Bad lyrics in great songs.

[jeffe]

We've all been picking apart each others songs on here. Praising some whilst criticising others.What about all those big hits?There's a lot with questionable lyrics in them. Lyrics that don't fit.We're not the only ones that don't get it right all the time.I'll start off with an example.'Chasing cars' by Snow Patrol has the following line in it:"Show me a garden that's bursting into life".There doesn't appear to be any relation in that line, to the rest of the song. In fact. I've seen this line criticised on a few music web sites.For those of you who don't know the song. It was a massive hit.The music and vocals are fantastic, and that was what sold it for me.Even though that line is irrelevant. It didn't stop it from being the smash hit it was.Got some more examples?

[jchitty]

Quote:We've all been picking apart each others songs on here. Praising some whilst criticising others.What about all those big hits?There's a lot with questionable lyrics in them. Lyrics that don't fit.We're not the only ones that don't get it right all the time.I'll start off with an example.'Chasing cars' by Snow Patrol has the following line in it:"Show me a garden that's bursting into life".There doesn't appear to be any relation in that line, to the rest of the song. In fact. I've seen this line criticised on a few music web sites.For those of you who don't know the song. It was a massive hit.The music and vocals are fantastic, and that was what sold it for me.Even though that line is irrelevant. It didn't stop it from being the smash hit it was.Got some more examples?Here's a song which I think has a few bad lyrics....."Like Red On A Rose." I am a big Alan Jackson fan. I love just about any song he sings, but that was a song that had me going 'What?"I just don't think it was one of his better songs. I don't think he wrote that one, forgot who did.Anyway, the lyrics in question were something like (can't remember them exactly):"And I love you like all little children love penniesAnd I love you like good times of which I've known many"I just think the songwriter was looking for a word to rhyme with many, and he came up with this 'all little children love pennies" line because he couldn't think of anything else.....it just sounds kind of goofy to me, but as I say, I can't be too critical of anyone who gets a hit song on the radio, hehe. People obviously liked it.I think that if I'd written that song though, TAXI screeners would have said something like, "well do all little children REALLY love pennies" and what does that line have to do with the overall idea of your song?

[jeffe]

And I love you like my good old friend called Benny.No.And I love you like cartman loves his buddy Kenny.No.And I love you like my prized collection of pennies.No.Aha.And I love you like all little children love pennies.That'll do.

[jchitty]

Quote:And I love you like my good old friend called Benny.No.And I love you like cartman loves his buddy Kenny.No.And I love you like my prized collection of pennies.No.Aha.And I love you like all little children love pennies.That'll do. LOL, good stuff.

[mixopenta]

Not to mention Jon Andersons lyrics in some (or all) of Yes epics:Close to the edge"A seasoned witch could call you from the depths of your disgrace,And rearrange your liver to the solid mental grace,And achieve it all with music that came quickly from afar,Then taste the fruit of man recorded losing all against the hour".Does anybody have a clue...?

[jeffe]

Quote:Not to mention Jon Andersons lyrics in some (or all) of Yes epics:Close to the edge"A seasoned witch could call you from the depths of your disgrace,And rearrange your liver to the solid mental grace,And achieve it all with music that came quickly from afar,Then taste the fruit of man recorded losing all against the hour".Does anybody have a clue...? I reckon he had been eating too much Alphabetti Spaghetti.

[Casey H]

Quote:Not to mention Jon Andersons lyrics in some (or all) of Yes epics:Close to the edge"A seasoned witch could call you from the depths of your disgrace,And rearrange your liver to the solid mental grace,And achieve it all with music that came quickly from afar,Then taste the fruit of man recorded losing all against the hour".Does anybody have a clue...? That's because back then nobody exhaled.

[jeffe]

It's really ok if it doesn't exist for you, but just because it doesn't exist for you, does not mean you can exclude the opinions of everyone else in the world to suit you own.Some of us do believe that it's possible.Song means sung?Wikipedia states:"A song is a relatively short musical composition for the human voice"That looks to me like it includes the music too.You comments about the lobster are disproportionate to the original point.It's like you are claiming that I am inferring that the entire lyrical section has to be "Bad". Please correct me if that is not what you meant. Generally, human turds, though varying in size, shape and consistency, are quite big.A better analogy would be "Waiter, there's a fly in my soup".Though I do admit to being partial to a bit of lobster

[jeffe]

Hey. Of course I am reading you I'm quite enjoying this.Simmer down?I'm as cool as a cucumber.I appreciate your opinion on this. I'm not sure if I totally agree on lyrics being the most important part. From my perspective. Great lyrics are the ones that conjour images to mind. Great music does exactly the same (Well to me it does). It's all about sparking the imagination.So I think the lyrics and music play an equal part. They've got to dance with each other.Am I right in saying that you see "A great song" as a perfect song? Lyrically and musically?Because that might be where we differ in our opinion.We're getting good at using analogies on here, so here goes A great man can be called great because of his great achievements. However, he will have probably done some not so great things too. He is forgiven for this, and still regarded as great, because the great things he has done, outweigh the bad things.So that's my take on it.If I hear a song that touches every part of me, but it has one questionable line. I will still call it great because the good things far outweigh the bad.That's how I assess greatness.

[jchitty]

Quote:Hey. Of course I am reading you I'm quite enjoying this.Simmer down?I'm as cool as a cucumber.I appreciate your opinion on this. I'm not sure if I totally agree on lyrics being the most important part. From my perspective. Great lyrics are the ones that conjour images to mind. Great music does exactly the same (Well to me it does). It's all about sparking the imagination.So I think the lyrics and music play an equal part. They've got to dance with each other.Am I right in saying that you see "A great song" as a perfect song? Lyrically and musically?Because that might be where we differ in our opinion.We're getting good at using analogies on here, so here goes A great man can be called great because of his great achievements. However, he will have probably done some not so great things too. He is forgiven for this, and still regarded as great, because the great things he has done, outweigh the bad things.So that's my take on it.If I hear a song that touches every part of me, but it has one questionable line. I will still call it great because the good things far outweigh the bad.That's how I assess greatness.As far as lyrics being that important, you have a point. Lyrics may have been really important in the past, but America seems to have a short attention now. Maybe everyone is just so busy. No one wants to take the time to 'think' about anything anymore, so a catchy melody and a good hook seem to be what draw listeners in. Most of my friends can remember the chorus words, hook and melody, but most all of them flub the verse lines.