Music vs lyrics - Progressive Rock Music Forum

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The Truth

Collaborator

Honorary Collaborator

Joined: April 19 2009
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Posted: April 23 2011 at 17:43

The lyrics in The Lamb are fine, very surrealistic and excellent.

/thread.

prog4evr

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Joined: September 22 2005
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Posted: April 23 2011 at 17:32

I also like concept ideas in prog. That is why I love Fish-era Marillion. But, in general, if something about the music doesn't stimulate me, then I probably will not be into that particular band...

friso

Prog Reviewer

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Location: Netherlands
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Posted: April 21 2011 at 01:42

I like some conceptual thinking in my music. I want a layer of meaning when it comes to composition and lyrics can provide that (as well as atmospheric composition, clever concepts or titles that actually mean something).

NotAProghead View Drop Down

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Errors & Omissions Team

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Location: Russia
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Posted: April 20 2011 at 23:31

I like books with pictures. Some writers are quite annoying, so if there are pictures I don't care much about words. LOL

Who are you and who am I to say we know the reason why... (D. Gilmour)

colorofmoney91 View Drop Down

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Posted: April 20 2011 at 23:02

I'd have to say that the actual music is my main point of interest. I've always preferred instrumental music anyway. Some vocalists tend to be supremely annoying, such as Peter Hammill and Peter Gabriel, which makes me totally not care at all what they have to say in their lyrics.

Hanashukketsu

rogerthat

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Posted: April 20 2011 at 20:49

I don't know about lyrics trivializing art but I don't pay that much attention to lyrics to come to any such conclusion because for me, it's first and foremost about the music. Some of the best music I have heard were written for essentially dumb love songs and if I am supposed to berate that on account of lyrics, I will do no such thing and furthermore think such an approach is being needlessly close minded. If the music speaks to you, you don't need lyrics to tell you what it means.

moshkito

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Posted: April 20 2011 at 20:43

Hi,

I never thought that the "lyrics" had anything to do with "progressive" or wether a piece of music was good or bad.

It's about the totality of the work, and the integration of the work.

I don't think that "The Lamb" can be done without lyrics ... parts of the music are way too vivid, and the lyrics help us go there, and make more sense of it all than otherwise, but then, I can not sit here and tell you ... that Tales from Topographic Oceans is better, or worse, without the lyrics .... I don't think that it is as good without the lyrics and I like listening to the passion and dedication that Jon Anderson put into this ... that has made it such a spetacular piece of work all these years.

We don't sit here and say we don;t like Beethoven or Brahams or anyone else, because they did not have lyrics !!! ... we can sit here and say that we like "The Lamb" better with Peter and "Tales" better with Jon ... but this is because they were the originators fo the work ... is Beethoven's 9th any worse because all of a sudden it has some "lyrics" in a choir?

I never separate the totality of the work, and this is the reason why "songs" don't usually make it for me as "progressive" because the talent margin between one type of work, and the other is immense ... and sometimes we're too stuck on our demands, not what someone has done ... and if we don't like Peter Hammill's voice, no concept will ever work in his music regardless! ... even if it is Gog and Magog!

To me, the voice is a part of the whole -- another instrument ... which is the reason why sometimes I really don't like to hear discussions about singers and why someone doesn't like Labrie or something else ... because all of a sudden it is not about the music and its totality ... it's about that one person's preferences!

Now go back and listen to "Passion Play" ... and then "Tales of Topographic Oceans" .... and then "A Tab in the Ocean" ... and then ... there are many very special things out there that defined that time and place that can't be done today ... because we're so damn commercialized that we can not appreciate the little things that make it good.

I tell you what helped me 36 years ago ... getting a good stereo and speakers (ESS AMT-1 Heils) ... because all of a sudden Deep Purple and Rolling Stones sounded like crap ... but Tangerine Dream? Pink Floyd? ... Krautrock? ... yeah ... now you know!

Edited by moshkito - April 20 2011 at 20:49

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

let prog reign View Drop Down

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Posted: April 20 2011 at 17:38

The lyrics are silly but that's certainly no reason to hate the music. And besides it's better than singing about boats n hoes. LOL

Other classic progressive rock artists have great lyricism. Like King Crimson (specifically ITCOTCK) or Van Der Graaf Generator. And look at Pink Floyd! Amazing.

Once upon a time there was some writing on the wall we all ignored, until the time that there was war and feasts of famine at our door

Slartibartfast View Drop Down

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Posted: April 20 2011 at 16:36

krimson62 wrote:

I've just listened to The Lamb... after 30 years of having it stored away. Absulutely amazing. New textures, soundscapes that i never noticed 30 years ago (or maybe i didn't notice it at the time) Mind you, this is on a vinyl record not a remixed, remastered cd, so this is the same"object" i heard way back. The lyrics in prog though can be quite silly compared to the music itself. 30 years from now i'm sure that the music will still be amazing but the lyrics, for most part will trivialize the art

30 years??? What the hell is the matter with you??? You are hereby sentenced to listen to Whodunnit repeated over and over again.

But seriously, if you are referring to most prog lyrics or the Lamb in particular, I don't see it. When the lyrics are silly it is because that is what the artist intended.

Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...

caretaker

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Posted: April 20 2011 at 16:17

Personally, I am interested in the lyrics but they aren't crucial to my enjoyment of the music. As long as they are performed well and complement the music.

krimson62

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Joined: April 18 2006
Location: Canada
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Points: 95

Posted: April 20 2011 at 13:52

I've just listened to The Lamb... after 30 years of having it stored away. Absulutely amazing. New textures, soundscapes that i never noticed 30 years ago (or maybe i didn't notice it at the time) Mind you, this is on a vinyl record not a remixed, remastered cd, so this is the same"object" i heard way back. The lyrics in prog though can be quite silly compared to the music itself. 30 years from now i'm sure that the music will still be amazing but the lyrics, for most part will trivialize the art

Edited by krimson62 - April 20 2011 at 13:54