Do you listen to music in languages you don't speak?
 

Occasionally a song from the other side of the world becomes a worldwide hit, like "Gangnam Style" from South Korea. We might not understand what the lyrics are about, but we end up liking the song, anyway. They say that when it comes to music, the most important part is it getting into your heart and soul. However, not everyone can bring themselves to enjoy music in different languages, because they need to understand the lyrics. Personally, I don't care in what language a song is in. When it comes to Jpop and Kpop lyrics aren't exactly important since they're most likely generic. As for folk and rock music, nowadays you can easily find a translation of the lyrics somewhere online; so I just read them up and then am able to enjoy the song. And if the instrumental part is good, I don't give a damn about the lyrical content. I mean, hell I know what Finntroll, a Finnish band that sings in Swedish, sings about. I mean, I know it's about trolls, finnish and scandinavian mythology and such, but I don't know what they're saying, and I don't care. It sounds cool either way.

Most of the music I listen to is in English, but that doesn't really count since I obviously understand what singers say in that language. Then Japanese and Korean come tied in 2nd place, I'd say. Then there will be the occasional artist that sings in a North Germanic language like Norwegian or Swedish or a band that sings in German or Finnish.

I've noticed that Metal fans as whole don't mind much if a song is in a language they don't speak. But I'm guessing for hip hop fans it's a bigger deal since lyrics will be more important, but I suppose everyone is a different case. What about you?

Not generally. I'm a big lyrics guy. Although I've noticed that I don't care if a song's title is in another language. But after a while I get annoyed with a song itself if I don't know what they're talking about.

Well the title is easy to find a translation of. But how many times do you come across a song in let's say English with a title in French or Italian? Usually a song's lyrics are mainly in the same language as its title.

Then you have Japanese and Korean pop songs where the singers throw in random English words in the chorus, which would feel very out of place and odd in a European or American song. Although, in some case,s the use of two languages can be pulled off well in a song, like Megadeth did in A Tout le Monde:

I don't even listen to music in my own language most of the time.

Oh my God, my wife's mother is an obsessive Megadeth fan, and she loves that song "because it's pretty", and has refused to listen to reason on multiple occasions that it's about death/suicide. She insists otherwise and claims it as one of her favorites. She's online a lot and is such an obsessive fan you'd think she'd have educated herself by now. I imagine it's a case of extremely willful ignorance, because she probably wouldn't like the song at all given the subject matter.

She's a very "head-in-the-sand" kind of person in general. :lol:

Any particular reason why not? It just happens that you've never gotten much into music? I was like that too until I turned 18. I was happy solely with video game OSTs during my teens.

Wait, how is that even possible?! I could tell it was about suicide 40 seconds in the song.

I went through a big Megadeth phase back when I was 18-19. I think it's because Mustaine talked a lot about political affairs in his songs and I was getting in the age of "I NOW KNOW ERRYTHING ABOUT POLITICS!". Nowadays I rarely listen to Megadeth.

Heh, My other half loves it too, but at least he knows what it's about!

Ah, the is a subject I'm (sort of) well-versed in. I LOVE some J-pop songs, especially themes from some of my favorite anime. Full Metal Alchemist has several themes (both opening and closing) that I listen to- Ready, Steady Go by Orange Range being a prime example- and I love the themes from others like Cowboy Bebop, Wolf's Rain, Ghost In the Shell SAC, and Record of Lodoss Wars as well. And then there are some of my favorite Euro-pop and Euro-metal songs, like the music of Nanne Gronvall, or Lordi. Love that stuff! And then there are songs like Madonna's La Isla Bonita, to name just one, that I truly love, and that's by someone whose language is usually the same as mine.

Mostly songs related to animes I watch. Favorite at the moment is "Hero" by Flow.

I like their music but the fact that Dave is an insufferable douche kind of sours me on them. That, and everything they've done since "The World Needs A Hero" has been just the absolute worst kind of generic. Like, he often and publicly sh*ts on the "Cryptic Writings" and "Risk" records, but at least those two had some different and, beyond that, memorable songs, even if they weren't in the "classic" Megadeth style. So they made a big deal about going back to their "classic style" and since then they haven't had one album or song that stands out. Not "bad", necessarily, but... not exactly "good", either.

