People who don't like "songs".

[King Mark 3,631]

Why is it some people,like me,don't like many songs with voice lyrics,and only like Orchestral music?I was wondering about that...is it just a weirder interest than most people,the refusal to follow blindly a popular figure generally percieved as "cool" or beeing "told" how to feel by the lyrics, or does it have to do with somekind of weird inborn sensitiveness to pitch/musical tones or something.I feel that songs aren't as "pure" musically as Orchestral music and that most people singing actually ruin the melody and taint the music as opposed to Orchestral music and therefore I rarely like songs.Choir/chorus is fine because it sounds like a musical instrument,and I prefer the choirs that don't sing anything(like in Dark Side Beckons) to the one that have lyrics(DotF),and I dislike choirs that sing in English(America the Dream Goes On)

Whenever film scores have a song I ALWAYS pefer the orchestral version of the melody.when I listen to Home Alone 2,I keep wishing whoever is singing Christmas Star would shut up so I can have an orchestral version of the cue.I want to edtit out the carol in Christmas at Hogwarts....ect...

K.M.

[matmilne 0]

In my case it's because my main form of expression is music, my language centre has poor connections to the rest of my brain in a musical sense, so when i hear songs my brain just isn't interested and i get bored.

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

I've had this problem too - it's hard growing up in today's society not listening to the radio, watching MTV (or its equivalents, like Video Hits here in Oz) or buying the latest albums. You feel ostracised everytime someone discusses music or asks you what music you like (though this is a touchy topic for nearly everyone). I don't know why I didn't like songs much and only listened to score music (not even "classical"). However now I'm far more open-minded and my musical tastes have grown significantly. Due to the similarities between movie scores and musical theatre, I began to listen to those quite a bit, which led to other "songs" I quite enjoy. I'm not quite up to speed on singers and songs yet, but I still enjoy listening to them from time to time.

[Ollie 1,059]

I enjoy songs but not a great majority of the garbage written since 1990.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Songs are awesome!

Just listen to Jerry Goldsmith's "The Piper Dreams", "Nights are Forever", "It's a Long Road" and "Peace in Our Life". Also great is "Some Kind of Mystery" (though not written by Goldsmith) on The Shadow soundtrack, sung by Sinoa. Danny Elfman's song contribution to Ghostbusters II, "Flesh and Blood" is terrific, as well as "Face to Face" from Batman Returns and everything from The Nightmare Before Christmas.

What are you people worried about?

[Marian Schedenig 8,193]

I like good songs (i.e. not that many by Williams). I'm also an opera fan.

Marian -

[Ollie 1,059]

Is KM talking about songs in general or just songs written for movies?

In that case there have been alot of great ones, most of Barry's early Bond scores, Williams' Christmas music for HA and HA2, Howard Shore's contibutions to LOTR, Kamen and Bryan Adams' song from Robin Hood come to mind. I love a choir when it's used correctly and prefer a real one to the synthesized version, which is why Titantic sounds dated in my mind.

[David Vincent 8]

I've had this problem too - it's hard growing up in today's society not listening to the radio, watching MTV (or its equivalents, like Video Hits here in Oz) or buying the latest albums. You feel ostracised everytime someone discusses music or asks you what music you like (though this is a touchy topic for nearly everyone).

I fully agree with you. But now, when somebody want to talk about music with me, I just say I am not interested by anything else that soundtrack and change of subject.

I listened to radio a lot when I was younger, I had my Depeche Mode and Nirvana times, but since 1993, when I discovered Jurassic Park and the music of John Williams, I have completly abandoned the songs.

I always hated french singers and french songs and today, with all the Star Academies newbies singers, it is hard to have something interesting to watch on TV Saturday night. And because of that, I never listen to the radio anymore. I work in a computer shop and I have to listen to the radio all the day which is really a nightmare. I am pleased when I can go home in car while listening to my favorite soundtracks and forget the stupid songs written in my head all the day.

However now I'm far more open-minded and my musical tastes have grown significantly

It is not my case. I have to recognize that I am really close-minded and I only listen to John Williams sountracks and a few of other composers.

In fact, now that I am only interested by the soundtracks, what I hate the most in a song is this schema : verse + refrain + verse + refrain + solo + refrain...

This is so repetitive and boring.

[Richard Penna 3,689]

My musical tastes were completely normal when I was younger- all the latest bands etc.

Now after a long period of being into other stuff, my musical interests have come back, but this time it's soundtracks. I am into some songs (even some stuff my brother claims is the hottest band around), although most of them are from a film in some way. Plus, the melody is a huge reason I have many songs and why I always hunt for orchestral or at least synth versions of things.

