Originally Posted by Dottie
You're opening a big can of worms, but it's your call!


Well - no truer words have ever been spoken!

Hi All

Frank Zappa once famously remarked that 'Talking about music is like dancing about architecture!' Perhaps that's true but it seems at odds with the spirit upon which JPF's is based on.

Here's my point. Stating that not every architect is a good dancer, is not the same as saying that every architect should learn to dance!

I strongly disagree with the contention that this post was intended in some way to bully people into doing anything other than they wish to do or feel comfortable with. That said Dottie is absolutely correct. What started as an innocent although perhaps badly worded topic title has very quickly lead on to a completely different and far more emotive discussion, about peoples musical ability and personal creative choices.

I had thought my point was a simple one: which is - if your interested in writing songs then it is a good idea to learn the basics of music, not necessary or obligatory, just a good idea. That's all!

Secondly, the reason I suggested this is simple and equally accessible to all here, lyricists, musicians and songwriters.

It is: that the lyrics of many songs (not all) when written down and read without reference to the melody of the song often appear to have inconsistent meter. The reason for this is that the meter (or rhythm and timing) of the melody at points carries the phrasing. That is to say that gaps in the meter of lyrics can (and often are) corrected by the rhythm of the melody.

I still think this is an obvious point and (and clearly unlike many of you here) a helpful one!

So let me ask the question in a different way, in a way that doesn't cause offence which I can assure all of you was never my intention. Here it is:

WHAT, IF ANYTHING, IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 'PURE LYRICS' AND THE WORDS OF A SONG?

Regards

ColmT