Do you ever really think about...

[AnthonyD]

...the songs you play? I mean, their lyrical content - the message and/or the story they tell.

I've got a guitarist who likes to act as our "morality-meter" and pushes back on songs that he finds issue with, even when they fit perfectly with our core (family-fun, rock-n-roll dance).

Other songs, he'll ask if we can change a line or two. We're all middle-aged (42 through 54) and we've all got kids (5 through 20). Three of us are getting tired of dealing with it and simply decided we'll play those "other songs" without him - he claims he'll be fine going off-stage for a few songs.

Time will tell if this arrangement will work - I'm unsure at this point, but not doing this nearly broke us up.

Got me thinking about what others think about it, so I'm asking what you think about it...

 

[bovinehost]

He sounds like someone I would personally make fun of, but can you give me an example?

 

[spencer]

I think thats awesome, I understand it can be a little annoying because alot of GOOD songs have a bad message, but he wants a good message and is willing to pass up on good songs because of the message, thats discipline

 

[bovinehost]

Hmm. Again, an example, please?

Good song with a bad message.

I don't get it.

It's not like using an Iggy Pop song about HEROIN ADDICTION to get you to buy a ticket for a cruise ship, right?

 

[DTG]

seems a bit extreme,there has been a few songs over the years that I didn't like because of there lyrics but not enough to not play them. dig out a copy of Iron Maiden number of the beast and see how he gets on

If you listen to POP music you hear things like "my lovely lady lumps" or "makes my panties drop" but hey they are just songs that's all

the only song that really got me was the knack "my sharona" but I still love the bass in it and love to play it.

but hey he might just be a bit sensitive

 

[bovinehost]

Artist: Kiss Lyrics
Song: Rock & Roll All Night Lyrics

You show us everything you've got but not the naught bits or too much midriff

You keep on dancin' but not suggestively and the room gets hot but perhaps that's an air conditioner issue

You drive us semi-wild, we'll drive your Light Emission Vehicle

You say you wanna go for a spin while obeying all the relevant traffic laws

The party's just begun, we'll let you in as long as your naughty bits are not exposed or even tightly outlined

You drive us semi-wild, we'll drive your Prius

You keep on speaking in a perfectly reasonable voice

I wanna rock and roll until around 10 pm or so

and study the Dalai Lama after lunch.

 

[roballanson]

Well I do and I don't. Am not easily offended. Can you really have a morality meter in a rock band?

One of the best things happened on Friday just gone. Played a benefit gig for a local school organised by the parents. 180 people in DJs and ball gowns.....

a little worrying as we as a band are pretty loud indeed. However end of the night we finished with Puddle of Mud's She Hates Me. 170 people bouncing up and down like eejits. great fun.

my 2ps worth.

 

[martin shane]

Artist: Kiss Lyrics
Song: Rock & Roll All Night Lyrics

You show us everything you've got but not the naught bits or too much midriff

You keep on dancin' but not suggestively and the room gets hot but perhaps that's an air conditioner issue

You drive us semi-wild, we'll drive your Light Emission Vehicle

You say you wanna go for a spin while obeying all the relevant traffic laws

The party's just begun, we'll let you in as long as your naughty bits are not exposed or even tightly outlined

You drive us semi-wild, we'll drive your Prius

You keep on speaking in a perfectly reasonable voice

I wanna rock and roll until around 10 pm or so

and study the Dalai Lama after lunch.


LOL ...

 

[silverburst]

It sounds like your guitarist is playing with the wrong band.

 

[Jodizzle]

Most of the time the music I listen to is too loud to understand the lyrics.
Some songs that I used to enjoy I just don't anymore because I took time to
sit down and read the lyrics .. crap.
I say kudos to the guy in your band for not compromising his convictions. It would
be a bummer to have the band break up over it .. but such is life. Waay too many people
just go with the flow nowadays ..
Maybe this will give you guys an opportunity to write new stuff together ??

 

[dlloyd]

Only when covering Cocteau Twins songs.

 

[lorino]

Well...

I was at a Toby Keith concert last night with my 13 year old twin girls and my 19 year old daughter - they were swaying back and forth to "I'll Never Smoke Weed with Willie Again".

I guess I'm not the moral compass...

