Have we lost the lyrics?
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Topic: Have we lost the lyrics?
Posted By: aapatsos
Subject: Have we lost the lyrics?
Date Posted: November 18 2008 at 15:31
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Lyrics are supposed to play a crucial part in prog music (not only) and
several bands/artists pay too much attention in their concepts, in
order to make their outputs more ''complete''. As time goes by and more music is stored in hard drives rather than CDs, I get the feel that I don't pay too much attention on the lyrics. In the past, I used to be ''obsessed'' with the lyrics, notes etc on each CD. Are we missing a huge point in prog music by neglecting the lyrics? Do you get the same feel? |
Replies:
Posted By: infandous
Date Posted: November 18 2008 at 15:47
Well, I will admit that I used to obsess over lyrics myself. I thought they were terribly important. Until I realized that most of them were not  Seriously, good lyrics are not easy to write, and I think a lot of bands put too much effort into something they simply are not good at (lyrics). I do agree that people who download everything and listen on shuffle on their iPods are often missing some great lyrical concepts. But I think that is true only a small percentage of the time. Over the years, I've become less and less concerned with the quality of lyrics in the music I enjoy. Most of what I love about Prog is the music anyway, not the lyrics. On the whole, Prog bands at least seem to put more thought into their lyrics than most pop writers do, but I find that can often hurt the music, by putting the words above the melody and ruining what could have been a sublime vocal melody. Besides, I'm starting to see something of an overkill in the Prog world of certain lyrical subjects and concept album topics. Too much repetition and similarity of subjects makes it hard to recognize truly great lyrics when they appear. Anyway, I doubt most of us on this site neglect lyrics, though I know there are a number of people here who prefer instrumental music. But I suspect they were never all that interested in the lyrics anyway. I have a friend who simply dislikes the human voice as an instrument. It ruins the music for him.. It all comes down to what moves you and works for you I guess. |
Posted By: CPicard
Date Posted: November 18 2008 at 16:20
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As I was kind of a metalhead when I was teenager, lyrics were very important to me. When black metal came on the scene, there was all these stories and/or rumours about nazi/racist bands in this movement. So, when hearing of a new band, I always tried to check the lyrics (and I'm really glad to have the web nowadays!). If progressive rock doen't have to deal with this political stuff, I still consider lyrics as important: I feel sorry for musicians singing about elves, dragons, witches, fairies... after the age of 20. It can prevent me from buying some records. But I'm also fed up with prog-rock bands dealing with the cliches of the genre. When I read to the lyrics of Jethro Tull, Genesis, King Crimson or VDGG, there's a depth, sometimes black humor, a bit of social and/or political commentary. And I feel that a lot of prog-rock avoid touchy subjects, just offering neutral and nonsense concept-albums about the life and death of a caniche or singing about the joy of making music and bringing happiness to people. I don't say that prog bands should ALL sing about the proletarian revolution or bombing Iran (among others subjects), but I'm not sure prog-rock can go out of its ghetto if its participants persist to sing about the nice Springstime we had this year or their last break-up. |
Posted By: Alberto Muņoz
Date Posted: November 18 2008 at 16:42
I often see the lyrics, so that presents to me a wide spectrum of the band that i hear.
My most difficult issue with the lyrics is when they are sung in a language different of english, spanish or italian, i have to traslate the lyrics.
In non prog groups i usually go with the music and ignoring the lyrics like the case of some of extreme metal bands, some lyrics are unbearable, but the music is very good.
