Messages in music - Music - Forums : Best Ever Albums

AranD

Gender: Male

Age: 32

Over the last couple of days I've listened to albums like Meat is Murder by The Smiths and Spiders by Space. Both albums have themes or opinions in them that I don't really agree with and so it got me thinking about whether you can fully (or at all in some cases) enjoy music in which you disagree with the message. 'Under my thumb' by the stones is a song I sing along to but cringe a bit when I think about what's being said.

So what subject matters or themes annoy you in music? Do you have certain albums that you can't listen to despite liking the music?

DarkSideOfTheComputer

Well this is part of a bigger topic on how powerful music is. It can distract your mind from the subject matter. I will rather ashamedly still choose to listen and singalong to gary glitter.

Precedent

Personally, it depends.

If I disagree with the message, usually I just don't sing along (or in cases that hit the extreme, don't listen).

Listmeister

Gender: Male

Location: Ohio

The Billy Joel song "Only the Good Die Young" has a message of: "Your religion is crap because it means you won't have sex with me." Pretty convincing too. I hate that message. But it has this keyboard hook that is unbelievably catchy, that is so good, I had to rate the song as one of the Best Of All Time (#377). But now the music doesn't make up for the lyrics, for me, not any more, not since I had daughters.

SingingPeasant96

Coming-of-Age

Gender: Male

Age: 28

Location: In the aeroplane (maybe it's over the sea)

AranD wrote:

Meat is Murder by The Smiths

O, I'm actually opposite of you, the theme of Meat is Murder made the album one of my favourite album of all time (I don't mean Vegetarianism, I mean, the whole album actually talks about the fear or the anger of the weaker one against the stronger. I'm one of those who think the title song is also metaphor about the weaker(animals) and the stronger(human) in society.) And it says I care about the theme a lot. But some music is too good so I ignore the theme sometimes. but mostly what it says is a important matter when I try new music

This is really interesting thread anyway
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If you're feeling sinister, Go off and Listen to Indie Pop

meccalecca

Voice of Reason

Gender: Male

Location: The Land of Enchantment

AranD wrote:

So what subject matters or themes annoy you in music? Do you have certain albums that you can't listen to despite liking the music?

Similarly to SingingPeasant96, I love Meat is Murder, but I think AranD is hitting upon an interesting topic.

Yeezus is an album that comes to mind. It's an album that I feel has moments of brilliance but can be totally ruined by subpar lyrics.

Bad lyrics are usually a deal breaker for me. And if the songs are grossly misogynistic or racist, then I'm not listening either.

meezus

meccalecca wrote:

Bad lyrics are usually a deal breaker for me. And if the songs are grossly misogynistic or racist, then I'm not listening either.

This. That's pretty much it for me. Otherwise, I'm totally open to whatever themes the album/song is exploring. Though, I forgive the misogyny in Yeezus because I think it's this relentless, unabashed, exploration of the id. The only thing I'd possibly hold against it is that Kanye has pretty much done that whole id-exploration thing over and over at this point, but still, I don't really mind.

AranD

Gender: Male

Age: 32

Don't get me wrong, I really like Meat is Murder. I think the title track is brilliant too, it's one example of looking past my own opinions to appreciate something from another point of view.

I have to look past anti-monarchy themes quite often that I disagree with, but I can see both points of view. I thought Yeezus was let down by the lyrics as well, and seen as I'm only starting to grasp the intricacies of music, lyrics are still a big thing for me.

meccalecca

Voice of Reason

Gender: Male

Location: The Land of Enchantment

meezus wrote:

This. That's pretty much it for me. Otherwise, I'm totally open to whatever themes the album/song is exploring. Though, I forgive the misogyny in Yeezus because I think it's this relentless, unabashed, exploration of the id. The only thing I'd possibly hold against it is that Kanye has pretty much done that whole id-exploration thing over and over at this point, but still, I don't really mind.

Yeah I don't buy that whole id explanation behind Kanye's lyrics. It's like perpetuating a stereotype by mocking it. I see no point to it all. Seems more like an excuse for his misogynist fantasies and god complex. Don't get me wrong. I think Yeezus has some great moments.

Guest

meezus wrote:

This. That's pretty much it for me. Otherwise, I'm totally open to whatever themes the album/song is exploring. Though, I forgive the misogyny in Yeezus because I think it's this relentless, unabashed, exploration of the id. The only thing I'd possibly hold against it is that Kanye has pretty much done that whole id-exploration thing over and over at this point, but still, I don't really mind.

I don't have any other choice but to lolwut you here. "Fuck you and your corporation" psssst. And the so-called gritty production here is just a ripoff mimicry of stuff people have done for a decade now and had done it much better (The Bomb Squad, RZA, El-P, Death Grips; for the albums that can carry it because they were the fucking people that came up with it because of pure aesthetic reasons that is justified with the cultural/environmental/mental elements inherent in their musical attitude; where were you Kanye West with your autotune when these guys were taking from industrial to reflect their mind/society credibly?). And can you fuckin show me the "id" here: "When I park my Range Rover, Slightly scratch your Corolla; Okay, I smashed your Corolla". Awful lyrics, ripoff production ideas, old news beats, godawful "flaw". What's so great about Kanye West?