I agree with magical_me in many ways (a bit of a coincidence actually, cos my period of 'other stuff' was actually magic...), not just because I'm into more types of music, but because only about 15% of my total music collection is JW. I was never quite sure what triggered the change, because when I was into magic in a big way, I liked listening to the stuff I performed to (synth stuff), but the music from LotR, Harry Potter and Gladiator really grabbed me, as well as the theme from Jurassic Park of course

In those kind of ways I'm far from a typical student - I don't go out very much because they don't play the music I'm into (I'm currently playing Atlantis Wakes, from Stargate Atlantis - when's the last time you heard that in a nightclub?). I also don't drink but that's not for this thread...

There's a very good reason I've been using headphones for the last few weeks, instead of speakers

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

I had given up on songs, until I heard Pink Floyd's The Wall. Excellent.

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

It's the FORCE flowing through us

In fact, now that I am only interested by the soundtracks, what I hate the most in a song is this schema : verse + refrain + verse + refrain + solo + refrain...

This is so repetitive and boring.

It gets on my nerves that almost all songs being like that, non-score people complain that williams writes repetitive scores and themes...

I like williams songs, since i dont pay much attention to the lyrics i suppose

But anyway, i just like songs that are linked to movies (same composer as the score...), Bond songs, etc...

[Justin 2]

I used to not like songs mainly because I'd never listened to any.

Justin

[A24 4,333]

The voice is the greatest instrument of all.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

sadly todays musicians don't no how to use it

[Greg1138 3]

I prefer listening to proper film songs rather than hearing simple tunes from the likes of Goldsmith, Williams etc....

[codanai 0]

I have to recognize that I am really close-minded and I only listen to John Williams sountracks and a few of other composers.

And that's totally okay. You can't and shouldn't force yourself to like more music for the sake of being well-rounded or whatever. I remember my dad lecturing me years back about how I needed to expand my taste from John Williams to other things, and I just kind of ignored him. Now I like a lot of music but I never forced myself to. You should let your taste develop naturally. It's an awesome thing when you discover a new music that you naturally love. You just gotta go with it.

I was at a concert this weekend and a string quartet played an arrangement of "Stairway to Heaven," and I realized as I listened that--compared to, say, a Mozart or Beethoven quartet or any classical orchestral piece--the music was just really bland. Yet I could hear people in the audience singing along.

My creative writing teacher was talking about how, when you take away the music to many songs, the lyrics alone are just kind of boring, uninspired. And, many times, that is totally true of the other way around as well: the music alone is dull, because it's dependent upon the lyrics, and vice versa.

You all have a good right to feel disdain toward a lot of popular songs. The music is watered down, but they hope by adding watered down lyrics, they can compensate. But they are WRONG.

Usually, I think the best songs are the ones in which the poetry is already written (say, a Dylan Thomas or T.S. Eliot poem) and then a composer, inspired by the poetry, sets it to music (say, Igor Stravinsky!). Also, yes, opera kicks ASS. If you guys haven't watched at least Mozart operas, you're really missing out!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

What an arrogant thread this is....

[pixie_twinkle 48]

I had given up on songs, until I heard Pink Floyd's The Wall. Excellent.

"Does anybody here remember Vera Lynn...." (sung out of tune )

Oh dear...

James-who thinks Animals is the last real Floyd album.

[Henry B 50]

I didn't like songs until I started singing.

[A24 4,333]

I had given up on songs, until I heard Pink Floyd's The Wall. Excellent.

"Does anybody here remember Vera Lynn...." (sung out of tune )

Oh dear...

James-who thinks Animals is the last real Floyd album.

I sort of agree. After Animals they became a competition for Andrew Lloyd Webber. Still, good stuff is still to be found on The Wall and even The Final Cut.

[Maestro 147]

Apples and oranges.

[nightscape94 965]

I had given up on songs, until I heard Pink Floyd's The Wall. Excellent.

"Does anybody here remember Vera Lynn...." (sung out of tune )

Oh dear...

James-who thinks Animals is the last real Floyd album.

I sort of agree. After Animals they became a competition for Andrew Lloyd Webber. Still, good stuff is still to be found on The Wall and even The Final Cut.

Sadly, they're all living under the shadow of the great Wish You Were Here, which is really the last Floyd Masterpiece.

I love band music, but mostly listen to progressive music.

Tim, who thinks "Dogs" is easily the best track on Animals.

[deimos 0]

I actually wasn't much into film scores till some years ago, so iu listened to songs. But I felt I needed something else and John williams appeard in my life. Now i listen mainly to soundtracks, but I still listen to songs sometimes (britpop mainly).

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

I had given up on songs, until I heard Pink Floyd's The Wall. Excellent.

"Does anybody here remember Vera Lynn...." (sung out of tune )

Oh dear...

James-who thinks Animals is the last real Floyd album.

