Modern lyrical gems vs mainstream garbage?

[01rangerxl]

I think with the music industry struggling to adapt over the last decade or so, there is a lot of pressure on "artists" to make something catchy that sells. It doesn't matter if the actual lyrics are retarded, as long as they can push it on iTunes or wherever else, maybe get it in a movie or commercial. It's probably easier to make dumb music appeal to a wider group of people.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
I listen mostly pre 90's music, my favorites are Pink Floyd, Eagles ... Hedley lyrics is good but the music is nothing to write home about, I like "For The Nights I Can't Remember".


Thank you. The song grew on me because of those lyrics. I didn't like it at first. But I liked the WORDS; the message. And I find myself listening to it because of that.


When I was in college long ago I did their hobby radio station and there was a rich kid who collected all the Billboard top ten compilations from the get-go (1955 ish) to 1990. Then he stopped and upon seeing what he would have gotten noone blamed him!

Conversely, and perversely, there's now an FM radio station with about an 80% playlist of 1990s grunge and metal, aiming for the 30-something "I listened to this in high school" crowd. Sounds almost fresh again.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: greenaccord02
The thing is, all of the garbage gets washed away with time and nobody remembers it while the gems stand out and endure. So when we look back in history all we see are the gems and none of the trash, so the musical landscape always looks better in retrospect.


That's the key

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: Spyder7
Lectures were replaced by dimly lit classrooms showing power point presentations (which were available online for those with better things to do in class than take notes), and laptops and cellphone usage was everywhere.


This is also one of the biggest problem I saw. I graduate in 2000 and went back to school in 2006, and by that time professors also has gotten lazy, relying on power point slides rather than writing on boards, that they are going so fast between slides that you cannot jot down what they talk about fast enough, then spend part of the lecture on meaningless jokes that isn't related to the lecture. What is the point of going through the slides so fast with just graphics and no text that students cannot catch what you are trying to say?

 

[OVERKILL]

Reviving this puppy once again, as I have a new favourite song to add:

Five Finger Death Punch - M.I.N.E

Everybody hurts, everybody bleeds, everybody bends to fill a need
Everybody's born with their own curse and I'm not alone

Everybody cries, everybody breeds, everybody wants to feel they're free
Deep inside I know what I am worth; Life for my own
It could have been much worse, but it should have been better

I know I hurt you, deserted you and now I see it clear
I pulled you closer, tighter, 'cuz I knew you'd disappear
I just can't compromise, apologize, there's nothing you can say
We both knew, it would always end this way.

Everybody gains, everybody breathes, everybody's making off like thieves
Every soul's aching for release, you're not alone

Everybody lives, everybody leaves, everybody begs best on their knees
Everybody's got the same disease, no-one's alone.

It could have been much worse, but it should have been better

I know I hurt you, deserted you, and now I see it clear
I pulled you closer, tighter, 'cuz I knew you'd disappear
I just can't compromise, apologize, there's nothing you can say
We both knew it would always end this way
Knew it'd end this way
We knew it'd end this way.

I know I hurt you, deserted you, and now I see it clear
I pulled you closer, tighter, 'cuz I knew you'd disappear
I just can't compromise, apologize, there's nothing you can say
We both knew it would always end this way
We both knew, it'd always end this way
We both knew.... It would always end this way.

 

[JHZR2]

Not that I care much for pop culture stuff, and not that its lyrics, but I thought this screaming sax solo was pretty good... I dont care of the singer or her music, or the video for that matter, but a band is always better when it has a horn section - something else lost in the last decades. I cant get around just how lousy the music, let alone the lyrics are these days. Too much electronics or else thrashing sounds or lack of good tones.



Turns out it isnt even Kenny G playing (not that I care for his brand of electric sax either).

I just want more horns in modern music. Less electric beat and foul language, more horns!

Now this is more like it!!!

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Reviving this puppy once again, as I have a new favourite song to add:

Five Finger Death Punch - M.I.N.E


I was playing them at work today, along with the new Devildriver and A7X. It's funny, the techs can tell my mood by what music I play at work.

