Anyone else not listen to song lyrics?

[guitarlix]

Or is it just me? I've always been this way even as a kid. I'd be listening to the kick drum, or the bass guitar or almost everything that there is in the track over multiple listens..........but I'd never pay attention to the lyrics.

So I know exactly how the song sounds vocally and all other instruments, but I don't know what the song means. And it doesn't bother me one bit. It's always been just the music for me.

[hellbender]

Me too. I can't hear all that well anyway so whats the use. And who cares what Stairway to Heaven lyrics are about anyway.

'the movement you need is on your shoulder, ha ha

[mtlin]

Often I don't consciously listen to the lyrics, but sometimes I find that I don't care for a song or a band that musically I would I thought would appeal to me. Then it hits me: the lyrics are lame. Trite, corny, or otherwise lame lyrics can kill it for me. Great lyrics can make the music sound better too.

[ben_allison]

That's cause most lyrics are lame... verbal diarrhea... failed attempts at pedantry or elitism... nonsensical post-modern narratives... melodramatic diary reading... juvenile rambling...

I for one think lyrics are hugely important... but, good lyrics? Slim pickins.

[chumpguitars]

i used to listen to lyrics... but then I started playing guitar, and all i listen to now is the instruments. If the instruments arent good, I wont listen to it; if the lyrics are bad, but the instruments are great, i listen.

[JazzHessian]

The way I see lyrics and vocals is that not enough people do them well enough to warrant having them. If you don't have something valuable to say, or at least an interesting way to say it, then it's just filler.

[rwe333]

I do my best to respect the writer/composer - of course, I'll pay attention to the lyrics, if present.
I aim to be a musician, not just a guitarist. ;)
That said, there's a significant difference between the prose of Richard Thompson and Buckcherry...

[Peppy]

That said, there's a significant difference between the prose of Richard Thompson and Buckcherry...

Sometimes I just get all lit up about a '52 Vincent.

[bostonwal]

I'm in this camp for sure. A great vocal melody and performance is what moves me. Most of the time I can't tell what the singer is singing but that does not bother me at all. Now, great lyrics (which, 95% of the time, I can only discern when reading a lyric sheet) are a great enhancement to a song. But I need a lyric sheet to know what anyone is actually singing, including my own singer.

I know some people are all about the lyrics - where they can't even tell if they like the song until they see the lyrics. That ain't me by a long shot.

[Ken Ho]

................and here was me thinking I was alone here.
I have listened to lived PJ albums thousands of times, totally oblivious to the lyrics, though lately I've been taking more interest. Probably because of the singing lessons.
It is kinda handy for keeping track of arrangements when playing in a band too.
There are a LOT of terribly lyrics out there though, esp some of the older stuff.
Sometimes, learning the lyrics can completely destroy a song, or watching Behind the Music, and realising that something you liked but had obscure meaning was literally just meaningless verbal diarhoea, or "stream of consciousness", which I think is the code used. PAul Simon's Call Me Al comes to mind here.

[FeloniousBishop]

I'm the same way. I listen to the tone of the instruments, the tone of the vocalists, the textures, the harmonies, the shape of the melody, the chord structure etc. etc. and almost never the lyrics, so I never know the lyrics to songs.

[snoggin]

I would have to disagree and say that to me anyway the music has to serve the song and help tell the story. At least in the best of songs ,, not to say that there isnt a great amount of drivel out there.. Great music has saved the day for any amount of drivel but to me they are equally important

[Gigbag]

It depends, but like most above, the music is of primary interest to me. the melody, the tone of the singing, but as long as the lyrics don't ruin the song, I don't get into them.

But, with songs like Hotel California, I know all the lyrics and sing along.

Most lyrics in popular music are not that deep or important to me.

[JJGross]

I don't listen to them beyond the first few words of each verse. Strange because I listen very closely to the melody and dynamics of the vocals, but I don't listen to the lyrics. I don't even know the words to songs I've heard hundreds of times.

Same here, and I'm the main singer in my band - always have been.
I learn lyrics songs I need to sing, but for the most part the lyrics I hear are so pathetic that if it's not on my setlist, I don't hardly even listen to the words.

[guitarwrench]

Ditto. I have no idea what the song means but I can tell you everything else about it musically. Drives my wife nuts when we go to a concert because I'm analyzing everything (but the lyrics.)

