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Topic ClosedHow Important are lyrics to you in Prog music

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timbo View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 30 2014 at 11:47
I do listen to what the words say, and don't like shallow, banal lyrics. If you're going to say something, whether musically or lyrically, then at least make it mean something - I guess that's why I'm a prog fan!

I can't listen to lyrics that I find hateful, or go against my core moral values. One prog song that falls into that category is "Musical Box". I used to love that song, but gradually came to realise it depicts a paedophile rape - an interpretation that is definitely reinforced by films of Peter Gabriel's dramatic stage actions during the song. I've had to delete that song from my playlist now.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 30 2014 at 17:41
It's important with me 70% of the time. The other 30% I could care a less when I listen to Lisa Gerrard of DCD fly off with her own made up 'speaking in tongues' passages. Quite lovely.
The meaning in that kind of Art Rock music is open to whatever you feel at the time.
Special music. Highly recommend dead can Dance. I think most here will love it.

I also want to say that I particularly enjoyed the lyrics and structure of verses done on Ayreon's The Theory Of Everything. Notice how the verses don't rhyme very often. Very creative. And hard to do to sound right.

IQ's THE Road Of Bones for this year was very enjoyable for me lyrically. Somehow It worked with the music. The Dark-tormented mind of a serial killer composed in epic fashion both soft and very heavy at times...at least by IQ's standards.

I must say. Lately for me. The lyrics matter. They just do.
Gimmie my headphones now!!! 🎧🤣
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 30 2014 at 19:15
I justed wanted to say that after going through the posts again that I'm shocked, shocked I say, that no one brought up Saint Peter or was it the angel Gabriel,oh I remember, Peter Gabriel and said anything about his lyrics and the relationship to music that he has produced over the years. I know I'm playing Devil's Advocate Evil Smile but Peter the Great  is one of progs greatest lyricists and I think that at least with him the lyrics are definately part of the expirence and are extremely important.

Edited by SteveG - July 30 2014 at 19:30
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La nouvelle terre View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 30 2014 at 19:25
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SteveG View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 30 2014 at 19:31
Originally posted by La nouvelle terre La nouvelle terre wrote:

^Well, you don't have a lot say but welcome to PA.


Edited by SteveG - July 30 2014 at 19:31
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 30 2014 at 23:34
^ no lyric means his/her lyrics I guess.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 31 2014 at 00:24
Originally posted by SteveG SteveG wrote:

I justed wanted to say that after going through the posts again that I'm shocked, shocked I say, that no one brought up Saint Peter or was it the angel Gabriel,oh I remember, Peter Gabriel and said anything about his lyrics and the relationship to music that he has produced over the years. I know I'm playing Devil's Advocate Evil Smile but Peter the Great  is one of progs greatest lyricists and I think that at least with him the lyrics are definately part of the expirence and are extremely important.

yep I agree especially on his solo albums
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La nouvelle terre View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 31 2014 at 13:31
Sorry for the blank and thank for the welcome. I just wanted to say that lyrics are sometime important, sometime not. It depends. It's important when it's Gabriel,Waters,Zappa,Hammill, Anderson(Ian),etc...
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timbo View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 01 2014 at 08:56
Report on the BBC about meaningless song lyrics:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/28589923

I guess those surveyed were not into Yes, otherwise 8 of the top 10 would have been Jon Anderson's lyrics!
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 01 2014 at 09:18
Originally posted by La nouvelle terre La nouvelle terre wrote:

Sorry for the blank and thank for the welcome. I just wanted to say that lyrics are sometime important, sometime not. It depends. It's important when it's Gabriel,Waters,Zappa,Hammill, Anderson(Ian),etc...
 
Careful.
 
Frank knew damn well that folks would say things like you just did, and apply more information and what not to his words than were there in the first place! AND he would make fun of that not only for you, but others.
 
I doubt that everyone is that serious, and even Waters has his fun side, although it was in the earlier days and he now has an image to convey that prevents him from being a little lighter.
 
All of the others have their lighter side, and Jon is not the spiritual father than he has a tendency to portray, but is a very good writer of lyrics.
 
PG is long gone and dead, and I don't think that one tenth of his lyrics in ANY of the solo albums even comes close to the best he had with Genesis! Too much pop music for my tastes. Good stuff, mind you, and very nice rock music, but nothing to write home to mom about!
Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told!
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SteveG View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 01 2014 at 09:18
Originally posted by timbo timbo wrote:

Report on the BBC about meaningless song lyrics:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/28589923

I guess those surveyed were not into Yes, otherwise 8 of the top 10 would have been Jon Anderson's lyrics!
Not always. I only listen to Andersons lyrics in a turned off way and concentrate on his voice. His lyrics are to vague and dippy for me.
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moshkito View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 01 2014 at 09:30
Originally posted by SteveG SteveG wrote:

...
Not always. I only listen to Andersons lyrics in a turned off way and concentrate on his voice. His lyrics are to vague and dippy for me.
 
Is it any different than reading anything anyone writes in here?
 
Vague, many of us artists love to say, is for folks that can not see the "light" at the end of the tunnell, and need to be told that it is coming, or that you are not patient enough.
 
