Best Ever Albums

Re: Music vs Lyrics

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 23:16:34 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 11/22/2012 04:16

music

Re: Music vs Lyrics

Jasonconfused — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 22:52:16 GMT

Author: Jasonconfused

Posted: 11/22/2012 03:52

Absolutely the music. There are some songs I admire for the lyrics but the music is most important. There are plenty of songs that I love and I have no idea what they're actually talking about.

Re: Music vs Lyrics

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 22:46:39 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 11/22/2012 03:46

Music first. I don't even pay a little attention to the lyrics first time hearing something.

But after I've developed a liking for a song, the lyrics begin to stand out. And if I realize the lyrics are stupid, I like the song much less.

So in the long run, lyrics.
But I will never hear those lyrics unless the music is good.

The Wall and The Ring Cycle

RoundTheBend — Wed, 7 Dec 2011 21:05:50 GMT

Author: RoundTheBend

Posted: 12/08/2011 02:05

Hmmm....

Never really put that together- but ya, totally like The Wall.

Re: Music vs Lyrics

Anonymous — Wed, 7 Dec 2011 12:35:47 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 12/07/2011 17:35

[quote="sethmadsen"]

weedygonsalez wrote:

Case for Music:

"Historically, Western music began to progress once composers began structuring compositions around the text and poems to which the music was set. Traditional melodies in music as we know it would not be possible were it for music historically adapting to lyrics."

This is a perfect example of Richard Wagner's the Ring Cycle and his idea of the Gesamtkunstwerk. There was this idea in his day that aesthetics kinda went in this order 1. Poetry 2. Art 3. Music. Music was last because it was purely emotional and didn't have much cognitive properties. Wagner wanted to combine all three to make the best piece of art he could.

So something like The Wall then? 😜 Or at least the same ambition as such

Re: Music vs Lyrics

RoundTheBend — Wed, 7 Dec 2011 02:01:02 GMT

Author: RoundTheBend

Posted: 12/07/2011 07:01

[quote="weedygonsalez"]Case for Music:

"Historically, Western music began to progress once composers began structuring compositions around the text and poems to which the music was set. Traditional melodies in music as we know it would not be possible were it for music historically adapting to lyrics."

This is a perfect example of Richard Wagner's the Ring Cycle and his idea of the Gesamtkunstwerk. There was this idea in his day that aesthetics kinda went in this order 1. Poetry 2. Art 3. Music. Music was last because it was purely emotional and didn't have much cognitive properties. Wagner wanted to combine all three to make the best piece of art he could.

Re: Music vs Lyrics

kidamnesiac — Wed, 7 Dec 2011 01:34:07 GMT

Author: kidamnesiac

Posted: 12/07/2011 06:34

lyrics 1-2 percent

Re: Music vs Lyrics

weedygonsalez — Wed, 7 Dec 2011 01:22:20 GMT

Author: weedygonsalez

Posted: 12/07/2011 06:22

Case for Music:

Link

Case for Lyrics:

Link

Verdict: Hung jury.

If I had to actually make an argument, though, then I'd say lyrics edges music out. Historically, Western music began to progress once composers began structuring compositions around the text and poems to which the music was set. Traditional melodies in music as we know it would not be possible were it for music historically adapting to lyrics. Aurally, the most pleasing musical sounds are lyrical in nature; the "Case for Music" I present above is a paradoxically good example of this. While Zappa's solo evolved beyond the need for an accompanying text, its most powerful emotive moments are drawn from the clear lyrical moments, while the moments of instrumental virtuosity serve primarily as buildup to the former.

The strongest counterargument I can think of is the rising importance of rhythm in music. Truth be told, I appreciate a good rhythm over melody 9/10 times, but the increasingly blended nature of both factors in all sorts of genres (rock, blues, jazz all included) makes it difficult to tell where musicianship begins and lyricism ends.

