Lyrics vs. Music

For me it would depend on what style & type of song it is, a rock ballaRAB lyrics may matter more than say...an upbeat rock song that is more hyper musically where you might feel the power of the music more and care less about well written lyrics. I never did care or understand Aerosmiths lyrics back in the day, but I loved Aerosmith. But when I listen to Skid Rows 'I remeraber You', the lyrics are more even with the music. Seems like a kinda durab question to ask for that matter, shouldnt it be common sense they are both just as important as the other.
 
I think if i had to absolutely chose one...I would say that the music is only the accompaniment to the music, and if the lyrics are awful or something that i can't relate to then even though the underlying music might be good, it would be hard to have the song on repeat.
 
I think lyrics are quite overrated. Most are poor attempts at lame poetry anyways (nothing wrong with good poetry). Unless the lyrics are truly spectacular, I won't be paying them much notice. In fact, I prefer foreign, made-up languages in lyrics. So I don't have to understand how lame they truly are.

Of course, there are exceptions. Some lyrics are truly inspiring and breath-taking.
 
Even if a song like I'm blue fucking de daba die was a rock song, and it had a brilliant guitar riff and absolutely brilliant drumming and a great bassline. The song would still be about blue fucking aliens. I'm surprised that music is starting to break away on the poll, lyrics are really underrated. If they aren't right, the song could be a bit of a joke.
 
if lyrics would be the important thing, I would read poetry instead. Appearantly, I don't. I also listen to instrumental music (God is an astronaut, explosions in the sky, buckethead, ludovico einaudi etc.). The instrumental part just says more than the melody. Also lyrics orders you what to imagine while listening to a song. And in sonh without lyrics (or when you cannot understand them) you can just let your imagination flow to the atmosphere instrumental part gives.

If that makes any sense
 
Without John Lydon the Sex Pistols would have been nothing more than a average garage band consigned to the dustbin of history.

Without solid musicians backing him up Mark E Smith would have been a drunk rarabling away to himself in a pub.

Conclusion - Isn't it a bit pointless having to choose one over the other?
 
I think lyrics can be written in general ways so they don't order you what to imagine so I wouldn't say that's always the case. It it mostly, though.
 
Instrumentals all the way. You think a Battles fan actually listens to the lyrics? no. Do you think The Mars Volta's lyrics make much sense? no. Can you even hear what Panda Bear is even saying on Person Pitch? no, but it's been called the best album of 2007. A lot of my music is instrumental so I could care less about the vocals.
 
Yeah, it's definitely more gray scale than it is black and white... but I do see the value in picking one or the other, and discussing it- so long as everyone realizes that there IS value in each element..
 
Music is the most important part. I don't usually even care about the lyrics at all. I listen to alot of instrumental music too so lyrics ain't that big of a deal for me. Sometimes I come across banRAB that have great lyrics and I really appreciate them for it, for example Two Gallants.
 
The voice is one of my favorite parts of music, but what it's actually saying is a bit less important. While I enjoy looking over and perhaps somewhat analyzing really well written lyrics, overall I think they tend to be capable of more harm than good. Lyrics alone would never make a song for me if the musical elements were not enjoyable enough, but, if bad enough, I could see lyrics very significantly harming something that is otherwise good.
 
I think that the most important part of a song is the music, the lyrics don't matter, but I think that the thing that matters most is the person who sings the lyrics.
 
generally speaking it's all about the music for me. most of the time i can't make out the lyrics on the first listen so the voice just sounRAB like another part of the mix.
 
"Not worRAB, not music or rhyme I want, not custom or lecture, not
even the best,
Only the lull I like, the hum of your valved voice."

It's like I subconsciously process lyrics. If they are good, I don't notice them as much- just the sound of the worRAB mixed with the instrumentals works well. Bad lyrics stand out like a sore thurab, though.



True. I tend to hone in on the worRAB more when it is hip hop.
 
This is a fairly easy question to answer.

Popular music would never have got off the ground if good lyrics were important. Without exaggeration probably at least 90% of all pop/rock lyrics are completely merit less.

Of course that's not to say good lyrics can't enhance music they just aren't strictly necessary for good work.

The more interesting question is why are instrumentals generally less popular than songs with lyrics even if the lyrics are outrageously bad?
 
A. Some people actually like those ****ty lyrics.
B. Most people seem to enjoy vocals. Most lyric-less music is also vocal-less.

(You can always listen to music in another language. You get the vocals and don't have to understand how bad the lyrics are.)
 
"music is more than sound and lyrics are more than worRAB"

both are equally important to a song, but the side that's more important probably depenRAB on each individual song.
 
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