Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site tellab1.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!tellab1!barth From: barth@tellab1.UUCP (Barth Richards) Newsgroups: net.music Subject: Re: Instrumental vs. vocal popular music Message-ID: <606@tellab1.UUCP> Date: Wed, 2-Oct-85 14:14:30 EDT Article-I.D.: tellab1.606 Posted: Wed Oct 2 14:14:30 1985 Date-Received: Thu, 3-Oct-85 06:17:58 EDT References: <1477@brl-tgr.ARPA> <221@laidbak.UUCP> Reply-To: barth@tellab1.UUCP (Barth Richards) Followup-To: net Distribution: net Organization: Tellabs, Inc., Lisle, IL Lines: 49 Keywords: lyrics In article <221@laidbak.UUCP> chris@laidbak.UUCP (Chris Granner) writes: >>I contend that most vocal popular music, especially rock, would be >>better music, and more enjoyable, if it was instrumental only. >Sweeping Generality: most pop music lyrics are trashy, shallow and >un-original. Notable exceptions includenotable exceptions to the above Sweeping Generality>. Where would > be without the lyrics? > >The value of a song (whether from opera, leider, chanson, musical, or >top-40 radio) is directly proportional to the degree to which the >music and the text represent a collaboration (perhaps asynchronous) >between composer and poet. The same is true of the value of any >multi-media presentation (the song is the Ur-multi-media artform, if you >will). Notable examples include: > > The two Cantatas by Anton Webern/Hildegaard Jone > The Brecht/Weill musicals > Almost all of Harry Partch's material which includes text > "Ballad" by Sal Martirano > Many of Frank Sinatra's songs (esp. "One More for the Road") > Genesis: "The Battle of Epping Forest", "Musical Box", > most of "Lamb" I would add most of the lyrics from later Pink Floyd albums (ie from THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON to THE FINAL CUT) though even I admit that Roger Water's dark view of the world can get a bit too cynical for most people's tastes. Still, his lyrics are at least trying to express something more than "I like to f*ck," or "I wish I were f*cking," or "how much I'd like to f*ch her/him," or "why doesn't she/he want to f*ck me anymore," which is what the large bulk of pop music lyrics center around. I would also certianly want to add the lyrics from all the Marillion albums. Fish (the lead vocalist and lyricist) is certianly a poet and not just a grinder of words. I would especially recommend the lyrics from the MISPLACED CHILDHOOD album as being most intriguing, though, as I remember, someone gave him some help. Still that does not detract from the fact that they are original and artfully written lyrics. I also heartilly agree with you on the Genesis lyrics (Gabriel era). Any other suggestions out there? Barth Richards Tellabs, Inc. Lisle, IL