Poll: Do you pay more attention to the music or the lyrics?

[Blood Brain Barrier]

And don't say "both"!

I've found when I'm listening to music (and I mean listening, not doing something else with it on in the background) I'm usually focusing on the patterns in the music or the melodies, never the words. Most of the time I ignore the lyrics. I might catch on to a few words but they are just sound to me, and don't mean anything except in a musical, tonal or rhythmic sense.

Even if I focus hard on the lyrics, I won't be able to tell you what a song is "about" after I've heard it. I don't even usually understand what is being said (I'm a native English speaker). Hell, even if I read they lyrics I don't understand them. I'm not poetic at all, which might explain something.

It's possible we humans are either "poetic" or "musical", like the right-brain/left-brain idea. Maybe there are people out there more balanced than me but I think human concentration demands a sacrifice in one area to penetrate another more deeply, especially if you want to really enjoy something like music.

So what about you?

(It seems there have been some people misunderstanding the question. To clarify, it's about what your mind does when you are listening to music. Not whether you think lyrics or music are more important)

 

[Andrew_C]

Both. both are equally important. On some songs the music is just a vehicle for the lyrics, on others the lyrics an excuse for the music.

 

[madwarper]

Both. Well, it depends.

Obviously, when listening to songs with either no lyrics, non-English or simply incomprehensible lyrics, I'm listening to the music.
Else, I am listening to the lyrics. If i find the lyrics to be bad or just stupid, I'll turn the song off. No amount of catchy tune will change that.

 

[sky14kemea]

Always the lyrics.

If I don't like the lyrics to a song, I won't bother listening to it. However, I can deal with a bit of 'weird'[footnote]By weird, I mean unusual for my tastes.[/footnote] music if the lyrics are really good.

That's probably why most of my song library is pretty depressing. I'm a sucker for melancholy lyrics. Luckily I have just enough happy songs to keep it in balance.

 

[piinyouri]

Depends on what I'm listening to.
If the vocals are there mostly for atmosphere, chances are good I'm tuned into the music more.

In a case where I am listening to the lyrics, than it is a little of both, though I am a huge sucker for a good chorus, whether that is a super catchy singalong, a triumphant anthem, a hellacious warcy or a somber eulogy, I'm just one for dem choruses.

 

[excalipoor]

I tend to not care about lyrics unless they're either particularly clever, or especially dumb. Of course some genres are carried by the lyrics more than anything else, but my answer is still the music.

Half of my library is instrumental anyhow. I think the only a cappella I have is this one Azumanga Daioh CD.

 

[Jonluw]

I only catch the lyrics if it's some sort of children's song or comedy thing.
If I'm listening to music, I'm normally doing it for the sake of music, so I don't really pay attention to the poetry.

Plus, I listen to a lot of instrumental music.

 

[Blood Brain Barrier]

Always the lyrics.

If I don't like the lyrics to a song, I won't bother listening to it. However, I can deal with a bit of 'weird' music if the lyrics are really good.

That's probably why most of my song library is pretty depressing. I'm a sucker for melancholy lyrics. Luckily I have just enough happy songs to keep it in balance.

So.. I'm guessing you're not a sucker for classical, techno or anything instrumental? Life must be unbearable for you! No wonder you're depressed.

Both. Well, it depends.

Obviously, when listening to songs with either no lyrics, non-English or simply incomprehensible lyrics, I'm listening to the music.
Else, I am listening to the lyrics. If i find the lyrics to be bad or just stupid, I'll turn the song off. No amount of catchy tune will change that.

So you're a lyrics person. I think lyrics people say "both" because they don't know what it's like to not connect with lyrics. Your attention turns totally to the music. Well, I know mine does.

While if you're a "music person" you know you don't feel the lyrics.

 

[The Wykydtron]

I have fallen out of listening to songs with lyrics, it's either full instrumentals or Japanese lyrics. With the exception of 3IOB's songs because they tend to all tell a specific story so it's more important.

If a song can tell a story without a single word being said then that's usually better than a song with lyrics in my book. That's why I love character themes so much.


Picture perfect representation of Hazama as a character in a musical form. It's that good.


