REVIEWS & discussion of lyrics
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Polls
Forum Description: Create polls on topics related to progressive music
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=23178
Printed Date: February 22 2025 at 01:07
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: REVIEWS & discussion of lyrics
Posted By: Joolz
Subject: REVIEWS & discussion of lyrics
Date Posted: May 11 2006 at 08:00
|
There have been a number of threads about lyrics, and the concensus seems to be similar to my own position: I like good lyrics and lyrical concepts, but the music generally comes first. To me, lyrics are mostly important for the musical sound they make and I often do not pay enough attention to their meaning, though I wish I did, especially where a songwriter clearly has something to say. This poll is specifically about reviews on PA, because it occurs to me that very few reviews pay much attention to the meanings of songs, my own included. This is quite opposite to those I read in the mainstream press where they go to great lengths to understand the hidden messages in lyrics, paying much less attention to the music. I am, of course, talking in sweeping generalisations here, so, yes it is not always so. I took a look at some reviews of Pink Floyd's The Wall, one of the ultimate concept albums which can only really be appreciated by understanding the concept and how each little piece fits in. Many of our reviews, even some which give an otherwise excellent analysis of the musical elements, fail to even mention the meanings behind the songs and merely gloss over the overall concept. Yet songs like Vera Lynn are meaningless unless placed in their proper context in the story. So, the question is this: when writing reviews, should we pay more attention to the meanings of lyrics and lyrical concepts than we do at present?
|
Replies:
Posted By: Ricochet
Date Posted: May 11 2006 at 12:53
|
lyrics? not really. concept? DEFINATELY!!! ------------- 
|
Posted By: Tristan Mulders
Date Posted: May 11 2006 at 13:02
|
It depends I think. Concepts should be explained WHEN possible, but lyrics are not necessary to be explained methinks. Simply because there are people who don't pay too much attention to them and more to the music. ------------- Interested in my reviews? You can find them http://www.progarchives.com/Collaborators.asp?id=784 - HERE "...He will search until He's found a Way to take the Days..." |
Posted By: Peter
Date Posted: May 11 2006 at 13:22
|
This is up to the reviewer, and its relative importance/interest will also vary from album to album.
I often quote/mention lyrics in my reviews because I am language oriented (I teach English), and because as a non-musician, words are more open to my analysis than music. Professional reviewers are also professional writers (likely post-secondary English or journalism graduates), so these people would naturally gravitate toward language and the analysis of lyrics and (written) thematic concepts as well.
Most of our reviewers, however, are not professional or trained writers (but many seem to be musicians), so to me it is no mystery that the music, and not the poetry (lyrics) would be, by far, their primary focus.
In my experience as a music fan, in fact, most other music fans don't pay much attention to lyrics, or even song titles -- they'll say things like "track seven is really good." Also, in my experience as a teacher, just as the ability to write well is fairly rare, so is the ability to analyze written communication on anything but a superficial/surface level.  ------------- "And, has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!' He chortled in his joy. |
Posted By: Tristan Mulders
Date Posted: May 11 2006 at 14:30
|
Got to agree with you Peter. As a non-musician (at least, not skilled, I do f*ck about with midi and make my own kind of experimental electronic music), I tend to just put my feelings about an album into words and this can be done by simply quoting lyrics, desribing segments of songs, or simply writing a story that does not even mention the songs at all! ------------- Interested in my reviews? You can find them http://www.progarchives.com/Collaborators.asp?id=784 - HERE "...He will search until He's found a Way to take the Days..." |
Posted By: Man With Hat
Date Posted: May 11 2006 at 16:45
|
The concept should definitly be discussed, lyrics...not so much. But devoting time to the lyrics is not really a bad thing, just not all that needed. ------------- Dig me...But don't...Bury me I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect. |
Posted By: lightbulb_son
Date Posted: May 11 2006 at 16:58
|
I think lyrics are an integral part of music. they convey the writer's thoughts and to me that merits plenty of discussion. i think that reviewers on progarchives focus too much on just the music. ------------- When the world is sick Can't no one be well But I dreamt we were all beautiful and strong 
|
Posted By: NotAProghead
Date Posted: May 11 2006 at 20:15
|
It's interesting to discuss lyrics. Threre are so many albums in diffferent languages, and it's always helpful to read what the songs are about.
My personal thanks to Andrea Cortese and andrea, who often translate key parts of Italian songs in their reviews. ------------- Who are you and who am I to say we know the reason why... (D. Gilmour) |
Posted By: Raff
Date Posted: May 12 2006 at 01:58
|
I can't deny I've always been very interested in lyrics. Though English is not my mother language, I've studied it in depth and even taught it at school for a number of years - and the curriculum I taught included literature as well. I also love poetry, and I'm naturally attracted to language in all its forms. Besides, many prog bands and artists have very interesting, even profound lyrics, with references to literature, current affairs and other stimulating topics.
In such cases, the written word is as important as the music - songs by, for instance, Peter Gabriel or Roger Waters are proof enough of that (and Joolz really hit the spot when mentioning "The Wall", which cannot be fully appreciated without taking the lyrics into consideration). In my reviews I always try to mention the lyrics, especially when they strike a chord deep within myself (it is often the case of Neil Peart's lyrics). There are obviously cases in which they are not so important (Yes being the foremost example), but when they are they should be given more attention.
|
Posted By: Ivan_Melgar_M
Date Posted: May 12 2006 at 02:04
|
It depends, If I make a review about Genesis or PFM,, I often mention the importance of the lyrics, because in this cases really mater, I even made a bif deal when talking about Photos of Ghosts, because IMO Sinfield butcherised PFM lyrics and that my friends is a bloody crime.
If I review a Yes rack, I couldn't care less for lyrics, in most of the cases Jon only makes words that together sound well, the content isn't really trascendental.
Iván ------------- 
|
Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: May 12 2006 at 04:41
|
certainly, lyrics are to be discussed if they are profound, important and meaningful
and concepts should be mentioned also ------------- let's just stay above the moral melee prefer the sink to the gutter keep our sand-castle virtues content to be a doer as well as a thinker, prefer lifting our pen rather than un-sheath our sword |
Posted By: Joolz
Date Posted: May 12 2006 at 11:23
Absolutely, and I agree with all your post but my attention was held by those last 3 words.
Indeed - in most cases Prog music is built around songs, and writers usually try to impart some sort of message. Not Prog I know, but it would be a nonsense to review Bob Dylan's music without extensive discussion of the lyrics, because the music does not stand up on its own. Ditto with the Wall. To ignore 'the message' not only misses the point but it is disrespectful to the efforts of the writer.
Which begs another question: should we consider a review to be 'inappropriate' if it fails to adequately present these issues? |
Peter Rideout wrote:Posted By: erik neuteboom
Date Posted: May 12 2006 at 15:52
| I go for a good balance (objective/subjective, emotion/technical information, length/attention, lyrics/music, etc.) and like to add a personal flavor like creating a pleasant symphonic rock atmosphere, some humor and of course the amount of Mellotron waves ... ! |
Posted By: Barla
Date Posted: May 15 2006 at 00:21
| LESS, I care much more for the music than the lyrics, mainly because I'm a Spanish speaker and most of the bands I listen to have lyrics in English ... |