Re: Music vs Lyrics

RoundTheBend — Wed, 7 Dec 2011 01:04:34 GMT

Author: RoundTheBend

Posted: 12/07/2011 06:04

I like the 70% music 30% lyrics breakdown. I think if the music is good, it will make lame lyrics good. But usually bad music accompanies bad lyrics. Maybe we first look at the music and if we don't find any redeeming qualities we look at the lyrics and hope for something redeeming there. If you can't find it you junk it.

I have noticed, for me aesthetically, that if it is music that backs up lyrics it is crap music. They usually lack a melody because the singing has already taken it. There is usually no rhythm This is one reason I have issues with Neil Young- like his lyrics, but can't stand some of his music because it is the most boring rhythm section. Music that is good in of itself and is accompanied by great lyrics usually is the best combination.

This is a good question because lyrics are the only reason I really like Bob Dylan or Neil Young. But I think there are bands like Air Supply, gag, that have lyrics and singing in the forefront, with mediocre at best music to back it up. Whatever genre they are proves to me that music is more important than lyrics.

Re: Music vs Lyrics

pearljammer13 — Tue, 6 Dec 2011 17:30:43 GMT

Author: pearljammer13

Posted: 12/06/2011 22:30

music 85%
lyrics 15%

When listening to an album for the first time, I almost always judge it by the music before the lyrics. I don't do it consciously, but the music is what will bring me back, not the words. If an album has incredibly deep lyrics but the music is forgettable, I won't bother going back. But half the time I don't even retain any of the lyrics after I listen to something for the first time, but if the music is good it draws me back. That's not to say lyrics don't end up being important, but it takes me longer to really pay full attention to them and dissect them.

I saw that earlier in this topic people were talking about In The Aeroplane Over The Sea. For me, that album absolutely blew me away musically on first listen, and though I knew it was based on Anne Frank, I was hardly paying any attention to the lyrics at all because I was so entranced by what I was hearing instrumentally. Even the simply acoustic numbers drew me in with the music rather than the lyrics. Only after a few listens did I realize how incredible the lyrics are too.

Re: Music vs Lyrics

Xavygravy — Tue, 6 Dec 2011 17:10:29 GMT

Author: Xavygravy

Posted: 12/06/2011 22:10

SquishypuffDave wrote:

The music usually comes first for me, but I think the extent to which the lyrics matter comes down to what the purpose of the song is.
If I find lyrics uninteresting, it doesn't ruin a song for me (unless they're placed at the forefront), but if I find the music uninteresting, that's a different thing altogether. This isn't to say I don't appreciate good lyrics! It's just that it takes bad lyrics to ruin a song for me.

Pretty much this. No matter how good the lyrics are, I won't listen to it again if the music is bad/average. The lyrics are just enhancers to good music, but I don't care for bad/average music with great lyricism, because it still isn't enjoyable.

Re: Music vs Lyrics

Jackwc — Tue, 6 Dec 2011 16:32:54 GMT

Author: Jackwc

Posted: 12/06/2011 21:32

Actually - thinking about it - if The National didn't have the lyrics they do, I think I'd just regard them as some generic indie band.

Re: Music vs Lyrics

nrs182 — Tue, 6 Dec 2011 15:55:05 GMT

Author: nrs182

Posted: 12/06/2011 20:55

Lyrics can ruin a song for me, or make it better. I think i always like a song that i didn't like at first eventually just for the lyrics. But still the music has the most profound effect. so yes 70-30

Re: Music vs Lyrics

alelsupreme — Tue, 6 Dec 2011 14:41:22 GMT

Author: alelsupreme

Posted: 12/06/2011 19:41

Lyrics are important, but I can forgive lame lyrics (unless they are really, terribly bad)
But bad music? you could have shakespeare writing the lyrics and if the music is no good I wouldn't care.

Re: Music vs Lyrics

Jackwc — Tue, 6 Dec 2011 14:09:33 GMT

Author: Jackwc

Posted: 12/06/2011 19:09

Music is a universal language. Lyrics can be good, but most songs have pretty shitty lyrics, anyway.

If lyrics were everything, the Beatles would be, like, one of the worst bands in history. Half of their work would be regarded as poetic abortion.

