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)
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)