The importance of lyrics to your enjoyment of music

[malakian]

So? Do lyrics simply add to the music for you, or do they define your liking of the music? I was reading pitchfork today, and as usual it annoyed me. Personally im sick of people hating on music because the lyric's meaning aren't immediately clear or don't mean much to them. Music is music, not a poetry reading. Imo, vocals should be there to add to the music and if there's something to relate to, well that's great, but dismissing music because the lyrics don't say anything to you personally is common among idiots and it really annoys me. Noone hates on Chopin or Oscar Peterson for not having some transcendal message!

wut do u fink n y?

 

[TheNesMan]

I can listen to music that means nothing and still enjoy it. I like listening to music that has a point, or meaning but it doesn't define what i listen to. It definitely adds something to the song when i understand what it's talking about and i agree with it.

 

[Nefro]

With music, I either listen to it because I like the instrumental aspect or because I like the lyrical aspect. Now, if the song or artist works well with both, and a lot of the times it does, I usually put those bands on my higher list of preference.

Now I can listen to some techno songs without lyrics (I got an Aphex Twin cd malakian! It is pretty cool) and I can listen to stuff like Neutral Milk Hotel which can be just an acoustic guitar and some vocals.

The lyrics simply add to the music I like.

 

[Grey]

What if we also like a large amount of instrumental music? >.>

 

[malakian]

Don't we all, but the topic at hand is lyrics! That's a different matter my dear Greyfold.

 

[TheNesMan]

The only song i've listened to without lyrics must be oscillate wildly.

 

[Rainemaida]

I think vocals should be used as another instrument medium. The sounds they create with vocals is more important than what their saying. Now while stupid or cheesy lyrics degrade the song, but a bad voice or good voice can change the songs mood etc. I think songs with emotional singing is more important than what their singing. If you can feel what hes saying, then its better than him saying it.

 

[malakian]

Totally agreed Raine, but im talking about words. You're right though, vocals are like another instrument.

 

[Flaming_Tiki_God]

I rarely listen to a song for its lyrics although they definately add a lot to a song I when combined with the vocal presentation, I think.

but if a song or album is all like, "I love you baby/I can't live without you baby/I love you baby/I want to make babies with you, baby..." I probably wont enjoy it.

 

[MattAY]

i liek trance, i dont even have lyrics in my music :|

 

[Longo_2_guns]

Without lyrics you couldn't badly sing along with the wrong words.

 

[intoTheRain]

Any song I love has great lyrics... Lyrics make the song for me...

Tool, Stone Sour, Cold Play, Neil Young.. etc....

A band with shitty lyrics can only score a five out of ten at best for me...

A band with good lyrics and not so good music can score a lot higher...

 

[slickbenjamn]

I'm all about what they say. If the music is superb without meaningful lyrics, then I don't hate it automatically, but when I can relate to the song or when the song promotes me to think of something, I latch onto the song much more. Music is for enjoyment. I enjoy thinking about different things.

 

[Rainemaida]

Like, Bear vs Shark is my favorite band.
In all honesty, msot of their lyrics make NO sense to me.
But his presentation makes me love it.
and I make my own meanings.
But... Modest Mouse, I love his voice, AND their lyrics and meanings are amazing beautiful.

 

[Dave Matthews]

Depends on the music, of course. If Morrissey talked about popping gats in Mancunian asses (as opposed to alluding to Oscar Wilde and dropping hints of homosexuality), the music would be far less resonant. There's plenty of great music that lacks lyrics (or has lyrics that are just useless), but there's also plenty of music that becomes great as opposed to merely just ok by virtue of having poetic or insightful lyrics.

And sometimes stupid lyrics just ruin an ok song, ala Milkman by Aphex Twin.

 

[Dave Matthews]

And on the other end of the spectrum, there are New Order lyrics, which are usually just terrible but can't even take off a tenth of a percentage point away from the genius that is Blue Monday.

 

[eraser462]

To me everypart of music is what makes it. music is a form of art, not just entertainment. being a musician, i make sure i have meaningful lyrics and music that complements them. if the music doesnt complement the lyrics, or vice versa, then it simply is not good music. not to say that badly composed music isnt entertaining. but im just explaining my opinion on what makes music art for me.

 

[TheNesMan]

Also, for me the music can't sound terrible. The sound is what hooks me in, then i get the lyrics. I love hallelujah, but i can't stand listening to leonard cohen, give me jeff buckley please.

 

[The_Cookster]

Actually I agree with malakian, but I still think that decently written lyrics are profusely important, especially nowadays where bands can reach stardom when all the "singer" does it shreek.

 

[Black_Star]

If you're a Gino then lyrics are meaningless. You just want a dance beat so you can mack on some hot Euro chicks.

If you're a hippity hopper then lyrics mean EVERYTHING, yo.

If you're a rocker then you either don't care about the lyrics and mosh around like an idiot or do care about the lyrics and slit your wrists.