Literary Lyrics, we've had a few. Some better than others. Dylan, Morrison, Reed, Lennon have their own poetry books. Pete Doherty, it seems, thinks Emily Dickinson rather rad; and Mozza's love for Wilde; legendary. A good, expertly delivered lyric, can haunt. And what's much, much more, juxtaposed with an MTV video or a film,it becomes cemented legend and lodges in the memory.

The Stones' 'Sympathy for the Devil' now, not only conjurs up images of Faust, but also of Anne Rice and a rather pellucid Tom and Brad. Likewise, Penelope Farmer's excellent children's novel 'Charlotte Sometimes' will forever be forged with the be-crimped beauty of The Cure's song of the same name.



The heroine and her sister (doppelganger) shuttling backwards and forwards in history, against the backdrop of war and boarding school, become doubly trapped: in the pages of a book and the frames of an 80s video. The Cure made Charlotte a gothic heroine for me.

But long, long before MTV, the stories of Peter and the Wolf and The Red Shoes already had me hooked. The latter, a red vinyl spiral of unimaginable gruesome romance. That music could convey a sinister thrill, was something that I couldn't begin to realize as a child. The images: the story of hunters with shotguns and a girl who danced herself to death both terrified me and reeled me in. The music drives the narrative and the listener's racing imagination. Only later, made real by Moira Shearer in Michael Powell's film 'The Red Shoes' and referenced by Kate Bush did the music become less frightening.



The postmodern medium of MTV allows for songs not only with lyrics referencing books and literary heroes, but also videos which introduce literary icons possibly unconnected to the lyrics themselves (Blur's usage of A Clockwork Orange for one). Such videos add an extra layer to the meaning of the song, or another way in which it could be perceived. Poetry is not only for Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen, it can be found in the most suprising of places. Try The Beastie Boys or Public Enemy. Having said that, it does not in the least surprise me that Pete Doherty has a penchant for the wicked Ms Dickinson, she is still ahead of our time.

The Guardian has more to say on our modern poets

Books improve our minds.