reading lyrics while listening or not : blah

I've tried *so* hard over the years to respect Pulp's (somewhat pretentious but well-meaning) wishes, much as I acquiesced when Robert Smith insisted "This music has been mixed to be played loud so turn it up" inside Disintegration.

I presume Jarvis's thinking is that the concepts of "song" and "lyric" have rights to be treated individually and on their own merits - but it does make me wonder what Pulp songs would sound like with no vocals at all! Would I ever have fallen for their lightly soiled charms without Jarvis's way with words beckoning me in? Probably not, I concede.

Anyway, I buggered it all up back in 96 by using the "Common People" lyrics (with key words strategically removed) as a learning tool for a roomful of perplexed Germans. "She came from Greece, she had a ______ for _________" etc...all to the good tho!

Charlie the first sentense of your answer gaved me some perspective about my cultural shock, and pronto thank you.

Also you turned it nice at the end of your post about the " she la la la la la la la la la la = somehting nastier than usual! lol = this is
Pulp.
But of course this is not meant as a Pulp thread per se.


playing on the border I want to hear more about the paradox of *writing* about music I guess , passing by when lyrics are clear and concise vs are noisier and give more room for interpretation. btw I like to turn songs into my personal " soundtrack of my life"! what a nice name for a group des ne?< /html>

*writing* about *music* ?

Frank Zappa/Elvis Costello to thread!

Pulp are absolutely right. If you start reading lyrics while listening, when you are first introduced to an album, you start wondering where the other lyrics will fit into the song. You don't relax, and let the music swamp you, you start analysing in your head where each bit will go. It's a poor state of mind to listen to music in. Most albums I've done it with have taken longer to get into.

I used to do this with every album I got, when I was younger. I never really have the urge to do it anymore... I think perhaps my listening capability is better and I have an easier time understanding the lyrics the first time around, or I care less about lyrics now. If I don't understand them, it doesn't really matter..

I agree with Kilian though. I remember reading the lyrics, and then waiting to hear specific verses, etc, anticipating when they'll come in... it's hard to take in an entire song when you're hunting for bits and pieces.

The one time this wasn't a dud for me was Elvis Costello's Imperial Bedroom. On the original vinyl LP, the lyrics completely covered the inner sleeve, all running together with no line breaks, not even between songs. Removing it from "poetry-style" formatting made it more interesting to follow along with. Something about seeing pop lyrics laid out in a visual rhythm kills any drama in the music.

i used IMPERIALballroom sheet just to help me with lyrics i couldn't make out, often the first lyrics in a song or the chorus (eg beyond belief) but then listened independently

i'm stuck in dunedin so would recomend 'sleeve instructions from "eskimo"' approach