I have heard a couple of times, not from people I know mind you so I suppose I should say I have OVERheard a couple of times that, “lyrics don’t really matter to me”. In the interest of pursuing a more open mind, I’ve been trying to grasp this one. I begin by checking into my ‘instrumental’ brain. John Fahey (no lyrics) Chopin (no lyrics) Pelican (no lyrics …until their most recent album). I am totally fine with this. Next I move on to words or sounds or seemingly incongruous utterances, Captain Beefheart, Beck, Pavement…words which form a feeling without a particular narrative or a nonsensical narrative or a painting, an impression. I dig. Then I think of direct storytelling songs, abstract truth songs, and pure outburst songs. And I think if any of these songs were made by people who didn’t care about what they were writing then it’d be pretty okay for someone listening to say something like “lyrics really don’t matter to me” because they didn’t matter to the maker. Can you imagine the song, Imagine, without the words?

How about, A Boy Named Sue?

Blowin’ In The Wind?

I went through a heavy hip-hop period when I was a kid and I can not conceive of Rappers Delight by The Sugarhill Gang, The Message by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, or The Freaks Come Out at Night by Whodini or really any rap without lyrics.

WORD!!

Sorry for the short post this week folks (super busy) Have a great week! -p