Reading through some other posts I suppose I don't pay much attention to lyrics at all I mean the message in the lyrics cuz y'know, words. I've never once said "wow these lyrics are so brooding and deep" not once. I only really like 3IOB's lyrics because they're hilariously Metal. I don't even look up the translated lyrics for any Japanese songs either, the lyrics are just an extension of the music.

 

[sky14kemea]

Always the lyrics.

If I don't like the lyrics to a song, I won't bother listening to it. However, I can deal with a bit of 'weird' music if the lyrics are really good.

That's probably why most of my song library is pretty depressing. I'm a sucker for melancholy lyrics. Luckily I have just enough happy songs to keep it in balance.

So.. I'm guessing you're not a sucker for classical, techno or anything instrumental? Life must be unbearable for you! No wonder you're depressed.

*sobs uncontrollably*

I like some classical music. I don't mind instrumental if I'm too busy to sing along, but yeah.

Techno hurts my ears though. D: I'm a delicate, depressed flower!

 

[Neuromancer]

Technically, a great song requires both to be of high quality.

As for personal taste, I am a sucker for great lyrics. As much as I love great music, lyrics usually add that certain something that helps set certain songs apart from others.

For example, The Final Cut by Pink Floyd is not an album that is great musically. The lyrics however are truly powerful.
Contrast the Division Bell and A Momentary Lapse of reason, both albums that are great musically, but the lyrics are a good deal weaker. I prefer the Final Cut to both of them simply because the lyrics lack the amount of substance TFC has.

In the end of the day, though, if you were to ask me which PF album I like most, I would say one that has both great music and lyrics. Namely, Animals.

 

[GiantRaven]

Singers might as well be singing their melodies in simlish for all I care about lyrics of a song. The tone of voice and the melody being sung are far more important to me.

 

[Blood Brain Barrier]

Technically, a great song requires both to be of high quality.

While true, that isn't the question in the poll. I probably should have clarified, it's not about what you prefer or rank higher, but what your brain does while listening.

 

[Andy Shandy]

Music. While I still find lyrics important, I'm always more drawn to a great guitar solo for example, than some good lyrics.

 

[HoneyVision]

I don't believe anyone who says they pay more attention to the lyrics, simply because enjoying the music will always be instinctual, while appreciating lyrics will always be intellectual. Not to say you can't appreciate both, but enjoying the melody will always take priority in our brains.

 

[ohnoitsabear]

I couldn't give two shits about the lyrics in a song. They just aren't important to me. Of course, this might be because half of my library has completely incomprehensible lyrics, but I don't think I cared much about lyrics before I started listening to a lot of extreme metal. The music is just so much more important to me.

 

[Jezzascmezza]

Definitely the music.
Even though I mostly listen to instrumental stuff, even the songs I do listen to with actual lyrics I often struggle to understand- horrible sentence there, sorry.
I often find lyrics kind of hard to fully understand, for whatever reason, so I focus on how a song actually sounds rather than focusing on what it says.

 

[kailus13]

I'm a delicate, depressed flower!

A delicate flower wielding a large banhammer and spidermod pictures.

For me it's music definitely, which explains why most of my music is lyricless.

 

[Blood Brain Barrier]

I couldn't give two shits about the lyrics in a song. They just aren't important to me. Of course, this might be because half of my library has completely incomprehensible lyrics, but I don't think I cared much about lyrics before I started listening to a lot of extreme metal. The music is just so much more important to me.

I'd even say extreme metal doesn't have lyrics. Which sounds like a nonsensical thing to say, but not in the sense that we're talking about here because listening to extreme metal you can't hear any words just vocal sounds.

I don't believe anyone who says they pay more attention to the lyrics, simply because enjoying the music will always be instinctual, while appreciating lyrics will always be intellectual. Not to say you can't appreciate both, but enjoying the melody will always take priority in our brains.

I have my doubts about this because rap exists, but I see what you're saying. I know the music is instinctual for me but I also know there are people out there who don't care much about music only the lyrics, like the 3rd and 4th posters.

 

[Techno Squidgy]

It really depends on what I'm listening to. Some songs I listen more to the lyrics and what's being said, others I listen more to the music.

I'd say for the most part I listen more to the music. I love a bit of powerful guitar playing, especially Floyd style music.