Are lyrics important to you?

[Wesley]

Are lyrics important to you? I like listening to some songs without paying too much attention to the lyrics. If it sounds good, I'll like it. For example, I don't know what the Red Hot Chili Peppers are singing about most of the time, but I like their sound.

[Powder]

Yes & no. I like hip-hop to be cleverly written or impressive rhythmically (like the Big Pun line "Dead in the middle of little Italy little did we know that we riddled with middle men who didn't do diddly"), but otherwise I can go with the flow of whatever. I listen to far more instrumental music than I do stuff with singers, so I guess that speaks to the significance of lyrics to me personally.

[Whatswiththeheadbands?]

Yes. Without a doubt, yes.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

As an author, I pretty much listen exclusively to the instrumental versions of songs I like. Lyrics interfere with my writing.

[Leo656]

I'm often more into the lyrics of a song than the music itself.

A lot of bands people say "suck" are actually quite wonderful, lyrically, which tells me that people generally only hear the beat and the bass. I am not those people.

[pennydreadful]

Yes, lyrics are important to me.

[Kanon]

I would say no.

If the melody is good and I can hear clearly what they sing, it´s best for me.
But what they sing, I couldn´t care less.

I know it´s kinda confusing

[senpai]

Sometimes I'll like a song I hear on the radio and even when I can't make out the lyrics I'll still enjoy them...but if I look up the lyrics and they're not to my liking I typically stop listening to the song.

Also--I now have the persona of the stone warrior, yes!

[Netkeeper]

The presence of lyrics themselves is important to me. I prefer lyrical music to instrumental, because to me it just feels more complete and gives me a better sense of satisfaction when choosing to listen to something; but with me I realise this is almost entirely a sensory issue since I need excess auditory stimulation to function.

But the actual content of those lyrics doesn't matter at all to me. I listen to ****ing power metal and I own every DragonForce album, I don't get to be picky about lyrics.

[pannoni1]

If the song is an instrumental: 100% no.
If the song originally known as an instrumental is re-arranged with vocals: 100% yes, because bad lyrics can ruin a great instrumental, but at least there aren't too many examples of that.
In general for vocal music yes, both due to message along with how it contrasts with the melody. For instance, there are many upbeat-sounding songs that contrast with downbeat, often negative lyrics, often about lost loves, breakups, Lots of R&B/Soul falls to that, and makes that genre interesting. In raucous heavy metal music, I find it crucial for the heavy, loud beats to contrast with the energy of the loud, creaking vocals since they provide the song its character. Understanding the different patys of a song (Intros interludes, verses, chorus (refrain), and bridge) should reflect this, with the bridge being the climax, the choruses the strongest and most distinct part of the song, and the verses similar in melody with lyrics that eventually lead to the chorus.

[Gunpowder]

Originally Posted by CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy

As an author, I pretty much listen exclusively to the instrumental versions of songs I like. Lyrics interfere with my writing.

It's basically this with me, too. But my preference usually depends on what I'm doing: while working out & under physical strain, having words alongside a melody does a better job of keeping me going. But with almost anything else, instrumental works better. Particularly when I'm looking for inspiration, oddly enough, listening to a mesmerizing tune works wonders, while listening to words being sung/rapped to me doesn't spark that much creativity. And when I'm just trying to kick back & relax, wordless works better for that, as well.

It's all about setting.

[sdp]

They're a variable in a much larger equation. A great song with crappy lyrics can ruin it for you. Great lyrics over crappy music won't get you to like the song. You can enjoy some songs in other languages you don't understand, you also can't enjoy some songs in other languages because you don't understand.

[PangolinFeets]

Yes, but I don't need lyrics to enjoy music. I listen to so much instrumental music.

[Jester]

I LOVE good lyrics. Bad lyrics with good music can even bug me...but the combination of bad music and bad lyrics make a song unlistenable.

[Prowler]

It depends. Death metal songs don't really require top lyrics. Just something cool sounding about death and destruction. However, rock songs better have fairly acceptable lyrics. Although "good lyrics" is a vague term and each person has their own definition of what are good and bad lyrics.

[Amaranthus]

I mostly listen to songs without lyrics (electronic), but when I come across a song I like I like to be able to sing it. I've only managed to memorize one song though; Bobby Brown.

[Slade]

Yes, and they better be good.