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Father Time
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12/10/2019 11:22:07 AM
the importance of lyrics
I've gone all over the lot on this subject. Back in 2001 I got in a huge argument with this really good electronic artist named Zap who started a thread saying lyrics are worthless. My favorite individual artist Neil Young is a great lyricist. Still, I've always considered melody far more important. No reason to listen if you don't have a good tune, I said. Still kinda feel that way. It has become more evident to me over the years though that lyrics are my greatest strength. Recently got a new song to work on for Neg Ten where I have overhauled the lyrics and turned it into something truly amazing. Proud of the set I wrote for Bowie's Young Americans too,
I get into a state when I'm in the process of writing lyrics that seems to lead to great work. It starts with feeling like I can basically say anything at all and results in subjects and objects within the words that are distinctive and colorful. It often amazes me when I go to sing them how much fun great lyrics are to sing. It's like being a king or something.
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Richard Scotti
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12/10/2019 5:30:26 PM
I've always felt that lyrics are very important but not every artist or listener feels this way. It is what it is. Some genres of music tend to have more literate lyrics than other genres but I think in general even the genres with less complex lyrics are making an effort to communicate ideas in a more meaningful way than in the past.
It's all very subjective but for my personal taste I love hearing a clever lyric that makes me think or can teach me something I didn't know. Bob Dylan is my favorite songwriter especially in terms of lyrics. He influenced the Beatles' use of words and the first result was You've Got To Hide Your Love Away. Apparently many other artists were influenced by Dylan too. Many listeners are attracted to intellectualism in lyrics and many are not. Different strokes for different folks!
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Bryon Tosoff
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12/10/2019 5:49:20 PM
First off, my penchant in writing music is all about melodySince my strong suit is being an instrumentalist. I have no desire to be a lyricist, and focus on instrumentals ,whether it is piano driven, or multi-faceted composition as a full production with horns guitar percussion strings etc.
I marvel at those who are singer songwriters such as Richard Scotti, Father Time Steve April Francesca Tamellini and Bob Elliott and so many others who have the ability to draft such gems of what are shared here at indiemusicpeople.
I appreciate the efforts and energy all of you who are singer songwriters, or those who are in bands that crank out some amazing sounds. It is an amazing thing to listen and hear the hooks, the cool riffs and fantastic singing.You all put so much into into your works.
As an instrumentalist I am in the minority here at IMP since most of the people I add to my stations are accomplished lyricists and songwriters.
As for what Richard said about the Beatles song You got to hide your love away, that was primarily influenced by their knowledge of their manager Brian Epstein being gay, so John and Paul came up with You've Got To Hide Your Love Away as a subtle way of sharing their managers penchant for that kind of lifestyle.
Anyways, sounds like you got a super song coming out FT. Looking forward to hearing it.
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Steve April
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12/10/2019 9:46:25 PM
a few fun favs...
'Gettin' born in the state of Mississippi,
Papa was a copper, Mama was a hippie...'
rhcp
'I walked out on lower Broadway,
and felt the place within.
the hollow place where martyrs weep,
and angels play with sin.'
Dylan
Dream On
Every time when I look in the mirror
All these lines on my face getting clearer
The past is gone
It went by, like dusk to dawn
Isn't that the way
Everybody's got the dues in life to pay
I know nobody knows
Where it comes and where it goes
I know it's everybody sin
You got to lose to know how to win
Half my life
Is books, written pages
Live and learn from fools and
From sages
You know it's true, oh
All these feelings come back to you
Sing with me, sing for the years
Sing for the laughter, sing for the tears
Sing with me, just for today
Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away
Yeah, sing with me, sing for the year
Sing for the laughter, sing for the tear
Sing with me, just for today
Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away
Dream on
Dream on4:27
Dream on'
aerosmith, steven Tyler
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Larree
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12/11/2019 10:42:11 AM
A great melody is timeless; a great melody paired with a perfect lyric is eternal.
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Hop On Pop
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12/11/2019 10:59:58 AM
The first things I hear when I hear a song are the melody and the arrangement.
Honestly, even as a lyricist to whom words are VERY important, I don't pay too much attention to the words. At least at first.
But, if they are particularly good (or particularly bad), or are mixed so that they stand out in the mix, they will grab my attention.
This is why I hate Steve Miller. His lyrics are shit. everything else is good. But they dude can't write his way out of a tissue paper bag.
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Hop On Pop
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12/11/2019 11:01:55 AM
In my own songs, though... the lyrics are of SUPREME importance.
Not that the world has to find them brilliant, but I just have to have a connection to them, emotionally.
That is the reason that I very rarely play fan favorite "Sheila of the Worms."
I constantly forget the words, because they just don't connect with me.
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12/11/2019 1:14:34 PM
Well, there's always a catch line or a hook (Or at least there was at one time) that was needed to catch the listener who on average are not all rocket scientists. And being I count myself among most average listeners, it doesn't take much more than a good guitar entry and great rhythm to get my attention. Now if I want Dylan I know where to find him but from a consumer's view, less is indeed more for when it come to lyrics.
Like this crap for example... All repetitive BS in just 2 verses.., but I'm very proud of it.
Life Is So Hard
Well I like the kind of girls
That you don't take home to mama
Though I'm not supposed too
But I kinda, sorta, wanna
So you got you education
and you got your degrees
and a respectable place is society
With a Mercedes Benz
and your motor's clean
but you need a little more
If you wanna be with me
You see sometimes,life is so hard for me..
Yeah sometimes, life is so hard for me..
You see I like the kinda a games,
That you're not supposed to play
Where there's nothing to buy
And there's nothing to pay..
Yes you got you education
and you got your degrees
and a respectable place is society
With a Mercedes Benz
and your motor's clean
but you need a little more
If you wanna be with me
You see sometimes,life is so hard for me..
Yeah sometimes, life is so hard for me..
(Solo)
Yeah I like the kind of girls
That you don't take home to mama
Though I'm not supposed too
I guess I just wanna
So you got you education
and you got your degrees
and a respectable place is society
With a Mercedes Benz
and your motor's clean
but you need a little more
If you wanna be with me
You see sometimes,life is so hard for me..
Yeah sometimes, life is so hard for me..
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Francesca Tamellini
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12/11/2019 3:23:04 PM
Sometimes lyrics write themselves and you don’t know where they came from. I think if you have a a sense of rhythm and read a lot then influences just creep up on you.
The importance of originality is paramount, whether it is the lyrics of Leonard Cohen or the melodies of the Beach Boys (see how I can twist my message to music you old dudes have heard of!)
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Mike Lance
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12/11/2019 3:49:39 PM
Like all things, it depends on the song. Some music doesn't need any lyrics at all, while I can also name great songs in which the lyrics are merely phonetic. Sigur Ros took this a step further and literally made an album sang in no real language at all (and it was beautiful). So importance is subjective. Zap's music probably didn't need any kind of deep meaning behind it, but it probably did need something that would have no place on the Times they are a Changing.
The impact of lyrics, however, is undeniable... An emotional melody can be absolutely transcendent with a meaningful lyrical pairing.
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1/23/2020 4:24:40 PM
---- Updated 1/23/2020 4:43:18 PM
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