What makes a legendary song?
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Alpha Centauri
What do you believe makes or adds to the creating of, a legendary song?
People always remember the Master of Puppets riff etc.
So be it a part of a song, a whole song or whatever. What makes a legendary song?
-AC
LiveAndLetDie
Simple, yet insightful, lyrics. Lyrics that people can sing along to and can relate to, but they`re still catchy. Another thing is really great Guitar riffs or a catchy bass line.
Alpha Centauri
Surely the music comes first in making a SONG legendary...?
Interesting.
-AC
BackFire
A catchy rhythm that stays catchy forever, also good interesting lyrics go a long way.
bakerboy
Its impossible to say that, because there arent any logic in that. Sometimes is the music, sometimes the words, sometimes the innstrumentes, sometimes the theme, sometimes the style, etc.
LiveAndLetDie
Originally posted by Alpha Centauri
Surely the music comes first in making a SONG legendary...?
Interesting.
-AC
My reasons for a legendary song aren`t in any particular order....I`m not THAT organized with my thoughts
Alpha Centauri
Originally posted by bakerboy
Its impossible to say that, because there arent any logic in that. Sometimes is the music, sometimes the words, sometimes the innstrumentes, sometimes the theme, sometimes the style, etc.
Theme? You mean what the song is about? That would be lyrics or music. Though having a song about an important issue at the right time, regardless of how good it is, seems to be a factor.
There is logic in there. It's a question, what makes a song legendary?
-AC
SlipknoT
Originally posted by BackFire
A catchy rhythm that stays catchy forever, also good interesting lyrics go a long way. Yea, But that "Dont you wish your girlfriend was hot like me" I would never call that Ledgendary though.
Victor Von Doom
I've always found lyrics to be the least important part of a song. If they are great, or apposite, they can certainly add to the song.
I'd definitely never like a song because of lyrics. I don't personally feel the need to look to what musicians have to say about anything.
jaden101
a lot of songs i find that have a legendary status among alot of people are songs that strike a social chord...they aren't neccessarily good songs but they'll go down in history as being extremely memorable among a large number of people
take the song "imagine" by john lennon...not (in my opinion) a great song but one that i guess can be considered legendary...
a song that would be legendary for me can be made up of anything...AC mentioned master of puppets being legendary...i definitely agree because of the riffs...but the lyrical content of that song doesn't really hit anything special to me personally
on the other hand "round here" by counting crows isn't really a great musical song...its erratic and generally a bit of a messed up mix of rythyms and melodies...but the lyrics are always something i find magnificent in that particular song
ElectricBugaloo
if i could tell you, i wouldn't be here
113
Legendary songs = Lyrics that can be taken literally or figuratively, something that everyone can find meaning in. And amazing music behind the lyrics. Something that will catch peoples attention so that they want to listen to the lyrics and something that you can listen to over and over again.
i.e. Gladys Knight & The Pips-Midnight Train to Georgia
Alpha Centauri
Why do people focus on lyrics? It's called music for a reason, lyrics are nowhere near as important.
-AC
113
i disagree i look at music as poetry with a beat. Lyrics are tremedously important to me. Some of my favorite songs only became my favorite songs after i listened carefully to the lyrics and then the music in the song became more relevent and interesting. But that's just my opinion.
KharmaDog
First off I think it has to be recognized that what one may think of as great another may think of as just noise. That's the thing about any art form and as we see time and time again music is no exception.
I think that there are many different elements that can make a particular song great. Many of U2's earlier songs were great tunes because Dave Evans played more of an "ambiance guitar" rather than a traditional lead guitar".
Insightful lyrics can make a song great, or crappy lyrics sung either with heart or a beautiful voice can make a song great.
Innovation or perfecting a sound can make a song great.
I think that's why I love music, there are so many elements that can make a song or artist truly amazing, and as many options and roads that there are that lead to greatness, it still happens very rarely.
Alpha Centauri
I agree, except that it happens rarely. Just gotta know where to look.