I sort of agree. After Animals they became a competition for Andrew Lloyd Webber. Still, good stuff is still to be found on The Wall and even The Final Cut.

Sadly, they're all living under the shadow of the great Wish You Were Here, which is really the last Floyd Masterpiece.

I love band music, but mostly listen to progressive music.

Tim, who thinks "Dogs" is easily the best track on Animals.

Dogs is great, as is Wish You Were Here. I don't get what's wrong with The Wall. It's almost a musical. I very much enjoy listening to it. I even like The Devision Bell, on a more basic level (it's not as good as their other stuff, but I still enjoy it).

There's some parts of Dark Side of the Moon that I don't like as much, though. It's a great album, but just for my taste, they went a little too far on some of the guitar solo parts. Just a matter of taste on that one.

[nightscape94 965]

I like The Wall too, and it is like a musical. I know a few colleges that actually get the rights and put together a stage performance. But it's more about story then music.

Division Bell is certainly better then the average Momentary Lapse of Reason.

Tim

[Jeshopk 8]

Songs only entertain me when they are funny, intentionally or unintentionally. I don't get swept away by "dramatic" songs, nor do I feel that songs can get my adrenaline pumping when they try to be badass, like "it's hard out there for a pimp."

"It's a Long Road" is unintentionally funny. "I like chinese" is intentionally funny. Those kinds of songs are my favorite.

[pixie_twinkle 48]

Dogs is great! That moment where Gilmore sings "Dragged down by the stone" for the first time and you get that echo "stone...stone...stone...stone" in the background for the next 4 minutes or so and the band just chill out. Amazing. I think it's the last Floyd album where they feel like a band, and not just Roger Waters or Dave Gilmore with a few session musicians.

[QMM 4]

I don't listen to songs as much as I used to just because the market's become way too saturated with crap, probably one of the reasons why I switched to film music

[robthehand 3]

Why is it some people,like me,don't like many songs with voice lyrics,and only like Orchestral music?

Perhaps you have "phonophobia" or "verbophobia".

- Rob, reading his Christmas present

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

I like The Wall too, and it is like a musical. (...) But it's more about story then music.

Which is why I like it, actually.

Division Bell is certainly better then the average Momentary Lapse of Reason.

Haven't heard that one, nor any of the pre-Dark Side stuff. Maybe my dad has some of that stuff still lying around somewhere.

- Marc

Pink Floyd - Dogs

[pixie_twinkle 48]

Pink Floyd - Dogs

That'll be me later!

Check out Meddle and Atom Heart Mother, although the latter can come across as a bit pretentious. I really like it though.

Wall does have it's moments, I agree. Another Brick, Comfortably Numb, Another One of My Turns, Young Lust, Empty Spaces, and the scary as hell Don't Leave Me Now! The rest I could pretty much do without. I HATE The Trial!

[King Mark 3,631]

In my case it's because my main form of expression is music, my language centre has poor connections to the rest of my brain in a musical sense, so when i hear songs my brain just isn't interested and i get bored.

I didn't start this thread to knock songs or say that they are crap.I feel it must be the way my brain functions that I don't like lyrics.I am not sure wether it is an aquired thing or I'm more naturally inclined towards orchestral music.All i know is that it is not a matter of "expanding my horizons" or "learn" to appreciate something I dislike.

K.M.Who has only listened to non -Williams film scores for the past month.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

I like songs. Song can make sense or they don't have too, but there are so many great songs, good songs, ok song, bad songs and terrible songs, just like movie music cues.

Here is one of the all time best.

Ah, look at all the lonely people

Ah, look at all the lonely people

Eleanor Rigby picks up the rice in the church where a wedding has been

Lives in a dream

Waits at the window, wearing the face that she keeps in a jar by the door

Who is it for?

All the lonely people

Where do they all come from ?

All the lonely people

Where do they all belong ?

Father McKenzie writing the words of a sermon that no one will hear

No one comes near.

Look at him working. Darning his socks in the night when there's nobody there

What does he care?

All the lonely people

Where do they all come from?

All the lonely people

Where do they all belong?

Eleanor Rigby died in the church and was buried along with her name

Nobody came

Father McKenzie wiping the dirt from his hands as he walks from the grave

No one was saved

All the lonely people

Where do they all come from?

All the lonely people

Where do they all belong?

Here is another example of a very good song, that was only a moderate raido success but a bigger video success.

