How important are lyrics?

[jaxwired]

Just wondering what other people think about lyrics. I know that some people really enjoy lyrics in music. For me, music is mostly about ear candy, not the deep meaning of the lyrics. Most of the time I don't listen to the meaning of the words at all. Occassionally I do, but most of the time it could be gibberish and it wouldn't matter to me as long as it sounds good. Thoughts?

 

[plastic penguin]

Good question. I think, to a degree, lyrics become less important with age. During the late 70s and early 80s I was heavily into punk and new wave music and hated "pretty" lyrics; much preferred the aggressive, politically motivated anthems by the likes of The Jam, Ramones, The Clash etc. The only time lyrics didn't matter was with the distinct Motown and Stax stuff of the late 60s and 70s.

Now it doesn't bother me - rather a song has a great feel like the aforementioned Soul music as opposed to hard hitting statements...

 

[Anonymous]

 

[ESP2009]

I'm with you on this Jax and PP. I often feel I should pay more attention to lyrics, but find that music has to sound good as a package, with the melody and tunefulness always being more important. Yes, gone are the days when I would sit and actually listen to and maybe even debate the lyrics with friends.

 

[matthewpiano]

Obviously I listen to a lot of music which is instrumental, but when I do listen to songs the lyrics are increasingly important to me. In the rock world, to my mind, a good lyric makes a song so much more powerful. The other aspects such as melody etc. are very important too though!

 

[Gerrardasnails]

jaxwired:Just wondering what other people think about lyrics. I know that some people really enjoy lyrics in music. For me, music is mostly about ear candy, not the deep meaning of the lyrics. Most of the time I don't listen to the meaning of the words at all. Occassionally I do, but most of the time it could be gibberish and it wouldn't matter to me as long as it sounds good. Thoughts?

I think it depends on how clear the vocal are. If you hear every word and it's nonsensical then it would annoy me. Arctic Monkey's Cornerstone is a favourite of mine and it was they lyrics that grabbed me straight away. A lot of Radiohead stuff is difficult to hear what Thom is saying. Corinne Bailey Rae's The Sea is like a love poem to her late husband, if the lyrics were poor it wouldn't work.

 

[xtsili]

nothing but music!!!!!

 

[bemjammin]

lyrics are massively important to me. i can enjoy a song without understanding the lyrics (Interpol) but it means so much more to me if the lyrics mean something. i am a wannabe author/poet so maybe that's why..

 

[Anonymous]

matthewpiano:Obviously I listen to a lot of music which is instrumental, but when I do listen to songs the lyrics are increasingly important to me. In the rock world, to my mind, a good lyric makes a song so much more powerful. The other aspects such as melody etc. are very important too though! Same here Matthewpiano, i,ve got to the stage now that i prefer the lyric or melody to be voiced instrumentally. Playing the piano you would be used to accompanying yourself while playing the melody at the same time. Having said that i dont think you can beat the older singers and the way they used to phrase like Sinatra, Julie London etc.

 

[ID.]

jaxwired:For me, music is mostly about ear candy, not the deep meaning of the lyrics. Most of the time I don't listen to the meaning of the words at all. Occassionally I do, but most of the time it could be gibberish and it wouldn't matter to me as long as it sounds good.

+1

But that's probably because I don't listen to a lot of music with lyrics. For some things the lyrics themselves are important, but usually not for me most of the time.

 

[Anonymous]

the best songs combine a great story/message with a great melody.

though i don't always feel the need to understand it, if it sounds good to me then i'm happy enough

 

[Lee H]

Quite often it's only when you separate the lyrics from the melody/song that you realise how good the lyrics are. The current TV ad that simply reads the words to "Our house" by Madness for example. I'm not saying that Madness are the worlds greatest lyricists though.

 

[Macspur]

For me if I like the melody and the production is good, I'm more inclined to be drawn into the lyrics and if the beginning of a tune isn't to my liking, rightly or wrongly, I tend to skip the track.

Sugden A21L amp, Naim CD5XS CDP, Chord Cobra3 i.c. ProAc Studio 130 speakers.

 

[Sizzers]

Try listening to "Nirvana Unplugged" without listening to the lyrics. It's ALL about the lyrics with the acoustics.

Listen to Rihanna and just dig the beat. Listen to Gaga; dig the beat AND the lyrics. Extremely talented IMO. Not forgetting my country and Zep! Get what you want out of your tunes and enjoy!

 

[Greenwich_Man]

For me lyrics are important - I loved it when you got a lyric sheet with the LP

 

[bretty]

For me, it depends on the type of music. I aint got a scoobie what's going on when I listen to opera, but it's the notes that are being produced by the voices, rather than the words, that impress.

 

[Alantiggger]

I thing they are very important. I have three teenagers (two boys and a girl) and tbh I am so annoyed with the amount of songs out today with the youngsters singing and then there are blanks where the swear words go... when in the car with my daughter mostly it makes for uncomfortable listening at times ...I think it is cheap and nasty when the lyrics are soooo poor.

 

[Anonymous]

great music can stand on it's own without lyrics. but lyrics, no matter how good, won't work for me without great music or melody

 

[ESP2009]

totomatic:great music can stand on it's own without lyrics. but lyrics, no matter how good, won't work for me without great music or melody

Nicely put. +1

 

[Anonymous]

I guess that Dylan's lyrics generally have much to say and are of at least equal importance to the melody but if we looked at AC/DC "runaway train" LOL to go to the other extreme..not too profound!!

However G&R and "civil war" is about the lyrics as is Led Zep and "stairway to heaven"