JIM

 

[T-bone]

Hmmm, let's see, Jack. You ever listen to any Green Day lyrics? They could certainly be interpreted as "offensive." And then you have Barry White. Now that man tells you what he wants, which, in some eyes, could also be considered "offensive."

For my part, I consider it all art and cetainly falls under freedom of speech. And if you don't like it, then you're all Nappy Headed - uh, never mind.

tbone

"with your money and your cocain" Tom Petty

 

[bovinehost]

I have a lot of problems with songs that espouse killing cops or that sort of thing.

I guess you could quite fairly say that I have no use whatsoever for rap, hip-hop or whatever it is we're supposed to call it now.

But then - to me - that isn't really music nor are they really songs. It's generally just some self-aggrandizing asshat, bragging about his street cred and how many women he's abused and so on. I know what a band looks like, I think, and it isn't one guy talking and another playing with a turntable.

(I do think "B!tches Ain't Sh!T" by Ben Folds is pretty hilarious, but I'm still not going to let my five year old hear it. Not until he can undestand the irony, anyway.)

But what's "Purple Haze" all about?

the acting funny and I do know why,

Jack

PS:

You ever listen to any Green Day lyrics? They could certainly be interpreted as "offensive." And then you have Barry White. Now that man tells you what he wants, which, in some eyes, could also be considered "offensive."

Green Day and Barry White are not exactly what I have in heavy rotation around here, to say the least.

 

[AnthonyD]

Whoa - big response - good discussion...

We're not talking what I would call generally offensive - foul language in lyric or stuff - we are a family-fun Band with a bit of rock-n-roll edge.

So you may find some of this funny - In my case, we're talking Tush, Only the good Die Young and Brown Sugar...

 

[adouglas]

To be honest, no, I don't.

A good song is a good song. Most of the time you can't make out the lyrics anyway.

But if it bugs him, then that should be respected. It's as valid a reason to not play a song as any other.

This really is all about band dynamics. In my band we have a simple veto rule...if any one of us really doesn't want to do a song, we just drop it no matter how much the other two might like it. There are far too many good songs out there to hold on to any one of them too tightly.

Lyrics to one of the songs we play:

And the old black rum's got a hold on me
Like a dog wrapped 'round my leg
Oh, the old black rum's got a hold on me
Will I live for another day?

The other two band members are a married couple with a six-year-old daughter. She knows the lyrics. We think it's a hoot, but I'm sure there are people out there who would get their panties all in a bunch over such a thing.

 

[AnthonyD]

...This really is all about band dynamics. In my band we have a simple veto rule...if any one of us really doesn't want to do a song, we just drop it no matter how much the other two might like it. There are far too many good songs out there to hold on to any one of them too tightly...

We had the same rule... Exactly the same... And we're pretty good about it.

Problem is we only have "practice" once a month - and usually less than that - so now we're talking getting together 8-9 times a year. When two years go by and we can barely scratch together four new songs you get folks decided "enough is enough" and I'm outta here".

A shame, really, because we're not half bad - especially considering the time WE DON'T put in together.

A song that's veto'd because it's not "us" or doesn't fit our "core audience/gig setting" makes perfect sense - we're not out to all play our favorite tunes, everyone else be damned.

But when we've got songs that fit - that we see other Bands doing and getting OUR audience moving to them - that we already know how to play but one guy won't take it out of the basement...

Well...

That guy now steps off-stage and the three of us get to work.

I can only hope that when he witnesses the positive reaction to these songs he doesn't stay away too long.

 

[DTG]

+1 WITH JACK
about the rap hip hop top pop type stuff......

but i do like green day !!

 

[smallequestrian]

I am horrible with paying attention to lyrics. I almost never notice funny or suggestive things unless somebody specifically points it out to me. I really just look for a vocalist that sounds good with the overall tone of the band.

I probably miss out on the deeper meaning of some of my favorite songs, but I am happy with my music in general.

 

[Psycho Ward]

Lyrics to a song are merely a road map to me, mile markers that tell me when I’m supposed to do something. I don’t understand most lyrics, or just don’t get it.

As for people getting offended by a song I say… “Get a grip; it’s only a stupid song!!!”

Songs mean many things to different people, but to me I just play them the best I possibly can and get paid. There’s really nothing else to it.


(I hope I didn’t offend anyone, I’m in a bad mood and on lunch break from jury duty. If I’m picked for a jury I’m pushing for death, no matter what the offence is! )