[FeloniousBishop]

It depends, but like most above, the music is of primary interest to me. the melody, the tone of the singing, but as long as the lyrics don't ruin the song, I don't get into them.

But, with songs like Hotel California, I know all the lyrics and sing along.

Most lyrics in popular music are not that deep or important to me.

On a dark desert highway
Cool wind in my hair
All spare a paleechay
Driving us to the air


The best I can do

[Tonefish]

Most often I hear the vocals as just another instrument versus words.

[Randaddy]

I'm not alone!

Yes, I listen to a song a hundred times and don't have a clue what is being said.

And yet, if the vocal hook is catchy, I know it. Kind of like a guitar riff. But the rest of the words are no more than another instrument.

[Cowboy]

I ALWAYS listen to the lyrics, if the mix makes them available. And lame lyrics can ruin a song for me. :dunno

I'm a songwriter...

And a musician.

Cheers,
Cowboy

[SyKrash]

I listen for melodies, not lyrics.

[teletalkin]

Three words to the wack
and you get yourself back
you boogie on down
and give me no slack

Like a butta-cade
and a sack of big macks
you throwin down
with a wrap-o-sack



I wish to high Heaven I never listened to that back in the 80's. I'll never get that out of my head for as long as I live!

[forestryguy]

For me its the sound of the words being sung rather than the meaning. I have no problem listening to all kinds of "world music" in languages I don't comprehend. Really makes very little difference in most genres. Good lyrics sometimes get my attention, most recently Sam Baker's songs have moved me to tears (literally).

[shane88]

given you are listening to "songs" i would hope you'd listen to the lyrics
when i started i was more interested in the rhythm/groove than anything else
then i discovered if you move your fingers around you can make notes
but sometimes the words are very interesting + if they aren't then i don't listen
to sum up - the words are the most important to me now

[Shiny McShine]

I'm very aware of lyrics and if they are the slightest bit off, I can't hardly play the song. It's made it really difficult over the years and I've envied the players who simply don't care because they seem to be able to be happy just playing their guitars. On the other hand, I know it's a gift too because I know what really moves my soul lyrically.

[atquinn]

Lyrics are a pretty big deal to me. However, while, there are many songs I hate based on lyrics alone, I can't think af any I love based solely on lyrics.

-Austin

[stratman89]

I'm not alone!

Yes, I listen to a song a hundred times and don't have a clue what is being said.

And yet, if the vocal hook is catchy, I know it. Kind of like a guitar riff. But the rest of the words are no more than another instrument.

You said it, I'm the same way!
I get so wrapped up in guitar technique, styles, tones, leads, riffs, rhythms........................................... ....I forget about the lyrics :dunno

[P90Nut]

I have always thought that it was just me that was like this. It has always been about the music for me.

Mark

Or is it just me? I've always been this way even as a kid. I'd be listening to the kick drum, or the bass guitar or almost everything that there is in the track over multiple listens..........but I'd never pay attention to the lyrics.

So I know exactly how the song sounds vocally and all other instruments, but I don't know what the song means. And it doesn't bother me one bit. It's always been just the music for me.

[TungstenAmp]

Lyrics are the last thing I care about with music. The vocal melody is as important as the guitar solo, but I may listen to a song I like a dozen times before worrying about the "message".

[macheesmo3]

I think one can enjoy lyrics even if the "message" is kinda silly. Tom Waits has wonderful songs lyrically that don't mean much if anything. ( and some that are just about being a snarky, salty, seafaring drunk!) Being able to put words together in an interesting way is just as important to me as the music. Now that being said , i still like AC/Dc and their lyrics are usually just kinda silly and fun. But I think everything has it's context !

[jazzandmetal?]

Lyrics aren't important to me. The vocals like Tonefish above said, are like another instrument.

[Hacksaw]

Lyrics, nah.. chorus yes, I have to learn the words for backing. so I do listen to some parts. Funny how we only listen to what we need. ?? no?

[supergenius365]

Lyrics make or break a song for me. I have discounted a lot of songs that, while they have great music, I cannot stand to listen to lame lyrics. It is usually after the lyrics that I start to dig the music behind them.

