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(January 29, 2013 at 7:43 pm)Violet Lilly Blossom Wrote: And considering most lyrics in most songs are totally shit... you also ignore all of the lyrics that don't fit your current understanding of them.
There's a reason I say that understanding is blind
Hmm...
When I write lyrics I don't do it so others will understand what I mean, I do it so others can find a meaning in it for themselves. Why should other people concern themselves with what I am feeling at that time?
You apply your own meaning to a song, that is what I believe is the purpose of it. An artist can't tell someone what to feel about their work.
I will agree that most lyrics, especially nowadays, are shit, but if it can create some kind of emotion in someone, then it has done it's job.
(January 29, 2013 at 7:43 pm)Violet Lilly Blossom Wrote: And considering most lyrics in most songs are totally shit... you also ignore all of the lyrics that don't fit your current understanding of them.
There's a reason I say that understanding is blind
Hmm...
When I write lyrics I don't do it so others will understand what I mean, I do it so others can find a meaning in it for themselves. Why should other people concern themselves with what I am feeling at that time?
You apply your own meaning to a song, that is what I believe is the purpose of it. An artist can't tell someone what to feel about their work.
I will agree that most lyrics, especially nowadays, are shit, but if it can create some kind of emotion in someone, then it has done it's job.
Yep, Hitchens for example was really wordy. Important and had facts on his side. But how many syllables do you need to say "God is Fake"
Art is what works.
ABBA's strength was not writing Shakespeare lyrics, but the vocals and the musical note choices and riffs and ups and downs in the audible sound are to me, on par with any metal band I have liked.
You don't sell 350 million records in 40 years if you suck.
Wikipedia Wrote:As of October 2010, the series has sold over 116 million copies worldwide[5] with translations into at least 38 different languages around the globe.
... This is Twilight, a thing which we universally state sucks giant donkey shlong, and yet it's sold roughly half of what ABBA managed... in a fourth the time.
(January 30, 2013 at 7:25 pm)John V Wrote: I agree. Adults (straight ones anyway) don't make a dramatic fuss about liking X and not being ashamed of it anymore.
January 30, 2013 at 11:50 pm (This post was last modified: January 31, 2013 at 12:02 am by Brian37.)
(January 30, 2013 at 11:48 pm)Cthulhu Dreaming Wrote:
(January 30, 2013 at 10:58 pm)Brian37 Wrote: Ok 200 million sucks on what planet?
The Bee Gees sold over 200 million. QED and checkmate.
Any band would be lucky to sell 1 million. I misquoted a source. ABBA if wiki is correct still kicks ass for selling 200 million. And every post anyone reads about this might turn someone new onto them.
ABBA sucks so bad we are still talking about them today.
January 31, 2013 at 12:54 am (This post was last modified: January 31, 2013 at 12:59 am by Violet.)
(January 30, 2013 at 10:58 pm)Brian37 Wrote: Ok 200 million sucks on what planet?
Were you paying attention when I said that Twilight series books have shipped ~110 million units in 1/4th the time it took ABBA to get to 200 million records?
Funnily, we're only talking about ABBA today because a fan of ABBA (and there are fans of everything) brought it up, and we're talking to them. We don't have to
I really doubt that every post here might turn someone new onto them... we have youtube and various other methods by which to preview music before we buy it. Someone can easily see if they want something or don't nowadays, and it doesn't take blindly buying an entire album (usually for 1-4 songs on it) just to try it out.
AGAIN. And I'm trying to speak plainly to you...
This has sold *half* the units that ABBA has moved in 40 years... in 10 years. In 40 years, it's wholly possible that it will have sold more than twice what ABBA has managed in the same amount of time (of 40 years). This is without counting soundtrack sales or movie sales or anything (which have grossed considerably higher than Mama Mia)... it's the book series.
Violet, they didn't suck, they had great voices and the guys were awesome musicians. I do understand the backlash and I never claimed their lyrics were deep.
But I do understand stuff being overplayed. I hate Jimmy Buffet precisely because of two guys I went to college with loading up the juke box every time I was at that bar. Same damned 4 Buffet songs over and over and over and over and over.
But that does not mean Buffet sucked. Just means I don't like him.
(January 31, 2013 at 10:23 am)Brian37 Wrote: Violet, they didn't suck, they had great voices and the guys were awesome musicians. I do understand the backlash and I never claimed their lyrics were deep.
Actually, their voices are pretty meh (and the only reason I listen to them is their lyrics. I don't care that they aren't all super-deep: they are understandable, or at least somewhat so)... and the music itself is often cringe-worthy, but with cute little idiosyncrasies that are actually well done (just not enough of them).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFrGuyw1V8s I mean, you'll notice one of them right after "friday and the lights are low"... and the piano is solid... the transitions are well played... and the rest is absolute shit. I can enjoy it once in a while, but I don't pretend I enjoy it as a result of it being good... it makes ears bleed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-crgQGdpZR0 Here's another example of a song I'll listen to that simply isn't good, now I like what they tried to do, and they DID do well at certain parts (when all of the overlaps are together at the start, it's good... until that it is horrid, and this is where ABBA shows its talent: overlapping tracks, well timed background music (every time she says magic, you'll see), and again... transitions). They are not good musicians, they are decent music theorists.
You can see it again here... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWI2bTckbgc
Their transitions are fucking genious, every time they have multiple instruments (and preferably vocals) going at once: it sounds great (as in the chorus). Every time it's reduced to 1-2 tracks... shit. But I said that they deliver on music theory: THIS IS INTENTIONAL SUCKNATION so that they can bring you the satisfying *resolution* that is coming in their chorus. This is what makes them popular, and it doesn't take a lick of musical talent (none of which they have)... it is clever observance to musical theory. Try 3:55 on that track, leaving people on a 'this is great' note.
Even the song I declare to be flatly their best work ever: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92cwKCU8Z5c
Well no... here they decided to do a better job with the music itself, though there is very slight a cringe start. But this song stands by itself, if they did this well in their other songs, I wouldn't think of them as shit. However, as all actually good music: it spends its whole time being good, and doesn't give a cheap thrill via clash-resolve (also, it's why I will forever dislike Bach, and despise the ending to many classical works).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQsjAbZDx-4
Wouldn't it be great if the lyrics weren't worthless on this track? It's one of those songs I flatly wish was in another language, and that's why I don't listen to it. Sure, I know what they were trying with the lyrics, and exactly what they mean... they are still shit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6-M63HVR2g
Starts out rather annoying, quickly becomes the best musical track they've ever made, being at once their most creative, most observant of musical theory, and generally being well played by all the actors. Sure, I prefer the meaning behind The Winner Takes it All, but if the massive clash-break was about 10 seconds shorter (cut from the starting portion), this would be my favorite track of theirs.
Quote:But I do understand stuff being overplayed. I hate Jimmy Buffet precisely because of two guys I went to college with loading up the juke box every time I was at that bar. Same damned 4 Buffet songs over and over and over and over and over.
But that does not mean Buffet sucked. Just means I don't like him.
Asha hates that I love a few of Buffet's songs... Brian: I don't have to think an artist is amazing to enjoy their music
![[Image: Twilight-book-cover.jpg]](https://images.weserv.nl/?url=images1.wikia.nocookie.net%2F__cb20101013201653%2Ftwilightsaga%2Fimages%2Fe%2Fe5%2FTwilight-book-cover.jpg)
It's one of those songs I flatly wish was in another language, and that's why I don't listen to it. Sure, I know what they were trying with the lyrics, and exactly what they mean... they are still shit.