Though of course there aren't legends being churned out every 5 minutes.
I don't think any lyrics make a song great, just add to it. The Mars Volta and At the Drive-In have mostly horrible lyrics but the music is great.
-AC
KharmaDog
I think it happens rarely in proportion to the amount of music being produced today.
As for lyrics, I think that some lyrics can take a song that was exceptionally good, and push it over to great.
jaden101
i guess when the majority of songs released are either so obvious in the message that they're trying to put across that it practically smacks you in the face with it...or the fact that with regards to pop music...just about all the songs are written by a handful of people...then legendary songs are getting a bit more difficult to find
i think alot of people can connect to lyrics quite personally and relate to them and thats why alot of people focus on them...
Victor Von Doom
It's not actually the substance of the song though, is the point. If it's words with backing music, you might as well read TS Eliot in a hotel lift.
Alpha Centauri
Yeah but if Parabola by Tool was spoken to me by Maynard, or even if he began singing it acapella on stage, it wouldn't nearly have the effect of the actual song. As far from it, actually.
Parabola instrumental would have close to the same effect. Music is where the emotion is, words just give it direction sometimes. Vocals are instruments, the voice is that matters. Not what it's saying really.
Hence why a non-german speaker can enjoy Rammstein.
-AC
Snoopbert
A pact with Satan
koolruningz
For the most part people who are saying lyrics are the most important are hip hop fans where the lyrics separate the good from the shite. Lyrics dont ultimately make a great song but all my favourite songs are songs with either meaning or a relevant message to me so it that regard lyrics do play a big part. A good beat of hook alone wont make a song great for me.
ElectricBugaloo
i think lyrics are very important. I mean, if you have an elliott smith song with no music, it is still beautiful, but youi add in the music and its even better; maybe because his lyrics can stand on their own.
Victor Von Doom
Originally posted by ElectricBugaloo
i mean, if you have an elliott smith song with no music, it is still beautiful, but youi add in the music and its even better; maybe because his lyrics can stand on their own.
Sure, but at that point it's not a song, it's words. I am just of the opinion that if we're there for the words, read poetry or something, not musician's ramblings.
That's not to say many lyrics/lyricists aren't excellent obviously.
koolruningz
Surely reading poetry isn't the same a listening to a musician speak or sing their lyrics.
Victor Von Doom
Originally posted by koolruningz
Surely reading poetry isn't the same a listening to a musician speak or sing their lyrics.
Kind of the point.
If it were the same, the music wouldn't matter and then you could argue the lyrics make the song.
koolruningz
I dont think lyrics do make the song but in hip hop which is my preferred genre lyrics have a far greater chance of making the song great than a catchy beat IMO. Some of my favourite songs are that because of the lyrics alone, the rest is just background music if the lyrics really resonate with me.
Alpha Centauri
That's because Hip Hop is essentially a two sided thing. The MC and the producer/s.
-AC
koolruningz
True enough. But the title of the thread is what makes a legendary song, my stance is that lyrics are just as important as the other factors and in some cases more so. Im no authority on Rock thats why i was very careful not to overstep my boundaries.
ElectricBugaloo
lyrics just add another dimension to a song.
Victor Von Doom
Originally posted by koolruningz
I dont think lyrics do make the song but in hip hop which is my preferred genre lyrics have a far greater chance of making the song great than a catchy beat IMO. Some of my favourite songs are that because of the lyrics alone, the rest is just background music if the lyrics really resonate with me.
I've always found that fans of hip hop put more weight on the lyrics than rock fans. (I'm a fan of both)
koolruningz
Originally posted by Victor Von Doom
I've always found that fans of hip hop put more weight on the lyrics than rock fans. (I'm a fan of both)
Unless of course they are fans of mainstream hip hop.
Victor Von Doom
Originally posted by koolruningz
Unless of course they are fans of mainstream hip hop.
Then they probably can't read.
koolruningz
Nice.
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