I was driving my grandkids home from an evening at the local fair the other night when the sounds of rap music came from my car radio. Even though I have been near totally deaf since birth, with the help of powerful hearing aids and lip reading I get by. What hearing I do have is best in the very low frequencies such as fog horns or the deep base sounds of rap music. So as the familiar and unmistakable thump, thump rhythm of rap came through the air waves my lightening quick reflexes kicked in and I immediately changed the station. Even though I cannot hear the words because of the aforementioned hearing problem, I have seen enough closed captioned videos on uncensored cable channels to know these lyrics were not fit for pre-teens. Especially the pre-teens of my flesh and blood. We found a station with some good Taylor Swift type music and they knew every single word, which they sang loudly all the way home.
Granted I am coming from a different perspective here but I have a theory as to why songs appeal to people. I like the songs that I do because of the sound and I believe that is true of most people. The lyrics are irrelevant to me. It wasn’t until I owned a TV with closed captioning that I learned the words to my favorite songs from the oldies-but-goodies until now. But I can as surely associate a song with a memory as anyone who knows every word.
In the age old argument as to what is more important, the lyrics or the melody, I would side with the melody. I am sure there as those who cite the lyrics as they relate them to their life experiences. I believe the great song writers know the importance of both as it seems one begets the other.
I can’t ever remember a genre of music that has grown in popularity as fast or far as rap. Is it because of the lyrics or is it the melody? I would argue strongly for the melody. I must admit it is hard to hold still in the presence of the rap beat. If I am in my car I find myself bobbing my head, tapping on the steering wheel and generally, feelin’ it. If I am somewhere the music is being played I can’t help but envision myself as James Brown or Michael Jackson, moving as though the music has taken over my body. This from a guy with about as much soul as a piece of asparagus. But I find myself trying to jingle and jangle along as though I grew up in the hood. I’m not lookin’ too good but I’m feelin’ good.
My point is, is it really necessary to sing about what you want to do to your mother or how you treat your lady and use every four letter word known to man. I think not. I realize there are certain people that relate to this sort of thing and that’s what makes our country great but I contend rap has enough going for it that you could apply the rap beat to the lyrics of Ave Maria and it would be a hit, or Desperado. It’s the sound man, the sound. If they are trying to send a message they could send it with a “hell” or a “damn” here and there like the rest of the music world. Then I could tool down the street with my grandkids and not live in fear of what might spew forth from my radio.
What say you?
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ReplyDeleteI am crying Dad....I can just picture my homey Dad rollin deep in the Audi! ahahaha. With your home girl T-money.
On a serious note. I am fascinated by our observation of the thump thump and quickly changed the channel...knowing it was most likely rap and not good for the babies ears. The fact that you notice and care is something they will take with them and remember always. I know they will.
I love you, Great Blog.
May I quote.
"I am in my car I find myself bobbing my head, tapping on the steering wheel and generally, feelin’ it. If I am somewhere the music is being played I can’t help but envision myself as James Brown or Michael Jackson, moving as though the music has taken over my body. This from a guy with about as much soul as a piece of asparagus. But I find myself trying to jingle and jangle along as though I grew up in the hood."
Such a great message and often overlooked subject in today’s world of music. The rhythm, the beat, the overall vibe and sound of a song is definitely what grabs my attention, but if the vocals are crap (all in the ears of the listener, I know) or the lyrics are lame (again, up to the individual listener), to me, that’s what makes or breaks a song. Take the heavily over-played songs on popular ‘top-hits’ radio stations… Recently I heard a song on the radio that’s played a few hundred times a day but for whatever reason, this time, I caught the lyrics… This joker was singing about how they get all the girls in the club to take shots (shots, shots, shots, repeated a billion times) and get drunk so they will do whatever the guys want them to. I would never actually write what the lyrics are here, but you can imagine. And this song is being repeatedly blasted on top-20 radio stations everywhere? Not the best message for the younger generation! I know some people think the lyrics of my all time favorite bands are questionable or inappropriate, and they’re right, some of them probably are, but those songs have never and will never get air play on the radio.
ReplyDeleteA song could take on an entirely different meaning when you have the right lyrics… What we thought was ‘Your brownies… are burnt!’ turned out to be ‘Your priorities… are wrong!’ – Obviously a totally different meaning – but it’s not the words that bring back so many awesome memories when we played that song a billion times over, it’s the heavy guitar and tribal-like drums and the vibration of the bass when the music is full blast that brings it all back.
And by the way, the Big-Hommie-Woo-Woo and Lady T can chill in any hood… Y'all down with M.Dee!
LOL.. yo!
ReplyDeleteI have to say, we're on the same page here. I love music and think a lot of people who can SING. Okay, I think a lot of people who can write a song too. Some rap is okay with me, but most of it I will never get. even if I have the words in front of me. I don't get all the croch grabbing. what's that about? LOL. Love the post, thanks for chiming in on the 95 year old letter to Obama writer. I appreciate your perspective very much. As a matter of fact, more and more as time goes on. Keri