What makes a legendary song?

A pact with Satan 😛

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.

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.

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.

Surely reading poetry isn't the same a listening to a musician speak or sing their lyrics.

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.

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.

That's because Hip Hop is essentially a two sided thing. The MC and the producer/s.

-AC

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. 😉

lyrics just add another dimension to a song.

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)

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. 😄

Originally posted by koolruningz
Unless of course they are fans of mainstream hip hop. 😄

Then they probably can't read.

Nice. 😂