Meaningful Lyrics

[biupSquid]

When I listen to a song, for me to like it, it merely has to have a good 'feel' to it (you know the stuff - beat, tune, rythm etc). However, some people I know only like songs that have lyrics that they relate to - whether they be emo, idealist, religous, love etc is beside the point (well, I think it is - feel free to correct me if I'm wrong). I feel that this approach to music is silly, as it greatly limits the number of songs available to you to enjoy. Although I probably wouldn't enjoy extremist lyrics, I'm pretty much fine with anything. When I listen to my music, I merely want to be entertained and made to feel happy - if I want to provoke thought, I read a book or watch a movie, not listen to music.

What's your opinion on this? Does music have to be thought-provoking for you to enjoy it? Does it have to contain lyrics you can relate to? Or does it not matter at all what the lyrics are about, as long as the rest of the song is 'good'?

[Matt]

I insist on the lyrics having something meaningful in them most of the time. After all you don't listen to Lamb of God for the lyrics you listen to them for the angry helling and harsh music. Other than that, the song is pointless without something to relate to or some message or moral to it.

[Mod#4]

Well some songs are meant to be understood, but others just sound pretty. I find it easier to just feel the song then try to interpret it any other way, but maybe that's just me.

[fruitycaker1]

I'd say the feel of the song is much more important. Lyrics are just a side note. Great lyrics are awesome, but I don't listen to a song for them. Take Rage Against the Machine. Many people don't agree with their extreme message against the government, but their music is phenomenal.

[ssgtGrimreaper]

I don't really care much about lyrics.
Take 3 Inches of Blood for example: I have no idea what the #### they're saying, but it sounds really awesome.

[MushroomMammoth]

Instrumental music is superior.

[DarkLegacyz]

When I listen to metal/rock, I don't care about the lyrics. When I listen to hip hop and r&b, I do.

[theunusedperson]

Death metal when you're angry, and I am always angry!!!

[moonm325]

Some death metal's lyrics are meaningful. Take Norma Jean for example. Every one of their songs has some deeper meaning to it.

[Karl]

Some instrumentals can communicate more than songs with lyrics. But lyrics are important, most of the time. If I'm in a Zen mood, I go with either Rush or Buddy Rich. Rush for the lyrics, Buddy Rich for the instrumental.

"All the world's indeed a stage, and we are merely players, performers, and portrayers; each another's audience outside the gilded cage." - My favorite Rush lyric, originally a Shakespeare quote, though.

[Vagrant]

A good sound pulls me in. Good lyrics keep me listening. That's pretty much how it goes for me.

I listen to industrial and alternative rock, as well as similar genres.

[theunusedperson]

Death metal when you're angry, and I am always angry!!!http://youtube.com/watch?v=JwW9L_qzqp8

[Sperry]

Although I enjoy good lyrics, I often catch myself not listening to them at all. For the longest time I insisted that "I don't like Mondays" was a very happy song indeed.

[ssgtGrimreaper]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=JwW9L_qzqp8You call that death metal?
http://youtube.com/watch?v=gA4oq7DBU8E

[theunusedperson]

You call that death metal?
http://youtube.com/watch?v=gA4oq7DBU8E

It was the closest thing I could find to death metal that had meaningful lyrics :0

[Vagrant]

It was the closest thing I could find to death metal that had meaningful lyrics :0

Metallica isn't even heavy metal. At strongest they're metal, and at normal, rock.

Trust me, I know. My friend is into heavy metal, and I'm into industrial and alternative rock. We both have experience in the region, and we can sure as fire tell you that Metallica is not heavy metal. Heavy rock, definitely.

[theunusedperson]

Never said metallica was heavy metal.... I mean bands like "A Black Rose Burial" and "The Absence"

[Kevim]

I read books for thought-provoking ideals or entertaining storys.

I listen to music to provoke emotion.

That being said, in music lyrics are secondary to the music itself. I actually have a preference to music without lyrics and music in different languages because I can't help but listen to and analyze the lyrics as I hear them, and that just disrupts the entire mood of the song for me.

Good lyrics are a plus, but no lyrics aren't a minus.

[GradeFPoultry]

Yes, like other people said, I am drawn to the song at first by the catchy rhythm. After I get comfortable with the song, I usually try to get a feel for the lyrics. After that I don't really notice the lyrics unless they really stand out, for example Billy Joel's "Piano Man", or "We Didn't Start the Fire".

[JoeyG]

It's pretty much all about the lyrics to me, excepting instrumentals. I listen to artists like Queensryche and Rush for that reason, and folks like Michael W. Smith because of the instrumental quality.

People find it really strange that I can listen to Elton John and Bob Carlisle on the same playlist as Ozzy and Serj Tankian, but all four of them have great lyrics.

The Fray is probably my all-time favorite band for their lyrics.

[madmech]

It really matters if I listen to something like Nine Inch Nails or Tool usually both are important or one or the other

NIN ex. Right Where it Belongs,Hand That Feeds (those have lyrics w/ meaning to it and hand that feeds has awesome bass and guitar =P

Tool ex. Rosetta Stoned AWESOME istrumental (the bass solo=kickass) and lyrics.

Now something like Children of Bodom I like the Istrumental because it makes adrenaline rush through you.

[Liokae]

I like both. I can appreciate music that I don't necessarily relate to the lyrics on, but it's a nice plus when the lyrics have some personal meaning to me as well.

