lyrics that won't leave me alone.

[Jon]

The counting?

Yea. Our interest in lyrics may be an interest in 1 of 3 things: (1) the content of the sentences, (2) the pace at which the words are being sung (the counting), or (3) both #1 and #2.

#2 is often thought to be associated with the rhythm or beat of the song (which may or may not be true depending on the song). This interest often goes unnoticed. Regardless, though, it stands that we derive a significant amount of pleasure from repeating certain patterns of counting.

Ex) the song that's in my head right now is like: 1....2..3.4.5...6..7.8.9...10..11, etc...where the dots represent how long the note is held and which syllable of the word is being held for how long.

 

[Orangey]

Listening to music in foreign languages makes me appreciate vocals more.

 

[EffEmDoubleyou]

Yeah, sometimes the lyrics can kill a song that's really strong musically (if you choose to interpret them).

True. One of my favorite bands is Def Leppard (Quiet, I'm old!) and if I ever stopped to listen to the lyrics in a critical way, I could never listen to them again.

 

[Orangey]

Yea. Our interest in lyrics may be an interest in 1 of 3 things: (1) the content of the sentences, (2) the pace at which the words are being sung (the counting), or (3) both #1 and #2.

#2 is often thought to be associated with the rhythm or beat of the song (which may or may not be true depending on the song). This interest often goes unnoticed. Regardless, though, it stands that we derive a significant amount of pleasure from repeating certain patterns of counting.

Ex) the song that's in my head right now is like: 1....2..3.4.5...6..7.8.9...10..11, etc...where the dots represent how long the note is held and which syllable of the word is being held for how long.

Aha...I do like music where the 'counting' is staggered or made inconsistent so that interest and dissonance (not the MBTIc member, ha) are created.

 

[Orangey]

True. One of my favorite bands is Def Leppard (Quiet, I'm old!) and if I ever stopped to listen to the lyrics in a critical way, I could never listen to them again.

Lol! Same with the Beatles (a lot of their stuff), early Pink Floyd (in my view, anyway), the list goes on.

 

[Jon]

I agree that lyrics are just as musical as the music. But I hear the voice as just another instrument unless the lyrics really speak to me. There's lots of music I love that I could never enjoy if I actually listened to what the lyrics mean.

And he does like her, which is why he doesn't want to do her wrong in the end. The narrator has a habit of bailing out of relationships when he has a crisis of confidence. And he wants to save this girl the hurt that is coming to her down the line by getting out before anyone is too invested. I admit that my reading of the lyrics is colored by the fact that I do this exact same thing

I totally get what you're saying now re: lyrical meaning. I agree.

Confidence, eh. I guess he's gotta solve that before it's too late. But he shouldn't just give up and claim (at the start) that he'll hurt her in the end. Doing this dooms it from the start. He is already giving up on his ability to change. That or he knows he'll never change (which begs the question, "why will he never change?").

 

[Jon]

I like vocals, but the confines created by language and especially rhyming is limiting musically.

This is interesting. Language confines music? What makes the language of music more vast than spoken language?



Regarding foreign lyrics: yea, to me, the fact that I don't know what they're saying just emphasizes the count.

Regarding lyrical meaning: yea, a lot of musicians are scum-bags. creeepy. I mean, The Police: I'll be watching you....wwoooowww...I mean, I'd never listen to the song but gee...psycho...

 

[Orangey]

This is interesting. Language confines music? What makes the language of music more vast than spoken language?



Regarding foreign lyrics: yea, to me, the fact that I don't know what they're saying just emphasizes the count.

Regarding lyrical meaning: yea, a lot of musicians are scum-bags. creeepy. I mean, The Police: I'll be watching you....wwoooowww...I mean, I'd never listen to the song but gee...psycho...

Vocal texture and range as well.

 

[Jon]

Vocal texture and range as well.

Ok, good. Vocal texture is definitely key. What sense of "range" are you using?

 

[Orangey]

Ok, good. Vocal texture is definitely key. What sense of "range" are you using?

The range of the singer (octaves), although that doesn't always matter in pop music.

 

[Jon]

The range of the singer (octaves), although that doesn't always matter in pop music.

The vocal texture may change depending on the language but you're saying that the range changes as well? I don't know if it does or not but I would guess that it doesn't. If it does then how is this done?

 

[Orangey]

The vocal texture may change depending on the language but you're saying that the range changes as well? I don't know if it does or not but I would guess that it doesn't. If it does then how is this done?

Oh, no, that's not what I meant. All I was saying was that lyrics in a foreign language help me to listen better to the vocals because I'm not distracted by the words. And it therefore helps me notice both the texture of the vocal and the range more so than I would have if the lyrics were in English.

