Inaccessible Lyrics

Molberts

GoWithTheFlow wrote: »

have you ever really listened to what Kurts singing in smells like teen spirit:

A mulatto
An albino
A mosquito
My libido

???

According to Butch Vig (nevermind's producer) Kurts style of writing was focused on melody first, lyrics after, the music was the most important part. IMO on smells like teen spirit he succeeded brilliantly with this - the guitars and vocals are so gut wrenching the lyrics are almost irrelevant.

Legend20 wrote: »

"slowly walkin down the hall, faster than a cannonball"??

Personally this always seemed like a clear reference to being in a drug induced state where time is altered - eg somethings seem to move at hyperspeed and others in slow motion - not that I'd know :cool:

I can totally see your point OP but for me its the song in its entirety that makes it amazing or mundane, not just the lyrics. Example - one of my favorite songs is Pavement - Shady Lane... I think the arrangement and the passion in the vocals are so fab that the lyrics almost don't matter.

To sum up my little ramble - If I want to find deep meaning in words I'll read some T.S Eliot, If I want to listen to great music I'll lash on some Pixies

problemchimp

DerekD Goldfish wrote: »

You think the pixies are hard to decipher?
Try listen to some of the Cocteau Twins mid period stuff Liz Frazer practically made up her own language

she since had several breakdowns so that explains a lot. good music at the time though.

Valmont

To be honest, I never really notice the lyrics in any of the music I listen to so all I care about is how it sounds.

Max Headroom

What about Editors...."kicks like a sleep switch".......

or The Courteeners........."You own a tank top".......:D

TheColl

OP, why get so bogged down in the meaning of lyrics?

If everyone treated lyrics as being THAT important, nobody woud ever listen to foreign language songs as they wouldn't understand what the lyrics mean at all!

For band members, primarily musicians, surely it's natural that lyrics come second to the music?

Blackjackdavey

****ing Kings of Leon. I'm not a huge fan or anything of the sort, but that guy Followill's lyrics are impossible to decipher.

The Decemberists and Vampire Weekend have a habit of using archaic and show-off intelligent lyrics which I often have to google quickly to find out what they're on about.

Max Headroom

problemchimp wrote: »

she since had several breakdowns so that explains a lot. good music at the time though.

Specially the Pearly dewdrops drops song......."such a lucky lucky paddy paddy paddy bicycle expresso".....wtf is that about...:rolleyes:

pappyodaniel

magpie wrote: »

If you stick to the top 40 I'm sure you'll find the lyrics more accessible - "I love you baby oooo-eeeee-oooo" etc.

While you're at it make sure you don't try watching any David Lynch films, reading any Bukowski, or looking at any Picasso.

God, isn't art so irritatingly abstract sometimes?

I never found Bukowski to be abstract. Quite the opposite in fact. "I swallowed some beer, punched my girlfriend in the jaw, had a s.h.i.t"

You always know where you stand with Bukowski.

GoWithTheFlow

TheColl wrote: »

OP, why get so bogged down in the meaning of lyrics?

If everyone treated lyrics as being THAT important, nobody woud ever listen to foreign language songs as they wouldn't understand what the lyrics mean at all!

For band members, primarily musicians, surely it's natural that lyrics come second to the music?

Firstly interesting to see this thread revived after couple of years. Yea I accept not everyone sees the lyrics as an important part of what makes good music; i'm just one of those people who does. Still I think there are definite examples where songs could have been much better if the artist spent more time on the lyrics, maybe not making them necessarily relatable to everyone but at least relevant.

Continuing with my example of The Pixies songbook, Space (I believe in) is a song about needing something to fill the space on the album. Lyrics include:

"now i'm going to sing the perry mason theme"

and

"jefrey with one f jeffery" about a guy who plays on the track.


This was just lazy songwriting.

jefreywithonef

GoWithTheFlow wrote: »

Continuing with my example of The Pixies songbook, Space (I believe in) is a song about needing something to fill the space on the album. Lyrics include:

"now i'm going to sing the perry mason theme"

and

"jefrey with one f jeffery" about a guy who plays on the track.


This was just lazy songwriting.

Most Pixies fans I know would contend that was brilliantly cool songwriting. Not every song has to deal with something profound or relevant. If the music in the song is phenomenal (as is the case in this particular song) and the vocals are well delivered I don't really see how you can criticise a song for having nonsensical lyrics.

punchdrunk

so..not a Tool fan i'd guess?

lily4

Interesting thread!

I'm a fan of well written lyrics - I like a song with meaning - currently addicted to Bat for Lashes two albums - Natasha Khan is an amazing songwriter.

BUT..... also a fan of music where lyrics not important and it's all about the music. British Sea Power 'Man of Aran' has only one song with lyrical content, and is literally six lines, but imo one of the best albums of 2009.

So verdict, lyrics nb in some contexts but not all..

experiMental

A blast from the past -

Ma-ia-hii
Ma-ia-huu
Ma-ia-hoo
Ma-ia-haha

Alo, Salut, sunt eu, un haiduc,
Si te rog, iubirea mea, primeste fericirea.
Alo, alo, sunt eu Picasso,
Ti-am dat beep, si sunt voinic,
Dar sa stii nu-ti cer nimic.

Vrei sa pleci dar nu ma, nu ma iei,
Nu ma, nu ma iei, nu ma, nu ma, nu ma iei.
Chipul tau si dragostea din tei,
Mi-amintesc de ochii tai.

Te sun, sa-ti spun, ce simt acum,
Alo, iubirea mea, sunt eu, fericirea.
Alo, alo, sunt iarasi eu, Picasso,
Ti-am dat beep, si sunt voinic,
Dar sa stii nu-ti cer nimic.

Dragonstea din tei. F!_!ck yea.

It's so inaccessible yet it sounds so right.