Languish.org

General Category => Off the Record => Topic started by: viper37 on July 22, 2016, 09:21:35 AM

Poll
Question: Is it important for you to understand the lyrics of a song?
Option 1: Non english: I used to sing Karma Chameleon and Touch me... votes: 5
Option 2: Non english: It has to be in a language I understand votes: 0
Option 3: English: Waka Waka is a deeply offensive song votes: 2
Option 4: English: Bof.  I just like the music votes: 6
Title: Understanding lyrics: is it important?
Post by: viper37 on July 22, 2016, 09:21:35 AM
The subject came over last week, and again, during Rammstein's show and over here again.  Lots of people seem bothered by the fact they sing in German, a language not many understand around here.

My argument, which did not win me any points with my cousin's girlfriend was that her favorite singer (Eric Lapointe (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZAiJlR9lUk)), even though he sings in French, we can't understand a word he's saying, and even when we do, it doesn't make any sense.  She was pissed, really, really pissed at me :P

It came again during the show, and I had her noticed that Gojira had a song in French she never noticed. :) 

I listen to music in Celtic, German, French, English, Spanish.  I don't care.  I don't give a flying fuck what it says.  I just like it. :)
I grew up listening to english songs I did not know the meaning of, like Touch Me or Karma Chameleon and I didn't care then, nor now.

Last time Rammstein came in Quebec city, they were with Apocalyptica.  Some people tried to incite a boycott of the "anglo-saxon invasion of the Plains of Abraham" and requests more French music. Didn't work out really well, 90k people went to see the show and the idiots looked like the morons they were.


So, what about you?  Do you get pissed off by bands that don't sing in your language?  Do you try to organize massive boycott of events where non (your language) bands play? Do you avoid them at all costs if you don't understand what they say in the songs?  Do you need a translation before you can enjoy the music?
Title: Re: Understand lyrics: is it important?
Post by: Valmy on July 22, 2016, 09:24:07 AM
Obviously depends on the song :P Everybody should understand songs about spilling the impure blood of ferocious royalist soldiers on the fields and plains of France.

For pop music it is just as well I don't understand the lyrics. They are usually idiotic anyway.
Title: Re: Understand lyrics: is it important?
Post by: Savonarola on July 22, 2016, 09:25:56 AM
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fassets.amuniversal.com%2F722902809879012f2fe400163e41dd5b&hash=6201b70e073b5e6cd06df6ff506e197e5e484e6b)

;)
Title: Re: Understand lyrics: is it important?
Post by: viper37 on July 22, 2016, 09:26:21 AM
Quote from: Valmy on July 22, 2016, 09:24:07 AM
Everybody should understand songs about spilling the impure blood of ferocious royalist soldiers on the fields and plains of France.
there needs to be a like button on this forum :P

@Sav: :P
Title: Re: Understand lyrics: is it important?
Post by: CountDeMoney on July 22, 2016, 09:45:31 AM
Oh, she may get wooly, women do get wooly
because of all the stress...
Title: Re: Understand lyrics: is it important?
Post by: Monoriu on July 22, 2016, 09:47:29 AM
I am terrible about understanding lyrics.  70-80% of the time, I have no idea what words people are singing, regardless of the language.  I am pretty much a melody person. 
Title: Re: Understand lyrics: is it important?
Post by: CountDeMoney on July 22, 2016, 09:50:19 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on July 22, 2016, 09:47:29 AM
I am terrible about understanding lyrics.  70-80% of the time, I have no idea what words people are singing, regardless of the language.  I am pretty much a melody person.

