A bit "Lack-Lyrical"?

[Puppeteer Putin]

We all love music, no doubt, but how do you listen to it?

I have a habit of never listening to the lyrics. I enjoy singing, but I never actually pay any attention to what the singer is trying to convey. On more than one occasion I've said to a friend "Hey Listen to this!" and they reply awkwardly "what are you going to do with me?", as they point out to me that the song is about some morbid subject no one would in their right mind raise during civilized conversation.

Do any of you have the same issue? I enjoy the collective sound, rather than the songs subject matter. Or to put it another way, what's more important to you in a song? What do you get out of it?

 

[Incompl te]

report and move on

 

[Puppeteer Putin]

report and move on

My apologies, my accidentally pressed Enter before typing anything. It has been updated.

 

[Incompl te]

ahh i regret my report....i agree with your point though...i have to literally google the lyrics for me to get anything from the song

 

[zombiez]

I get nothing from music. If I can dance and sing along then it is good enough for me.

 

[vede]

Well, seeing how most of my music is in Russian (Aria and Epidemia), and I know only very little Russian (but I am learning!), I can really only listen to the song as a collective sound rather than a device used to convey a message.

Then the only other groups I really care about are Iron Maiden (and I really only cared for their "Brave New World" album) and Ozzy Osbourne. Ozzy is impressively articulate in his music. Iron Maiden isn't quite as much as Ozzy, but I can still usually make out the message.

 

[Puppeteer Putin]

I get nothing from music. If I can dance and sing along then it is good enough for me.

Oh snap. So there's no reason you want to sing along? The music does encourage you to dance? The music doesn't elate you to the point of wanting to dance?

I know I end up air-drumming most of the time... more accurately desk drumming, convinced
I'm going to break my keyboard or mouse.

Well, seeing how most of my music is in Russian (Aria and Epidemia), and I know only very little Russian (but I am learning!), I can really only listen to the song as a collective sound rather than a device used to convey a message.

Then the only other groups I really care about are Iron Maiden (and I really only cared for their "Brave New World" album) and Ozzy Osbourne. Ozzy is impressively articulate in his music. Iron Maiden isn't quite as much as Ozzy, but I can still usually make out the message.

Yeah, find myself in the same situation. DO you think it stems from your experience of music? For example I've been playing in bands from an early age, so I believe I've become attuned to hearing everything in harmony rather than picking out individual elements, or emphasizing on individual elements. Apart from when I'm trying to learn a piece of music on my drums or tuba, in which case you do hone on a single element.

 

[Avida]

I love good lyrics in my music, by that i mean something deep rather than something that goes with the beat well. I'd rather enjoy music as an art form than as something to get my foot tapping.

 

[zombiez]

By "nothing" I mean I make no real connection to the song. I don't have a certain band or song I listen to when I am happy or sad. Just whatever is on the radio in my car, for the most part.

 

[Sewblon]

I attempt to learn the lyrics, sing along and maybe do some air guitar or some spastic steps meant to resemble dance.

 

[vede]

Yeah, find myself in the same situation. DO you think it stems from your experience of music? For example I've been playing in bands from an early age, so I believe I've become attuned to hearing everything in harmony rather than picking out individual elements, or emphasizing on individual elements. Apart from when I'm trying to learn a piece of music on my drums or tuba, in which case you do hone on a single element.

Erm... I think it stems mostly from, like, not knowing what the vocalists are saying...

But I also (used to) play in my high school band (quit because the stress was raising the director's asshole rating from 7 to around 10 (out of 10)). I played Bass Clarinet for concert and auxiliary percussion for marching ('cuz I'm a fat bastard who can't march).

 

[electric discordian]

I make a real effort to understand the lyrics of a song, even if I miss the obvious meaning. Like people who have every breath you take by the Police played at their wedding. Despite me explaining to them when I DJ it that it's probably not ideal as it's a song about obsessive stalking.

Or the company I worked for who thought it was amusing to have " I dont like Mondays" played to improve the mood of the workers on a Monday, as we had a massive problem with depression and worker suicide 4 in one year.

I dont like Mondays is about a High school massacre in Ireland.

I love lyrics when there good but as the writer you lose all say on there meaning the moment you publish, if people had thought Mein Kampf was a frothy romantic comedy World War Two would never have happened despite the little Mustashioed freaks protestaions to the contrary.

Lyrics are concensus opinion things.

 

[Puppeteer Putin]

Yeah, find myself in the same situation. DO you think it stems from your experience of music? For example I've been playing in bands from an early age, so I believe I've become attuned to hearing everything in harmony rather than picking out individual elements, or emphasizing on individual elements. Apart from when I'm trying to learn a piece of music on my drums or tuba, in which case you do hone on a single element.

Erm... I think it stems mostly from, like, not knowing what the vocalists are saying...

But I also (used to) play in my high school band (quit because the stress was raising the director's asshole rating from 7 to around 10 (out of 10)). I played Bass Clarinet for concert and auxiliary percussion for marching ('cuz I'm a fat bastard who can't march).

Maybe I'm reading to much into it. I know the feeling, the number of times I've had to say "I can't, I have rehearsal" shames me.

 

[Bored Tomatoe]

I pay close attention to lyrics...I just like to know what the song means...
I too desk/air drum like a maniac.

 

[Sennz0r]

Some bands I just listen to while ignoring the stuff they're actually saying, because it makes absolutely no sense. However a couple of bands have such great lyrics that I always try to find the message they put in their song. Makes the song all the more special to me. Also, when I sing along with a song like that at least I know what the hell I'm actually saying.

So I guess my answer would be: Yes I listen to the lyrics, but when I find out they make no actual sense or are not worth it I stop paying attention to them.

 

[Puppeteer Putin]

By "nothing" I mean I make no real connection to the song. I don't have a certain band or song I listen to when I am happy or sad. Just whatever is on the radio in my car, for the most part.

Ah fair enough. I never know what I'm in the mood for... I'm a terrible song skipper.

I pay close attention to lyrics...I just like to know what the song means...
I too desk/air drum like a maniac.

I sometimes go into pointless head-banging along with the music... just to really throw yourself into the moment.

 

[Reaperman Wompa]

I like a lot of screamo and metal so you have to be really patient and bring a notebook to get most of the lyrics. Or google it. So what is most important to me is a combination of the over all beat of the song and also the instrumental parts. Which kinda sucks as some really good beats/music is drowned out by shitty lyrics.

 

[superbleeder12]

I listen to a lot of post rock, so there are few lyrics. But if the song has lyrics, they have to be well written. I enjoy the 'experience' that a band puts me into.

 

[Bakery]

I completely agree with Puppeteer's original point. I find a lot of the time that it's not so much as what's being said, but HOW it's being said. I find that I'm able to connect with the singer, and understand the emotions behind their lyrics even though I have no idea what the hell they're talking about.