ido1957
9K Gold Member
Well, are they?
N
NYMorningstar
Recording Modus Operandi
Sometimes yes, sometimes no.
gecko zzed
Grumpy Mod
It depends on the nature of the lyrics.
Sometimes the intention is for the vocals to just like another instrument; adding colour, texture and atmosphere: what is actually being said is not as important as the sound of what's being said..
However, if the lyrics are important (for the writer or the listener), then it is important to be able to hear them, and my preference is to hear them delivered and recorded with reasonable competence . . . otherwise, why bother?
Sometimes the intention is for the vocals to just like another instrument; adding colour, texture and atmosphere: what is actually being said is not as important as the sound of what's being said..
However, if the lyrics are important (for the writer or the listener), then it is important to be able to hear them, and my preference is to hear them delivered and recorded with reasonable competence . . . otherwise, why bother?
I
icystorm
Guest
I agree, Mike, but I could not make out the lyrics to over half of the songs I've heard on the radio over the past 40 years.
I recall some heated arguments with school chums over what was being sang on many songs. Of course, we didn't have the Internet to verify lyrics or trivia back then, but there were weekly magazines with top 40 song lyrics on grocery stores and the like. Remember those? Most albums before 1980 didn't even have the lyrics on the liner notes.
My first week of "full Internet exposure" back in the early 90s was spent, in part, verifying song lyrics I had wondered about for over a decade. Heh. Of course, that was the modern version of the Internet. I was on prodigy and compuserve before that in the 80s.
Cheers,
Joseph
miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
The hook is the most important part of a song...whatever that might be.
Most every pop/rock/country/etc song has a hook or hooks.
Even a lot of avant-garde music has hooks...they just might not be as obvious as your typical repeating chorus of a pop song (or whatever).
Often it's the combination of elements that create the "hook" rather than a single musical or rhythmic line.
That said...lyrics are one the more important elements if most popular songs…especially to young women.
I’m often amazed at how well most of them know every word of every song they like to listen to.
Even the shit that has hard to understand lyrics!!!
IMO...if you can get young women intersted in your songs...odds are good you will be able to get some mileage out of them!
(The songs...not the women.)
Most every pop/rock/country/etc song has a hook or hooks.
Even a lot of avant-garde music has hooks...they just might not be as obvious as your typical repeating chorus of a pop song (or whatever).
Often it's the combination of elements that create the "hook" rather than a single musical or rhythmic line.
That said...lyrics are one the more important elements if most popular songs…especially to young women.
I’m often amazed at how well most of them know every word of every song they like to listen to.
Even the shit that has hard to understand lyrics!!!
IMO...if you can get young women intersted in your songs...odds are good you will be able to get some mileage out of them!
(The songs...not the women.)
joeym
New member
yes.....
G
garyota
New member
Absolutely. I can't take music that doesn't have good vocals.
Maybe that's just because I'm a singer, not a musician.....
Maybe that's just because I'm a singer, not a musician.....
D
dintymoore
Guest
There's only one rule - no rules.
Sitting around trying to find a formula for a good song is for greedy music business executives... good songs come from inspiration.
Sitting around trying to find a formula for a good song is for greedy music business executives... good songs come from inspiration.
Manslick
Road
If the song is Frankenstein by Edgar Winter
Then No
Else if the song is Hey Jude by the Beatles
Then Yes
Then No
Else if the song is Hey Jude by the Beatles
Then Yes
miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
IMO...if you can get young women intersted in your songs...odds are good you will be able to get some mileage out of them!
(The songs...not the women.)
Well OK...as someone just pointed out to me...AND the women too!!!
I guess if you get 'em hooked with the song...the rest should be easy!
Zaphod B
Raccoons-Be-Gone, Inc.
Not if there aren't any.
M
murph86
New member
Well,
In my opinion, being a woman lol, I think there are too many things that go into a song as a whole package to say that lyrics are the most important thing. If you listen to a lot of pop music today, the lyrics are down right vapid and ridiculous ( check out "3" by Britney Spears...WTF?), but people like the hook, or the beat, or whatever...What's important in a song is subject to the listener. Sorry for the non-answer lol, but it's true...As a songwriter, I just try to do the best I can.
