Music vs. Lyrics - what grab you the most?

[jeffd8382]

I've often thought about this topic with regards to Stevie's music/songwriting in particular. I feel like a bit of an anomaly in Stevie fandom with respect to how I am receptive to her music; or music in general. I love that Stevie's lyrics really connect with lots of fans and that's what can really draw them in to her style of songwriting. I, however, rarely ever pay attention to lyrics... for me, music is all about the "sound". My emotional response/connection to music is largely based on that... that's why I can appreciate/enjoy lots of instrumental music (orchestral or otherwise) and listen to music in languages I don't understand... yes I actually do do this quite a bit. It's funny too because I will sing along with songs for years (innately memorizing the lyrics from repeated listenings), and never even think about what it is I'm even singing about. LOL!

This is probably why songs like "Soldier's Angel", while I certainly respect and admire the meaning behind the song, don't do a lot for me musically. The best part to me is the vocal harmonies between Lindsey & Stevie.

So how about you? Do you respond more to the music or the lyrics? Are both equally important to you? Am I unique in this respect among die-hard Stevie fans?

[KarmaContestant]

Lyrics, first and foremost.

The music can be ANYTHING if the lyrics mean something to me. If there is nothing in the lyrics to grab me, I won't listen to the song.

[jeffd8382]

Originally Posted by KarmaContestant

Lyrics, first and foremost.

The music can be ANYTHING if the lyrics mean something to me. If there is nothing in the lyrics to grab me, I won't listen to the song.

That's cool... interesting that for me, it's the exact opposite. Barring words that sound awkward or have offensive implications (to my sensibilities), the music has to grab me or I won't listen. But I always give most music (particularly by my favorite artists/composers) the chance to grow on me before I dismiss it.

[KarmaContestant]

Originally Posted by jeffd8382

That's cool... interesting that for me, it's the exact opposite. Barring words that sound awkward or have offensive implications (to my sensibilities), the music has to grab me or I won't listen. But I always give most music (particularly by my favorite artists/composers) the chance to grow on me before I dismiss it.

There are exceptions - I don't like Metal because of the music, so the lyrics never stand a chance.

I think your position is more common than you might think. I have a lot of friends who don't like what they call 'slow songs'. Over the years I've come to realize that they don't listen to lyrics, and the music depresses them since it's 'slow'.

I think this is why dance/pop music in general doesn't grab me, because the lyrics are usually so trite. Yes Katy Perry, I'm talking about you!

[skcin]

Like, in regards to the IYD album? Or generally?

In regards to IYD, it depends on the song. For example, I'm having a really hard time getting any emotional response to the words of Italian Summer, but the music grabs me. Opposite for Everybody Loves You - HATE the melody, but the lyrics are great.

[jeffd8382]

Originally Posted by KarmaContestant

I think your position is more common than you might think. I have a lot of friends who don't like what they call 'slow songs'. Over the years I've come to realize that they don't listen to lyrics, and the music depresses them since it's 'slow'.

Yeah I have had friends who are the same way... "slow songs" bore them to tears. But I find beauty in lots of "slow songs"... but my first music love as a child was classical music (particularly music from the romantic period). One of the only things I wanted to listen to as a toddler was Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker suite. The music that actually moves me the most (emotionally, not physically ) is probably instrumental... some orchestral pieces evoke incredible feelings of sadness, others excitement/wonder, others melancholy, etc.

But I'm curious to see with other Stevie fans if anyone else responds more to her music than lyrics like myself... I'm thinking I'm probably much more in the minority. It's funny because when I first heard her (my sister had the Fleetwood Mac Greatest Hits tape)... I didn't care for her voice at all. I remembered songs like "Little Lies" & "Everywhere" from the radio when I was really young... so Christine's voice I gravitated towards more so. But something changed soon after (I think "Gypsy" is largely responsible for it, since the music/production really drew me in), and I started to accept Stevie's voice. Then after loving "Silver Springs" from The Dance, I ended up buying The Wild Heart on cassette, then OSOTM on CD because I was curious about Stevie's solo work. Something just clicked and I ended up loving her voice... I think her voice is a big part of the "sound" that grabs me with Stevie's music.