 -------------  |
aapatsos wrote:Posted By: Kotro
Date Posted: November 18 2008 at 16:46
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Lyrics are a good way of playing the vocal instrument. Other than that, they're pretty much useless in my view. ------------- Bigger on the inside. |
Posted By: NotAProghead
Date Posted: November 18 2008 at 16:55
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If lyrics are in my native language (Russian) they are extremely important. If lyrics don't touch me, the music does not exist for me, no matter how good or bad it is. In case of English I first listen to the music and vocals, if I find the sound interesting I often try to get into lyrics. Of course there are exceptions, for example, I don't think it's possible to appreciate John Lennon solo albums without understanding lyrics. My English is too poor to understand everything when I listen to the record. Lyrics sheet is often necessary. In case of unfamiliar languages the voice is only one more instrument. Though deep in my soul I prefer to believe that if music is good lyrics are good too (even knowing that it is not necessarily so  ).------------- Who are you and who am I to say we know the reason why... (D. Gilmour) |
Posted By: King Crimson776
Date Posted: November 18 2008 at 17:32
| Lyrics should compliment the music, not the other way around, that's my general view. So long as the lyrics go well with the music, it's all good. But of course there are some really epic lines now and then that I really get off on, but it's usually in the way that it compliments the music. |
Posted By: Tapfret
Date Posted: November 18 2008 at 17:47
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I actually prefer instrumental music. There are very few truly solid vocalists out there, and no matter how important the words are to a concept, a really bad vocalist can destroy really good music. Then there are those vocalists that are outstanding but ruin the musical experience with their concepts. ------------- https://www.last.fm/user/Tapfret" rel="nofollow">  https://bandcamp.com/tapfret" rel="nofollow - Bandcamp |
Posted By: The Quiet One
Date Posted: November 18 2008 at 17:52
| ^"Then there are those vocalists that are outstanding but ruin the musical experience with their concepts." I suppose you're talking about Jon Anderson? |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: November 18 2008 at 17:54
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Motorbreath, it's how I live my life, I can't take it any other way Motorbreath, the sound of living fast It is going to take your breath away |
Posted By: The Pessimist
Date Posted: November 18 2008 at 17:56
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Interesting point, I think for me it depends entirely on the band. For example, bands like Tool, VDGG and Opeth who have very poetic lyrics, they are a very important contribution to the music. I always find myself looking up the lyrics for these bands and reading them whilst listening to the music. It gives a whole new depth to the songs. However with bands like The Mars Volta, Meshuggah and The Flower Kings that have very stereotypical lyrics (or in TMV's lyrics, complete bullsh*t), I tend to ignore them because there is nothing to look for in them, making the content quite pointless. These kind of bands, with exception of TFK maybe, use the syllables as an instrument of their own, with complete disregard for what they actually mean. I know for a fact that TMV use this kind of lyrical composition. Overall, you could say that lyrics aren't as important anymore. But look at Yes. The lyrics, no matter how deeply interpretted, let's face it, mean absolutely nothing. And that was the 70s. ------------- "Market value is irrelevant to intrinsic value." Arnold Schoenberg |
Posted By: Tapfret
Date Posted: November 18 2008 at 17:59
I actually had a particular guy of Scandinavian lineage in mind, I was going to refrain from naming names and let others decide who is guilty in this case, as there are many. Your answer is certainly viable on some level. ------------- https://www.last.fm/user/Tapfret" rel="nofollow"> https://bandcamp.com/tapfret" rel="nofollow - Bandcamp |
Posted By: Alberto Muņoz
Date Posted: November 18 2008 at 18:12
 here's another:
The leather armies have prevailed ------------- |
Posted By: Tapfret
Date Posted: November 18 2008 at 18:48
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His another: Other bands play Manowar Kill! ------------- https://www.last.fm/user/Tapfret" rel="nofollow"> https://bandcamp.com/tapfret" rel="nofollow - Bandcamp |
Posted By: Sckxyss
Date Posted: November 18 2008 at 19:17
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Posted By: jammun
Date Posted: November 18 2008 at 22:21
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Lyrics, believe it or not, used to matter a lot. The writer was getting across a point. What do the following have in common, given a song title of The Great Deceiver:
Cigarettes
Ice Cream
Figurines of the Virgin Mary
Cadillacs
Blue Jeans
Not sure I know the definitive answer, but I can take a good guess.
