Why Lyrics Are Essential to Music

Although we can all enjoy music without lyrical content, the words are part of what really moves us when it comes to this art form. The lyrics tell us a story about the song and provide us with a way to better understand the artists who perform them. Even When You Don't Understand Them While it's true that you don't have to understand all of the words to enjoy a song, knowing what the song represents is also important. How many times have you misinterpreted lyrics and been disappointed when you learned their true meaning? It can change the way you feel about a song forever. Music can evoke strong emotions and memories in people and in many ways that is often due to the words. Not Always What They Seem Even when you know all of the words to a song and have an understanding of their literal meaning, sometimes words can be deceiving. A simple example is the song American Pie by Don McLean, a song that is generally thought of as a happy little ditty about southern life. In reality, the lyrics were telling the story of Buddy Holly's untimely death in a plane crash - the airplane he died in was called American Pie. Purposely Difficult to Understand While artists (especially vocalists) will agree that the words are essential, sometimes an attempt will be made to keep the lyrics difficult to understand. Perhaps the most famous example of this is Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven. The lyrics have become among the most iconic words on the planet, but they are also some of the hardest to understand. Do you know all of the words? This semi-understanding worked well for the band as it created a great mystery around their strange wording choices and slightly muffled delivery. Making it Clear Many recording artists use their words to make a statement, an apology, an outcry or even a challenge. An entertaining example of this is the ongoing feud between recording artist Mariah Carey and rapper Eminem, which culminated in 2009 with Carey's single Obsessed and Eminem's aggressive response. In Obsessed Carey makes blatant references to what she sees as his childish obsession with her. Despite her protests that her lyrics weren't about the razor tongued rapper, it's clear (especially after the video) that she's referring to him. Eminem's response was hard and fast a few weeks later with The Warning whose lyrics clearly & firmly tell Carey to watch her step. Note: the lyrics to The Warning are far from safe for work. Both of these songs could have been popular in their own right, but the feudal element gave them a life of their own. Wrapping it Up No matter what type of music you listen to (as long as it has lyrics) it's important to have a basic understanding of the words. While it may seem trivial if you love the music, the lyrics play an important part of the artist's message. Not to mention they allow you to learn more about the person who wrote and delivered them. It's easy to find songlyrics online and sometimes knowing the words helps to open your eyes. You never know, you may just earn more respect for your favorite artist.