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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 include <fill in your list of
>notable exceptions to the above Sweeping Generality>.  Where would
><yourlist[n]> 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
				     


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