It's funny that way, you can get used

To the tears and the pain

What a child will believe

You never loved me

[Chorus:]

You can't hurt me now

I got away from you, I never thought I would

You can't make me cry, you once had the power

I never felt so good about myself

Seems like yesterday

I lay down next to your boots and I prayed

For your anger to end

Oh Father I have sinned

[chorus]

Oh Father you never wanted to live that way

You never wanted to hurt me

Why am I running away

[repeat]

Maybe someday

When I look back I'll be able to say

You didn't mean to be cruel

Somebody hurt you too

[chorus]

[nightscape94 965]

Pink Floyd - Dogs

It's getting infectious! LOL

Tim

[A24 4,333]

There's some parts of Dark Side of the Moon that I don't like as much, though. It's a great album, but just for my taste, they went a little too far on some of the guitar solo parts. Just a matter of taste on that one.

The guitar solos are a little more untamed on that one.

[Dean1700 4]

What an arrogant thread this is....

So tell me then why you think this thread is arrogant? There is no point to making a statement like that without a supporting argument. Is it becasue we choose to express our opinion on the form of music we like to listen to? And who really gives a toss if we don't like or listen to songs.

What really pisses me off is people who think there is no other form of music outside of the songs and artists (I use the term loosely, especially for Rappers who really have put the C into Rap) they listen to. This is never more prevalant than when we ask for something in a record store and all we get in return is a blank look from the Sales people.

The songs I listen to (Tears In Heaven, The Living Years and a few others) I really enjoy and think they are brilliantly written and performed but I also think they are people who really can sing and are by genuine artists.

[tony69 0]

songs are beautiful. i love shuberts songs. and strauss's.

[Richard Penna 3,689]

Yeah I didn't get that either Steef 8O

[ymenard 54]

An orchestra is a tough thing to backup a vocal or group tracks. The Beatles stuff is borderline smaltzy, why do you think we have "Let it be... naked" 8O It's to get rid of that stuff and let the fab four breathe a little on those recordings.

I bet most of us skip those A.I. tracks with Lara Fabian and Groban.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

I bet most of us skip those A.I. tracks with Lara Fabian and Groban.

The solo with Lara Fabian is lovely, but the duet version is awful.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

The Beatles stuff is borderline smaltzy,  

thats what some say about John, but here is a little fact, The Beatles are and will always be better known than John Williams.

[Jeshopk 8]

thats what some say about John, but here is a little fact, The Beatles are and will always be better known than John Williams.

Your point?

[JoeinAR 1,949]

my point is don't dismiss the beatles so easily, its like most people dismiss John so easily.

[A24 4,333]

The Beatles stuff is borderline smaltzy ...

What do you mean? Who said this?

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

The Beatles stuff is borderline smaltzy,  

thats what some say about John, but here is a little fact, The Beatles are and will always be better known than John Williams.

Doesn't bother me, I like The Beatles. I'm not too fond of their Protest Era style and that blasted White Album, but they were consistently good.

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

Indeed, as far as "songs" go, the Beatles are hard to beat.

Ray Barnsbury

[Sandor 797]

Well I actually love songs. Perhaps Christmas Star from Home Alone 2 would turn me off too Mark, but recently a friend of mine asked me to make a top 10 favorite songs list and this is what I wrote down:

1. Goodnight Saigon - Billy Joel

2. Riders On The Storm - The Doors

3. Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N' Roses

4. Purple Rain - Prince

5. Brothers In Arms - Dire Straits

6. In The Air Tonight - Phil Collins

7. With Or Without You - U2

8. Careless Whisper - George Michael

9. Stairway To Heaven - Led Zeppelin

10. The River - Bruce Springsteen

And then I had to leave out brilliant songs from John Lennon, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Paul Simon, Radiohead, Queen, Marillion, Metallica, Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, Genesis, Neil Young and many, many other artists.

PS Joe; Eleanor Rigby and Oh Father... good choices!

[BurgaFlippinMan 7]

I've loved film music all my life, but i also like songs, though there are not many non-score albums i would actually buy.

[Datameister 2,043]

I personally don't like a lot of songs, but I wouldn't dare to assert that just because most film music is more complex that it is "better." It just appeals to my emotions more effectively. In the past, I've seen snobbery toward both sides--people who dislike orchestral music saying that popular music is better, and people who dislike popular music saying that orchestral music is better. Bottom line: what do YOU enjoy listening to the most? Listen to that, and appreciate that different people have different tastes, as hard as that is.

[TheRuleOfThirds 0]

I just bought Animals used this weekend at ear x-tacy (for those select few who may know of it). First time I'd heard "Dogs." Originally, I was just going to listen to whatever little bit of the CD played while I burned it, but I wound up listening to the entire 17 minutes.

Really, by listening to classic rock, I've just found that there's music I connect to and music I don't connect to. It's not related to genres at all. Music is music. If "Bohemian Rhapsody" is what the doctor orders...that's what I take. If it's rush-hour traffic and it calls for some "Asteroid Field" action...I go for that. It's all about the situation, the mood I'm in, the mood the song conveys, and whether or not I want that to change or be reaffirmed.