|
Posted By: The Whistler
Date Posted: November 18 2008 at 22:29
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I don't see why having the songs stored on a hard drive as opposed to coming with a CD booklet what-have-you should affect your enjoyment of lyrics; even if you can't HEAR them, which is a constant problem, I'm aware, you can still look them up online. ------------- "There seem to be quite a large percentage of young American boys out there tonight. A long way from home, eh? Well so are we... Gotta stick together." -I. Anderson |
Posted By: DJPuffyLemon
Date Posted: November 19 2008 at 01:14
| I find that most prog lyrics are pretty terrible. perhaps only Pink floyd and King crimson are exceptions |
Posted By: keiser willhelm
Date Posted: November 19 2008 at 03:23
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i think lyrics are an attempt to give the music context. i do not think they are at all necessary but interesting lyrics are always welcome and sometimes can make a good song a great song. however, most lyrics are poorly done. i can do without. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/KeiserWillhelm" rel="nofollow - What im listening to |
Posted By: npjnpj
Date Posted: November 19 2008 at 03:43
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I don't really listen to lyrics, the sonics just have to fit in with the music, and I actually avoid them on purpose. I see (or hear) the voice as just another instrument.
Reading them in the past has been too much of a let-down, I'm almost scared to look at them now because such a lot of juvenile or mediocre drivel has been released, that it has quite often spoiled entire albums for me, ones that I previously enjoyed.
Strangely enough, I know the lyrics to a vast number of songs and I'm able to play head kareoke without having the slightest inkling of what they're about. If I knew, I'd probably stop doing that.
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Posted By: The Whistler
Date Posted: November 19 2008 at 04:02
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I'm going to have to disagree; lyrics are an important part of the songs because the lyricist put actual thought into them (except in the rare occasions where the voice IS treated as "just another instrument," ala Kid A era Radiohead and...Yes. Okay, so even Jon Anderson claims that SOME of his lyrics are there for a real reason, but he likes to play the sonic card too).
If you don't think that prog rock contains lyrics that are a valuable part of the song, you should listen to some classic Tull, man. I mean, that's a cure-all anyways, but consider the accoustic songs from Aqualung. Would they have functioned "just as well" without the lyrics? They would had still been very pretty, but the lyrics give them the extra oomph to make them personal. ------------- "There seem to be quite a large percentage of young American boys out there tonight. A long way from home, eh? Well so are we... Gotta stick together." -I. Anderson |
Posted By: russellk
Date Posted: November 19 2008 at 04:13
| I find lyrics an indispensable part of the package. Not only does the human voice add warmth to music, the words give the sounds meaning. They connect us to each other. They're a way of commonising our experiences. |
Posted By: fuxi
Date Posted: November 19 2008 at 04:40
| On many great prog albums, lyrics are an ESSENTIAL part of the package. Just think of ROCK BOTTOM, WHATEVERSHEBRINGSWESING, SELLING ENGLAND BY THE POUND, THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON, IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING, UNCLE MEAT, PAWN HEARTS, THE POWER AND THE GLORY, FRAGILE, A PASSION PLAY, THE FLYING TEAPOT, THE SOFT MACHINE VOLUME TWO, TRANS-EUROPE EXPRESS etc. etc. Such lyrics may not always be of a high literary standard, but they add considerably to the listener's pleasure, and they definitely colour the way you hear the song! |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: November 19 2008 at 06:19
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I'm one of those that even if I understand what's being sung, I really like having a hard copy of the lyrics to read along with to fully appreciate the song. Still, I can appreciate songs even if they are in a different language. PFM comes to mind. But if you don't understand then the vocalist basically becomes just another instrument and that can work, too. And of course, I am also a fan of strictly instrumental prog as well. A-wop-bop-a-loo-lop a-lop bam boo  ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened... 
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Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: November 19 2008 at 08:19
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I stopped obsessing about lyrics when I was about 16 I suppose. That was 23 years ago. The MP3 age has therefore done little to impair my enjoyment of music. I always loved album artwork and still do. I often get my old vinyl out and simply admire it, while I'm listening to the album on Itunes.
