Is Prosody important?

[glynb]

"There is a natural prosody that English tends to follow, and without it we'd all sort of sound like the dwarf and Laura Palmer in the red room on Twin Peaks."
Wow, Twin Peaks, excellent film, and what a scene you selected there to make your point - must dust off the video soon and watch that again.

Its strange sometimes you see aspiring song writers posting lyrics on groups like this that may rhyme, but just don't 'sound right' - I think when writing if the words put together sound like they could be used in general conversation (and we're not talking two college professors discussing nuclear physics, just ordinary people) then you're on the right lines.

It doesn't really matter what you're saying in the song its the way you say it. The song may not even have a meaning as long as each of the words and phrases sounds right. Where the skill comes in is knowing what sounds right - some people seem to do it instinctively, others struggle and just don't get it - coming up with convoluted non-conversational lines in order to get a rhyme at the end!

Words written by Robbie Williams are a good example - each line sounds OK - but the lines don't add up to a coherant meaning. Does it matter - no they're still hits (at least here in the UK).

 

[gascap]

Interesting topic.

Prosody or not...the one song that I've always been pointed too with no rhymes - which was very radio friendly, I might add - was "Annies Song" by John Denver (You fill up my senses...) Ain't a dang rhyme it...still a lovely song. I suppose it has strong Prosody then.

 

[Aaron Cheney]

Interesting topic.

Prosody or not...the one song that I've always been pointed too with no rhymes - which was very radio friendly, I might add - was "Annies Song" by John Denver (You fill up my senses...) Ain't a dang rhyme it...still a lovely song. I suppose it has strong Prosody then.

Yes, I refer to that song often as a good example of the exception to the rules: no rhymes, no verse, no chorus. The song works based on only two things: a beuatiful metaphor and the emotional content.

Awkard phrases bug the crap out of me. Prosody to me is almost more important than rhyme. Well-conceived prosody makes your lyrics sound more natural when sung, it affects the pace of your lyrics, and also makes them more appealing to the ear.

To quote Mike Myers once again, you should never "Put the wrong emPHASis on the wrong syLABle."

Aaron
http://www.voodoovibe.com

 

[LI_Slim]

I think that prosody is always important, but that doesn't mean that it is always important to have a classic meter or rhyme scheme. I think it works sometimes to include a "clashing" prosody at times to bring attention to certain lyrics; it can have a dramatic effect. Dylan of course did (and does) stuff like that a lot.

 

[Henri Devill]

I think that prosody is always important, but that doesn't mean that it is always important to have a classic meter or rhyme scheme. I think it works sometimes to include a "clashing" prosody at times to bring attention to certain lyrics; it can have a dramatic effect. Dylan of course did (and does) stuff like that a lot.

Ditto!Also droppin' ryhme to accent is cool too...I guess this is what they mean by knowin' the rules to break 'em



Don

 

[flat-9]

Some say metre
Some say meter
Some say either
Some say eidder
Metre, meter
Either, eidder
Let's call the whole thing off.

LMAO!

I think it depends on the soul. What comes out...comes out.

Until he could come up with lyrics that were socially acceptable, (it took 3 months) Billy Joel's #1 female friendly hit ' Honesty', was origonaly sung & rehearsed as 'Sodomy', complete with appropriatley twisted prosody! [ no, I'm not shittin ya]

 

[MessianicDreams]

WOW interesting topic...i'd love to contribute with some words of wisdom...but i still don't understand any of it rotfl !!
peace
MD

 

[glynb]

Prosody?

Look, whatever two guys decide to get up to in the privacy of their own bedroom has got nothing to do with song writing...

 

[ashulman]

We were just discussing this very thing in another thread, though I admit the word is new to me. I should say that I think it is THE most important thing about lyrics. Meaning is secondary to rhythm and texture. How come no one brought up Eminem? Lose Yourself is a study in prosody (as I understand it from the definition above). I mentioned Dylan and Lennon in the other thread but we shouldn't give short shrift to our rap friends.

One final note - Joyce's 'Finnegan's Wake' explores and exploits this concept to the fullest. Is it any coincidence he was a lover of song and populated his novels with musical tidbits?

 

[Buffalo Bob]

Dem bitches and ho's
They flock to me
Just to hear
My prosody
I may be a punk
Wit no edumacation
But I gots
Some fine versification!

 

[LI_Slim]

I wear my heart right on my sleeve,
I put my tongue right in my cheek,
With my body tuned like that
It's a wonder I can sing
La la la la la la la la la

 

[Toker41]

Ya know, I love John Denver and I've sang that song a million times, and it never leaped out at me that it didn't rhyme!!!! It just flows so easily...like water.
Now take the Pretenders...I can't stand that girl. I can't help but to notice how almost NONE of her sh*t rhymes! Just leaps out.

 

[flat-9]

Dem bitches and ho's
They flock to me
Just to hear
My prosody
I may be a punk
Wit no edumacation
But I gots
Some fine versification!

ROFL!
Thanks,
Did I need a good laugh this AM!

 

[Abyyss]

Well?
What say you wordsmiths....?

What do you mean is prosody important!?!?

U can't eat without eat!