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When you like a song, is it more for the lyrics or the music?
It varies. I guess more often it's for the music, but there are some songs I largely like for the lyrics.
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Originally Posted by lisa4eyes
If you say both, how about giving us some examples of both?
I guess the obvious example of preferring songs for the music is instrumental songs. However I would guess most or nearly all foreign language songs I like I like for the music. Good examples of that being "Harry's Game" by Clannad, "Seinn O" by Mouth Music, "Cursum Perficio" by Enya, "Emabhaceni" by Miriam Makeba, "La Bamba" by Ritchie Valens, "Sadeness" by Enigma, "Sukiyaki" by Kyu Sakamoto, etc.
In English I'm pretty sure there's some R&B and dance music that I mostly like or liked for the rhythm. I think I thought "Long Tall Sally" said something about "she's got everything an Octagon needs" which I found slightly confusing or nonsensical, but I still liked the song. (I guess it was actually "Uncle John") I liked "Funkytown" as a boy and the lyrics were either nonsense or basically unimportant.
For songs I like more for their lyrics my first thoughts is some things by Sarah MacLachlan and They Might Be Giants. Not exactly musicians you'd normally place together I know. Anyway "Where Your Eyes Don't Go" and "I Palindrome I" by TMBG really depend on the clever wordplay and imagery for their appeal. The music is okay, but the lyrics in this case are quite important. "Hold On", "Angel" and "Building a Mystery" by MacLachlan depend a lot on the lyrics to give the emotional power. Also a lot of folk and traditional blues music depends on the lyrics to a large degree. Something like "Lord Won't You Buy Me a Mercedes Benz" by Janis Joplin or "Case of You" by Joni Mitchell. The most extreme example coming to mind might be "Ode to Billie Joe" by Bobbie Gentry even if it's not a favorite of mine. The lyrics are fascinating in a way, but mostly I don't think the music is all that interesting or notable. Also "Me and a Gun" by Tori Amos is almost just her telling a story in an eerie acapella sing-song.
There are also several songs I like for a bit of both reasons. I'm not a big Beatles person actually, but "Eleanor Rigby" is fairly good melody and the lyrics are quite poignant. (I like it that '60s "youth culture" produced a song that at least seems to be about fairly sympathetic characters who are old and alone) Probably others, but it's rather late right now.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lisa4eyes
Do you seem to favor male, or female singing voices more?
Female, mostly. Although I don't necessarily like a female voice that's really high.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lisa4eyes
When you have a song in your head, is it the singers voice you hear, or your voice singing the song?
The singer usually. Maybe there's an exception, but I can't think of one. My voice is rather scratchy and high.
For me it's not even close; the music is nearly all. So many songs that I have loved over the years have lyrics that could as easily be replaced word for word with others. Look at all the Motown stuff, which is some of my favorite; not to say that the lyrics don't work, that they don't fit, that they are not perfectly suitable for the music. But mostly they are not saying anything at all profound or enlightening or even important...... Even one of the best of the lyricists from that era, Smoky Robinson was more interested in making the words fit, work for a certain tune than he was in saying anything. And I'd say the same about most of my favorite rock guys, Beatles, Stones, Led. Dylan is probably the best lyricist to come along since the time of the standards. He, along with Paul Simon and Sting and Joni Mitchell. But still for me what makes their music work is just that, the music.
I think women on the average have better singing "voices" than men, but still I'm more likely to listen to men. Why? I think it has to do with things like raw energy, aggression, some kind of angst that seems to be more masculine. I sure don't want to come off like this is an easy question to answer. It isn't, and they are all three very good questions and a good thread...
At first when I hear a song in my head, thankfully replaced by some of the more "troubling voices" I hear in my head, it is the song the way it is in its recording that I'm most familiar with that I hear. 'Course, it's usually within the first verse that I gotta stick my two cents in, even if I keep it to myself.
When you have a song in your head, is it the singers voice you hear, or your voice singing the song?
Interesting questions lisa! Especially the one above. When I first read it, I wasn't sure what my answer would be, but within a few seconds this next song popped into my head. I instantly knew...the voice in my head was most definitely the singer's, and not my own. My voice is much deeper than his!
I'm surprised More Than a Feeling didn't make it to #1. Anyone know off hand what some of the #1 songs were when this song was at it's peak popularity?
When you like a song, is it more for the lyrics or the music?
If you say both, how about giving us some examples of both?
Do you seem to favor male, or female singing voices more?
When you have a song in your head, is it the singers voice you hear, or your voice singing the song?
When I like a song, I like it for the melody over the words. The best example I can give you would be Pearl Jam's Yellow Ledbetter. I know the song has meaning and I'm aware of the reasons why it was written as it was, but most of the words sung in the version released are unintelligible. Still, the melody is beautifully reminiscent of Hendrix infused with a little early 90's grunge.
I am a female, but I generally prefer the sound of a male's singing voice. Exceptions would be Amy Lee (Evanescence) or Pink who I think have exceptional voices. The male voices I like are Eddie Vedder (phenomenal singer and songwriter), Jared Leto (30 Seconds to Mars), James Hetfield (Metallica), and Chris Daughtry. I rate how good a person's voice is by how good it sounds live and those I listed above are good examples of guys who put on great shows whether electric or acoustic.
When I hear the song in my head, it is usually the singer and it is usually a very small snippet of the song, often 3-5 words. I tend to hear them over and over until another song comes in and replaces it.
I'm surprised More Than a Feeling didn't make it to #1. Anyone know off hand what some of the #1 songs were when this song was at it's peak popularity?
It was still the disco era and Elton John and Kiki Dee were number one for the entire month of August 1976. Here's Billboard's #1s from that year. Disco Duck makes it to #1 - More Than A Feeling gets the shaft.
I'm surprised More Than a Feeling didn't make it to #1. Anyone know off hand what some of the #1 songs were when this song was at it's peak popularity?
It was still the disco era and Elton John and Kiki Dee were number one for the entire month of August 1976. Here's Billboard's #1s from that year. Disco Duck makes it to #1 - More Than A Feeling gets the shaft.
When you like a song, is it more for the lyrics or the music?
For me it is a combination of both the lyrics and the music.
If you say both, how about giving us some examples of both?
My favorite genre of music is Neo Soul because this is one of the few genres left that actually use LIVE instruments. The music is so mellow that it allows me to relax and to drift into my own thoughts. I am also a firm believer that music should have a message of some sort. A true artist is able to make the music and lyrics meld into perfect harmony. An example of this is "Come see me" by Neo Soul queen Jill Scott. The saxophone mixed with her sensual lyrics create an unbelievably beautiful song. Another example of lyric and music being a perfect match is "Love Ultra" by Dwele.
Do you seem to favor male, or female singing voices more?
I seem to favor female voices more.
When you have a song in your head, is it the singers voice you hear, or your voice singing the song?
Great question! I tend to remember the song exactly as the artists sings it with their voice.
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