NationStates Jolt Archive

I was wondering about this for a long time. In Music vs. Lyrics, which wins on NS?

Now, bear in mind that this is how much you're going to like a song. If you like a particular song, was it because of the music or because of the lyrics. So if you're going to vote for an option where it heavily favours lyrics, then you're saying you care more for lyrics and less for music.

Let the poll begin.

Initially the music, because that's where the hook is. Then lyrics become important the more you listen to a song. But they're both important.

After all, when a song you like comes on, do you sing along to the lyrics or the music? Mostly the lyrics, but sometimes the music as well.

After all, when a song you like comes on, do you sing along to the lyrics or the music? Mostly the lyrics, but sometimes the music as well.

That's another poll...

Music is way more important then lyrics (rock fan) but lyrics if they are TOO stupid CAN break the song

Or get tirying ... Probably the reason I lost intrest in System of a Down

Quirky sometimes nonsensical lyrics are alright for awhile with good music and used in an intresting way.

But it becomes menotinous

Lyrics to music are either the reason why I'm listening to it or have nothing to do with it at all.
It's strange, but sometimes I need to be able to ignore the lyrics of a song in order to listen to it, or I'm listening to songs specifically because I can relate to the lyrics. There's rarely a middle ground in between...

I think lyrics should work in tandem with the music to make a better song all around. I say they're equally important.

I guess that's why I only like a few bands rather than a lot. :p

I was wondering about this for a long time. In Music vs. Lyrics, which wins on NS?

Now, bear in mind that this is how much you're going to like a song. If you like a particular song, was it because of the music or because of the lyrics. So if you're going to vote for an option where it heavily favours lyrics, then you're saying you care more for lyrics and less for music.

Let the poll begin.
It varies. There are songs that would be utter crap without lyrics (in fact, most of the stuff in the charts - predictable structures, musically 'safe', no experimentation), but then there's a lot of stuff that doesn't have lyrics that couldn't be improved by adding them.

Some of my favourite music is lyricless - it allows the listener to concentrate on the music (which I have always seen as more important). However, by adding lyrics to a good piece of music, you can improve it. Much of Tool's music is like that - the lyrics complement the music nearly perfectly, but separate the two components and they don't seem so great in isolation.

Music all the way. Lyrics are not of significant importance. To me the music in the voice is more important than what they are really saying.

menotinous

monotonous :)

Helping improve everyone's spelling since... *punched*

I only correct other people's spelling in certain circumstances, and this was one of them seeing as how far from the correct spelling it was. But I only do it out of love!

Depends strongly on the style of music and even other factors.... Some styles are naturally far more lyric intensive than others, but I can enjoy drone and instrumental metal (for example) as much as I can a lot of other music with really great lyrics. It just depends on my mood.

I'm going to answer both questions here because it didn't really merit two threads.

This is largely an observation a friend made about me-I don't really listen to lyrics, or often even music with lyrics. When there is singing it's just another instrument to me. When a band was butchering a Pink Floyd song I didn't even notice because I wasn't paying attention to the words.

However, the music I do listen to that has words tends to have very absurd lyrics-such as They Might Be Giants, Soul Coughing, Austin Lounge Lizards, Slim Gailard, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, etc.

I don't really have an explination for that, it's just the way it is.

I'm going to answer both questions here because it didn't really merit two threads.

Sorry, but I do remember a while back not caring at ALL about the lyrics, but I wanted to learn them so I could sing along.

LYRICS must be good. a large majority of the music i listen to is rap. so if the lyrics suck ass i dont listen to it...

Lyrics matter a lot to me because I notice them so much. I remember being annoyed with pop music fans in highschool because they couldn't tell me what the songs were about, they would say "I don't listen to the words" how in the heck do you not listen to the words?


lyrics like Tell me why
Ain't nothin' but a heartache
Tell me why
Ain't nothin' but a mistake
Tell me why
I never wanna hear you say
I want it that way

:headbang:

what the heck does that even mean? they say "it's got a good beat"


no it doesn't...........

Lyrics hardly affect the music for me. It's part of why I don't really listen to rap, I'm a much bigger fan of what's going on behind the lyrics and a beat just doesn't cut it for me most of the time.

Occasionally you run into some really good lyrics that hit a nerve, such as-
And you run, and you run to catch up with the sun, but it's sinking
Racing around to come up behind you again
The sun is the same in a relative way, but you're older
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death

Lyrics matter very much. The music is not as important as the lyrics.

Like someone else said, lyrics and music work in tandem. I would get so bored with music if there weren't any lyrics. Even if I'm not paying attention to the lyrics, I need them to be there. Rock just isn't the same without them. I can only think of a couple instrumentals that I really like (Wipe Out, the song from Chariots of Fire and I believe the other one I'm thinking of is the theme from Hawaii Five-O).

Occasionally you run into some really good lyrics that hit a nerve, such as-

rest assured that the sun will someday die too. even if it is in a bazillion years from now...

in the songs that have them, lyrics are very important, but in some way they have to co-operate.
for example:
the music of brian the vampire by xiu xiu is almost painfull to listen to, but he sings about a boy being raped by his brother, so it is kind of fitting.
on the other hand some of the music from grandaddy is really happy,
almost childish, but their lyrics are sad, so the contrast make both stronger

A perfect blend of lyrics and instrumentation is Rush's "Red Barchetta".


