How important are the lyrics?

I enjoy metal for the music. Lyrics are totally secondary, to me at least. How important is the lyrical content to you? As you get older do you still identify with the anger and frustration that compose most metal bands songs? Do you enjoy the more humorous aspect of metal such as Zimmer's Hole, M.O.D./S.O.D.,or Scatterbrain? The reason I ask this is because lyrics seem to be of utmost importance to pop and country fans which makes me wonder why they just don't go and read a book of poetry instead....

Short-Fuse wrote:

I enjoy metal for the music. Lyrics are totally secondary, to me at least. How important is the lyrical content to you? As you get older do you still identify with the anger and frustration that compose most metal bands songs? Do you enjoy the more humorous aspect of metal such as Zimmer's Hole, M.O.D./S.O.D.,or Scatterbrain? The reason I ask this is because lyrics seem to be of utmost importance to pop and country fans which makes me wonder why they just don't go and read a book of poetry instead....

100 % agreed. I couldn´t have said is better. lyrics are good to learn english ( in my case )

They're not particularly important to me. I mean, I want to be able to understand them, cuz sometimes I'm known to sing along (poorly) when I'm alone in the car, but I listen to stuff with all manner of lyrical content...

This morning on the way to work I went from listening to Prong to JetBoy to Body Count...all of which have very different lyrical styles. (that B.C. record contains the most "Mother-Effers" I've heard on one album since...well, since the last time I bought a Body Count album, I guess. )

...and I love Scatterbrain!!

Quote :

lyrics seem to be of utmost importance to pop and country fans

This also applies to music targeted to "the fishes". I have seen some "fishes" ( Brasilian "fishes" ) saying that "what really matters in a band is their ideology , THE LYRICS". Goddamn "fishes" !!!!!

But just like the "fishes" the only type of lyrics I don´t like are satanic based lyrics. I like lyrics with social comentaries , personal issues , well written lyrics like those on Napalm Death´s F.E.T.O.

If lyrics were important to me I wouldn't listen to metal. I kind of like bands who sing in other languages, it makes vocals just like another instrument to me.

Anthrax lyrics are pretty cool

Boris2008 wrote:

If lyrics were important to me I wouldn't listen to metal. I kind of like bands who sing in other languages, it makes vocals just like another instrument to me.

I could sugest you some brasilian bands both normal and "fish" bands who actually sing in portuguese.

I don't like overtly political lyrics. Other than that, I really don't care.

Being that I "personally" believe we are all accountable for what comes out of our mouths.  Lyrics do matter.  Mileage may vary of course and I already know that a lot of people hold a varied opinion.  I  don't really have a little list of bands that are never listened to cause of lyrical content.   Most seem to come across as a gimmick, but ones that go out the way to mock Christ in every song kinda/sorta rub me the wrong way.  On the flip side, overtly turn or burn rammed down your throat on an album does likewise.

 

I care about lyrics.

I couldn't listen to nazi/communist stuff, for instance. It just completely ruins everything.

I can look past silly lyrics though. Even if they do make the music less enjoyable.

Less important than the music.

I thought it was cool when any band - included the lyrics in the lp.
It made the first few listens for me that much more intense -
as a kid, I saw The DOORS on tv - black and white film - before cable -
I was totally held spell-bound by Morrison's lyrics - and delivery -
Ozzy has some great lyrics - Rob Halford is a superb word crafter too -
I even think that Bon Scott had some really amazing lyrics -
but you have to remember -
these singers had all-star -well rounded -musicians and producers - around them
and together they composed some real time-gems !

I don't care. Unless its in Russian and I can perfectly understand all the idiocy they sing about.

I like the left wing type of stuff. I still listen to a lot of music targeted to the "fishes". Sum say its a waste of time. but its still good music. and remember "wasting your time in english is better than wasting your time in kjhfvkcjfhvbkjNESE language"

^^^^^^^^^^
condescendente

Lyrics are like icing on a cake - if the cake is good, the icing (hopefully) won't be so bad as to ruin it, but it CAN enhance it if it's particularly good.

That said, some lyrics are so damn bad that they'd crash even amazing music. It's a case-by-case.

Not really all that important to me. I've heard some groan inducing stuff over the years but I'm not going to let that stop me from enjoying the music.

It's case by case. If the music is something very emotional or based around a concept then lyrics can either enhance or detract from it. But if I'm listening to something like thrash, death or grindcore, I don't expect or really care if the lyrics are super thought out or anything like that.

I guess the importance differs from genre to genre.

But for me, I prefer thought-provoking lyrics that "wow!" I'm rarely impressed, but sometimes the broken English in some of these Teutonic bands' lyrics are a huge turn-off.

My favorite lyrics are about drinking milk while fishing for mermaids in Brasil.

James B. wrote:

My favorite lyrics are about drinking milk while fishing for mermaids in Brasil.

What about drinking milk from mermaids while in Brasil?

I'm a fan of well written lyrics myself.  Reading words written by someone like Gene Hoglan or John Arch are mind blowing to me.

sirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. could you list some lyrics composed by Gene Hoglan in any band he was ? I think I´d be really interested to read such

thanks.

Lyrics aren't terribly important to me. A lot of times, I can't understand them anyway. If. musically, a song is good, clear, intelligent lyrics are a bonus. If lyrics are particularity stupid; however, it can diminish a song's appeal to me even if it is really catchy musically.

just another monkey wrote:

sirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. could you list some lyrics composed by Gene Hoglan in any band he was ? I think I´d be really interested to read such

thanks.

According to Wikipedia, He wrote most of the lyrics for three of the four Dark Angel albums.