Why do lyrics matter?

[nirvana]

I'm with Xargos, it's poetry.  I'm an avid fan of Nirvana and Kurt Cobain stated numerous times that he just threw words together.  Sometimes it's just interesting to know what they are actually saying, how they were feeling at the time, etc.  It's hard to listen to a band like Rage Against the Machine just for the music alone because while the music is insane, Zack de la Rocha's voice AND lyrics are what made the song...a song.

[vorticon]

if its heavy metal the voice almost acks as an instrument.

just because you cant understand what they are saying, doesn't mean there isn't something being said.

[JB73]

Play this a full volume on headphones if you can... Ignore the accompanying video, just close your eyes and listen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-BL8DjEhOA&feature=related

about 1/2 way through the song you won't recognize a word for CERTAINTY but you feel the emotion of the voice overall. The only words stressed and audible are about sadness, and the song is the ultimate in remorse.



I'm sorry but I cry every time he screams in the solo, I have no clue what is said (I can look up the lyrics but I don't freaking care)

[texasmom]

I hardly ever listen to the lyrics. They're a side dish as far as I'm concerned.

[storch]

Question...

Why does the average music listener care about lyrics? As a amatuer musicians songwriter people are always asking what the words are, what a name means? I don't get it. I've never been drawn to music for lyrics, only the sounds and pronunciations and melody the sounds of the words create over the backdrop of a song. Why do people care what musicians are saying anyway?

Seem to be quite a few music lovers on here... any ideas? pick a luther vandross song and listen to it carefully, see if you don't come away with a different opinion

[LEDPIG]

I don't care that much about lyrics, but I do appreciate how difficult they are to write and sing.

Not true, they're pretty easy.

[DREDIOCK]

Question...

Why does the average music listener care about lyrics? As a amatuer musicians songwriter people are always asking what the words are, what a name means? I don't get it. I've never been drawn to music for lyrics, only the sounds and pronunciations and melody the sounds of the words create over the backdrop of a song. Why do people care what musicians are saying anyway?

Seem to be quite a few music lovers on here... any ideas?

You've obviously never spent much time listening to Bob Dylan have you?

If not for the lyrics Dylan would be a wino living under a bridge cause the mans singing voice is enough to make dogs cry LOL

But seriously.

There can be pretty good songs without great lyrics.

But you will find that the truely great songs that stand the test of time almost always have great lyrics.

[Thruster]

The arrangement sets the mood. The lyrics deliver the message.

By no means do either have to be complex or esoteric to make a song "great". Not to contradict Dredlock but it seems the most memorable tunes have both fairly pedestrian scores and quite simple and sometimes pretty cheesy lyrics. But just like with food, not everything appeals to everybody. Even the most sophisticated palate will occasionally crave a hot dog.

[Jackal1]

In the music business pretty much of a trained monkey can make the music. (And I believe a few of them are)
It takes talent to have lyrics that tell the story and get the message across.

[-tronski-]

Play this a full volume on headphones if you can... Ignore the accompanying video, just close your eyes and listen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-BL8DjEhOA&feature=related

about 1/2 way through the song you won't recognize a word for CERTAINTY but you feel the emotion of the voice overall. The only words stressed and audible are about sadness, and the song is the ultimate in remorse.



I'm sorry but I cry every time he screams in the solo, I have no clue what is said (I can look up the lyrics but I don't freaking care)

The Smashing Pumpkins are an excellent example of where music and lyrics meet and compliment each other so well... Billy Corgan is a brilliant songwriter

 Tronsky

[Thruster]

"In the music business pretty much of a trained monkey can make the music. (And I believe a few of them are)"

Jackal,

Not trying to be provocative here but I gotta ask......

What do you play?

[Jackal1]

Not trying to be provocative here but I gotta ask......

What do you play?

Aces HighII mostly .

[SD67]

[Toad]

Bests Rock Instrumental: Jessica, Allman Brothers. There's one that lyrics would ruin.

As for lyrics, I much prefer songs with lyrics, at least if I can understand most of the lyrics. The gargling razorblades school of vocals doesn't only leave me cold, it makes me leave.

Rock songs with great lyrics? Too many to list I think. Sympathy/Stones, Night Moves/Seeger, Jack & Diane/Mellencamp, man there's LOTS of them.

[Jackal1]

Jack & Diane/Mellencamp

Mellencamp is a master of story telling and getting the point across with lyrics.
Skynyrd is another.