 

[earlyre]

Originally Posted By: eljefino

Conversely, and perversely, there's now an FM radio station with about an 80% playlist of 1990s grunge and metal, aiming for the 30-something "I listened to this in high school" crowd. Sounds almost fresh again.

as someone in that age group, i find the music channel i listen to on my Sirius radio, is Lithium the "Grunge and 90's Alternative" channel.
I haven't listened to regular radio in years, to the point i have no idea who most of the bands are my friends and co-workers talk about...became an old man before my time.

even a side from that, the one artist i re-discovered, and keep finding myself going back to is Ben Folds.
heck last year i played through his whole discography on my drive back from dallas last year. made it all the way to Indianapolis before running out.

 

[Vikas]

Given that English was not my first language, I could never really make out any lyrics of the most pop songs for decades. If I like the song, it is because of the tune and not the content. I suspect lot more people are like me aka have no idea what the actual lyrics are or their deep meaning.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
Given that English was not my first language, I could never really make out any lyrics of the most pop songs for decades. If I like the song, it is because of the tune and not the content.

Funny you should mention it. I'm in the same boat.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
Given that English was not my first language, I could never really make out any lyrics of the most pop songs for decades. If I like the song, it is because of the tune and not the content. I suspect lot more people are like me aka have no idea what the actual lyrics are or their deep meaning.


I listen to a bit of German music, but I have to translate it all, as I need to know what the lyrics say

 

[Clevy]

Originally Posted By: earlyre
Originally Posted By: eljefino

Conversely, and perversely, there's now an FM radio station with about an 80% playlist of 1990s grunge and metal, aiming for the 30-something "I listened to this in high school" crowd. Sounds almost fresh again.

as someone in that age group, i find the music channel i listen to on my Sirius radio, is Lithium the "Grunge and 90's Alternative" channel.
I haven't listened to regular radio in years, to the point i have no idea who most of the bands are my friends and co-workers talk about...became an old man before my time.

even a side from that, the one artist i re-discovered, and keep finding myself going back to is Ben Folds.
heck last year i played through his whole discography on my drive back from dallas last year. made it all the way to Indianapolis before running out.


I'm in that category. I don't like much new stuff. I still like soundgarden,likely for nostalgia reasons.
I'll still turn up limp bizkit. My CD player holds 6 disks. 4 are limp bizkit,the other 2 are soundgarden.
Nirvana still tugs at a chord in my heart. I found the tape incesticide at my moms last week. Had to find a tape player.

 

[dailydriver]

If you want a 'lyrical gem', listen to Robert Earl Keen's "Not A Drop Of Rain".

That Bandera/Kerrville boy can WRITE!!!

 

[SEMI_287]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: Vikas
Given that English was not my first language, I could never really make out any lyrics of the most pop songs for decades. If I like the song, it is because of the tune and not the content. I suspect lot more people are like me aka have no idea what the actual lyrics are or their deep meaning.


I listen to a bit of German music, but I have to translate it all, as I need to know what the lyrics say

Ah, German music! Growing up in a bilingual household I guess I'm blessed to understand most of it. Have any favorite bands in particular? As cliche as it sounds I love Rammstein the most. Having been to a few concerts in Germany (I planned my vacation around a concert date, sadly) and they're one of the best live bands I've seen. Very clean and articulate, not sloppy like some other metal bands I've seen. Meaningful lyrics for the most part. And sadly I have the opening of Ich Tu Dir Weh as my ringtone.

 

[surfstar]

"The Good Left Undone" - Rise Against


In fields where nothing grew but weeds,
I found a flower at my feet,
Bending there in my direction,
I wrapped a hand around its stem,
I pulled until the roots gave in,
Finding there what I'd been missing,

But I know...
So I tell myself, I tell myself it's wrong.
There's a point we pass from which we can't return.
I felt the cold rain of the coming storm.

All because of you,
I haven't slept in so long.
When I do I dream of drowning in the ocean,
Longing for the shore where I can lay my head down,
I'll follow your voice,
All you have to do is shout it out.

Inside my hands these petals browned,
Dried up, fallen to the ground
But it was already too late now.
I pushed my fingers through the earth,
Returned this flower to the dirt,
So it could live. I walked away now.

But I know...
Not a day goes by that I don't feel this burn.
There's a point we pass from which we can't return.
I felt the cold rain of the coming storm.

All because of you,
I haven't slept in so long,
When I do I dream of drowning in the ocean,
Longing for the shore where I can lay my head down,
I'll follow your voice,
All you have to do is shout it out.