[paraedolia]

That's cause most lyrics are lame... verbal diarrhea... failed attempts at pedantry or elitism... nonsensical post-modern narratives... melodramatic diary reading... juvenile rambling...And then there's Marc Bolan who took it to a whole new level of WTF :D

[NyteOwl]

I would suspect most of you who pay no attention to the lyrics are strictly guitarists then, and not guitarist/vocalists..?

[BIGGERSTAFF]

It depends on the lyrics. If they're really attrocious, then they'll be a distraction. If they're catchy enough, or resonate with me somehow, I'll probably remember them.

[Tone_Terrific]

The line between deep and drivel is somtimes too much work to discern so if I don't get it, I sure don't sweat it.

Still, you cannot deny the power of a catchy lyrical hook in a song.

"Who put the ram in the rama-lama-ding-dong?":)

[Kenny D]

Lyrics? I couldn't care less.

My kids alway aske me that the lyrics mean and I have to tell them I never pay any attention to them

[Adwex]

Or is it just me? I've always been this way even as a kid. I'd be listening to the kick drum, or the bass guitar or almost everything that there is in the track over multiple listens..........but I'd never pay attention to the lyrics.

So I know exactly how the song sounds vocally and all other instruments, but I don't know what the song means. And it doesn't bother me one bit. It's always been just the music for me.

Same here. That's why I like instrumental music.

Lyrics = wasted time between guitar solos. :)

[bostonwal]

I've heard people say that they don't know if they like a song if they don't know the lyrics. I'm dumbfounded by that. I mean, there should be able to be some emotional reaction to it, positive or negative, before getting a lyric sheet shouldn't there?

[Mojoblue]

Lyrics make or break a song for me. I have discounted a lot of songs that, while they have great music, I cannot stand to listen to lame lyrics. It is usually after the lyrics that I start to dig the music behind them.

:agree


For me a great lyric can take the emotional impact of the song and raise it a hundred times. Terrible lyrics however can make songs virtually unlistenable regardless of how great the music is. That's not to say that I would automatically disregard a piece of music with terrible lyrics if I thought I could learn (or steal!) something from it musically but it would definitely dampen the whole musical experience.

[CAJUN]

Mainly a music listener. But there's a few lyrics I like to listen to like Tony Bennet, Frampton, Paul Rodgers, Clapton.

[Gargloic]

I don't listen to lyrics at all. Even if I can sing a song by heart, ain't got a clue what it's all about.

Though my native language is French and I mostly listen English music.

But I don't listen to French lyrics anyway...

:jo :messedup

Gargloic

[PUCKBOY99]

Anyone else not listen to song lyrics?





............ I'm sorry, were you saying something ?







:D

[stratotonedude]

I rarely if ever pay attention to lyrics unless it is pre-WWII blues or Black folk music. Those lyrics are interesting to me. About the only bands whose lyrics I listen to are the Meat Puppets and BUtthole Surfers. Maybe occasionally Captain Beefheart or Frank Zappa. But when I am not listening to early blues I am usually listening to music that doesn't have any lyrics or singing in it like jazz.

[SamsDaddy]

I almost never listen to lyrics, even in songs I love. I prefer instrumental music in almost all cases. Good lyrics do not suddenly make bad music "good." But, good music with bad lyrics is fine with me - I probably wouldn't even notice that the lyrics are "bad" because I just simply don't care.

My wife is always talking about how great such and such song is... when I comment that I don't think it is anything special, she tries to convince me of how deep the meaning is, etc. After 12 years, I think she is finally starting to figure out that I just don't hear words in songs.

A couple of friends of mine were trying to convince me how great Elvis Costello is. I said I just don't like him, he does nothing for me. After forcing me to listen to a whole CD, they were baffled that I still didn't like it - "You don't love the poetry, the storytelling!?" My reply - "You said these were great songs, not great poems. I read poems, I don't listen to them."

People clearly have different priorities when it comes to musical enjoyment. Some people ONLY listen to lyrics and couldn't care less about the music. And they think we are crazy for not hearing the lyrics.

BTW - first post here. Been lurking for just a bit, and this thread caught my attention because I definitely thought I was alone in only listening to the music.

[stratotonedude]

I like Elvis Costello's My Aim Is True because I like the guitar playing on it.