I'm generally not interested in lyrics, and maybe this is a bit ignorant, but whenever I do pay attention to what is being sung, I'm either dissapointed or innapropriately amused. Sometimes it can spoil my enjoyment of a song, when I eventually find out what is being sung, and it's not as good as what I thought was being sung. |
Posted By: Toaster Mantis
Date Posted: November 19 2008 at 10:08
I hope you do not mean King Diamond.  ------------- "The past is not some static being, it is not a previous present, nor a present that has passed away; the past has its own dynamic being which is constantly renewed and renewing." - Claire Colebrook |
Posted By: Chicapah
Date Posted: November 19 2008 at 11:13
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To a writer like myself lyric content is very important. I'd say the words count as much as 30% in my reviews so few albums with weak lyrics get the 5 star treatment. Genesis (especially with Gabriel), Pink Floyd and even the Who are fine examples from the early days but Steven Wilson's words in his work with both Porcupine Tree and Blackfield are big factors in the enjoyment I get from his music. I also like the Tangent's lyrics. ------------- "Literature is well enough, as a time-passer, and for the improvement and general elevation and purification of mankind, but it has no practical value" - Mark Twain |
Posted By: the_binkster
Date Posted: November 19 2008 at 13:35
| I never listen to the lyrics: I listen to the vocals. There is a massive distinction. How the voice works as an instrument with all the others is far more important. I find listening too hard to the lyrics detracts from the subtleties of the music. |
Posted By: NotAProghead
Date Posted: November 19 2008 at 14:01
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I guess many artists should read this thread. They don't sleep at night trying to express their thoughts and feelings and find the only right words. But many "snobs and elitists", "people with refined tastes" on prog site "never listen to lyrics" . I wonder why wordless vocalizing is not so popular yet. I think fans of Britney Spears don't care much about lyrics too. ------------- Who are you and who am I to say we know the reason why... (D. Gilmour) |
Posted By: Toaster Mantis
Date Posted: November 19 2008 at 14:37
That sounds... difficult, to make a grand understatement. Unless, of course, you're listening to something that's either in a language you don't understand or a vocal style that makes it difficult to hear the words anyway. Care to elaborate? ------------- "The past is not some static being, it is not a previous present, nor a present that has passed away; the past has its own dynamic being which is constantly renewed and renewing." - Claire Colebrook |
Posted By: The T
Date Posted: November 19 2008 at 14:45
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I used to ignore lyrics. Now when I pay attention to them, sometimes the music makes much more sense.
Of course, there are always lyrics like The Lamb which requires extra doses of concentration or maybe even substances... Those I don't like that much... or even worse, Jon Anderson's lyrics, which requires a lot of Liquid Paper sniffing to try to get some sense out of them...
I prefer simpler, not-so-metaphorical lyrics... actually, I don't like symbolism that much in lyrics... Please... let the words express them selves clearly, let the music express itself clearly, and let the mixture of both create a complete new experience that trascends both worlds...
------------- 
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Posted By: TGM: Orb
Date Posted: November 19 2008 at 16:08
Bland opening statement: It depends on the genre/band/album/song  Controversial clarification: But I think a lot of people by saying, 'the voice is just another instrument', are missing the point of some albums in which the music is aimed at evoking and expressing the lyrics (or indeed the reverse... the lyrics emphasising the feel of the music), or the lyrics at adding another dimension or context to the music (and vice versa). Sometimes, actually, the lyrics are really good regardless of the music, and may convey a well-expressed message, commentary on life, philosophical point... etc. Anyway, to say the least, music is not necessarily more important than lyrics. So, just to give a few examples:
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Posted By: Mousoleum
Date Posted: November 19 2008 at 16:24
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[/QUOTE] I often see the lyrics, so that presents to me a wide spectrum of the band that i hear.
My most difficult issue with the lyrics is when they are sung in a language different of english, spanish or italian, i have to traslate the lyrics.
In non prog groups i usually go with the music and ignoring the lyrics like the case of some of extreme metal bands, some lyrics are unbearable, but the music is very good.
