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Why do they need lyrics?
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Topic: Why do they need lyrics?

Marian Schedenig

Oscar® Winner

Just read a German review of Once Upon a Time in the West[/url] at amazon.de. The review is very positive, but I found one comment annoying:(translated to English) [i]Very often, film music only works in the film, particularly if it's symphonic and no songs. Not here.
That made me once again wonder about something I've always found strange: Why do many people need lyrics to enjoy music? Why is music without lyrics boring? The only answer I can find is that people don't "listen" to the music, so they need some aspect that's totally "in your face" - in this case, the lyrics.
NP: Anton Bruckner: Symphony #5 (Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Heinrich Hollreiser) - NO LYRICS

posted 07-25-2001 07:40 AM PT (US) 
cine-sin

Oscar® Winner

Hi Marian,I think people are listening to 'music'..that's why you see people tapping to a drumbeat or dancing to a rhythm. I've known people who adore a guitar riff or drum solo etc.
I think much of it has to do with the accessibility of singing. Most people don't play instruments but can sing a lyric. That said, most people read lyrics but not music per se.
Additionally, lyrics can be obscure but also overt and in both situations people are searching for meaning or relating to that specific level.
I also think it gets more complex than that. Orchestral music (not to suggest that film music is all that) is something that has always belong to the bourgeois class while songs with its accompanying lyrics reaches the masses. Consider opera which has lyrics but not really part of popular culture.
Regards,
Rochelleposted 07-25-2001 07:57 AM PT (US) 
Kyriacos S

Oscar® Winner

quote:
Originally posted by cine-sinI also think it gets more complex than that. Orchestral music (not to suggest that film music is all that) is something that has always belong to the bourgeois class while songs with its accompanying lyrics reaches the masses.
Regards,
Rochelle [/B]She is definetely right about that Marian.Here in Cyprus,things are even worse.Our songs(i hate our songs)are truly awful.All songs talk about dirty love.I find it difficult to understand the reason why my friends like to listen to this pointless crap all the time.I like songs.The difference is that i like songs with a some sort of meaning attached to them.That's how i end up being the odd one out.Nobody knows about film music here in Cyprus.
I remember listening to Flubber at school.A friend of mine approached my desk and asked me whether i could lend him my walkman.You see,he didn't have anything to do at that moment...
I gave him my walkman without saying anything about Flubber.He listened to the first 25 seconds from the main titles and he made this very interesting comment:
"Uggggghhh...what is this,Beethoven"?...
posted 07-25-2001 09:59 AM PT (US) Old Infopop Software by UBB
