Lyricist Biographies

Kalidasa

A classical Sanskrit writer widely regarded as the greatest poet and dramatist of ancient India.

Medieval era

Li Bai

May 19, 701 CE – November 30, 762 CE

Classical Chinese poet of the Tang dynasty (701–762)

Medieval era

Omar Khayyam

May 18, 1048 – December 4, 1131

Persian mathematician and poet (1048–1131)

Medieval era

Hafez

1326 – 1389

Persian poet and mystic (1325–1389)

Medieval era

Geoffrey Chaucer

1343 – October 25, 1400

14th century English poet and author (1343–1400)

Medieval era

Petrarch

July 19, 1304 – July 18, 1374

Italian scholar and poet (1304-1374)

Early Modern era

Miguel de Cervantes

September 29, 1547 – April 22, 1616

Spanish novelist, poet, and playwright (1547-1616)

Early Modern era

William Wordsworth

April 7, 1770 – April 23, 1850

English Romantic poet (1770–1850)

Early Modern era

Lord Byron

January 22, 1788 – April 19, 1824

English Romantic poet and lyricist (1788–1824)

Modern era

Bertolt Brecht

February 10, 1898 – August 14, 1956

German poet, playwright, and theatre director (1898–1956)

Modern era

Pablo Neruda

July 12, 1904 – September 23, 1973

Chilean poet and politician (1904-1973)

Modern era

Jim Morrison

December 8, 1943 – July 3, 1971

American singer and poet; lead vocalist of The Doors (1943–1971)

Contemporary era

Taylor Swift

b. December 13, 1989

American singer-songwriter (born 1989)

Modern era

Anwar Maqsood

b. 1935

Pakistani writer

Modern era

Habib Jalib

March 24, 1928 – March 13, 1993

Pakistani poet (1928–1993)

Modern era

Faiz Ahmed Faiz

February 13, 1911 – November 20, 1984

Pakistani Urdu poet and author (1911–1984)

Modern era

Ustad Daman

January 1, 1910 – December 3, 1984

Punjabi poet

Modern era

Shiv Kumar Batalvi

July 23, 1936 – May 6, 1973

Punjabi poet (1936–1973)

Modern era

Majrooh Sultanpuri

October 1, 1919 – May 24, 2000

Indian Urdu poet and Hindi language lyricist (1919-2000)

Modern era

Sahir Ludhianvi

March 8, 1921 – October 25, 1980

Indian Urdu and Hindi poet (1921–1980)

Modern era

Kaifi Azmi

January 14, 1919 – May 10, 2002

Indian poet and songwriter (1919–2002)

Contemporary era

Javed Akhtar

b. January 17, 1945

Indian writer, poet and lyricist

Contemporary era

Rahat Indori

January 1, 1950 – August 11, 2020

Indian Bollywood lyricist and Urdu poet (1950–2020)

Asif Iqbal

Bangladeshi lyricist and composer

Early Modern era

Lalon Shah

1772 – October 17, 1890

Bengali poet, composer and Baul saint

Modern era

Nizar Qabbani

March 21, 1923 – April 30, 1998

Syrian diplomat, poet and publisher (1923-1998)

Modern era

Octavio Paz

March 31, 1914 – April 19, 1998

Mexican writer, poet an diplomat (1914–1998)

Medieval era

Francois Villon

1431 – 1463

French poet and criminal

Modern era

Jasimuddin

January 1, 1903 – March 13, 1976

Bangladeshi poet, writer, and lyricist (1903–1976)

Modern era

Shah Abdul Karim

February 15, 1916 – September 12, 2009

Bangladeshi musician

Modern era

Federico Garcia Lorca

June 5, 1898 – August 18, 1936

Spanish poet, dramatist and prose writer (1898–1936)

Modern era

Gunter Grass

October 16, 1927 – April 13, 2015

German novelist, poet, playwright, illustrator, graphic artist, and sculptor (1927-2015)

Modern era

Hibari Misora

May 29, 1937 – June 24, 1989

Japanese singer and actress (1937-1989)