Great point! When I ventured out into non-English speakings bands, lyrics in general became less important and the music began to speak to me emotionally by itself. And once you get caught up in a serious jazz-fusion kick, vocals/lyrics become very unimportant. |
Posted By: the_binkster
Date Posted: November 19 2008 at 17:07
I guess it is how I wish to listen to music. I appreciate the music far more than I do any lyrical content, therefore, whenever I listen to ANY music, I concentrate far more on musical structure and content than any message contained within the lyrics. The voice is the fundamental instrument and, when employed well within a composition, it transcends the words used to facillitate its use. Well-written lyrics, in my opinion, do far more than convey a message, the lyrics should provide some rhythmic support to melodic lines enhancing the application of the voice. When I concentrate on the lyrics I feel I miss something in the music, so I never truly "listen" to them I "hear" them. I've always enjoyed a well crafted composition more than a piece of well crafted poetry (oversimplification). |
Posted By: Henry Plainview
Date Posted: November 19 2008 at 17:25
I think that depends on whether or not you think Jon Anderson's ridiculous ramblings are worth listening to.
I do not, so I don't care that I don't care, with the rare exception that somebody writes good lyrics. Then again, I rarely listen to lyric-based music, so I guess my opinion is irrelevant. ------------- if you own a sodastream i hate you |
Posted By: Drew
Date Posted: November 19 2008 at 17:30
Funny ass post ------------- |
Posted By: Kestrel
Date Posted: November 19 2008 at 19:52
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Well, considering my favorite bands all have some fantastic lyrics and concepts (Genesis, Jethro Tull, Van der Graaf Generator, Yes, Rush, Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Pain of Salvation, etc... yes, they are important to me. In fact, for a band like Van der Graaf Generator, I couldn't understand how one could fully enjoy their songs without the lyrics since as someone said, VDGG's music emphasizes what is being said in the lyrics. In the modern scene, other than Pain of Salvation, I haven't seen any lyrics really worth paying attention to because 1) they're either not good or 2) the music is instrumental. Other than Daniel Gildenlow, I don't know of any strong lyricists. Well, Steve Wilson, I suppose, but I don't really get into Porcupine Tree. |
Posted By: jamesfibs1
Date Posted: November 19 2008 at 20:26
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Agreed. I mean, look at Yes' Siberian Khatru! Jon Anderson said that the words didn't actually have any meaning, but they fit in with the music really well.
Lyrics should indeed fit in with the music as a priority, and if they just so happen to be of the quality of, for example, VDGGs Still life album, then its an added bonus.
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Posted By: banjocat
Date Posted: November 19 2008 at 23:41
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For me the lyrics are sometimes crucial, depending on the artist. I know most of them, from the bands I like, verbatim (cursed with a photographic memory and have no "forget" mechanism). I cannot imagine the conclusion of Rock Bottom without "I fight with the handle of my little brown broom...etc." How would A Louse is not a Home sound without " Maybe, I'll maybe my life away..." Get the idea? Some of the very best poetry I've ever encountered has come from prog., and, when the other kids were reading See Spot Run I was reading The Iliad, so I know poetry. |
Posted By: topofsm
Date Posted: November 21 2008 at 00:59
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Well here's my two cents...
Most artists today (prog or non prog) suffer because they feel that songs are just a couple of riffs thrown together with a few words about love or sex or something. They feel that words are what make a song, however useless the words are. So a lot of the time, lyrics will just get in the way of being creative. And after all, some of the best music is instrumental. Most notably Jazz and Classical music, where the more glorified and long lasting pieces are instrumental. By focusing entirely on the music, an artist can create a mood or an idea far better than any words can.
However, there are bands like Tool and Pink Floyd, who make great music, but the way they use their music and compliment it with the lyrics, it puts the music on a different level, if not necessarily a better or worse one. But the truth is, sometimes I beleive that music as an art form speaks out like fine literature or poetry best with lyrics, because just like the two, it gives the listener/reader a chance to analyze the artists' opinion, and it also gives the viewer a chance to discover the problems with society and mankind, which is what fine poetry and literature are all about. You can't do that very well with instrumental bands.