In my opinion, being a woman lol, I think there are too many things that go into a song as a whole package to say that lyrics are the most important thing. If you listen to a lot of pop music today, the lyrics are down right vapid and ridiculous ( check out "3" by Britney Spears...WTF?), but people like the hook, or the beat, or whatever...What's important in a song is subject to the listener. Sorry for the non-answer lol, but it's true...As a songwriter, I just try to do the best I can.
G
Greg_L
Banned
Not to me. Pretty much not at all. I'm perfectly fine with instrumentals, and I'm of the opinion that deep lyrical content or a message in song is pompous and arrogant. As evidenced by my own creations, lyrics and vocals mean almost nothing to me. I don't know the lyrics or names of songs that I love and have heard a billion times.
I
icystorm
Guest
Holy $hit! I just realized you live in Katy, Texas, Greg. My wife and I lived there for the past 3+ years. We recently moved to Pearland to be closer to my office.
BTW, didn't you write the song Date Rape? I can never remember if you or someone else wrote that.
Cheers,
Joseph
G
Greg_L
Banned
Lol. Yeah, I did write a song called Date Rape.
I
icystorm
Guest
Cool. Good stuff. That one, Lady Policeman (Supercreep) and Ankle Pants (Gecko Zzed) are some of my fave tunes on HR.
Someone should organize a greatest hits CD from HR. Heh.
Cheers,
Joseph
G
Greg_L
Banned
Haha, thanks. Glad you like it. It was gonna go on my album, but I'm not too happy with it so I scrapped it.
miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
I agree...but I'm curious, from your woman's perspective, DO women tend to focus more on lyrics than men?
I find women DO know even most of those "vapid and ridiculous" lyrics well enough to sing/mouth them from beginning to end of most songs.
I guess it also depends on your area of music interest...but even songs/music styles that I really like, I tend not to always know all the lyrics unless I really spend time learning them.
I just find that generally, women usually WILL make a point to learn all the lyrics.
On the topic of lyrics, as I was considering the artwork and layout for my album that I just wrapped up...one of the things I felt was important, was having the lyrics to all the songs printed on the CD cover...so in order to make it work I went with a 6-panel Eco-Wallet (no plastic, all recycled materials) as I needed the extra 2 panels to fit the lyrics of all 10 songs.
Mind you...it's NOT that my lyrics have some DEEP message and that’s why I wanted them printed!
Most of it is about the classic theme of "love" in its many positive/negative forms.
But since the intent of the album WAS for it to be a collection of commercially-focused Pop/Rock songs...I figured those people who would like the music, would also want the lyrics...though generally speaking, I make it a point to mix my vocals so they are clearly up front, and most are pretty easy to understand even without the written lyrics.
For me, this album is mainly about targeting a specific audience in an effort to land some commercial interest....as in, I'm hoping to sell some of the songs to better-known artists who might be in a position to really exploit them…rather than looking for any personal marketing/promotion, but it's still fun to put out a finished CD of one's music rather than just always posting up links to files…
…and maybe I might get some more direct interest too.
I'm hoping at least the women like it!
D
dodgeaspen
New member
I agree, Mike, but I could not make out the lyrics to over half of the songs I've heard on the radio over the past 40 years.
I recall some heated arguments with school chums over what was being sang on many songs. Of course, we didn't have the Internet to verify lyrics or trivia back then, but there were weekly magazines with top 40 song lyrics on grocery stores and the like. Remember those? Most albums before 1980 didn't even have the lyrics on the liner notes.
My first week of "full Internet exposure" back in the early 90s was spent, in part, verifying song lyrics I had wondered about for over a decade. Heh. Of course, that was the modern version of the Internet. I was on prodigy and compuserve before that in the 80s.
Cheers,
Joseph
I think you hit the mark. Points for you.
Bristol Posse
Okey Dokey
If you're the guitarist...no
If you're the bass player...no
If you're the drummer....no
If you're the vocalist....YES ABSOLUTELY