Strangely enough, I guess a human voice is just another instrument to me... so the timbre , tone quality & tone color are what my ear picks up on to assess whether I like it or not. I find it interesting that people talk about what a talented singer Lady Gaga is (I realize that that's only one facet of her talent), and while I agree she can sing... to my ear, she sounds like 10 other singers I've already heard... nothing unique really to my ears. In the case of ABBA (my favorite pop group), I can ignore some of the ridiculously simple lyrics (hey, English wasn't their first language ) and enjoy the blend of Agnetha & Frida's voices... it's very compelling for me.

[jeffd8382]

Originally Posted by skcin

Like, in regards to the IYD album? Or generally?

I guess I was thinking generally with respect to Stevie's music... it sounds like you're saying they both play an important role for you as to whether you like a particular song or not?

[mezzoforte]

Originally Posted by jeffd8382

I've often thought about this topic with regards to Stevie's music/songwriting in particular. I feel like a bit of an anomaly in Stevie fandom with respect to how I am receptive to her music; or music in general. I love that Stevie's lyrics really connect with lots of fans and that's what can really draw them in to her style of songwriting. I, however, rarely ever pay attention to lyrics... for me, music is all about the "sound". My emotional response/connection to music is largely based on that... that's why I can appreciate/enjoy lots of instrumental music (orchestral or otherwise) and listen to music in languages I don't understand... yes I actually do do this quite a bit. It's funny too because I will sing along with songs for years (innately memorizing the lyrics from repeated listenings), and never even think about what it is I'm even singing about. LOL!

This is probably why songs like "Soldier's Angel", while I certainly respect and admire the meaning behind the song, don't do a lot for me musically. The best part to me are the vocal harmonies between Lindsey & Stevie.

So how about you? Do you respond more to the music or the lyrics? Are both equally important to you? Am I unique in this respect among die-hard Stevie fans?

I'm the same way--grabbed by sound (melody, instrumentation, voice) more far more than by words. Stevie's voice captivates me, but her poetry is generally pretty insignificant to my enjoyment. In fact, while I can definitely appreciate her greatest moments as a lyricist (Storms), I consider some of my favorites pretty mediocre in that regard. I would use Blue Water and Belle Fleur as examples: very repetitive and meandering, but the effect of the harmonies and piano is breathtaking. Or Gold & Braid--it's incredibly catchy, but doesn't make a scrap of sense.
And need I mention Sister Honey and Night Gallery? Both are guilty pleasures and I kind of adore the sound, but let's be honest: no sober person would write the words to Night Gallery.


That said, I do pay more attention to Stevie's lyrics than any other artist's--mainly because I love to analyze. The poetic aspect doesn't do much for me, but the opportunity to connect it to her personal life is really appealing to me. I'm literally a professional gossip, so hunting for the ghosts of boyfriends past in those songs is right up my alley

[SapphireSister]

Originally Posted by KarmaContestant

Lyrics, first and foremost.

The music can be ANYTHING if the lyrics mean something to me. If there is nothing in the lyrics to grab me, I won't listen to the song.

Ha! It's the total opposite for me. The lyrics don't mean a whole lot if I can't get into the music. The music is what I feel first and foremost. Now there are exceptions and Stevie happens to be one because I love a lot of her lyrics on songs I don't necessaraly like the music to (Ghosts, Angel, etc.). But in general a favorite Stevie song could never be a song I don't love the music to. On the other end of the spectrum I adore lots of songs strictly for the music but the lyrics don't really ring true with me.
Songs in general - if I don't like the music I don't like the song.