Sorry if my words don't make sense, I should prolly get to bed. ------------- 
|
Posted By: el dingo
Date Posted: November 21 2008 at 03:19
I'd agree with that; I love Waters' more acerbic stuff particularly.
I also love some of Caravan's stuff which I find totally relevant to the music (Memory Lain, etc).
How times change: when I was about 15 I enjoyed early Queen lyrics because they were, well, different.
Now I'd controversially say the three greatest poets of my generation are Ray Davies,Joe Strummer and Nick Jones.
I could listen to most prog without cognisence of the lyrical content, but take the words away from the Kinks, the Clash and the Manics? No can do! ------------- It's not that I can't find worth in anything, it's just that I can't find worth in enough. |
Posted By: infandous
Date Posted: November 21 2008 at 13:08
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I can understand someone not enjoying vocals in music. But, in Prog at least, lyrics are so often an integral part of the music (yes, the music). Think Van der Graaf Generator. Or PG Genesis. I personally can't imagine those vocal lines being done without lyrics. Lyrics can very definetly be musical. Of course, you could just dictate words over music and then they wouldn't be, but to me that's a different thing (and mostly I find "spoken word" stuff to be kind of annoying in music..........but occasionally it works). On the other hand, I can often ignore poor or even bad lyrics if the music is strong enough and the singer is good enough. Though in many of those cases I find myself thinking they should have just done wordless vocals or used some other instrument for the vocal melodies. But I really don't come across that all that often in Prog. Or at least the Prog I choose to listen to (that has vocals and lyrics in the first place). |
Posted By: DatM
Date Posted: November 21 2008 at 13:36
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Generally, I've never put much attention to lyrics...I always pay attention to the music first. If the music is really good, I start paying attention to the lyrics. Sometimes this can be bad thing, because if the lyrics are really bad, they can throw me off of the music. But if they're really good, the make the music that much powerful. If they're ok, they don't really make a difference It's true though that the human voice gives a certain personality to music which instrumental music can't achieve...BUT there's a certain magic to instrumental music in that it can stir emotion in us without actually saying anything, this is what's always blown me away about music. |
Posted By: Toaster Mantis
Date Posted: November 23 2008 at 03:53
I have a fairly high threshold for bizarre metaphors in lyrics as long as the accompanying music is appropriately otherworldly, so I think the silliest thing about Jon Anderson is his vocal style rather than any of his songwriting. I've never liked his singing all that much, but at least it's expressive and the other components of Yes' music is good enough that his sub-Neil Young nasalness becomes more of an endearing quirk than a deal breaker in my book. ------------- "The past is not some static being, it is not a previous present, nor a present that has passed away; the past has its own dynamic being which is constantly renewed and renewing." - Claire Colebrook |
Posted By: 88melter
Date Posted: November 24 2008 at 20:03
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A lyric used to be a word-painting, but has been reduced to a coathanger for guitar-shredding and bashing percussion. Even YES' Jon Anderson cannot make an abstract image with words anymore. The words on "Magnification" are downright preachy. Neal Peart has changed so much from his life experiences that we ought not to expect his writing to remain the same.
If someone writes a mating ritual-type song, as Steve Hackett used to call them, that kind of lyric needs a certain kind of music. By the same token, time changes, advanced harmony, and exotic scales need to be complemented by a word-picture that is equally uncommon.
thanks,
88melter ------------- 88melter |
Posted By: Kestrel
Date Posted: November 24 2008 at 22:53
This is what I have been trying to say for years now, but summed up more eloquently than I ever would/could. This is exactly what I feel bands like Genesis, Yes, VDGG and others were very aware of and is what made them so great. A song can be just a couple of riffs and a stupid lyric about sex and drugs, but it isn't how you make a beautiful song. In most cases, anyway. |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: November 25 2008 at 05:45
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No, I found them. They were over there in the corner.
