The importants of Lyrics?

[Chad]

Just out of curiosity who hear believes that the lyrics are just as important to a song (with lyrics) as the music itself?

Personally I have no problem with Musical arrangements with out words. I can appreciate almost any kind of music (other then country music).

However, I get really irritated by lazy or nonsensical lyrics (this is also one of my reason for hating country music).

For me the only time the worlds don't matter is when they are parodies or comedy. In this case the nonsensicalness add to the work by making it funny.

These are just my own opinions and I am wondering if it comes for a personality trait or just my own personal biases that don't directly relate to the INTP personality type.

 

[Hawkeye]

Lyrically, I prefer songs that have a kind of story that develops.

Or songs that go against the cliche lovey-dovey and have a deeper meaning.

like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZokLZV35MI

But, I also love instrumental music - providing it isn't just showing off.

like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5xa4Lqbenw

 

[redbaron]

The split between instrumental/lyrical music I listen to is probably about 70/30, in favour of instrumental. My, 'favourite' songs are mostly instrumentals and I tend to follow individual musicians and/or composers (for their instrumental mastery) rather than any band or group.

Basically jazz/funk/fusion and classical are mostly instrumental by nature, which is what I mostly listen to. After that rock, metal, hip-hop (I'd say all hip-hop, but I'm sure there's some hip-hop instrumental tracks out there ) and its variants are mostly lyrical. Not that I mean to pigeon-hole an entire genre, but generally rock, hip-hop and their variants have simpler song structure than the first four mentioned. Without lyrical content they'd be mostly boring, because they're designed for lyrical content.

I can't really choose which I prefer, because it varies. Would I like to listen to some of the bands I do if they had no lyrics at all? Not in the current state that they compose their music. Some of them would be far less entertaining without their vocalist.

Would I like lyrics added to most of the instrumental stuff I listen to? Probably not, but a talented vocalist can really bring out and emphasize harmonics in some music.

Basically what I'm saying is that 'finished' pieces of music are usually intended to sound that way. Removing or adding a layer on top of them, while leaving all other layers in their exact same state will have to be moulded around and in between the existing layers, it probably won't make it sound better otherwise.

So really I have no preference for one or the other, it's simply whether or not I like the finished product.

 

[Chad]

Sorry I think my posted was a poor example of what I was trying to ask and communicate.

Basically, here a retelling of the question.

Taking only Lyrical songs (meaning excluding instrumentals that have there own quality), do you believe that a song needs interesting Lyrics to be worth listening to.

By interesting I mean content. Rather that implies a story, an Idea, a mortality, an emotion, or simply humor. I find some music particularly some pop music has very little dept to it. Like Justin Beaver crap and most the topical Country song.

I dislike Country music because I feel like its lyrics try to glorify stupidity and not in a funny ironic way. (I actually don't mind Cledus T. Jude because here actually points out the stupidity in country music and parodies it in a funny way.). On the other hand some Pop music many that designed to attack teen age girls has very little real content. They are just sex appeal for teenagers.

The only other genre that I don't quite get is screamo. I do understand the intent is to express extremes in emotion by screaming but seriously it supose to be a song and the world of the song should have meaning. At least any song that I enjoy. I am more or less wounding if in any other INTP out there has similar opinions. Or are the lyrics really not important to the story that you get form a song.

 

[redbaron]

I like lyrics with a story, but it's not necessarily important. To me the voice can be used as an instrument as well. I don't even really hear 100% of the lyrics most of the time, unless they are meant to be the explicit focus of the song. An example of what I mean as voice as an instrument, rather than to tell a story - these are a couple of my favourite phrases from a song, and the lyrics are relative nonsense. (from 1:17 to 1:46) (then again from 3:15 to 3:43) - (they should start playing in the right places.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ZtTDKsT-1Fk#t=76s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ZtTDKsT-1Fk#t=195s

 

[Chad]

Interesting. I find that I get really annoyed by non-sence lyrics. Maybe its just a preference thing for me. I am also a bet tone death so the voice as an instrument doesn't work as well for me. Besides maybe something like Opera or Acapella. however, even then I like it when there is substance.

 

[snafupants]

I like clever twists. There's a Roxy Music song that delivers this line - I was blind, can't you see? It's just entertaining wordplay. There's a kind of story embedded in very simple language a la Steinbeck or Hemingway. Most pop song's lyrics are wildly formulaic and boring, though. They talk about things which don't particularly interest me like clubbing or kissing a girl and liking it. Then there are bands that are only ostensibly pretentious (e.g., Led Zeppelin, Queen, and Yes). These bands knowingly fetishize "stupid" rock, and god bless them for it.

 

[snafupants]

Oh, I hate that Police song where "Sting" keeps saying, sending out an SOS. I don't give a fuck, Sting.

 

[redbaron]

When you say you're tone deaf, do you mean literally or figuratively?

Can you distinguish between these two notes?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buimPG01gcs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WG6Kx1-_qGU

 

[Hawkeye]

Oh, I hate that Police song where "Sting" keeps saying, sending out an SOS. I don't give a fuck, Sting.

What about the one that (ironically) loads of people use as a wedding song?

Every Breath You Take

Or

Don't Stand So Close To Me - a song about a teacher/student relationship

 

[Duxwing]

What about the one that (ironically) loads of people use as a wedding song?

Every Breath You Take

Or

Don't Stand So Close To Me - a song about a teacher/student relationship

I have an alternative wedding song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2W_3uXqsfw

-Duxwing

 

[EyeSeeCold]

I do generally prefer lyrics/vocals in music, but it's about the listening experience as a whole. If the verbal section is lacking in entertainment then yeah I can be turned off. A lot of the metal I listen to has unintelligible vocals, and hip hop is usually designed for lyrics, so there's more pressure for the artist to make sense and captivate the listener; out of all the genres I listen to hip hop tends to be the most verbally intensive / technical. Still, most music I can enjoy if it just sounds good overall.

Spoiler

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-gt7iDeN5U

 

[Nezaros]

I don't usually pay very much attention to the lyrics of a song, and most of my favorite songs are either instrumentals, or features an instrumental guitar solo that makes me like it. But when I listen to music it's generally just for background noise (rhythmically deep and entertaining background noise, anyway). That said, I get tired of instrumentals after a while, if for no other reason than craving variation.

Nothing will ever make me listen to pop music though. That's just vapid lyrics by someone who often can't sing with mediocre-at-best music behind it.

 

[Chad]

When you say you're tone deaf, do you mean literally or figuratively?

Can you distinguish between these two notes?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buimPG01gcs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WG6Kx1-_qGU

Figuratively/literally. By this I mean that I can't tell notes that are different if they are close. I was in Band in high school and in marching band in college. I think I was close but I could never tell if my instrument was off or not.

I can tell the difference between octaves its not that bad. But someone could sing slightly off key and I wouldn't be any the wiser.

 

[Hawkeye]

I can tell the difference between octaves its not that bad. But someone could sing slightly off key and I wouldn't be any the wiser.

Does this sound weird to you?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaYaXpyRjbc