Lyrical Content > Music?

[rms]

Last time I checked, lyrics are part of the music in the same way that different riffs, basslines and drum patterns are part of a band's music. Even if you're listening to something like black or death metal where the vocals are unintelligible, the lyrics are still a part of the music and the way it's presented, and are generally related to the mood or concept of the album.

isn't this more of vocals not lyrics if you cannot understand them?

 

[Vossyrus]

If a band writes exceptional lyrics then I'm likely to care about their lyrics (ie. Cradle of Filth) but if not, then I probably won't care.

I don't look at every band in the same light and I'd rather judge the music as a whole and not try to dissect a band by each individual element/instrument. I don't expect every band to write great lyrics, just the same as I don't care if a band only has an average drummer or guitarist. It's likely the band will make up for it in other areas and overall or I probably wouldn't find them appealing in the first place.

 

[Belligerent]

I do care more with non-metal music, but I care very little about lyrics in metal and I often would rather not be able to understand them some of the time.

Exactly.

 

[Evil?]

Personally, I do value lyrics, but rarely do I lose interest in a band because its lyrics are silly. I draw a line, and good lyrics put a band above that line, but bad lyrics never pull a band below it.

I have said almost this exact same thing to people.

I do care more with non-metal music, but I care very little about lyrics in metal and I often would rather not be able to understand them some of the time. Normally if the lyrics manage to be not bad, that's enough. A dumb, easily audible lyric can nearly ruin a song at times. But that's not all that often.

I also agree with this.


Sometimes understanding the lyrics makes metal songs a lot more fun however. Amon Amarth pops to mind. Many of those songs would not be as fun to headbang to and shout with if you could not understand the lyrics about MIGHTY VIKING BATTLES!

 

[Black Friday]

I only care about how the lyrics fit in with the music. If it's clunky, and the vocalist trips over the lyrics, I won't much like it. Good lyrics for me just mean that they provide the vocalist with something cool to say that sounds awesome, not reads, awesome. (Although it can be cool to read through the lyric sheet, sometimes.)

 

[TheInsane]

isn't this more of vocals not lyrics if you cannot understand them?

Well, I always read the lyrics the first few times I listen to a cd so I know what they are about. So to me it does matter even though they may be hard to hear without a piece of paper with the lyrics written down in front of me.

 

[Rayy]

Sociologically, women pay more attention to lyrics than men, but I don't mean that as anything personal.

I'd agree with that... while I'd never really totally dismiss a band for its lyrics, I find myself listening more to bands whose lyrics I enjoy or relate to. I don't know, I guess I just need the lyrics to be at least mildly intelligent so I don't feel dumb listening to it.

 

[cannibal corpse]

Mystique in death / black metal songs is an important part of the music for me. If you don't understand what they're talking about you can only imagine what they're saying, I have read a few Cannibal Corpse and Devourment lyrics though.

 

[metalISmetal]

As a singer in a metal band iv found lyrics to be largely pointess, i take time to construct a story/message into the songs im writing but its very very rare that anyone can actually understand them when im barking them at people, so its kinda frustrating. It has the upisde of being able to just growl 'floor' or 'wall' if i happen to forget some lyrics!

 

[whiskey funeral]

Metal is clearly a genre whereby lyrics are a secondary priority.

How I view it, good lyrics effectively complement a musical opus, but if the lyrics aren't that great, by no means does that deteriorate the quality of the actual music.

I agree with this 100%.

 

[metalISmetal]

^

I agree that if the lyrical content itself is weak, it wont really effect the musicianship involved in the song. However, singing does require good musicanship as well, as the voice is an instrument of its own. If it isnt structured properly within a song it can make a severe impact on whether the song flows well.

Getting syllables to match up with snare hits/guitar rythms etc is a talent in itself IMO.

 

[Alongside Death]

Lyrics are definitly the second thing I focus on while listetning to metal. However if music is good and lyrics are stock and simple it ruins the song in general for me. Ofcourse I will still listen to the song but I would rather not to pay attention to lyrics.

Anyway good lyrics are a completion of a great music. I don't mean some astro-existencial-whatthefuck lyrics like Borknagar does, I mean lyrics that fits to the climate of the song. A perfect example would be Slaughter of Dreams or Dark Night of The Soul by Mayhem from the Chimera album, lyrics fits perfectly to those songs.

I talk about Chimera all the time because I am listetning to this album for 6 months, and I can't get enough of it.

 

[SentinelSlain]

I don't understand people who dislike a certain band because of their lyrics, if the music is good, why should it matter what kind of lyrics they write? Like, in the band recommendations forum, I see many threads like "Recommend me a band with this kind of lyrical theme" or whatever. I can't understand how that matters, care to explain?

I generally prefer some kind of fantast lyrics to political ones. I just dont want a load of that shit put on me when I'm listening to music. Maybe I don't agree with the politics in a song. Surely you can see how that might ruin it for me.

 

[metalISmetal]

I can imagine if a song has a lyrical theme you find offensive (Anti gay/black etc etc) it would put you off certainly. I played a guitar for a band where the singer wrote alot of controversial lyrics. I left it in the end as i didnt wat to be representingthose views.

Generally every band i like has lyrics thta i enjoy, i dont neecesairly always understand what their message is but i can appreciate a well written song.

 

[SentinelSlain]

yeah I wouldn't listen to music that was overtly like that, like racist O! punk or something but that's not all that I meant.

I don't really enjoy listening to anti white rap either really or metal that takes the side (generally VERY slightly) of people who are against my country or my side of the world etc. The thing is, to me, 'oh well ages ago YOU (white westerner) did all this so it's the intelligent thing to take the side of someone who reacts against that' seems a bit like the kind of thoughts that result in most of the attempted genocides that have taken place etc. I don't believe in 'a right to hypocrisy'.

 

[ossa]

I generally don't pay much attention to lyrics except in the case where they are exceptionally well written or thought provoking. I absolutely love Insomnium's lyrics, they're so poetic and beautiful.

 

[entanglement]

Lyrical Content > Music?

Not for me.

 

[False Joe]

Maybe a couple of years ago.

Now I find I lean the other way (WITH MUSIC. I'm a heterosexual. I know I shouldn't have to type that, but even I could see the joke that could come out of that)

 

[Jreg]

As mentioned earlier, it's definitely secondary in metal where the music usually dictates the dynamics. In, say, folk or hip hop though, the music is often so compositionally minimal that it's necessary for the lyrics to act as the driving force. What counts as good lyrics also depends greatly to me though. It doesn't have to be very deep or meaningful---or even grammatically correct, for that matter. It could just sound aesthetically nice.

 

[Vacant_Planets]

I find the more complex the arrangements, etc etc, the less the lyrics matter....though the vocals still may.