Knowing your band's lyrics?

It kinda seems like I'm the only drummer at most of the shows I've been to where the drummers aren't mouthing the lyrics to their songs at some point. I literally have no idea what the lyrics are.

This the same for anyone else?
 
Not for me...I wanna know what the song is about. For some reason, I don't like seeing drummers mouth the lyrics, but I do hope they know what the singer is singing about. It's part of understanding the feeling that the song is trying to convey. Is it a sad song? A happy song? An angry song? It's about transcending the notes and really understanding the human emotion that provided the inspiration and reason for that song. When I understand the song, then I can play a more thoughtful drum part that somehow conveys the feeling and doesn't clash with it. Or not. It's music! But you should understand, yes.
 
When I joined the originals bands I've been in, I chose not only because of the quality of the music, but also for the lyrics and what they say. In some cases, I wrote or contributed to the lyrics, so they have meaning to me. They also give me solid guideposts as to where certain hits or cues are, as well as the changes. Having said that, many times the vocalist is turned down in my monitor so if they decide to phrase off the beat to make a dramatic effect, it doesn't throw me off.
 
I don't see how one could be in an original band and not know what the lyrics are, at least not after going through enough rehearsals and such.
 
I sometimes mouth the lyrics of songs and, as Larry suggested, I think it looks goofy. Unfortunately, I can no more control my poise when I play drums than when playing tennis. I just do it and if it looks goofy, then too bad - that's the package, take it or leave it.

I don't think it's as important to know all the lyrics of a song than to understand the general thrust and message and the rises and falls ... you might not want to sound thrilled during the Thrill Is Gone or exuberant during You Don't Know What Love Is. Still, most times we take our emotional cues from the singer's accents and inflections without knowing the fine detail. When it comes to emoting songs, drums paint with a pretty broad brush.

Occasionally, it's fun to take a Zappaesque program music approach to lyrics, eg. I play "whooshy" cymbals in Wild Is the Wind, but you have to pick your mark carefully or it comes across as crass. About 30 years ago I used a trigger to do whooping sounds to mimic a police siren just after the line "They were broken up by the boys in blue" - it wasn't exactly fine art :) I knew the lyrics to that tune because I wrote them and at the time I was really into Zappa.
 
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Martin Chambers (Pretenders) was interviewed once...the interviewer brought lyrics for Chrissie´s (Hynde) songs. Martin was intrigued and wanted to know what they were. he had no idea.

i think the interview was from a Shure Microphone brochure ad from the early 2000´s.
 
I don't usually know the lyrics to one of my bands' songs until I hear a recording, which can be months or even years after the song first surfaces at rehearsals and gigs. I'm always very interested to know what they are, but I can't work them out from what I hear live.
Actually, the singer in one band, who I live with, often says that he doesn't remember what they are either...
 
I always know what the words are, or at least my interpretation of what the words are. As Larry said, keeping the lyrics running through my head is how I adjust the dynamics of my playing. I cant say that I know every word, Im not sure our singer does either, but thats another thread all together, I do however know the feeling and phrasing of the words as well as any guitar riff or bass line.
 
I won't say whether or not you should learn the lyrics word for word, but can't help but wonder, as was said previously, how you could play and practice and not know most of them. I also remember Neil Peart saying in one interview that he doesn't count as he plays but sings along to himself to stay in the song.
 
When I play along to music the lyrics help me with my timing. However I can't sing and play at the same time. I don't know how some drummers do it like Don Henley and Dean Castranova from Journey.
 
I only mouth the lyrics so that it appears that I know them and I am singing backup.
I really don't know the complete words to any of our songs.
 
Through repetition I know most of the words to the songs we play, but I didn't really make an effort to learn them, except where the drum parts cue off the lyrics.

