The importance, or not, of a story in a song - Music Banter Music Banter

Go Back   Music Banter > The Music Forums > General Music
Register Blogging Today's Posts
Welcome to Music Banter Forum! Make sure to register - it's free and very quick! You have to register before you can post and participate in our discussions with over 70,000 other registered members. After you create your free account, you will be able to customize many options, you will have the full access to over 1,100,000 posts.

View Poll Results: How important are lyrics to you in a song?
Very: they should tell some sort of story 0 0%
I like to hear lyrics that make sense but they don't have to tell a story or be too deep 2 15.38%
It doesn't bother me; I'm more interested in the music and how the song makes me feel 9 69.23%
I prefer to listen to music without lyrics, or I ignore them 0 0%
I really don't care either way 2 15.38%
Voters: 13. You may not vote on this poll

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 12-23-2016, 01:09 PM   #1 (permalink)
Born to be mild
 
Trollheart's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: 404 Not Found
Posts: 26,992
Default The importance, or not, of a story in a song

Just wondered how everyone feels? Assuming the song has a lyric, is it important to you that it tells some sort of story or gives you an insight into the writer, or are you happy if it's vacuous and fluffy, obvious rhymes strung together with no real intention to impart any sort of message or tell a story?

Obviously, coming from a prog rock background, I like to hear good ideas expressed in lyrics, but that's just me. I know some here aren't even bothered about lyrics, and then again there are the non-English artistes, so I would just be interested to see how people view lyrics, if at all?
__________________
Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018
Trollheart is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-23-2016, 01:09 PM   #2 (permalink)
SOPHIE FOREVER
 
Frownland's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: East of the Southern North American West
Posts: 35,541
Default

It's great but in no way a requirement.
__________________
Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth.

Frownland is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-23-2016, 01:12 PM   #3 (permalink)
Born to be mild
 
Trollheart's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: 404 Not Found
Posts: 26,992
Default

How the hell did you get a post in before I even posted the thread??? Your mod powers are truly awesome!
__________________
Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018
Trollheart is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-23-2016, 01:13 PM   #4 (permalink)
Key
.
 
Key's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 13,153
Default

I'm unsure what the question is asking. Are you wondering if it's better to have a story in a song or...
Key is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-23-2016, 01:14 PM   #5 (permalink)
Zum Henker Defätist!!
 
The Batlord's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Beating GNR at DDR and keying Axl's new car
Posts: 48,199
Default

__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by J.R.R. Tolkien
There is only one bright spot and that is the growing habit of disgruntled men of dynamiting factories and power-stations; I hope that, encouraged now as ‘patriotism’, may remain a habit! But it won’t do any good, if it is not universal.
The Batlord is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-23-2016, 01:16 PM   #6 (permalink)
Born to be mild
 
Trollheart's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: 404 Not Found
Posts: 26,992
Default

I'm not sure how clearer I can make it.
When you listen to a song, is it important to you that the lyric of said song tells a story, ie are you happy if it's a "rock all night" or "dance with me" or "this sucks" kind of idea, or do you prefer (not saying it has to, just is it your preference) for it to tell a story, make a point, or give you some insight into the writer of the song?

I really thought the question was clear. I hope it is now.
__________________
Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018
Trollheart is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-23-2016, 01:16 PM   #7 (permalink)
OQB
 
Ol’ Qwerty Bastard's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Frownland
Posts: 8,831
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kiiii View Post
I'm unsure what the question is asking. Are you wondering if it's better to have a story in a song or...
you should try looking at the poll m8
__________________
Music Blog / RYM / Last.fm / Qwertyy's Journal of Music Reviews and Other Assorted Ramblings

Quote:
Originally Posted by The Batlord View Post
I'm not even mad. Seriously I'm not. You're a good dude, and I think and hope you'll become something good
Ol’ Qwerty Bastard is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-23-2016, 01:16 PM   #8 (permalink)
Zum Henker Defätist!!
 
The Batlord's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Beating GNR at DDR and keying Axl's new car
Posts: 48,199
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Trollheart View Post
I'm not sure how clearer I can make it.
When you listen to a song, is it important to you that the lyric of said song tells a story, ie are you happy if it's a "rock all night" or "dance with me" or "this sucks" kind of idea, or do you prefer (not saying it has to, just is it your preference) for it to tell a story, make a point, or give you some insight into the writer of the song?

I really thought the question was clear. I hope it is now.
Ki's stupid. End story.
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by J.R.R. Tolkien
There is only one bright spot and that is the growing habit of disgruntled men of dynamiting factories and power-stations; I hope that, encouraged now as ‘patriotism’, may remain a habit! But it won’t do any good, if it is not universal.
The Batlord is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-23-2016, 01:19 PM   #9 (permalink)
Music Addict
 
Paedantic Basterd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 5,184
Default

Lyrics are not critical to my enjoyment of music, however, if they are great and they tell a great story, it elevates what's already been written.

I'm pretty much only drawn to lyrics that have some sort of dark content that's paired with wry self-awareness or a colourful story. See: Colin Meloy, Colleen Green, Jarvis Cocker, Kevin Barnes, so on.

EDIT: Oh, I see, this isn't about lyrics so much as it's actually about the content of them. Yes. I prefer musicians that tell stories in their writing to those who write nearly-meaningless, half-expressed ideas.
Paedantic Basterd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-23-2016, 01:20 PM   #10 (permalink)
Key
.
 
Key's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 13,153
Default

I didn't see the poll. My bad.
Key is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Similar Threads



© 2003-2024 Advameg, Inc.