People don't listen

Onhell

Onhell

Infinite Dreamer
Ok, there HAS to be a psychology study on this somewhere but i'm to lazy to actually go out and look for it, but here it goes. I just bought Creedance Clearwater Revival ANIVERSARY cd (which absolutely rocks) and one of the songs on there is Fortunate Son. Some of you Gringos might recognize the tune from the Wrangler Jeans tv ad which is why i'm starting this topic. The song criticizes people's hypocricy, politics and the singer is basically declaring himself a honest down to earth american. Yet the song is played in a TV ad waving the US flag in the background trying to sell you some jeans... I imagine that's the LAST thing CCR wanted to convey with their song. People claim Maiden is satanist just because of the covers depicting Eddie and are more ocupied looking for subliminal messages than listening to the actual messages of songs. However this happens to all of us. Tool's Eulogy is one of my favorite songs but it took me a while before I actually paid attention to the lyrics and realized they were bashing the God I believe is my savior. At first I was appalled and I guess I shouldn't even listen to that song being the practicing catholic that I am but... IT'S SUCH A DAMN GOOD SONG! A singers voice is just another instrument and just like many times you won't really listen to the drums or the bass, you may HEAR it but you don't LISTEN to it, the lyrics just become babble and all you hear is the singers voice go up and down the scale. After all what really catches our ear is the in fact that... the catchy riff and then the catchy chorus where the lyrics have a cool tune and because it is repetitive that is the only part of the song you learn at first.
Another of my favorite bands is THERION. I have no clue what they are saying because of the opera choirs but they SOUND amazing. I've read some of their lyrics this summer and some are right down ridiculous but because they are sung by classical singers they sound out of this world. I bet SMX knows more about this than I do, but I just think it is very important for people to read the lyrics, before, during and after listening to a song.
 
Therion are one of the best bands ever. My second favourite. Most fo their lyrics are fantasy, inspired by nordic (Secret of The Runes) and arabic (Theli, Vovin, Deggial). The lyrics are absolutely incredible. You should look them up at www.darklyrics.com . You should always listen to the lyrics. They can make or break a song.
 
[!--QuoteBegin-Onhell+Aug 14 2004, 10:51 PM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Onhell @ Aug 14 2004, 10:51 PM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]I bet SMX knows more about this than I do, but I just think it is very important for people to read the lyrics, before, during and after listening to a song.
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I'm not familiar with Therion, if that's what you mean. But I'll see if I can download some of their stuff - any recommendations?

As far as how much people listen to lyrics, I don't know of any actual studies. But I have the general impression that many musicians, including myself, listen more to the music because we have a "professional interest", so to speak.

I think people don't generally care about lyrics except for two cases:
1. The lyrics offend you in some way, like Onhell with "Eulogy".
2. The other extreme: the lyrics really sum up what you personally feel.

If I come across any studies about this subject, I'll let you know.
 
About Therion, my 2 favourite albums are "Theli" and "Vovel".. "To Mega Therion" my favourite song. I recommend to download these.
 
[!--QuoteBegin-ZadrraS+Aug 15 2004, 06:11 PM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(ZadrraS @ Aug 15 2004, 06:11 PM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]I recommend to download these.
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Allow me to disagree. Downloading is maybe for low-life like you. Other people get the CDs [!--emo&<_<--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/dry.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'dry.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
 
[!--QuoteBegin-Maverick+Aug 15 2004, 11:16 AM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Maverick @ Aug 15 2004, 11:16 AM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]Downloading is maybe for low-life like you.
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Hey, what did you expect? I already told you I'm a pirate, and I've got the [a href=\'http://www.sinisterministerx.net/pirate.jpg\' target=\'_blank\']keyboard[/a] to prove it.
 
