Do you pay attention to song lyrics?

[TigerGeekGuy 4,659]

Lately, I've noticed that some people don't really listen to song lyrics. Instead, preferring to listen to whatever may be "catchy." For me, I listen closely to the lyrics of a song. If I want to "just listen to the beat," I would listen to an instrumental or song with little to no lyrics. Most of the time, I like songs that have lyrics that I approve of. Other times, I just like songs that are for fun, like First of the Year (Equinox) by Skrillex.

 

Do you pay attention to song lyrics? Or do you prefer "just listening to the beat?"

[Untitled Goose Q 5,136]

My favourite songs are usually the ones I can sing along to easily, but there's an element of the the song's rhythm there too.

[Starlighty 790]

Of course I listen to the song lyrics.... Its gotta have both for me or I can't listen to it! I know ever song on my ipod and sing along to them when I walk same with my iphone... 

[rarity1 461]

I pay attention to song lyrics.  I always enjoy poetic lyrics.

[NovaCosmic 126]

It depends, really. The meaning of a song cannot really be understood without some form of 'communication' to the listener. 

If the song makes an atmosphere that really speaks to you in a way or gives a certain expression, then it really doesn't matter.

As I always say in criticism to popular music these days; A tune should tell you what the musician wants, not what you want. That is how a song becomes a story.

[SparklingSwirls 21,261]

Of course I do . I like to listen to music because of the lyrics

 

Although I prefer to listen to music in other languages, and thus I am unable to understand the lyrics when I listen to them, I always look up the lyrics and their translation

[backpon 320]

I love the music behind as much as lyrics. Often the music is what "catches my ear" or so to speak. I have a healthy distaste for most modern pop or country  because of the dryness of (most) of their lyrics and the bland music :okiedokielokie: . I believe that the music and lyrics are meant to work together and compliment. So yes I pay attention to lyrics but first I hear a beat that draws me in for further analysis. (did I mention that I am a HUGE band nerd!)

[SquipyCheetah 449]

Sometimes. It really depends on the song and how I feel at the moment.

[DeadAccount 4,603]

Yes I actually try not to sing along

[Pastel 7,627]

Yes I do.

I can like a song less if I don't like the lyrics (because of what they mean for example), or if I don't understand them.

Also, I generally don't like songs in a language I don't know...

[Kiri 7,277]

Most of the time, I pay attention to the lyrics. 

[RattPitt 172]

I try to, but I usually can't. The more instruments there are, the harder it is for me. If there's just an instrument or two, it's pretty easy for me.

[Moony the Cat 3,697]

Well, as i was younger and even if i live in germany, there were still mostly english songs in the charts, so i didnt really cared what the lyrics are about  because i didnt understood them anyway. 

 

Today im listening to the lyrics...but to be honest, sometimes i still dont understand them 

And with other songs, i wish i wouldve never known..because i really dislike some song lyrics. ( some songs from nickelback for example ) .

Edited August 17, 2015 by .hack//RARITY

[ShutterBat 134]

I always listen to the lyrics. It is the main reason I love a song. I sing all the time, and I usually sing along with every song I know. Do I love the beat in a song? Sure. Is it the only reason I like it? Not at all. I try to appreciate the song as a whole rather than half.

[Envy 6,000]

When first listening, chances are that I won't even hear the lyrics. But I don't listen to "the beat" either. What draws me to music are other components such as instrumentation and vocal style. After listening to a song for a while, I will eventually start picking up on the lyrics.

 

About the only genre I listen to lyrics in conjunction with instrumentation and vocal style is British Folk, and that's mostly because it is telling a story - typically dark/depressing.

[Discordian 6,013]

Not usually. Some of it is that I literally can't even hear what the lyrics are saying. I have this weird problem where it just sounds like garbledygook even when they're completely clean and crisp vocals. I think I've conditioned myself not to care about the lyrics of a song.

 

But I don't agree with the idea of listening to instrumentals if one doesn't care about lyrics. Vocals are as much a part of the music and the sounds created from having lyrics are necessary as well.

 

That isn't to say I don't find songs with lyrics I like but generally I only hear them partially or have to look up the lyrics to understand what they're saying. It's ultimately irrelevant though and I listen to music for pretty much every other reason.

[Arylett Charnoa 4,919]

People can actually comprehend what is being said in songs with lyrics? Madness!

 

It takes me several tries before the lyrics make sense and start to turn into discernible words. Before that, they are just another instrument, another sound that adds to the song. And a lot of the time, even if I DO know what the words are, it's just incomprehensible overly poetic nonsense that says nothing or ridiculously cliched. (I'm not a fan of most song lyrics, as you can see) Really though, I like a song more for the way it sounds than what people are saying. That's why I can listen to foreign language music and not give one crap what they're saying, because it sounds pretty.