I also like it when the lyrics provide a totally different version of the song when you juxtapose the tone of the lyrics with the tone of the song. Take "Two-Seater" by Bowling For Soup, for example. It's a fairly upbeat, slightly wistful melody. The lyrics describe a man (The singer, incidentally) that is so distraught over being dumped that he's broken into his ex-girlfriends car, stolen the back seat because it had so many memories for him, slashed her tires, keyed the pin striping, stolen her radio, and broken all her windows. So suddenly the song is a lot more disturbing- because imagine the person who can do all that while feeling wistful instead of, y'know, consumed with jealous hurt rage.

[Vagrant]

The reason why I like music and lyrics equally well is because of what mainstream rap does. It takes a heavy/strong beat (which I normally like) and applies lyrics that are essentially the same old lyrics which any jack*** can write. Essentially, mainstream rap half-asses the entire thing and sells it for a fortune. "Soulja Boy" is an example of this. However, with a band like Tool, you cannot tell me they half-assed it. Their lyrics cut deep, their sound is strong, and they have songs that actually last longer than 6 minutes (the longest one of theirs I have on my computer is 10 minutes. The next longest song on my computer is 9 minutes, which is "Homeworld" by Yes).

I lean towards modern/alternative rock and industrial for this precise reason. I want the grunge feel and heavy bass, but I also want lyrics that are different -- basically something that isn't what any idiot with a synthesizer could do.

To this end, my favorite bands are:
Tool
Zeromancer
Default
Celldweller
Lacuna Coil
Amorphis
Weird Al
Jonathon Coulton

[Mod#4]

You talk about long songs, try Tarkus by Emersom, Lake, and Palmer. That song's like 20 minutes.
In an attempt to stay on topic, I have no idea what the lyrics mean.

[ssgtGrimreaper]

You talk about long songs, try Tarkus by Emersom, Lake, and Palmer. That song's like 20 minutes.Mountain Jam by the Allman Brothers Band is 33 min. Ridiculous.

[xanderono]

I like both. The lyrics for me doesn't really matter as much as long as it sounds good but if I can relate to the lyrics then I relate. The beat and rhythm is also a big part of music for me if I don't like the beat I don't leisten to it even if the lyrics relate, it would be like watching tv just because I like pressing the channel up/down and volume up/down buttons.

[Kevim]

Mountain Jam by the Allman Brothers Band is 33 min. Ridiculous.
Classic music ####s on your puny 33 minute songs.

[MushroomMammoth]

Mountain Jam by the Allman Brothers Band is 33 min. Ridiculous.

Anthony Braxton's Composition no. 345 is nearly an hour long. Not to speak of classical music, as Kevim already mentioned.

Of course, Allman Brothers Band and Anthony Braxton are totally different league's of music, so 33 minutes is pretty hefty for nomen omen popular, mainstream music.

You call that death metal?
Yeah, seriously. A bunch of Nordic death/black metal #### on your Metallica 'death metal' while they cut the heads off sheep in concerts.

However, with a band like Tool, you cannot tell me they half-assed it. Their lyrics cut deep, their sound is strong, and they have songs that actually last longer than 6 minutes (the longest one of theirs I have on my computer is 10 minutes. The next longest song on my computer is 9 minutes, which is "Homeworld" by Yes).

Whuhuhh, 10 MINUTES?! We're dealing with some serious non-half-assed #### here.

[madmech]

However, with a band like Tool, you cannot tell me they half-assed it. Their lyrics cut deep, their sound is strong, and they have songs that actually last longer than 6 minutes (the longest one of theirs I have on my computer is 10 minutes.

I lean towards modern/alternative rock and industrial for this precise reason. I want the grunge feel and heavy bass, but I also want lyrics that are different -- basically something that isn't what any idiot with a synthesizer could do.


Do you want to have children? seriously.

[Vagrant]

Whuhuhh, 10 MINUTES?! We're dealing with some serious non-half-assed #### here.

You try doing it, then you try being sarcastic.

We're not denying some of the older composers were geniuses. However, we're dealing with the modern world today. Songs longer than 5 minutes are uncommon, songs longer than 7 are rare.

Do you want to have children? seriously.

What the hell are you talking about? What you said doesn't even make sense, because I have no freaking idea where you came up with that thought.

(And FYI, I do have a girlfriend. So I'm even more confused)

[MushroomMammoth]

You try doing it, then you try being sarcastic.

We're not denying some of the older composers were geniuses. However, we're dealing with the modern world today. Songs longer than 5 minutes are uncommon, songs longer than 7 are rare.

I was just continueing the exchange of trivia information. Honestly, a song's/composition's/melody's length has really nothing to do with the quality or complexity of the music there-in. So it's not really a good point to bring up when scwabbling for bragging rights for the band that is in your opinion superior.

[denacioust]

I listen to music primarily for the tune. In most modern music the lyrics take second place to a catchy beat to please the masses. It seems as though it's just whatever words rhyme are put into the song. A big modern exception being the Arctic Monkeys, who are actually quite intelligent lyricists.

However, music has much more an effect on me if the lyrics are thought-out. And that's why two of my favourite musicians are Nick Cave and Tom Waits. Although, for most people, these would not be the easiest musicians to listen to their lyrics stand up on their own as works of art. Listen to 'The Mercy Seat' or 'Oh My Lord' by Nick Cave and anything off the Closing Time album by Tom Waits.