Do you read the lyrics?
Aug 10, 2004 at 2:07 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 25

Bob Ebophalus

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When you get a new song, do you read the lyrics for it right away, or do you wait a while? Do you even read them at all? Sometimes I have the best times laying in bed, holding my breath to be quieter and finally figuriing out what that artist is saying. But it's also nice after listening for a while and not being quite sure what is being said to go to the official site and know what they're saying.
 
Aug 10, 2004 at 2:20 PM Post #2 of 25
Yes, I usually track down the lyrics after listening to a song a few times. Knowing the lyrics helps me to understand the singer's phrasing, etc.
 
Aug 10, 2004 at 2:36 PM Post #3 of 25
I'm no native speaker and therefor there is often no other way of understanding the lyrics than reading them while listening.
OTOH I'm not forced to listen to lyrics.
This can be a great advantage in case of beautiful voices singing stupid or disgusting lyrics.
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Imagine listening to voices like you are listening to instruments.
 
Aug 10, 2004 at 8:22 PM Post #6 of 25
Sometimes I wait as long as a year or two before glancing at the lyric sheet, especially with artists that I am becoming acquainted with for the first time. I grew up speaking Spanish and back then it meant a lot of made up nonsense when singing along to rock or pop. (Sheer fun, too!
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Now I can actually understand the lyrics plus it is easier to get a hold of music in languages besides English, but I'm still drawn first and foremost to the overall arrangement. I don't always grow curious about the exact words, or rather, a very long time can pass before I wonder. Unless there are glaring malapropisms and other lyrical weirdness, which I love.
 
Aug 10, 2004 at 8:47 PM Post #7 of 25
I seldom read the lyrics on the first listen.
I always read them with in the first few times I listen.
On one occasion, I read the lyrics before listening.
With some music I have to read the lyrics while listening to just to make out the words, and even then I can't make them out. Cradle of Filth, is a good example of that.
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Aug 10, 2004 at 8:58 PM Post #8 of 25
Cradle of Filth is quite challenging. I can't keep track of the lyrics even when I'm reading them from the booklet while listening, and even if I could, the english would be too hard for me to really understand. Duh.
 
Aug 10, 2004 at 9:21 PM Post #9 of 25
Depends on the type of music or artist. I'm a musician so I'm usually more interested in the music, but if the lyrics seem important to the artist I'll figure out what they're saying. One of the best examples of an artist to whom lyrics are important is Elvis Costello. Lyric sheets are must with him.
 
Aug 10, 2004 at 9:49 PM Post #10 of 25
I read them after I've listened to the album a few times. I don't want to be preoccupied with what they're saying on the first couple of turns of the disc while at the same time I want to be sure I know what they're saying after I start to pick up the lyrics to the songs.
 
Aug 11, 2004 at 6:03 PM Post #11 of 25
Heheh.. I guess I have to be the first naysayer here. I don't read lyrics. I'm not generally annyed if I don't understanding what they sing. Also I tend not to notice if I don't understand.. I just like how music sounds, singing and playing together.
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Aug 11, 2004 at 10:19 PM Post #12 of 25
I only read lyrics if they are long complicated and hard to follow while enjoying the music. Things like Amused to Death. Great album but the stories in the lyrics make you want to read them while listening the 3rd time round just to understand everything.
 
Aug 12, 2004 at 4:19 AM Post #13 of 25
Quote:

Originally Posted by Born2bwire
I read them after I've listened to the album a few times. I don't want to be preoccupied with what they're saying on the first couple of turns of the disc while at the same time I want to be sure I know what they're saying after I start to pick up the lyrics to the songs.



Yeap, exactly the same for me.

Cheers,
W
 
Aug 12, 2004 at 6:11 AM Post #14 of 25
Usually I only start caring about the lyrics when I get to the point where I know and like the song well enough to want to sing along. ^__^ Otherwise, lyrics have never really been that important to me. They can be unintelligible, non-sensical or totally ambiguous and that's cool with me. Or they can be wonderful. I mean, I can read a lyric book and be like "oh, I really like those lyrics" and appreciate it like literature, but that's still sort of separate from my enjoyment of the music.
 
Aug 12, 2004 at 6:19 AM Post #15 of 25
Quote:

Originally Posted by Rizumu
Usually I only start caring about the lyrics when I get to the point where I know and like the song well enough to want to sing along. ^__^ Otherwise, lyrics have never really been that important to me. They can be unintelligible, non-sensical or totally ambiguous and that's cool with me. Or they can be wonderful. I mean, I can read a lyric book and be like "oh, I really like those lyrics" and appreciate it like literature, but that's still sort of separate from my enjoyment of the music.


This from the guy with all the emotional lyrics in his AIM profile. Are you a 14-year old emo girl, Rizumu?
 

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