http://chunkybend.wordpress.com Random Acts of Sarcasm... Fri, 16 May 2008 12:31:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU http://chunkybend.wordpress.com/2008/01/30/music-vs-lyrics/#comment-65 lukejedwards Tue, 15 Apr 2008 10:33:06 +0000 http://chunkybend.wordpress.com/?p=63#comment-65 I like this music vs. lyrics argument. I've been thinking about this quite a lot. My own personal opinion is that I have to like the 'sound' of a song initially, otherwise I will not choose to listen to it (i.e. I hear one screamo/emo song and I completely switch off, because the sound of it doesn't do anything for me). However, saying this, most of the biggest influences upon me as a musician are The Kinks, Morrissey (The Smiths) and Bob Dylan, mainly because of their lyrics. So, in the end, the most influential music for me is music with good songwriting (which I consider to be good melody matched with insightful and meaningful lyrics I can relate to). There's a lot of inane lyrics in the charts, and though I might like the music of it (i.e. hip hop has an amazing sound, but most of it has rubbish lyrics, though in the "socially conscious" era this was not the case). Anyway, because I cannot relate to the lyrics, I can enjoy listening to some music, but it doesn't make a lasting impression in the same way that hearing a song with something lyrically inspiring would. In a way, what I'm saying is that good music with ignorable lyrics, in effect, makes the song ignorable to me too. I think it's something to do with commercialism, since lyrics are downplayed in favour of a sound which appeals to the masses, so in my eyes, that's why unless it has good lyrics or a meaning it doesn't merit my attention. But anyway, interesting topic. I like this music vs. lyrics argument. I’ve been thinking about this quite a lot. My own personal opinion is that I have to like the ’sound’ of a song initially, otherwise I will not choose to listen to it (i.e. I hear one screamo/emo song and I completely switch off, because the sound of it doesn’t do anything for me). However, saying this, most of the biggest influences upon me as a musician are The Kinks, Morrissey (The Smiths) and Bob Dylan, mainly because of their lyrics. So, in the end, the most influential music for me is music with good songwriting (which I consider to be good melody matched with insightful and meaningful lyrics I can relate to). There’s a lot of inane lyrics in the charts, and though I might like the music of it (i.e. hip hop has an amazing sound, but most of it has rubbish lyrics, though in the “socially conscious” era this was not the case). Anyway, because I cannot relate to the lyrics, I can enjoy listening to some music, but it doesn’t make a lasting impression in the same way that hearing a song with something lyrically inspiring would. In a way, what I’m saying is that good music with ignorable lyrics, in effect, makes the song ignorable to me too. I think it’s something to do with commercialism, since lyrics are downplayed in favour of a sound which appeals to the masses, so in my eyes, that’s why unless it has good lyrics or a meaning it doesn’t merit my attention. But anyway, interesting topic.

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