I always chuckle a little when people mention their "political" bent in their work as a major thing with Megadeth. Simply because Dave Mustaine is one of those Rosie O'Donnell type idiots who doesn't know sh*t about sh*t but likes to hear themselves talk, thus becoming known as an "expert" on things simply by way of never shutting up. :lol: He's like the anti-Henry Rollins, where the longer he goes on, the more you're convinced that his head is full of cotton candy. :lol:

I like Megadeth fine but I cannot f*cking stand Dave Mustaine. :lol: F*** that guy.

My, my- such language, Leo, LOL!!

To continue with my earlier thoughts- I'm rather fond of Celtic music, especially if it's traditional or in Gaelic. I may not understand a word of it, but I love how it sounds. Same with some Italian or French operatic music. Actually, I love music from almost anywhere in the world! Jambo Bwana (aka Hakuna Matata) is a traditional Kenyan folk song that I can't help singing along with, especially since I found a translation for the lyrics and know what it means, LOL!

I don't think anyone will disagree with you on that one. Dave is, in fact, a douche. As for the political thing, being a teenager back then, I liked listening to music where one of the main themes was politics. 18-19 us the age where kids start getting interested in politics and want to learn more about it, while still keeping their innocent idealism. I didn't exactly side with his views, but albums like Peace Sells and RIP are still a good listen nowadays. His albums since becoming a born-again Christian have been a lot more cringeworthy. United Abominations was pretty bad, imo.

Then there's bands like Kreator, Nuclear Assault, Napalm Death, etc. who are obviously left-wing and environmentalist; but I like them more for their aggression and their sound. I don't care for their views. Many black metal and some folk metal artists hold clearly xenophobic views bordering on fascism, but I don't care about that either, as long as their music doesn't get infested with it.

I don't mind artists having different political and religious views than my own, as long as they're able to present it maturely and don't go overboard with it. Per example, RATM have a lot of energy, but their lyrics are sooooo childish and stupid "RAW RAW FIGHT DA POWAH!" kind of ****. No way I can take such band seriously. :lol:

Yeah, I'm with you on that. Like I enjoy the music of both Green Day and Bad Religion but they can both be pretty insufferable. :lol: Bad Religion would be high up on my list of "Favorite Bands I Have Almost Nothing In Common With Ideologically". :lol:

If I had to name bands I like with who I have almost nothing in common with ideologically, I guess I'd name a lot of extreme metal artists. Especially black metal ones. I swear, it's like every black metal musician from Scandinavia or Eastern Europe is a closet Nazi. They're some of the weirdest people in the music industry. No wonder the genre was never able to become mainstream. :lol:

I listen to the full all japanese music from the Clannad soundtrack and others...

Voice is an instrument, you can enjoy it without understanding it.

I listen to stuff in all kinds of languages. Sometimes even literal nonsense.

Sometimes. But I can sometimes make out what they're saying in French or Italian, cuz of my Spanish know-how. But generally I don't.

I really loved the first opening theme from Death Notte. The second, not so much. And I LOVE Lithium Flower and Inner Universe from GItS SAC. Actually, Inner Universe really turned me onto Origa.

Not as much as I should, though when I'm doing that something that requires diversion but not distraction, like say: Data Entry.

This. A true understanding of music. :tthumbsu:

Japanese dominates my non-English music palette but I've got all sorts of stuff in my library, French, Spanish, "literal nonsense", etc. :)

I have some Italian operatic music in my playlist somewhere, most likely just before my collection of sean-nós songs. I think I have some various traditional sub-saharan folk in there too. I love the kind of songs that speak of history and tradition and tell stories in one's native tongue.

It depends on the genre, I'd say. In death and black metal voice is definitely an instrument and understanding the vast majority of the words isn't vital in order to a enjoy a song.

I was happy with only video game OSTs in my teens as well, as I wasn't interested in listening to mainstream music on the radio back then and thought OSTs were sufficient. I started getting into music more recently when I started listening to some of my friends' music and watching music tv channels. I now listen to many types of music from different decades.

Back to the topic, I haven't listened to a lot of foreign music, but I like some Eurovision songs, dragostea din teiand by ozone and the Japanese openings for Yugioh. As long as it sounds good, I'll listen to music no matter what language it's in.

I found this a year ago - I haven't watch Lazy Town as of yet, but the multi-language "You Are a Pirate" song was just too cool.



I used to listen to a good deal of J-Rock and some Korean bands back in the day.