Re: Music vs Lyrics

19loveless91 — Tue, 6 Dec 2011 14:06:07 GMT

Author: 19loveless91

Posted: 12/06/2011 19:06

I find music to be way more important than lyrics. This is also because my lack of knowledge of english language prevents me from really understanding some of the more complex lyrics just from listening to a certain song (ie I have to look up the lyrics and occasionaly put some words through an online dictionary to see what it means). This is a handicap I have with "lyrically-oriented" music, most notably certain hip hop artists, Joanna Newsom, etc.

Still, lyrics can mean a lot to me, sometimes I »get« them without having to look up the lyrics, and even if sometimes I do have to do that, the lyrics that I can relate to, or even those I don't but that awake some sort of emotion in me - whether it be anger, sadness, happiness or whatever - mean a lot to me and make a certain song a lot better (even if it's musically not that great).

There is not a »rule« here, and sometimes I even surprise myself when a certain lyric does that to me. Particularly as I often know a song and its lyrics well, and I know what they're about, but what it takes is just a little bit of detail, maybe a different mood than usual or whatever it is that makes me concentrated at a certain part of a song that then makes me feel completely different about it and the lyrics than what I felt before.

I dug this thread up and wrote this because it happened to me today again when I listened to Broadcast's Haha sound and came up to a song »The Little Bell«. It's a simple song with a simple melody and with simple lyrics too - an analogy that is fairly easy to understand, and while I was aware of it before, it was not until today that I found it to be special.
For some reason, the lyrics (esp. the last couple of lines) combined with the music (the bell throughout, the "crescendo" at the end) felt just mesmerizingly beautiful.

Re: Music vs Lyrics

Anonymous — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 15:05:54 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 03/22/2011 19:05

I would say that it is definitely genre specific (highway 61) lyrics (loveless) music (not to mention the token comment I like loveless for the lyrics from someone 🙄 ) Looking though my chart, the artists I have on there and why I like them so much. for me it is the lyrics easily, of course I love the music as well 😄

Re: Music vs Lyrics

Error Finn — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 13:41:07 GMT

Author: Error Finn

Posted: 03/11/2011 18:41

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joujh2jLL1A&feature=player_detailpage

music is great and the lyrics psykedelic:

You asked me to a party
to a house just by the moon
You gave me silver loving
the end was all too soon
You asked me to the theatre
in a place quite near the sun
You gave me golden sunbeams
your act was all in fun

Rope ladder to the moon!

You asked me to a meeting
in a cottage in the snow
You gave me central heating
I can't forget the glow

You asked me to a weekend
down by the stormy sea
You took me to a ceremony
and the sacrifice - was me!

You asked me to a stormcloud
up near the rainbow's end
Then you threw away the ladder
and gave me to your friend

You took me to a prison
and you said it's chief was me (This is very high lyric, i mean...)
Then you locked me deep inside you
and threw away the key

Rope ladder to the moon/ lyrics by Jack Bruce

Re: Music vs Lyrics

Anonymous — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 12:15:14 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/20/2011 17:15

just imagine music that doesn't need a distraction of lyrics to love. and this is coming from someone who really loves London Calling. If I want poetry I'll read Faulkner, but when I listen to music I want to either feel something somewhat profound or shake my ass

Re: Music vs Lyrics

Anonymous — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 00:07:19 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/20/2011 05:07

Bork wrote:

purple wrote:

lyrics are defintaly secondary to me. music is for music. If I had my own band, it would'nt even have lyrics, just human sounds, like grunting or pop choruses like haha and lala. Lyrics to me are for poetry and novels. The only bands I can think of that I really treasure lyrics are Joy Division/New Order and Modest Mouse, just cos they're pretty inventive

Sorry, but...please don't start your own band. Although I agree with what most people said at the beginning of this thread, in most cases the music is what brings you in, the lyrics do play an important part. I'd hate to listen to Dylan's or The Beatles' or The Stones' or any great artists' songs if the words were replaced with grunting (just imagine, quietly in your head please, London Calling with all the words replaced with ha-ha ha-ha ha ha-ha-ha).

it sometimes works for sigur ros