I like music with smart lyrics.
If the lyrics are good and the artist put some effort in creating them, making them meaningfull or creative - then I like this song, regardless what genre it is from.
If there's a song I like, but I cannot understand the lyrics, then I will look them up and read them, even if it means I have to translate them word for word.
If the lyrics are stupid, then I won't like the song, even if the music rocks.
My friends say I should read poems insteadt of listening to music - but don't you think a good song needs both? Good music and good lyrics? Or can you ignore the lyrics and just enjoy the music?
I think music comes first. Good lyrics are a HUGE plus. I could be turned down by really crappy lyrics or lyrics having a meaning that I highly dislike/disturbs me, but if they're just average but the music moves my body or my soul...
That said, I love creative, storytelling songs (think prog rock), or even cleverly disposed words using poetry, rhyme and rythm (ie abstract hip-hop). Stuff I can sing along to (catchy pop songs, ie Blur). So yeah, lyrics do play a part.
But honestly, I think it's not an absolute position. Yes, lyrics matter; no, they're not a discriminant checkpoint. By the way, I suppose you don't listen to instrumental music? Because even if technically it's not "songs", there are some awesome pieces out there. And no, they don't need lyrics. Sometimes music alone is more powerful without words.
And I don't think you should enter a mindset where you have some definitive about what you will like or not like based on precise criteria, because you might miss out some great stuff.
I would like to know OP's definition of smart lyrics via an example.
>>By the way, I suppose you don't listen to instrumental music?
Funny thing is, I love industrial/electronical music, which is maybe not what you meant by "instrumental". But as you said: no lyrics needed and so one can concentrate on the music and just enjoy it.
Besides that, thank you for you opinion.
>>3 I don't know if you're capable of reading German, but everything Goethes Erben ever made is just awesome.
Johnny Hollow is also interesting, both music and lyrics.
Those two would be an example for the "So artsy, you almsot can't understand shit"-fraction.
On the other hand I like bands like Die Ärzte, because their lyrics are funny and clever, but again - I think you have to understand German to really get their jokes.
Uhm, let me think of some English speaking bands and as soon as I remember one I give you an example.
> smart lyrics
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>>6
lol'd
For me, it often comes down to smart lyrics. If the lyrics are crap, I don't really enjoy the experience as much as I do when the lyrics are high quality.
I enjoy lyrical music, but I listen to a lot of different stuff - metalcore and deathcore are my favourite genres, but I listen to hip-hop, jazz, rockabilly, psychobilly, punk, post-rock, hardcore, black metal, classical, etc...
no
I heard somebody says Dreamtheater, which is absolutely cool!
I notice bad lyrics more than good ones. For example, I like Xiu Xiu's music but the terrible emo lyrics sometimes make it really hard to enjoy.
Lyrics are really important for singer-songwriters though, especially people like Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits, both of whom I love, but neither of whom can really sing.
>>but neither of whom can really sing.
You see, when the lyrics are awesome, I don#t really care about the singing skills.
It's all baout lyrics with me.
Lately many cds don't come with the lyrics, thus creting the downfall of a nation.
good music is good music. if you can do it with smart or stupid lyrics, fine.
Really good lyrics can make a sub par song listenable. If they're catchy or have a good hook then so much the better. Songs that are musically excellent, though, tend to stand on their own even if they have the shittiest lyrics.
HELL no, everything's been done already anyway, its all the same
No, death to all lyrics. Every song with vocals should be sung in scat.
The presence of lyrics is not important to me. I like a lot of instrumental stuff as well as foreign music I can't understand. I don't mind there being lyrics if they're good. Then again, if they suck (even if the music is awesome) it can turn me completely off from the song.
ofc, wtf is music without a message. No no, NOT the happy shit, the melancholy depressing ones are always the best
The good thing of not being a native english speaker is that i don't understand songs' lyrics if i don't listen to the words carefully... so if the lyrics suck i can just ignore them.
>> 1
i agree...a good song should have both good music and lyrics.