I didn't mean that the language had any actual effect on the range. Oops, must have phrased my comment wrong. But yeah, I can see how the vocal texture may be changed because of the language, but definitely not the range.

 

[Jon]

Oh, no, that's not what I meant. All I was saying was that lyrics in a foreign language help me to listen better to the vocals because I'm not distracted by the words. And it therefore helps me notice both the texture of the vocal and the range more so than I would have if the lyrics were in English.

I didn't mean that the language had any actual effect on the range. Oops, must have phrased my comment wrong. But yeah, I can see how the vocal texture may be changed because of the language, but definitely not the range.

This makes me wonder about the other sounds we have yet to create and what impact they will have on us (given your comment that another language - which is another sound - can help you understand texture and range better). There is an infinite number of sounds given the endless combinations that can be made and maybe one specific combination will have such an impact on us as to change the way we process our thoughts. I guess physics would deny this by stating that we know the limits of what is audible (and everything in between) and that there is no such sound that could achieve this.

 

[disregard]

the chorus of made of stone by the stone roses

Sometimes IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Fantasiiiiiiiiiiiiiize
When the streets are cold and lonely
And the cars they burn below me
Don't these tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimes
Fill your eyeeeeeeeeeeees
When the streets are cold and lonely
And the cars they burn below me
Are you all alooooone?
Are you made of stone?



The verses are fun to sing too.

 

[The Ü™]

Anything by William Shatner.

Get out of my head, goddammit!

 

[violaine]

^Hah, yeah I'd like to hear him do "Closer" by NIN

 

[Jack Flak]

^Hah, yeah I'd like to hear him do "Closer" by NIN

Ewwwww. I can barely stomach the original version. It's one of my least favorite NIN songs, yet I'm sure I've heard it ten times more than any other due to POPULARITY.

 

[violaine]

^I like paradox, which is why I would find it amusing if William Shatner did a version. EDIT: Not a big NIN fan at all...

 

[violaine]

Father and Son by Cat Stevens. Affects me deeply. I particularly identify with the son's perspective.

(Father)
It's not time to make a change,
Just relax, take it easy.
You're still young, that's your fault,
There's so much you have to know.
Find a girl, settle down,
If you want you can marry.
Look at me, I am old, but I'm happy.

I was once like you are now, and I know that its not easy,
To be calm when you've found something going on.
But take your time, think a lot,
Why, think of everything you've got.
For you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not.

(Son)
How can I try to explain, when I do he turns away again.
It's always been the same, same old story.
From the moment I could talk I was ordered to listen.
Now there's a way and I know that I have to go away.
I know I have to go.

(Father)
It's not time to make a change,
Just sit down, take it slowly.
You're still young, that's your fault,
There's so much you have to go through.
Find a girl, settle down,
If you want you can marry.
Look at me, I am old, but I'm happy.
(son-- away away away, I know I have to
Make this decision alone - no)

(Son)
All the times that I cried, keeping all the things I knew inside,
It's hard, but it's harder to ignore it.
If they were right, I'd agree, but it's them you know not me.
Now there's a way and I know that I have to go away.
I know I have to go.
(father-- stay stay stay, why must you go and
Make this decision alone? )

 

[Jon]

Father and Son by Cat Stevens. Affects me deeply. I particularly identify with the son's perspective.

(Father)
It's not time to make a change,
Just relax, take it easy.
You're still young, that's your fault,
There's so much you have to know.
Find a girl, settle down,
If you want you can marry.
Look at me, I am old, but I'm happy.

I was once like you are now, and I know that its not easy,
To be calm when you've found something going on.
But take your time, think a lot,
Why, think of everything you've got.
For you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not.

(Son)
How can I try to explain, when I do he turns away again.
It's always been the same, same old story.
From the moment I could talk I was ordered to listen.
Now there's a way and I know that I have to go away.
I know I have to go.

(Father)
It's not time to make a change,
Just sit down, take it slowly.
You're still young, that's your fault,
There's so much you have to go through.
Find a girl, settle down,
If you want you can marry.
Look at me, I am old, but I'm happy.
(son-- away away away, I know I have to
Make this decision alone - no)

(Son)
All the times that I cried, keeping all the things I knew inside,
It's hard, but it's harder to ignore it.
If they were right, I'd agree, but it's them you know not me.
Now there's a way and I know that I have to go away.
I know I have to go.
(father-- stay stay stay, why must you go and
Make this decision alone? )

I totally agree. This song is awesome. Check out this commercial, lol: YouTube - Father and Son (awww, Saatchi..)