 

Of course, if I know what they're saying and I like it, that adds a new layer of meaning to the song. And it's a bonus. But like I said, I don't consider most lyrics to have anything to say that is worth knowing.

 

...I think that's a reason I'm not a fan of musicals. Those songs are made to communicate actual things in song, rather than just for the sake of being a song. And I find communicating more elaborate thoughts through music to be very distracting. I can't concentrate on instruments and voices simultaneously most of the time.

 

Also, I mostly just listen to instrumental video game tracks as well. So there's that.

[Odyssey 5,713]

Nah, I just listen to the beat. I've always tried to draw my attention to the lyrics, but I've always feel as if to prioritise how it sounds first, mostly because there are many songs I dislike the sound of. And even if I did pay full attention to the lyrics, it is either too vague or too nonsensical for my tastes. I tend to stick with video game music as a result.

 

But I will say that listening to instrumental music means that I don't care about music actually isn't true. There are some vocal songs that I like actually. I've always preferred instrumentals as I feel more invested into them.

Edited August 17, 2015 by Odyssey

[BlueBrony 388]

I put a lot of importance to the lyrics. There have been plenty of times that there was a catchy song that I almost liked until I read and understood the lyrics. Cuss words are a big no-no for me as well. I can understand that sometimes they have their place in a song and there are a few songs I like that have them, but I dont own them because I play my music out loud a lot and dont want to have it playing If some random little kid happens to hear it.

The one exception so far is EDM- since that music puts a whole lot of emphasis on the beat/instrumentals, I find that I dont pay very much attention to the lyrics, unless if they happen to be explicit.

[SpikusFyre 486]

I mostly just listen to video game music which doesn't really have lyrics... But if I do listen to songs that do actually have lyrics it kinda depends of what the genre is if i listen to the lyrics or not.

[Discordian 6,013]

I mostly just listen to video game music which doesn't really have lyrics... But if I do listen to songs that do actually have lyrics it kinda depends of what the genre is if i listen to the lyrics or not.

People can actually comprehend what is being said in songs with lyrics? Madness!

 

It takes me several tries before the lyrics make sense and start to turn into discernible words. Before that, they are just another instrument, another sound that adds to the song. And a lot of the time, even if I DO know what the words are, it's just incomprehensible overly poetic nonsense that says nothing or ridiculously cliched. (I'm not a fan of most song lyrics, as you can see) Really though, I like a song more for the way it sounds than what people are saying. That's why I can listen to foreign language music and not give one crap what they're saying, because it sounds pretty.

 

Of course, if I know what they're saying and I like it, that adds a new layer of meaning to the song. And it's a bonus. But like I said, I don't consider most lyrics to have anything to say that is worth knowing.

 

...I think that's a reason I'm not a fan of musicals. Those songs are made to communicate actual things in song, rather than just for the sake of being a song. And I find communicating more elaborate thoughts through music to be very distracting. I can't concentrate on instruments and voices simultaneously most of the time.

 

Also, I mostly just listen to instrumental video game tracks as well. So there's that.

Personally, I've found that video game music that has lyrics puts it far above the rest. It's not necessarily because of the lyrics themselves but it seems to create a sort of...structure to the song that many video game soundtracks lack.

 

Games like Anarchy Reigns, Metal Gear Rising, the Final Fantasy XIII games and many of the Sonic franchise games that make their own lyrical songs add a certain level of atmosphere that instrumental music wouldn't have been able to match. On the other hand you have games like Brutal Legend or Splatterhouse that use existing songs and matches them to the situation and it has the same level of atmosphere needed to really make the scene.

 

I play video games all the time but if there's one part of gaming that I think could really use improvement it's the soundtracks. Many are dull and forgettable and even the ones that try to stand out only succeed some of the time. They're made to be played on repeat so they can cycle through the song without stopping at the end to restart and that's hurting more than it's helping.

[09thRoad 104]

One of the biggest reasons I tend to prefer foreign music is because I can't understand the song lyrics. It's hard to explain, but while I find song lyrics interesting, I'd much rather experience the music as a whole. I find that when you can't understand the lyrics, you hear them as another sound, as opposed to something with a derived meaning and significance.

[Blackened 512]

I tend to listen to the lyrics a lot. Sometimes they can make or break a song, unless it's a club song with minimal lyrics (I Can't Stop, Turn Down for What, etc.).

[Wicked Funky 2,955]

Lyrics is really important to me! Especially lyrics telling a story and/or has some meaning to it

[Boyevyye De 243]

Absolutely. The type of lyrics makes me choose if I listen to it or not. Or it is a factor at least.