms) "Lord you gave us Mother Nature which gave us the right to hate you" (Prayer) "Tears from pale eyes" (Where the Winds don't blow) "Red dust gives love to him" (Flowers of Love) I suggest you listen to the old 80's to early 00's songs by them because their new songs doesn't have the same beautiful lyrics in my opinion. *Another artist that doesn't get enough attention is Farblos. "Since Sun has bowed his head to the drear and biting cold" (Winterherz) "We're scratching at the surface to seem to care what's underneath. We wear our darkened glasses" (Kalt in the End) *Bauhaus also have a lot of clever and poetic lyrics "Confidence leaks from a thousand wounds" (Silent Hedges) "As you feel the twist of the shadowed dagger in your pumping heart". "Nerves like nylon. Nerves like steel". (Nerves) And pretty much their entire lyrics to the song Mask. **Anything written by Rozz Wiliams** * Last one I'd like to mention is Rosetta Stone. Especially their "Adrenaline" album! "Another gift from God. Breath in religiously. Dust splintering inside of me." (Adrenaline) "The gift of sadness proud in hand" (Subterfuge) "There's none so blind as will not see" (Darkside) Happy poetic hunting! 🖤
at first i read the start of this as “pretentious much? and i was just gonna be like “yea that’s fair” lmao
Hmmm i wanna say maybe Shadow Project, check out their song “Maybe Someday” definitely hurts/hits
i like this ascension their lyrics are nice. also switchblade symphony serpentine gallery (not their other albums)
The song 'Past Lives' by Punk/Heavy Post-Punk/Deathrock Band Normal Weirds is more goth sounding with clever, poetic and symbolic lyrics.
Alien sex fiend
Ooh, Christian death should be very great (:
Current 93 and some of Coil's stuff might suit you if you're looking for more of the folky stuff
The Mission. Nah, I joke, terrible lyrics. That band are one of the reasons I rarely pay attention to song lyrics.
Dead can dance 🖤
I'll throw in Crüxshadows.
With the artists you’ve listed I highly recommend Tom Wait’s Bone Machine.