You and Music

[michel]

What is more important, the lyrics, or the music itself ? If you reply "The music itself" - a further question: do you like listening to Classical (ie instrumental) music ?

 

[Green Gaia]

Both are important. And yes, I love Classical music.

 

[Valjean]

Very interesting question.
Usually I feel the music and lyrics so intertwined I really can't dissect them into separate categories.
I do seem to enjoy instrumental music more than I enjoy poetry, though, but once combined I can't easily unravel them.

 

[Circle_One]

Great question!

For me, I'd have to say both. It depends on the band. For example, my absolute favorite band could never keep it together long enough for their songs to actually sound "good", for lack of a better word, their drummer played too fast, their bassist played too slow, they could never keep time with one another, and their singer was always too trashed for you to even understand what he was singing, but he was such a lyrical genius, that even though you could barely hear (or understand) what he was singing, I can't help but love them simply for his ability to write the most amazing lyrics.
But there are other bands who's lyrics I'm not fond of, they don't really mean anything, but their music is just so powerful, I get lost in the rhythm and the beauty of it.

As for the instrumental question, I don't mind it, I can listen to it, if I'm in the mood.

 

[Abram]

Both can be important, but as circle said it all must come together. I've been learning to play the piano now for a year and has really opened my eyes to the talent and hard work tha goes in to any music... John Coltrane is about the only instumental I enjoy.

 

[Ori]

Music is the most important to me, I love classical music, the words to Bach and Beethoven could be about sheep dipping and they would still sound great.

 

[john63]

The music and lyrics are equally important to me. If I like the rhythm and melody of a song, but the lyrics suck, I don't enjoy it. Likewise, if the song has good lyrics put to a crappy rhytm and melody I also can't enjoy it.

 

[Dark_Waltz]

The lyrics always the lyrics,
The music is important but lyrics attract me personally thats why alot of popular music leaves me unimpressed.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Mainly the lyrics, but rarly the music is souly enough to make me like a song. I do enjoy classical music aswell.

 

[Buttons*]

lyrics get me every time... unless they just have an amazing unique voice... then i cant help it

 

[gnomon]

It depends.

In the past definitely the music and more specifically the guitar work. I loved to listen to Metallica's first three albums and Primus's work. I enjoy to listen to many differenct "classical" styles. Getting lost in the music really allows the imagination to prosper. Then folk and traditional music grabbed me and it became both really. Paul Simon is a great musician and lyricist but female vocalists from Ireland or who sing traditional Celtic/Irish songs get me every time.

Now its both. I can lose myself listening to tracks from the 'Last of the Mohicans' soundtrack or in 'Cantus' by Connie Dover. It depends on my mood. But I must say artists who can provide great musicianship with great songs are my favorites. Artists from Tool to Loreena McKennitt, for example.

 

[robtex]

Great question!
For me, I'd have to say both. It depends on the band. For example, my absolute favorite band

Stop keeping secrets!! Pray tell who is the band you are referenceing here?

 

[mr.guy]

I think peotry is an aspect of music. To focus on lyricism doesn't isolate it from musicality.

 

[dawny0826]

I get more out of music accompanied with lyrics. And I do love classical...Chopin, especially.

 

[Katzpur]

What is more important, the lyrics, or the music itself ? If you reply "The music itself" - a further question: do you like listening to Classical (ie instrumental) music ?

I love music and, to me, the music is more important than the lyrics -- most of the time. I love a lot of classical music, but am kind of luke warm on some of it -- mostly I like the works from the Romantic period (Tchaikovsky, Pucinni, Rachmaninov) -- stuff that overflows with emotion. About the only kind of music I really just don't like at all is country. I can even handle hip hop over country! And I'm not big on jazz improv either. Oh, and I love Broadway show tunes -- Les Miz, Evita, etc. That's probably my favorite kind of music (generally speaking).

 

[Katzpur]

I get more out of music accompanied with lyrics. And I do love classical...Chopin, especially.

Oh yes! I think it's Etude 3 Opus 10 or Etude 10 Opus 3 (I forget which) that I love so much. It's one of my favorite pieces of classical music.

 

[dawny0826]

Oh yes! I think it's Etude 3 Opus 10 or Etude 10 Opus 3 (I forget which) that I love so much. It's one of my favorite pieces of classical music.

I think my favorite is Etude 3 in E Major (or minor...I get them confused)...I could listen to Chopin for hours.

 

[Master Vigil]

I rarely listen to the lyrics. When someone is singing, the words blur together to just make more music. The energy from the instruments is what moves me. But I also think that words are useless in spiritual endeavors (which I think music definitely is). So instrumental, orchestral, symphonic, classical, etc... are my favorites.

 

[Eynah]

At times, lyrics are very important to me. Not all of the time, though. I tend to like to get music that is in a language I can't understand, and that's helpful to just enjoy the music. It always depends on what it is for, though.

As was said above, when the lyrics are good but the melody isn't, or doesn't seem to fit with me, I tend to not listen to it. This isn't always true, as I'll put up with the radio at times.

 

[robtex]

I like lyrics alot. The more poetic the lyrics the stronger my attraction.