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Location: Where people kill 30 million pigs per year
Posts: 2,014
Lyrics all the way, Babyyyyy!!!!!
I do like when the instrumentals accentuate or represent the meaning of the lyrics. That synergistic combination is what makes a song very memorable to me. However, if I like the lyrics and don't much care for the music, I will still probably enjoy the song.
If the lyrics don't interest me or make sense, then the song usually won't engage me very much. An example of such a song is "Kissing the Lipless." I love the song's sound, but it doesn't have a deep impact on me since I don't understand the lyrics, which seem about some trivial relationship topic. Of course, I do like Trio's "Da Da Da" song immensely...so maybe I'm just spoutin' crapola here.
Two songs where I enjoy the lyrics by themselves but *especially* combined with the instrumentals are these:
(1) Don Henley: "You Can't Make Love" You Can't Make Love | Don Henley Song - Yahoo! Music
This song wouldn't stand out in my mind due to the instrumentals, but I love the meaning of the lyrics. They say that you can go through the motions of what you would do if you loved someone, but you can't *make* yourself feel deep love for someone, and you can't make someone love you. A good life lesson said succinctly in a song.
My favorite part of "You Can't Make Love" is at 1:34...this is actually one of my favorite moments in ANY song...when Don Henley sings, "You can...(PAUSE)...go through the motions." The feeling of waiting and wanting and expectation builds up during the pause...until at last he says "go through the motions." I could listen to that moment in this song around 100 times. And have!
(2) Tool: "Right in Two."
Good lyrics that make me think + Good Instrumentals = Great Song.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Neapolitan:
If a chicken was smart enough to be able to speak English and run in a geometric pattern, then I think it should be smart enough to dial 911 (999) before getting the axe, and scream to the operator, "Something must be done! Something must be done!"
I voted lyrics, unless a song has a really catchy hook I concentrate on the lyrics, they are what I remember most, they are what mean something, they are what I can relate to. Of course there are exceptions but I love the written word.
It really, really depends on the band, the song, etc.
There are some bands where the lyrics are far from the point--I would throw a lot of artists in this category, some where the lyrics just aren't my thing (AC/DC leaps to mind), some where the lyrics are even good, but not why I like the artist (Bjork is what's coming to mind here), and of course there are instrumental bands I like quite a lot (Dirty Three, eg) or bands/artists with lyrics in another language (Juana Molina, eg).
On the other hand, there are bands where lyrics are almost entirely the point. Take the early Mountain Goats records, which were mostly just a dude strumming an acoustic guitar--nothing that special, but the lyrics take it to a whole other place. This is often the case with singer/songwriter types or more comedic bands (King Missile, anyone?). It happens less often than good music saving bland lyrics, but it does happen.
Of course, the best way to excel is having an interesting balance of both. (Off my head, Okkervil River, The Hold Steady, Joanna Newsom, etc, at least as far as my taste is concerned lately.)
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Like carnivores to carnal pleasures, so were we to desperate measures...
Even if a song like I'm blue fucking de daba die was a rock song, and it had a brilliant guitar riff and absolutely brilliant drumming and a great bassline. The song would still be about blue fucking aliens. I'm surprised that music is starting to break away on the poll, lyrics are really underrated. If they aren't right, the song could be a bit of a joke.
It can go either way. If it's a singer/songwriter deal with mostly acoustic instruments, I pay more attention to the lyrics because the vocals stand out a lot more. Usually though, if I am just listening to anything else, music is especially important to me.
generally speaking it's all about the music for me. most of the time i can't make out the lyrics on the first listen so the voice just sounds like another part of the mix.
"Not words, not music or rhyme I want, not custom or lecture, not
even the best,
Only the lull I like, the hum of your valved voice."
It's like I subconsciously process lyrics. If they are good, I don't notice them as much- just the sound of the words mixed with the instrumentals works well. Bad lyrics stand out like a sore thumb, though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alfred
Other than hip hop, I don't focus on the lyrics near as much as the other components of a song.
True. I tend to hone in on the words more when it is hip hop.
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Life is just blah, blah, blah
You hope for blah
And sometimes you find it, but mostly it's blah
And waiting for blah
And hoping you were right about the blahs you made
And then, just when you think you've got the whole blah'd damn thing figured out
And you're surrounded by the ones you blah
Death shows up... anddd blah, blah, blah.
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