------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Posted By: OzzProg
Date Posted: November 25 2008 at 19:38
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I could live without lyrics Sure, everyone loves to extract a really catchy phrase, or a metaphorical line somewhere along the line. But does it really have anything to do with the music? My personal opinion is no. Vocals are just another instrument, used to create music with the rest of the band. Whether a vocalists sings "I get up, I get down!!!" or "Na Naaa, naaa naa NAA!!!", it still makes good music. I LOVE a lot of music like this, like the end part of "South Side of the Sky" by Yes, or "Peking O" by Can, where all sorts of stuff is being screamed at loud volumes. To be completely honest, I prefer instrumental music (And music in foreign languages). Why? This way I can immagine in my own mind what the music reminds me of, not what the vocalist is singing to me. Music should be that way in my opinion. However, I do understand that a lot of people really enjoy listening and reading all the lyrics, and trying to find out the meaning, or just plain get the message the band is trying to get through. These people just enjoy their poetry and music together. =============================================================================== It also seems that I am missing the part of your brain that picks up on lyrics, and character's names in movies (same part of the brain?). I never catch on to any of them, I don't notice lyrics, unless I read them, and only know name's of characters if I ask a friend. =============================================================================== As for modern prog lyrics, I agree with you entirely; they are lacking the same "poetry" that earlier music had. The bands In general, don't put as much effort into creating lush metaphors of love, myth, or fantasy. Oh, and isn't signing about love in the 21st century "Gay"? It seems as if the bands are too scared to truly express the emotional sides of themselves, or simply don't care to make meaningfull lyrics. I feel the same way with the production level of new albums too, they aren't as polished. Ozzprog -------------  |
Posted By: fuxi
Date Posted: December 02 2008 at 04:47
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Posted By: 88melter
Date Posted: December 02 2008 at 08:34
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Gents, and ladies,
If the lyrics were meant to be ignored, there wouldn't be any. OR, would there? Does an opera audience know the specific words they are listening to? Do Germans know Italian? Do the French know German? Maybe, a little, but not very much. ( More than most Americans though, but that's another story...)
I think the same dynamic applies to progressive rock. Just as an opera needs a story to hang the music on, so P-R needs something extra-musical to drap itself over. The more attention the band pays to the words, the better they are, and the more one gets out of noticing them.
If one thinks that Pink Floyd's music is good, but the lyrics are a bit fractured, well, listen to the music. If one thinks that YES' lyrics are an integral part of the YesExperience, ignore them at your peril!
Rush seems to be making lots of specific points in their script, and Genesis tells some wonderfully odd little tales.
I find the more I listen to, and read, the words and liner notes to P-R albums, the more I get out of the experience.
I'm done, this thread is getting threadbare... ------------- 88melter |
Posted By: CPicard
Date Posted: December 02 2008 at 12:14
| I agree with you, but slightly less loudly. |
Posted By: J-Man
Date Posted: December 03 2008 at 17:47
Look, the lyrics are meant to show the singer's skill and show the concept or story of the song. The lyrics have always been written similarly, though I never cared that much; as long as they were there. ------------- 
Check out my YouTube channel! http://www.youtube.com/user/demiseoftime" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/user/demiseoftime |
Posted By: prog4evr
Date Posted: December 13 2008 at 04:44
No, can't say that I do. However, the lyric by Peter Gabriel on TLLDOB: "And I am hovering like a fly, waiting for the windshield on the freeway," before 'Fly on the Windshield,' is brilliant - and, no doubt, adds to the prog greatness of that instrumental number... |
Posted By: peskypesky
Date Posted: December 14 2008 at 17:17
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People who think lyrics are unimportant, well, what can I say? You can read poetry to a mule, but you can't make him appreciate it. |
Posted By: hermosotrozo
Date Posted: December 15 2008 at 07:22
| well, thats prett natural, if the sound is good we really dont mind any music (i mean i am talking about myself.) |