Lyrics vs. Music

[heartlander22]

Do the lyrics make a good song, or is it the music? You must choose one or the other- no staying neutral!

[admin]

for me it is the lyrics....without lyrics you dont have a song...what do you think??

[Fofanna15]

lyrics make the song

[Kid-Tank]

lyrics definitely, but a good sound is also a plus. If the music is too unbearable srry i cant take it..

[the wanderer]

lyrics all the way!!!

[musiclistsareus]

Lots of fun, catchy songs have stupid or incomprehensable lyrics. La Bamba was a big hit even for non-spanish speaking listeners, who ostensibly, didn't care about the lyrics. Also there are a number of famous lyric-less "songs" (I guess, if it is "sung" it usually has words-though the word "song" has largely come to represent short instrumental pop tunes as well), ie. "Nadia's Theme", "Pick up the Pieces" etc. There's also the majority of classical and jazz music, that though wordless, seems to be accepted. There are very few songwriters I respect as wordsmiths (Ben Folds, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Randy Newman), but I can like songs with stupid lyrics ("Yummy Yummy Yummy"). Though objectionable lyrics (obscene, vulgar, violent, mysogynistic, lurid or arrogant), detract from a song for me.

[Soma305]

For me music makes the song. The lyrics can take it to another place / level or detract from it , but it's the music that elevates the art form we are all into, past all other arts in its ability to emotionally and physically move people universally , regardless if someone understands what is being said in the lyrics of a given song .In my opinion at least ....

[JSav_2Vicious]

I believe a good MC/Rapper/Artist/Lyricist should be able to balance them and blend them in a away that people should be able to seee what he or she sees without them having to go back and explain it.

[musiclistsareus]

Lyrics without music is poetry, and music without lyrics is instrumental music. Up until the 20th century, I think poetry was holding it's own-but I think instrumental music (jazz, classical, film scores, etc) is more culturally significant than poetry today. Maybe that's just me. This is just a theoretical debate anyway-You can't divide an artwork into its component parts.

[Kid-Tank]

^aight i'm not tryna kiss ass but u nailed it again