Which is more important, the sound or the lyrics?

[Killer Fox]

Lyrics are important to me. I want to hear a story so it has to make sense and lyrics need to be understandable.

Unless I'm just listening to the music. Or Bob Dylan.

 

[noogies]

Lyrics are words.

How they are spoken or sang is sound.

Good, but what I'm getting at is, aren't the lyrics part of an integrated whole? And isn't "sound" kind of a vague term? Is the equation MUSIC + LYRICS = SOUND?

 

[eljr]

Good, but what I'm getting at is, aren't the lyrics part of an integrated whole? And isn't "sound" kind of a vague term? Is the equation MUSIC + LYRICS = SOUND?

No, sound is not a vague term at all.

1. 1.
   vibrations that travel through the air or another medium and can be heard when they reach a person's or animal's ear.
   "light travels faster than sound"
   • 
     
     
     
2. 2.
   sound produced by continuous and regular vibrations, as opposed to noise.

I think the words "sound." "lyrics" and "voice" are clearly defined.

I think what you are describing is the emotion generated through the combination of lyric, voice and sound.

 

[biscuithead]

Good, but what I'm getting at is, aren't the lyrics part of an integrated whole? And isn't "sound" kind of a vague term? Is the equation MUSIC + LYRICS = SOUND?

I think we are talking about two very different things that can be precisely separated.
1.) the emotions elicted by sound.
2.) the emotions elicted by the meaning of the words.

You could make an argument for "ska" being words that create a sound, but it is still sound.
You could make an argument for a song being sung in a language that you don't speak or understand. This would still fall under the category of sound, since the words have no meaning to you.

To me, in this context, I would define "lyrics" as words that equate to a meaning.


However, you have a point about an integrated whole. Perhaps the story told in the song "Cats in the cradle" by Harry Chapin Carpenter would have less impact on me if it wasn't for the accompanied melody. For me, this is the magic of "modern" music, or even Opera. Tell me a story that makes me feel, and then accentuate that feeling with a great groove.

 

[IPADave]

I go for the sound first....then the lyrics if I can figure them out.

+1

-Dave

 

[Alobar]

Probably sound but the best songs have some great lyrics in them as well. Last night I was listening to music I don't often play anymore and one of my old all time favorites came on, Ripple by the Grateful Dead and in that case (as it is with much of the Dead) the lyrics are at least as important as the music, at least to me.

 

[Mitkraft]

As a former instrumentalist, the music is first and foremost to me (that includes the music of the vocals) and the lyrics are just window dressing. I like many songs with completely nonsensical lyrics (i.e. Cake). What I really hate is a song with great music but lyrics that bother or offend me. I have this problem on occasion.

The Music, not the words. To me if the Music is good they could sing "I just crapped my pants" , and I would like the song.

LOL! That attitude will come in handy for the upcoming Stones tour.

 

[biscuithead]

Probably sound but the best songs have some great lyrics in them as well. Last night I was listening to music I don't often play anymore and one of my old all time favorites came on, Ripple by the Grateful Dead and in that case (as it is with much of the Dead) the lyrics are at least as important as the music, at least to me.

Ripple fan hear! Amen.

 

[darkblue94]

The Music, not the words. To me if the Music is good they could sing "I just crapped my pants" , and I would like the song.

Funny you should say that. In the case of a lot of very popular platinum selling Grammy Award winning songs, the lyrics haven't amounted to anything more than that.

 

[55Redneck]

For me the music is first,and foremost, the lyrics are secondary for the most part. Sometimes a song comes along that the first thing I notice is the lyrics but not as often as I notice the tune.

 

[yockmyer]

Music/sound...

 

[Ken Boyd]

The Music-sound, much of the world's best music has no lyrics.

I am listening to some wonderful Cello Concertos now and the music says it all.

 

[moviemusic]

Definitely put me in the sound camp. I have to really concentrate to try and decipher lyrics, while I have no problem getting meaning/emotion out of pure instrumentals. But then, I listen to movie scores, so ... *shrug*

 

[exhippy]

Who the hell needs lyrics with this kind of musicianship...

Yeah, it's 14 mins. long, but stick with it. Come-on! You don't have anything else to do....

That's why your on the internet!......

.

 

[Mystic]

You decide...

 

[Mystic]

Or this one...

 

[Mystic]

Or even this one...

 

[Mystic]

It can even happen in Metal. How about this one...

 

[noogies]

Is this thead going to degenerate into another list of Youtube songs people like?

 

[Mystic]

Great counter point to most posts.

Indeed, it took me years before I listened to Dylan because his sound was so irritating.

Took me until "Like A Rolling Stone", what is perhaps the finest "rock" song ever written and as originally performed it is sublime and powerful.