Lyric Or Music? A Poll For Everyone & Their Dog

[Rudi]

This poll is not comprehensive enough to be very serious.

 

I could make it more comprehensive (and boring) but as there is no correct answer, regard it as an opportunity to be opinionated without penalty.

 

Remember,

There are good musicians who struggle with lyrics and vice versa.

There are people for whom the music is the part they love best and vice versa.

 

It is entirely subjective.

[Alistair]

It also depends what you mean by 'write' music, Rudi.

[Alistair]

For instance, I make stuff up on the guitar as 'music' for songs but I rarely actually 'write' any of it down. Is that writing music?

[Rudi]

Yes.

 

Write = compose = make up = think of... etc etc.

[Alistair]

Oh

[Janeva]

I say the music is the most important and the most difficult as that's the part I can't do 

 

   Jan

[Rudi]

you bet.

[stikman]

If either the music or lyrics are great they will carry the other irrespective of the quality. If I had to plonk for just one however I would say the music. Reason being, as I run some of my favorite songs through my head without lyrics I still like them. Take away the music and yeah good but not as good.

[White Soul Black Heart]

For a long time I almost exclusively payed attention to only the music....not until recently (I guess since I started my hand at writing lyrics) have I payed more and more attention to the lyrics. I've found that good lyrics can take, maybe not an average song, but a 'listen-good' song and turn it into a force...the lyric/music dynamic is a powerful one if used well.

 

Having said that, I'm of the personal opinion that many lyrics are just plain pretentious, (looking at you Ian McCulloh, sorry) and if not then banal, I've seen it in pop and the more experimental stuff; the thread is common. I guess that's what makes writing lyrics so difficult, balancing the relatable or commonplace with the artistic or emotional, depending on the genre. But music, (for me of course) works in such a way that it doesn't need to be "special" every time, it doesn't take irony, or sapped feelings to speak, to move you. It can be common, subtle, and even pretentious and still do things to your psyche.

 

That's why Motown works for me, even though the love-stories were often rehashed, the music was simple yet powerful, always sharp and clever. And when the lyrics said something, it hits you doubly, but it didn't need the lyrics.  I'm not gonna listen to Shakespeare if the music is noise and dreck, the music-lyric needs a connection, it becomes the music. That's I still love Echo and the Bunnymen, the lyrics may be bombast or obsure at times but it still connects to the music, it completes the feeling and vice-versa.

 

But the music can carry the feeling alone, not the other way around.

 

 

 

 

[McnaughtonPark]

Something is wrong with my dog then, she likes my guitar playing.

[Rudi]

Something is wrong with my dog then, she likes my guitar playing.

 

Vets just dont get this do they?

[Kel]

Burt Bacharach once told Hal David, "Nobody walks down the street whistling the lyrics!"

Poor Hal.

[Rudi]

Burt Bacharach once told Hal David, "Nobody walks down the street whistling the lyrics!"

Poor Hal.

 

hi Kel

 

unfair jibe.

 

Some of us think of the words while we're whistling.

[Kel]

hi Kel

 

unfair jibe.

 

Some of us think of the words while we're whistling.

 

Can't agree more, Rudi.

 

K

[mississippidave]

I'm gonna go with lyrics overall... There are some great sounding tunes out there that I just can't get into because the lyrics are so predictable or crafted for turning a quick buck. I can sit and listen to guys like Bob Dylan and John Prine all day long even if they aren't really reinventing the wheel with their chord choices. 

 

Then again-  I'm a huge fan of awesome instrumentation...  I definitely agree that they both have their place. Just a song with good music and cliche lyrics is more likely to put me off than a song with great lyrics and so/so music. And even more than that - Lyrics can be well put together, but the content matters too. Like tunes that are all about sex just to be overtly sexual or bragging about how much money someone has or how badass they think they are just to be edgy, modern and sell records... Just no. I don't care how cool the music is. It seems fake to me and it's basically unappealing in every way. Not that I can't appreciate something cheesy or that everything has to be deep... Just superficial stuff generated for turning profit in particular (ie a LOT of what makes it big these days) isn't interesting to me. And a huge part of that is the words cause the music isn't half bad in a lot of cases. 

[mississippidave]

But a lot of my favorite stuff is is all instrumental too so ... I dunno. I'm kind of rethinking it two seconds after I posted that. lol  It's a tough call. 

[Kel]

Burt Bacharach once told Hal David, "Nobody walks down the street whistling the lyrics!"

Poor Hal.

[Rudi]

Burt Bacharach once told Hal David, "Nobody walks down the street whistling the lyrics!"

Poor Hal.

 

I have a sense of deja vu ! (see post #14)

Edited June 2, 2015 by Rudi

[Kel]

I have a sense of deja vu ! (see post #14)

 

LOL It must be true then!

[scotsman89]

been thinking as I read this , and have to go with music , when you hear the start of songs waterloo sunset for one  you know straight away what is coming

but if you listen to songs / words you also hear some great lines this Romeo is bleeding-but you can't see the blood for example . but still going for music

john