The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #102349   Message #2073708
Posted By: GUEST,Puck
11-Jun-07 - 11:47 AM
Thread Name: Why I like folk songs
Subject: RE: Why I like folk songs
Nice one.... Ythanside.
In reply to 'Peace', folk song lyrics do require to be listened to.
A story unfolds or some historical/social reference is made, which quite often provides an insight into long forgotten working or living practices, or, reference is made to bye-gone customs or historical events as the song is sung. They educate us all! There is a point to them! If you do not listen closely you will miss the point!! As WLD says, as time passes traditional songs are honed and shaped by little tweaks and shavings, slowly evolving, they emerge as vintage. They belong to us all, unlike certain modern commercial 'music' the lyrics of which are in large part indecipherable . There is so much money to be made that record companies promote bland songwriting because poor content can be hidden away behind loud confusing backing, and clever sound mixing, so words become an irrelevance.... it's about making money not music.
If a song has words then they should be able to be heard and understood. Nothing wrong with nonsense songs - Pink Floyds 'BIKE' is a great example, but every word is clear, and you can then make of them what you will.

I do like some BeeGees songs. That particular song 'S, A.' is not the issue, it was merely hearing it out of it's normal cammouflage of it's loud and gaudy musical backing and hearing it sung much slower enabling the lyrics to become crystal clear. It caused me to think about it and having thought I realized it's poorly crafted as a peice of work   - in my opinion.
It is a peice of music that I would never choose to listen to, but I may hear it by 'accident' 10 times a year for the last God knows how long since it came out. You'd think I would know it inside out by now, but it just wafts past like some bad smell, more of an irritant than a peice of music because of it's lyrical inaudability .

I am NOT telling you folk is best.
I think you are allowed to think what you like. If you think 'Staying alive' is great musical entertainment you are allowed to beleive it, and I'm allowed to feel sorry for you Peace.
As regards supplying you with a list of approved music I don't feel the need - each to his own. There's plenty of rubbish about out there, find your own!!
Pee