i don’t care about lyrics
today's post is a bit different -- not only is it non-technical, but a long time has also passed since my last one. a lot has happened since then; mostly good things, but this post is actually about something that has bothered me for years. ever since i can remember, i’ve struggled with it.
so, what is this all about? as the title says: i don’t care about lyrics. there, i said it.
since i was a kid, i’ve always struggled with song lyrics. while everyone else was singing along to their favorites (or even songs they didn't like), easily memorizing every word, i just couldn't. my response was always "i’m just bad at memorizing" or "my memory sucks", and i swear to god the only song i know from start to finish is a Portuguese children's song called "Atirei o pau ao gato" , which means "i threw the stick at the cat."
time passed and i started listening to electronic music, which doesn't have many lyrics. as a result, my "lyrics repository" didn't grow, which was great because i didn't feel left out anymore!
the real problem started when i got into the world of rock, and later, metal. someone who isn't into those genres might think -- especially with metal -- that lyrics are meaningless and it’s all just random screams and guitar riffs. that couldn’t be further from the truth. this is especially true if you were an "emo" like me and singing along to Bring Me The Horizon was the ultimate dream. however, at that time, the only thing i could actually sing was "Chop Suey!" by System of a Down, and you can probably guess why.
eventually, i simply accepted that this was who i was. i could not memorize lyrics. to do it, i would have to read them 300 times, rehearse them in my head another 300, and do another 300 "follow-along" tryouts. i gave up.
but here is the good news: i no longer believe my memory sucks. in fact, i think my memory is pretty good. so, no more excuses! well, except for this new one: i just don't care about the lyrics.
i actually googled this feeling -- this inability to memorize lyrics even for my favorite songs, the ones that really touch me. i think i found an answer, or at least a new excuse. let me explain: to me, lyrics are just part of the instrument. the human voice is just an artist playing with their vocal cords and lungs. in the same way that i don't really care which specific notes are being played on a guitar, a bass, or a piano, i don't really care which "notes" the human vocal cords are hitting. (one could argue i’m just an uncultured swine who lacks the technical knowledge to understand them and i can accept that)
all i really care about is if it pleases me, if it sounds good and if it moves me. this fits the genres i listen to perfectly. while some genres are heavily tied to a specific language -- Reggaeton to Spanish, Pop to English, K-Pop to Korean -- metal is different. sometimes, you actually have to read the lyrics to understand what they are saying (it’s not just screaming, i swear!).
going deeper into metal subgenres, some are tied to specific places. for example, the genre i listen to most is Black Metal, which is heavily tied to Scandinavian countries. therefore, the songs might be in English or a Scandinavian language that i don't understand -- and honestly, i don't really care to understand the lyrics (even though i just moved to one of those countries and i am currently learning the language!).
until a few months ago, it was the perfect scenario: even if i wanted to, i couldn't understand them! now, not caring about lyrics doesn't mean i don't care about the message. i still google the lyrics to almost every song, mainly to understand the message behind it, which also helps me ensure i don't support bands tied to things i condemn.
just like someone who doesn't play an instrument can still appreciate a song and tell the difference between a good and bad composition, i’m sure i can do the same without caring about the lyrics.
so, to wrap this up, i want to say: fuck lyrics! i'll keep enjoying the "bagpipes" that we are as humans and stop worrying so much about what the specific notes are :)