[KarmaContestant]

Originally Posted by SapphireSister

Ha! It's the total opposite for me. The lyrics don't mean a whole lot if I can't get into the music. The music is what I feel first and foremost. Now there are exceptions and Stevie happens to be one because I love a lot of her lyrics on songs I don't necessaraly like the music to (Ghosts, Angel, etc.). But in general a favorite Stevie song could never be a song I don't love the music to. On the other end of the spectrum I adore lots of songs strictly for the music but the lyrics don't really ring true with me.
Songs in general - if I don't like the music I don't like the song.

That is a totally alien concept to me.

[jeffd8382]

Originally Posted by SapphireSister

Ha! It's the total opposite for me. The lyrics don't mean a whole lot if I can't get into the music. The music is what I feel first and foremost. Now there are exceptions and Stevie happens to be one because I love a lot of her lyrics on songs I don't necessaraly like the music to (Ghosts, Angel, etc.). But in general a favorite Stevie song could never be a song I don't love the music to. On the other end of the spectrum I adore lots of songs strictly for the music but the lyrics don't really ring true with me.
Songs in general - if I don't like the music I don't like the song.

LOL... well I'm glad to know I'm not the only one! There are two aspects of Stevie's lyrics that I enjoy: the ones that don't make any sense but sound interesting ("unbraid with all the love that you have like a soft, silver chain"); and how she re-uses her own phrases, lyrics in different contexts in different songs.

Funny side-story about the "Sleeping Angel" lyrics... I was in high school at the time Enchanted came out and that song was an immediate favorite of mine. I was involved in my school's Forensics team (speech/acting, not science lol!). One of the events people could compete in was called "Impromptu", where you'll get a topic, a word, phrase, or quote and have to devise a 5 minute speech around it (if memory serves, you get about 2 mins to prepare before presenting). Well after school one day, one of the English teachers that headed the team asked for suggestions for an impromptu practice and I volunteered the quote "unbraid with all the love that you have like a soft, silver chain". She stopped dead in her tracks, got this fuzzy look on her face and stared at me for about 30 seconds... finally, she goes "what?" And I repeated it, to which she responded: "but that doesn't make any sense." I kinda laughed it off to myself, since I never even gave the lyrics any thought.

[UndoingTheLaces]

Generally I'm more about Stevie's voice and the harmonies with her and her background singer or her own voice. Occasionally a piece of music will totally grab me, like the organ in Rose Garden. The way it rises as she sings "I have all these things but a small gold band... on my finger... on my left hand." That always gets me.

I always loved the little guitar chord in the demo of Annabell Lee and the fact that they kept it in the album version made me soooooo happy.

I must say, with In Your Dreams the music itself has been more enjoyable to me. I think because I love Dave Stewart and he totally leaves his signature on a lot of the songs.

[TerraRhiannon]

This is a hard one to answer. Because I think it might be both. Sometimes the words touch me so deeply that it doesn't matter what the music sounds like. But other times the words can touch me really deeply, but the music can ruin it for me. I don't know, I've never really thought of it. Of course my favorite artists always have the best lyrics and music anyway For example Elton composes beautiful, beautiful music, and Bernie's lyrics are amazing, and make me really emotional.. and Stevie always has the best people working with her to compose music & she writes incredible lyrics. I only listen to quality stuff, hmph.

[SummerlongBoots]

I'm kinda like a fish.

Her music hooks me first.
Her lyrics reel me in.
And when the two connect and merge into one glorious song, I'm left gasping for air from the flood of emotions. Both hers and mine.

[michelej1]

This is a chicken egg question for me. It's hard to say.

For FM, in particular, I do think a lot about the lyrics, to be sure. Still, there are many songs where I like the lyrics, but can't get into the music. So, I largely write off the song. This happens quite often with ballads, where the lyrics are quite thoughtful, but the song is BORING.

If the music is great and the lyrics are silly, I can still love the song. So, I suppose to really grab me, a song must have good music. On the other hand, I don't like pure instrumentals. Other than Nadia's Theme or The Theme From St. Elmo's Fire, I can't think of an instrumental that has captivated me, by itself.


Michele