Saturday, August 28, 2010

Music and Lyrics

I love music and songs with great lyrics. Well, who doesn’t? I was always under an impression that all music lovers pay attention to the lyrics of a song when they listen to it. Little did I know that it is not always the case! Some people like music for its melody alone. They just listen to the song clue less of its meaning.

In fact, they can memorize the whole song but don’t really know what the song is about. This was a shocking revelation to me. No offence, but some tunes are really good if you listen to the instrumental but justice is not done as the lyrics ruin the song. But then melody alone without the right words is incomplete. Don’t you think?

I used to listen to the FM radio when I was young and write down the lyrics of the songs when they were played. I used to write really fast so that I don’t miss a single word of the song. You never know when it's going to be aired again. I then used to learn the song, sometimes adding my own melody to some of the lines enjoying the lyrics every single time I sang.

My mom bought this 400 page notebook with Nehru’s picture on the front cover and India Map at the back cover. That was the first year they introduced such fat note books. I made it my song book. It was so special to me. I filled every page with a song I liked. My brother used to blackmail me saying he would use it to do math rough work in it if I don’t give in to his demands (mostly give a share, sometimes all of the treats/snacks given to me).

It’s amazing how I never get bored of the songs I like. Every single time I sing a nice romantic song I get goose bumps. I feel very patriotic in my heart when I sing a patriotic song and understand life’s meaning all over again when I hear Kishore Kumar’s Zingadi songs in particular! If I haven’t seen the video of the song, I would direct my own little movie in my head :)

In fact, most of the songs I heard them first on radio or tape and got a chance to watch the video much later in life. For most of the songs, I must say, my directed version was much better than how the actual song was made :) yeah, I will make a much better director - some day!

What role do melody and lyrics play in a song anyways? Which one is more important? Can a song touch your heart if it has good lyrics and a lousy tune and vice versa. I don’t think so. You need to have a great tune to even be able to listen to it the very first time and like it to go to the next step of paying attention to the lyrics.

Here is my theory. Melody is like a precursor for the words that are later going to make it a memorable song. With out one the other does not make much sense. You cannot pick one over the other. It is their combination that delights your senses and nourishes your musical appetite.

Melody/tune is like the physical appearance. Love at first hearing can happen if the melody is good. But you really fall in love with the song only when it is paired with great lyrics. Lyrics are the soul of a song. They stick with you forever. You just cannot forget a nice song that has touched your soul.


Coming to the singer he/she adds a whole new dimension to the song with his/her signature nuances which makes it completely their own. Any other singer can sing the same song but it will not be the same. It is like two artists can paint a similar painting but it will never be exactly the same. A little stroke of the paint brush makes a whole lot of difference.

I listen to romantic melodies mostly. When it comes to romantic songs penned well, I think the lyrics seem wonderfully sensitive. They take you down the memory lane and make you relive the moments of the first time you met your spouse/boy friend, or if you would do it all over again how would you propose or go about your relationship.

I had couple of songs which I heard the first time when I was 12 I guess. I just thought, I would sing it for my guy and the best part is I did. It all worked out perfectly well, and I did sing the three top songs I had in mind for him in the same order. The songs had this meaning, which I really wanted to convey, and it was just perfect.

The best part is I had this one very romantic Telugu song – “Yeto vellipoyindi manasu” I always thought would be perfect if any guy sings for his gal. I used to sing it to myself and feel all special dreaming that someone was singing for me.

When we got married, the next day, we were surrounded by all relatives from his side, and they were obviously having fun scrutinizing me J they asked both of us to sing songs for each other. I sang the first song I wanted to sing to him, and he was a little hesitant to sing and nobody forced him, no fair!

And then next day we went out on a long drive and he said he was about to sing the same song (“Yeto vellipoyindi manasu”). My jaw dropped in shock J Though mine was an arranged marriage it felt like some shooting star, some sign telling me, this is the guy you have been waiting for ;-)

There are some songs for me which mean a lot as they are associated with some special people in my life. It’s like one of your friends introduces a song to you and you just love it so much. When ever you hear or sing that song you remember them, every single time. I actually judge people based on their taste in music J I know its mean, but hey who doesn’t!

Long live all the great musicians, lyricists, and singers who make the whole experience of listening to their songs simply divine!


1 comment:

IdeaGene said...

Totally agree. Lyrics is the soul. And I was as shocked as I felt pathetic both listening to songs (with crap lines) and looking at people humming those with a great sense of enjoyment. (No offense to their taste or the lack of it)

I have always found respite during tough times, drawn inpiration at times just by listening to them.