What do lyrics mean to you?

beatdat said:
To me, the quality of the lyrics are usually a barometer of the quality of the song.

As a general rule, assuming a strong music writer, good lyrics will lead to good music, but, although there are plenty of exceptions, it's far less often that bad lyrics will lead to good music.

The test is whether the lyrics can stand on their own without the melody to accompany it.

Pink Floyd pre- and post- Roger Waters has always been an example of that.

So, yeah, lyrics are really important in music for this and other reasons mentioned above.


I agree, but...


... with that rationale, we wouldn't have the Beatles' Maxwell's Silver Hammer (sad lyrics/happy song) or David Bowie's Heroes (happy lyrics/sad song).
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Or sweet song, bitter lyrics?
 
It all depends on the song (or the band). Lyrics are important when they are made important by the band. In other words, the lyrics are a main focal point of the endeavor, they’re crystal clear, and the arrangement supports the singer delivering the lyrics. To me, Sinatra, Ella, Pink Floyd and Jack Johnson are some examples that meet that criteria.

If the lyrics are muddied by the style of the singer, by the band or because they are meaningless, I don’t give them a second thought. In that case the vocalist is another instrument in the band and the lyrics only exist to allow the vocalist a part in the music. That has its place of course. Lots of great music falls under that category.
 
Lyrics are very important for me. I remember buying a new vinyl album and coming home, putting on headphones, and listening to the new record while following along with the words.

If our band was doing a song and lyrics weren't provided, sometimes we'd almost wear the record out replaying it till we thought it was right. No interweb back then.
 
Moejo said:
Where do they sit in the importance factor of a well written song? For me personally, they sit dead last in importance. I dont pay much attention to the "meaning" or "story" a lyricist is trying to tell, but they seem to get a good majority of credit when it comes to the rights. The lyrics definitely dont make me bob my head, or "shake a tail feather" so to speak. I never find myself saying "what a story". Its always "what a sweet riff" "this melody is great" "bass player and drummer are groovin" "man that vocalist can sing", "harmonies are great".
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Strictly as a drummer, maybe the meaning is not as much of a factor as to another facilitator of the music? I sing as a drummer, so the lyrics are integral. I work at guitar/singing or bass and singing.

Outside of performing, considering Alice In Chains? The music (including harmonies) and lyrics mean a lot to the entire scope. The deeper you dive the more the meaning.
Tyler Childers' White House Road took some listening to for me comprehend what the character was conveying in totality. The melody, the reminiscent high lonesome sound and subject struck me. I studied it to perform as a singer-guitar player because of that.

The 1st time I heard the song Chris Stapleton recorded about ~Don't Put My Love On Your Backburner, the heavy guitar tone, rock riff and the simple, clear lyrics hooked me hard.
 
Moejo said:
Where do they sit in the importance factor of a well written song? For me personally, they sit dead last in importance. I dont pay much attention to the "meaning" or "story" a lyricist is trying to tell, but they seem to get a good majority of credit when it comes to the rights. The lyrics definitely dont make me bob my head, or "shake a tail feather" so to speak. I never find myself saying "what a story". Its always "what a sweet riff" "this melody is great" "bass player and drummer are groovin" "man that vocalist can sing", "harmonies are great".
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I think I'm in the Middle on this issue. There is so much Music where the Lyrics don't mean much really, and then there are tunes where it is very significant. As an Old Timer at 71, I can relay a short story about Bob Dylan some many moons ago. Some Magazine writer who was "intrigued: by Dylan's Deep meaning in The Times They Are a Changin'. Dylan responded....like a I just wrote the poem and put music to it, nothing too Deep. The times were A Changin for sure... but back on Topic, after I really Listened to Linda Ronstadt's fantastic Melodies and Her Captivating Voice, made me pay more attention to the Lyrics ((and her back up bands which included 3 members of The Eagles ) were great. I play to Her music all the time.
Then there are the tunes that Ask Questions in their Lyrics.... One significant one is by Ten Years After : "I'd Love To Change The World" - TYA's only Pop Chart song, that asks ... I'd Love To Chnage The World, But I Don't Know What To Do!!! Those words ring very poignantly then and Now.
The other category are the Instrumentals - The Ventures are a Fantastic listen. No Lyrics, Just Wipe Out !!
 
Croatian Man said:
I guess, at 71, I don't mind 70-year-olds singing about 25-year-olds, but not 16 year old Girls. A little too Creepy. Think Jethro Tull in Aqua Lung ....eyeing Little Girls In the Park!!
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I agree in some regards but biology is what it is for a natural reason.

We live in a society that says a 25 year old is still classified as a child if they live continously as a dependent in their parent's home. It's also compiled in child gun death totals.

I can't really trust Dylan. I just hear it and ponder that it's really Leonard Cohen.
 
I always liked the song Shannon by Henry Gross. When I'd learned what the song was about and zoned in on the lyrics 20 years later my heart nearly breaks listening to it now.
 
Croatian Man said:
I guess, at 71, I don't mind 70-year-olds singing about 25-year-olds, but not 16 year old Girls. A little too Creepy. Think Jethro Tull in Aqua Lung ....eyeing Little Girls In the Park!!
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Not to mention Danny Elfman- I Like Little Girls
 
It depends how deep the songwriter wants you to think about the lyrics.

We all have songs that mean something for whatever reason that take us to a time or place or remind you of someone.

That's the beauty of good music.

Bad lyrics can kill a song
 
No Way Jose said:
Songs have lyrics? Wow I learn something new every day.
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Not all, but some do, sure, and I never find myself complimenting the lyrics in any song. Ever
 
I mostly listen to jazz, so lyrics have never been a big part of the listening experience. I am however in a covers band. When we play I use certain lyrics as markers for changes in the song especially as the vocalist has the habit of coming in too early/late in the heat of the moment so I just can't count bars to know where we are in a song. After a long rehearsal recently, for some reason we were going over 'sunshine of your love', not a challenging song for my part so I mentally switched off and started to focus on what was actually being sung. Afterwards I asked the vocalist how much he was embarrassed to be singing such utter tripe! If I wrote a song like that and presented the lyrics to my wife and said 'what do you think', I think it would be some time before she stopped laughing (although I wouldn't mind writing a song that become that famous admittedly!).
We do a lot of oldies (songs that is!), and if I were the vocalist I'd be embarrassed by what I had to sing. I remember, vaguely, in a documentary (or an article, it's a bit vague), a vocalist in a famous band saying the hardest thing about recording a new album was writing the lyrics as he had nothing of importance he wanted to impart to the listeners but it could hardly be an instrumental.
The whole thing makes me glad I don't have to listen to such gibberish when I put on jazz (I'm sure some people would think the opposite!).
 
Some of the best songs are because of the lyrics. IMO
Alice Cooper: I'm the Coolest
Z Z Top: Manic Mechanic
Frank Zappa: Dinah Moe Hum

The formula (for Boy Bands) is: (LOL)


Because I love and need to laugh.
 
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