Which Do You Let Do The Talking? The Music Or Lyrics?

[IShred4Life]

So basically, when you write a song, do you focus on a colorful lyric with basic chords behind it? Or do you fully express yourself through the music with lyrics that double the intensity? Or a mixture of both?

 

Personally,I think the music almost ALWAYS comes first, with a few exceptions. The music that inspires me is rather complex pieces, that wouldn't need lyrics to express emotion but add lyrics to intensify the song. I mean The lyrics could be great for some songs, but if the music is crappy, who's gonna stay to listen? On the other hand, alot of mainstream music is rather simple with good lyrics to back it up. (sometimes songs like that piss me off... lol. But only if its a crappy song ) 

 

Which do you think is better? Or are they both equally effective? A great example of a complex song is Megadeth's Holy Wars... The Punishment Due. I suggest looking it up. But a great example of a simpler song that was equally popular was their 1992 Symphony Of Destruction. (I suggest that one too)

 

What do you all think?

 

~ Zack

[IShred4Life]

Yeah same here man lol

[Rudi]

I usually listen to the music first. Lately I have felt compelled to do both at once (because of John's lyric challenges).

 

For years I paid scant attention to the words. One big reason was that I could seldom make out he words anyway on many songs. I kind of gave up. As a player, I thought 'well thats the singers job. Its his problem.

 

I recall listening to the Eagles 'Paradise' for the first time (1980?) and hearing the words loud & strong. I was knocked out by the power & symetry of those words. It was like hearing a Dylan song.

 

Music will always be of prime importance to me, but the marriage of great words to music is a strange one. You cant just take a poem and expect that to work. Lyrics need to be simpler and work at a slower pace. Therefore repetition works in song the way it never could do in a poem. I do not say that repetition in a poem cant work; just that its works differently.

[Kel]

There is an old expression, that nobody whistles a lyric as they walk down the street.

 

However, they do think them, or at least I do. I don't regard myself a performer, or a player of note, so I guess to me the lyrics are more important than the music. If the words suck, I don't bother with the music, but if the music sucks, I don't bother with the words, no matter how good they may be. 

 

It's a balance. And I think it always has been.

 

Kel

[IShred4Life]

Amen to that Kel. Nice feedback and insight guys Its like the creative Yin and Yang lol

[quiqueguitar]

Both

[Ayrayen]

Are 'Qui' mentioned, both important depending on what type of music you're making. 

Personally, i'm not much of a singer, so I tend to give or at least Try to give - my melodies some sort of... 'twist' in the melody.

And as Kel mentioned "There is an old expression, that nobody whistles a lyric as they walk down the street."

I think lyrics speak more to the person, it becomes something more of a personal thing. 
Let's say.. Me, as a depressed guy, I easily get drawn into the more 'morbid' & 'depressed' parts in the lyrics out there.
Because I have sort of been in the same situation as expressed in the 'lyrics' and therefore I can relate too it. 
This is something Melody can't do. 

However, something that Melody can do and sometimes is extra strong at... Is the fact that
it speaks with just tunes and melodies.
Sometimes it awakens and releases my inner repressed thoughts and sorrow. 
In which lyrics never managed to do. 

That's something that just intrigues me a lot~

Gotta love music maan!

 

[IShred4Life]

Are 'Qui' mentioned, both important depending on what type of music you're making. 

Personally, i'm not much of a singer, so I tend to give or at least Try to give - my melodies some sort of... 'twist' in the melody.

And as Kel mentioned "There is an old expression, that nobody whistles a lyric as they walk down the street."

I think lyrics speak more to the person, it becomes something more of a personal thing. 

Let's say.. Me, as a depressed guy, I easily get drawn into the more 'morbid' & 'depressed' parts in the lyrics out there.

Because I have sort of been in the same situation as expressed in the 'lyrics' and therefore I can relate too it. 

This is something Melody can't do. 

However, something that Melody can do and sometimes is extra strong at... Is the fact that

it speaks with just tunes and melodies.

Sometimes it awakens and releases my inner repressed thoughts and sorrow. 

In which lyrics never managed to do. 

That's something that just intrigues me a lot~

Gotta love music maan!

 

I understand completely. Interesting to see everyones thoughts on this

[viktormarkin]

Both..

But even both are not enough.

There is 1 more element needed also.

 

I do not know what it is but some say it s muse.

I guess it s starting with emptying your mind. At least mine works like that.

[Siona]

Fact is that there is no song without music (then it would be a poem or something) but there are some without lyrics. In my opinion the music shows mostly everything you have to know about the meaning of the song. You get to know whether it is a sad or a happy song. So you don't need lyrics necessarily. But for me, they are some kind of expressing oneself. The few songs I wrote just include a few chords and the lyrics are "more important".

You can tell the one's who are listening something about yourself and put your feelings into words. But the lyrics don't exclude the melody.

In the end it's the mixture of both and the harmony.

[Pat Spriggs]

A good melody will keep me listening longer then great words. My writing always starts with the melody, the feel, the theme. Sometimes both. 

 

But the melody is king, my friend

Edited April 17, 2014 by Pat Spriggs