I know about therion's lyrics, that is why I say SOME of their lyrics are sometimes flat out ridiculous, but they do have there moments. Definately get Theli and Vovin. But to start their latests, Lemuria and Serius B are really good. I also agree to BUY the cds so you can get the booklets with the lyrics hehe
 
Zadras, Therion never got out such an album as Vovel, Maybe you mean Vovin [!--emo&<_<--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/dry.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'dry.gif\' /][!--endemo--] . And yes, these are pretty good albums, but the best, if you ask me are Deggial And Secret of the Runes. But they have two new albums released on the 29th of March, 2004, whic i can't get a hold of [!--emo&:(--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/sad.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'sad.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
 
in regard to the 'Tool - Eulogy' issue, I think that Maynard's lyrics are some of the most open and analyzable ever written, which is what makes them great. If you think it's about religion, that's how you see it. It could also be about Maynard himself. It might or might not be negative towards religion, it's all in how you listen to it. I'm not even gonna mention what Stinkfist might be about [!--emo&:p--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/tongue.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'tongue.gif\' /][!--endemo--]

[a href=\'http://toolshed.down.net/opinion/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=21\' target=\'_blank\']http://toolshed.down.net/opinion/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=21[/a]

has loads of interpretations of that and other Tool songs.

oh, and by the way, did you know that the sounds at the very beginning of Eulogy are made by the bass?
 
I disagree, when he says "get off the fucking cross, to nail the next fool martyr" that is obviously about christ. I think that most of the time lyrics do have a specific meaning and you could interpret them wrong. Schism on the other hand is pretty open, and I rather listen to a song with open lyrics but songs like maiden's paschendale or Hammerfall's Renegade have rigid lyrics and message.
 
[!--QuoteBegin-$yk0_H+Aug 15 2004, 09:06 PM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE($yk0_H @ Aug 15 2004, 09:06 PM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]in regard to the 'Tool - Eulogy' issue, I think that Maynard's lyrics are some of the most open and analyzable ever written, which is what makes them great. If you think it's about religion, that's how you see it. It could also be about Maynard himself. It might or might not be negative towards religion, it's all in how you listen to it. I'm not even gonna mention what Stinkfist might be about [!--emo&:p--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/tongue.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'tongue.gif\' /][!--endemo--]

[a href=\'http://toolshed.down.net/opinion/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=21\' target=\'_blank\']http://toolshed.down.net/opinion/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=21[/a]

has loads of interpretations of that and other Tool songs.

oh, and by the way, did you know that the sounds at the very beginning of Eulogy are made by the bass?
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I suspected that was a muted bass slap.......
Great to finally find fellow Tool enthusiasts

I personally don't listen too carefully to what Maynard has got to say because I feel the music's good enough without going into a deep meaningfulness about each song. I'm sure they are all about different things that the band possibly believe in, or don't believe in, but surely some of the things they sing about aren't a concern to them at all.
 
[!--QuoteBegin-Onhell+Aug 15 2004, 09:28 PM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Onhell @ Aug 15 2004, 09:28 PM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]I disagree, when he says "get off the fucking cross, to nail the next fool martyr" that is obviously about christ. I think that most of the time lyrics do have a specific meaning and you could interpret them wrong. Schism on the other hand is pretty open, and I rather listen to a song with open lyrics but songs like maiden's paschendale or Hammerfall's Renegade have rigid lyrics and message.
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I disagree. There are plenty of writers who intentionally craft their lyrics in such a way as to allow multiple interpretations, and Maynard is one of these. Your interpretation of "Eulogy" is influenced by your personal belief in Christianity. Not being a Christian myself, I see it differently. I think that Maynard is using the example of Christ on the cross to describe another anonymous person.

The most important thing is that neither you nor I are absolutely right or wrong. Interpretations are a very personal thing. What you think is right for you; what I think is right for me. As a lyricist myself, I have always refused to "explain" my lyrics to anyone else, because I don't want to hijack anyone's right to come up with their own interpretation.

I'll agree that there are many songs whose meaning is clear beyond dispute. But for myself, I always prefer a little mystery in the lyrics.
 
Thank you SMX, couldn't have said it any better myself. I remeber reading somewhere an agumentation that the song was about Hitler... It's far fetched, but it kinda worked...


edit: I really need to change my avatar before posting that particular name again [!--emo&:blush:--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/blush.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'blush.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
 
Thanks SMX, Some things are never truely clear until someone else points them out. When you put it that way it makes a lot of sense.
 
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