All because of you...
All because of you...

All because of you,
I haven't slept in so long.
When I do I dream of drowning in the ocean,
Longing for the shore where I can lay my head down,
Inside these arms of yours.

All because of you,
I believe in angels.
Not the kind with wings,
No, not the kind with halos,
The kind that bring you home,
When home becomes a strange place.
I'll follow your voice,
All you have to do is shout it out.


Rise Against is the best 'modern' (last 10 years) punk I've heard. Like Bad Religion - sounds great, good lyrics. RA's videos are usually worth watching also.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=At-YPyVW9R8
Rise Against - Ballad Of Hollis Brown

 

[Quattro Pete]

Roger Waters wrote some good stuff back in the day, for example on the "Amused to Death" album...


Doctor Doctor what is wrong with me
This supermarket life is getting long
What is the heart life of a colour TV
What is the shelf life of a teenage queen
Ooh western woman
Ooh western girl
News hound sniffs the air
When Jessica Hahn goes down
He latches on to that symbol
Of detachment
Attracted by the peeling away of feeling
The celebrity of the abused shell the belle
Ooh western woman
Ooh western girl
And the children of Melrose
Strut their stuff
Is absolute zero cold enough
And out in the valley warm and clean
The little ones sit by their TV screens
No thoughts to think
No tears to cry
All sucked dry
Down to the very last breath
Bartender what is wrong with me
Why am I so out of breath
The captain said excuse me ma'am
This species has amused itself to death
Amused itself to death
Amused itself to death
We watched the tragedy unfold
We did as we were told
We bought and sold
It was the greatest show on earth
But then it was over
We ohhed and aahed
We drove our racing cars
We ate our last few jars of caviar
And somewhere out there in the stars
A keen-eyed look-out
Spied a flickering light
Our last hurrah
And when they found our shadows
Grouped around the TV sets
They ran down every lead
They repeated every test
They checked out all the data on their lists
And then the alien anthropologists
Admitted they were still perplexed
But on eliminating every other reason
For our sad demise
They logged the explanation left
This species has amused itself to death
No tears to cry no feelings left
This species has amused itself to death

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: SEMI_287
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: Vikas
Given that English was not my first language, I could never really make out any lyrics of the most pop songs for decades. If I like the song, it is because of the tune and not the content. I suspect lot more people are like me aka have no idea what the actual lyrics are or their deep meaning.


I listen to a bit of German music, but I have to translate it all, as I need to know what the lyrics say

Ah, German music! Growing up in a bilingual household I guess I'm blessed to understand most of it. Have any favorite bands in particular? As cliche as it sounds I love Rammstein the most. Having been to a few concerts in Germany (I planned my vacation around a concert date, sadly) and they're one of the best live bands I've seen. Very clean and articulate, not sloppy like some other metal bands I've seen. Meaningful lyrics for the most part. And sadly I have the opening of Ich Tu Dir Weh as my ringtone.

Rammstein is definitely my favourite. Two of my wireless SSID's are Herzeleid and Rosenrot, LOL!!

I saw them last year in Toronto and they put on an awesome show!

Extremely well done, it is like watching theatre.

 

[OVERKILL]

OK, back from the dead again for another addition:

Five Finger Death Punch - Cold

I'm gazing upward; a world I can't embrace
There's only thorns and splinters; venom in my veins
It's OK to cry out when it's driving you insane
But somehow someday I'll have to face the pain

It's all gone cold but no one wants the blame
It's all so wrong, but who am I, who am I to say?

I'm begging for forgiveness; everything I've done
If God is listening he knows I'm not the only one
It's OK to lash out from the rules that I'm enslaved
But somehow someday I'll have to turn the page

It's all gone cold, and no one wants to change
It's all so wrong, but no one wants the pain
It's all gone cold, there's nothing left to gain
It's all so wrong, but who am I, who am I to say?

My heart's an endless winter, filled with rage
I'm looking forward to forgetting yesterday

It's all gone cold, and no one wants to change
It's all so wrong, but no one wants the blame
It's all gone cold, there's nothing left to gain
It's all so wrong, but who am I, who am I to say?

It's all gone cold, but who am I to say?
It's all gone cold, but who am I to say?