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ivan@stellysee.de
| From | "Huseman, Matt" <Matt.Huseman@phh.com> |
| Subject | Lyrics |
| Date | Fri, 20 May 2005 11:57:20 -0400 |
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Rob says: Not to mention "Atmosphere", which should slay any human who has
ever been in contact with another. That ain't no Jellyfish.
While I agree with you regarding 'Atmosphere', I think the choice of
Jellyfish might be off base. What struck me the first time that I heard
Jellyfish's 'Bellybutton' is that - for the most part - they avoided cliche'
in their lyrics. Sure, the topics were standard power pop, but I thought
they navigated less traveled waters lyrically. Doesn't excuse 'Baby's Coming
Back'.
Greg brought up a great topic (at least I think it was Greg... regardless,
he made good points) but Stewart put it best: I don't expect "great" lyrics,
I just prefer that they not be boring cliches.
A lot of the music mentioned on this list is unlistenable to me for that
very reason... not to mention that so many bands in the 'power pop' (and I
use that term loosely) genre revisit the same mid-60's jangly guitar sound
over and over again. Exhibit A would be the otherwise beautiful 'Don't Worry
Baby' by the Beach Boys. The lyrics are godawful. I don't mind simplistic
(see: Marshall Crenshaw's 'MaryAnn' from his first album - love that song)
but pedantic I can't stomach. Still, I can mostly forgive bad lyrics written
prior to the 80's. I don't know why that's my cutoff, but it is. However, I
can't forgive bad lyrics written now. Exhibit B: Weezer's new album. Love
the band, and some of the songs on 'Make Believe' are as hooky as Rivers'
best stuff. But the lyricist from the Blue Album has been replaced with
someone I play the 'guess the next line of the song' game with. Not fun.
Mea Culpa time... I certainly have been known to throw some pretty
simplistic lyrics together. But I'm passionate about growing lyrically, and
I wish others in this community would challenge themselves to do so as well.
IMHO Neil Finn is the master of pop songwriting with almost universally
great lyrics. And I'd much rather hear Thom Yorke sing a hauntingly
beautiful melody with brutally nasty lyrics than hear the equivalent of 'I
Want to Hold Your Hand' rewritten. Try not to go for the obvious rhyme, and
challenge yourself to eliminate certain words yet convey the same meaning.
Now, Rob, I think that John Bonham is a MUCH better drummer than Keith Moon.
Rebuttal?
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