Funny story though - I once was asked to audition for an originals band after the singer heard me play. I auditioned with the guitarist, basically, though the singer was there - I think she sang, but I didn't have a monitor and couldn't really hear the words. Anyway, I got the gig, and we started preparing to record an album. Only then did I realize I had joined a Christian rock band! Not really my thing, but I stayed with that gig for about two years. :)
 
Unless I'm singing - which is rare - I'm not concerned with knowing the lyrics per se, any more than I'd need to know what key a song is in. But it is important for me to know where the lyrics are just so I don't step on them, and can cue off of them now and then.

But no, I've never mouthed lyrics or sung along with songs unless it was required.

Bermuda
 
Funny thing about that... I usually don't know what the lyrics are to the songs I'm playing. I'm not proud of that fact, and often ask the singer to share with me what they are, but in my experience, they're often reluctant, unwilling, or at least flakey about sharing. My failing has been in not following up.

But in my defense, I don't like rehearsing without vocals. The fact is that I more or less consider the human voice as another instrument - and a really important one. Apart from locking in with the bass player, I'm perhaps most keyed in to the vocal parts. But it doesn't mean that I need to know what the words are, unless there's something there to cue off of.

I played in a band with a singer who was a heroin addict and I didn't have a clue. He had songs about it that, upon hearing the words later, made it quite clear what he was up against. I was pretty embarrassed to have never picked up on his habit having been exposed to his declaration of it every time we played that particular song. (he's been a clean and sober family guy for the last 15 years, FWIW)

Here's a first: The band I've been playing with the last few months has a singer that is more than willing to share her lyrics. She just emailed them all to me earlier today and I didn't even have to ask! Pretty dang cool, if you ask me. Really good lyrics, too (and what a relief!).
 
and often ask the singer to share with me what they are, but in my experience, they're often reluctant, unwilling, or at least flakey about sharing. .

Wow. That would be a red flag. I've found most singers are proud of what they wrote and want everyone to know!

And I can't imagine not being aware. If it's my band (i.e. not a hired gun), I'd want to know what the band is representing lyrically. I mean, what if the singer is singing about something controversial or illegal. I'd want to know, as it is it's a reflection of where my career is going (or not going).

And if the lyrics are really dumb, I'd have to question the point of being in the band.

I'm not saying I have to agree with or like every line or every song (because at times, I've not), or knowing every line, but I can't imagine not having a clue.

If it's a cover band, or you're just hired for the night, week, tour, whatever, then yeah, I guess it doesn't matter. But if you're a band member...
 
When I was playing originals, many I knew. Many more I didn't and many more again, I thought I knew......until we recorded and I heard an acurate playback. I can recall numerous times where I was surprised at what was actually being said, as opposed to what I thought they were. Personally, I like Bermuda's approach....."I'm not concerned with knowing the lyrics per se, any more than I'd need to know what key a song is in. But it is important for me to know where the lyrics are just so I don't step on them."

Can relate to the hammer addict Mike......I've had one of those too. I'm pretty convinced HE didn't know the lyrics from one week to the next either.....alas, neither he or his lyrics are around for it to matter now anyway.
 
I never knew what the lyrics were in the very few original rock bands I played in. I guess it just didn't matter to me. I was there to play the drums. For all I knew the singer was going "blah blah blah blah." Anyway that's what it sounded like through the monitors. :)
 
... and many more again, I thought I knew......until we recorded and I heard an acurate playback.

I sooo relate to that ... not proud to say I'm the mondegreen queen. Not just my band's songs but almost everything. In my defence, I never thought Jimi wanted to excuse himself so he could "kiss this guy" ...

We're learning Eagle Rock for NYE as a joke (I hope it's a joke). I was trying to sing the backup vocs on first run through ... "Good old(?) Eagle Rock ... da da da da da ... I'm just crazy about the way you [sic] move ... doinnnn the Eagle Rock". Pathetic! Guess I never paid much attention to the song :)

Our singer gave me a quick primer afterwards so I could wrap my simple drummer head around the complexity of it all ...
 
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