Of course you are.  Less effort, hide in the back of the chorus.  Don't have to sweat as much.
Title: Re: Understand lyrics: is it important?
Post by: LaCroix on July 22, 2016, 09:55:24 AM
is it "important"? for people who care enough, I guess. while I like songs with lyrics, I never seem to pay attention to them. I can listen to a song a few hundred times and have no idea what it's about.
Title: Re: Understand lyrics: is it important?
Post by: Josquius on July 22, 2016, 09:59:32 AM
Totally depends.
The lyrics make some songs (e.g. common people), less so others
Title: Re: Understand lyrics: is it important?
Post by: lustindarkness on July 22, 2016, 10:06:05 AM
I am terrible about understanding lyrics.  70-80% of the time, I have no idea what words people are singing, regardless of the language.  I am pretty much a melody person. 
Title: Re: Understand lyrics: is it important?
Post by: Razgovory on July 22, 2016, 10:09:18 AM
I can barely understand about half of what people tell me.  Granted I live in the Ozarks, and everyone has a weird accent and seven great-grand-parents.
Title: Re: Understand lyrics: is it important?
Post by: dps on July 22, 2016, 02:50:46 PM
You have to understand the lyrics in order to use them to make witty pop-culture references.
Title: Re: Understand lyrics: is it important?
Post by: 11B4V on July 22, 2016, 04:49:16 PM
So, what about you?  I just listen


Do you get pissed off by bands that don't sing in your language?  No

Do you try to organize massive boycott of events where non (your language) bands play? No, that's fucking stupid.

Do you avoid them at all costs if you don't understand what they say in the songs? No

Do you need a translation before you can enjoy the music? No
Title: Re: Understand lyrics: is it important?
Post by: The Brain on July 22, 2016, 05:28:55 PM
No
No
No
No

The vast majority of music I listen to is in English (regardless of origin, I rarely listen to Swedish music with Swedish lyrics).
Title: Re: Understand lyrics: is it important?
Post by: Rex Francorum on July 22, 2016, 08:01:04 PM
I usually don't care about lyrics except in classical music
Title: Re: Understand lyrics: is it important?
Post by: jimmy olsen on July 22, 2016, 09:31:44 PM
If it's in English the lyrics are important to me, if not in English they're not important to me and I can still enjoy the song.
Title: Re: Understand lyrics: is it important?
Post by: Valmy on July 22, 2016, 09:51:30 PM
Quote from: Rex Francorum on July 22, 2016, 08:01:04 PM
I usually don't care about lyrics except in classical music

Italian is the proper language for opera. All educated people agree on that.

Anyway good to see you Rex!
Title: Re: Understand lyrics: is it important?
Post by: Eddie Teach on July 22, 2016, 10:27:56 PM
I'm the one who likes all their pretty songs and I like to sing along but I don't know what they mean.
Title: Re: Understand lyrics: is it important?
Post by: viper37 on July 23, 2016, 09:39:57 AM
Quote from: The Brain on July 22, 2016, 05:28:55 PM
The vast majority of music I listen to is in English (regardless of origin, I rarely listen to Swedish music with Swedish lyrics).
there ain't a ton of good Swedish metal bands singing in swedish :(  Sabaton has one song I know of.
Title: Re: Understand lyrics: is it important?
Post by: viper37 on July 23, 2016, 09:40:21 AM
Quote from: Rex Francorum on July 22, 2016, 08:01:04 PM
I usually don't care about lyrics except in classical music
funny guy :P
Title: Re: Understand lyrics: is it important?
Post by: The Brain on July 23, 2016, 04:40:17 PM
Quote from: viper37 on July 23, 2016, 09:39:57 AM
Quote from: The Brain on July 22, 2016, 05:28:55 PM
The vast majority of music I listen to is in English (regardless of origin, I rarely listen to Swedish music with Swedish lyrics).
there ain't a ton of good Swedish metal bands singing in swedish :(  Sabaton has one song I know of.

True. At least Sabaton did a whole record with two versions of all the songs, English and Swedish.
Title: Re: Understanding lyrics: is it important?
Post by: Liep on July 24, 2016, 03:34:07 AM
I rarely listen intensively enough to hear all the lyrics of a song, but a song becomes more enjoyable to me if there are well constructed pieces of lyric within it regardless of their context otherwise. I think this is why I love Tom Waits so much.