My uncle has a country place that no one knows about
He says it used to be a farm before the motor law
And on sundays I elude the "eyes", and hop the turbine freight
To far outside the wire where my white-haired uncle waits

Jump to the ground as the turbo slows to cross the borderline
Run like the wind as excitement shivers up and down my spine

Down in his barn, my uncle preserved for me an old machine
For fifty-odd years
To keep it as new has been his dearest dream

I strip away the old debris that hides a shining car
A brilliant red Barchetta from a better vanished time
We'll fire up the willing engine, responding with a roar
Tires spitting gravel, I commit my weekly crime

Wind in my hair
Shifting and drifting
Mechanincal music
Adrenaline surge

Well-weathered leather, hot metal and oil
The scented country air
Sunlight on crome, the blur of the landscape
Every nerve aware

Suddenly ahead of me, across the mountainside
A gleaming alloy air car shoots towards me two lanes wide
I spin around with shrieking tires, to run the deadly race
Go screaming through the valley as another joins the chase

Drive like the wind, straining the limits of machine and man
Laughing out loud with fear and hope, I've got a desperate plan

At the one lane bridge, I leave the giant stranded at the riverside
Race back to the farm, to dream with my uncle at the fireside


And snippets of the riff, just to show you how the instrumentation melds seamlessly with the lyrics...

-------------------------|--------------------------|
-------------------------|--------------------------|
[12]---------------------|[12]----------------------|
------------[7]----------|---------[7]([7])----------|
------[7]---------[12]---|------[7]-----------[12]--|
-------------------------|--------------------------|

-------------------------|--------------------------|
-------------------------|---------------------[7]--|
------[7]---{5}----------|------[7]{5}({5})--------|
------------------[7]----|--------------------------|
{9}----------------------|{9}----------------------|
-------------------------|--------------------------|

-----------------|-----------------|
------3-(3)-2----|2-----3-(3)-2----|
----2-----------2|--2--------------|
--2-----------2--|----2------------|
0----------------|-----------------|
-----------------|-----------------|

|=|7---------7---9--|----------9---7---|---------7-9--10--|--9---7-|=|
|=|8---------8--10--|---------10---8---|---------8-8--10-|-10---8-|=|
|=|7---------7---9--|----------9---7---|---------7-9---9--|--9---7-|=|
|=|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|0-0-0-0-|=|
|=|-----------------|-------------------|-------------------|---------|=|
|=|-----------------|-------------------|-------------------|---------|=|


My god, that took forever to write...

got a 1 gb drive dedicated to nothing but lyrics.

My god, that took forever to write...

You just broke the law. Twice. RIAA enforcers will be at your door shortly. And don't pull the "I'm in the toilet" excuse on them this time. They will take away your TP.

Really depends on the genre in question, some jazz and classical won't need lyrics. But when it comes to music that has both music and lyrics I'd say the lyrics are what makes the song. It's the lyrics that gets the message the artist is trying to convey out the music is more just support to that.

You just broke the law. Twice. RIAA executives will be at your door shortly. And don't pull the "I'm in the toilet" excuse on them this time. They will take away your TP.

Muahahahahahaha. :D

If I wanted 100% lyrics, I'd listen to poetry, which is an entirely separate pursuit. For me, depending on whether I listen to the music merely as background noise or for pleasure, the lyrics and music balance at around 50%.

Lyrics and music are 50/50. A song with phenomenal music but terrible lyrics will not be a good song, but neither will a song with phenomenal lyrics and terrible music. I am, however, much more likely to try to listen to a song to try to get myself to like when it has good lyrics but not good music as opposed to the reverse.

Depends strongly on the style of music and even other factors.... Some styles are naturally far more lyric intensive than others, but I can enjoy drone and instrumental metal (for example) as much as I can a lot of other music with really great lyrics. It just depends on my mood.
Same with me really.
For some music I listen to, it's pretty much lyric-focused and that's what makes the song what it is. For other, the lyrics don't matter at all to me. And for others, it's a part of the song that contributes - not the main part, but it's still necessary for the whole effect.

If lyrics are more important than music to you, why not listen to spoken word poetry?
I reccomend Jethro Tull, that's where the lyrics is at.

If a song has lyrics, they are there for a reason. Give me some good bloody lyrics to listen to, or leave them the hell out of it.
I also happen to like classical, so I don't think lyrics are necessary. I love a song as much for music as for lyrics. However, should you choose to put lyrics in, they should be good. If I find I really enjoy a song for it's music, but it's lyrics are as appallingly bas as some have been known to be, then I will look for a version without lyrics.
If you're pairing music and lyrics, they both have to do their share and pull their weight.

It a balance. The best songs are the ones that would sound somewhat good even if they werent saying anything or just making random noises and also have lyrics I can relate to or can change my mood. So its close to 50-50. Sadly, its hard to find good songs and/or bands.

Googlefight (http://googlefight.com/) rveeals music t be the winner. Music can exist without lyrics, and lyrics without music. But the subtle variations in lyrics overrule the 'feel' of music we are learnt to embrace in school.

i said 50/50, they not only support and enhance each other with out the other, they would be bland... just like the 17 minute drum solo 'toad'...

with out music it would be poetry, without lyrics however you still have misuc, just not a song. we all know lyrics are what is the thing that keeps us comming back, but with out a proper sound, it is like a bad hit of acid, you gotta be f***ing insane to wanna do that again. the sound is whats going to hook you in the first place.

i said 50/50, they not only support and enhance each other with out the other, they would be bland... just like the 17 minute drum solo 'toad'...

I beg to differ. Some instrumentals are very good.

It depends on the kind of music. I only like stuff like Bob Dylan or David Grey because of the lyrics, But I like Rammstein even though I don't know what the words mean, and Tool and System of a Down even though it is often apparently nonsense. Infact, like one of the first posts, I have gone off SOAD lately, not becuase I grew bored of the nonsense, but because they did, and started getting all political. Basically how it all sounds together is important.

I have gone off SOAD lately, not becuase I grew bored of the nonsense, but because they did, and started getting all political. Basically how it all sounds together is important.

Are you kidding? Their first album was their most political.