Vague is what ALL mystical folks are called, because no one knows, understands, or can relate to what they say ... THERE IS NO OTHER CHOICE ... IT'S A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE ... !!!
 
It's the same thing with "lyrics", and "singers". I do not 'REMOVE" Jon from YES, and he is a part of that "orchestra" if you will, and that's that. The voice and the lyrics make up the WHOLE and COMPLETENESS that it is.
 
Why can't we respect the work of the folks of our age ... and the effort they put in it?  I sincerely do not think that this work is any different than any composition for the past 500 years ... why should it be? Because we doubt it it's "words" or "singing"?
 
It's just getting weirder every day I tell you!


Edited by moshkito - August 01 2014 at 09:35
Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told!
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SteveG View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 01 2014 at 09:38
Originally posted by moshkito moshkito wrote:

Originally posted by SteveG SteveG wrote:

...
Not always. I only listen to Andersons lyrics in a turned off way and concentrate on his voice. His lyrics are to vague and dippy for me.
 
Is it any different than reading anything anyone writes in here?
 
Vague, many of us artists love to say, is for folks that can not see the "light" at the end of the tunnell, and need to be told that it is coming, or that you are not patient enough.
 
Vague is what ALL mystical folks are called, because no one knows, understands, or can relate to what they say ... THERE IS NO OTHER CHOICE ... IT'S A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE ... !!!
 
It's the same thing with "lyrics", and "singers". I do not 'REMOVE" Jon from YES, and he is a part of that "orchestra" if you will, and that's that. The voice and the lyrics make up the WHOLE and COMPLETENESS that it is.
 
Why can't we respect the work of the folks of our age ... and the effort they put in it?  I sincerely do not think that this work is any different than any composition for the past 500 years ... why should it be? Because we doubt it it's "words" or "singing"?
 
It's just getting weirder every day I tell you!
I've read esoteric texts my entire life Mosh. I don't need to hear them in Anderson's lyrics.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 01 2014 at 10:08
When the words (french for me) are stupid, I tend to find the music stupid.
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Bérghem View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 01 2014 at 11:20
I can listen to a good music with (not too) stupid lyrics, but I definitely cannot listen to bad music with good lyrics. Having said that, god bless Sinfield for re-writing the lyrics for Photos of Ghosts...
E per tutti il dolore degli altri č un dolore a metŕ
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 01 2014 at 11:29
Originally posted by Bérghem Bérghem wrote:

I can listen to a good music with (not too) stupid lyrics, but I definitely cannot listen to bad music with good lyrics. Having said that, god bless Sinfield for re-writing the lyrics for Photos of Ghosts...
Four holes in the ground: "well, well, well, well ... that's life" LOL
What?
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 01 2014 at 12:38
Originally posted by SteveG SteveG wrote:





I justed wanted to say that after going through the posts again that I'm shocked, shocked I say, that no one brought up Saint Peter or was it the angel Gabriel,oh I remember, Peter Gabriel and said anything about his lyrics and the relationship to music that he has produced over the years. I know I'm playing Devil's Advocate Evil Smile but Peter the Great  is one of progs greatest lyricists and I think that at least with him the lyrics are definately part of the expirence and are extremely important.

Look aback through again. I brought him up in relation to the question of obscurity in lyrics. His solo are reputedly less obscure and more direct, but I suggested they retained some of that obscurity. And yes, whatever we say about them I do believe they're good.
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SteveG View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 01 2014 at 15:09
Originally posted by HackettFan HackettFan wrote:

Originally posted by SteveG SteveG wrote:





I justed wanted to say that after going through the posts again that I'm shocked, shocked I say, that no one brought up Saint Peter or was it the angel Gabriel,oh I remember, Peter Gabriel and said anything about his lyrics and the relationship to music that he has produced over the years. I know I'm playing Devil's Advocate Evil Smile but Peter the Great  is one of progs greatest lyricists and I think that at least with him the lyrics are definately part of the expirence and are extremely important.

Look aback through again. I brought him up in relation to the question of obscurity in lyrics. His solo are reputedly less obscure and more direct, but I suggested they retained some of that obscurity. And yes, whatever we say about them I do believe they're good.
Indeed you did HF. Good post by the way.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 02 2014 at 10:51
Originally posted by hellogoodbye hellogoodbye wrote:

When the words (french for me) are stupid, I tend to find the music stupid.
 
SAD ... because ANGE was one of the best and was much more with it and valuable than Genesis ever will for me!
Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told!
www.pedrosena.com
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moshkito View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 02 2014 at 10:53
Originally posted by Dean Dean wrote:

Originally posted by Bérghem Bérghem wrote:

I can listen to a good music with (not too) stupid lyrics, but I definitely cannot listen to bad music with good lyrics. Having said that, god bless Sinfield for re-writing the lyrics for Photos of Ghosts...
Four holes in the ground: "well, well, well, well ... that's life" LOL
 
The Italian version is way better all around. They can flow their meanings and singing a lot better than try to make sure their accent in English is understood by us, which does not make it better.


Edited by moshkito - August 02 2014 at 10:54
Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told!
www.pedrosena.com
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