06-09-2024, 08:56 PM
(This post was last modified: 06-10-2024, 12:33 AM by Quixilated.)
The dictionary defines lyrics as:
1. the words of a song in popular music.
2. a poem of a type that expresses the writer's emotions, typically briefly and in stanzas or recognized forms; a lyric poem.
I was under the impression that if they are trying to put words to music, then it’s lyrics. I am struggling to understand how you can tell someone the words to their song don’t qualify as lyrics. I have seen songs where the lyrics contain only a few lines that just repeat, but the song still works. I have seen songs that would read like a beautiful poem even without the music, but the song still works. The thing that ties these two together is that they are meant to be sung. What is the criteria you are using to determine lyrics vs non lyrics? Your meaning is not clear to me.
I’m not worried the forum is dying. That is not what I said. I said we don’t currently have a large enough number of members to fill a new forum with posts. It did almost die and now it is growing again thanks to the efforts of some of our incredibly dedicated poets. But it is growing slowly and we do not rush into changes without thought and discussion and trying to determine what the benefits would be and what the draw backs would be and what the rules would be.
I do find it a little concerning that you can tell someone their lyrics aren’t lyrics but you also can’t articulate the rules you are using to make that call. Right now, if we made a sub forum for lyrics, the rule would be that it’s lyrics if the OP says it’s lyrics. The purpose of the forum and its critique would not be to determine whether or not the post is lyrics. The goal would be to help the poster workshop their words to achieve their own vision for the song. This site is a workshop for words. If we make changes to the site it will be because the changes help us to be a better workshop for words. If you had something else in mind, a more limiting definition of lyrics, then we are not yet on the same page. Perhaps we need to discuss further what you mean when you say “lyrics.”
1. the words of a song in popular music.
2. a poem of a type that expresses the writer's emotions, typically briefly and in stanzas or recognized forms; a lyric poem.
I was under the impression that if they are trying to put words to music, then it’s lyrics. I am struggling to understand how you can tell someone the words to their song don’t qualify as lyrics. I have seen songs where the lyrics contain only a few lines that just repeat, but the song still works. I have seen songs that would read like a beautiful poem even without the music, but the song still works. The thing that ties these two together is that they are meant to be sung. What is the criteria you are using to determine lyrics vs non lyrics? Your meaning is not clear to me.
I’m not worried the forum is dying. That is not what I said. I said we don’t currently have a large enough number of members to fill a new forum with posts. It did almost die and now it is growing again thanks to the efforts of some of our incredibly dedicated poets. But it is growing slowly and we do not rush into changes without thought and discussion and trying to determine what the benefits would be and what the draw backs would be and what the rules would be.
I do find it a little concerning that you can tell someone their lyrics aren’t lyrics but you also can’t articulate the rules you are using to make that call. Right now, if we made a sub forum for lyrics, the rule would be that it’s lyrics if the OP says it’s lyrics. The purpose of the forum and its critique would not be to determine whether or not the post is lyrics. The goal would be to help the poster workshop their words to achieve their own vision for the song. This site is a workshop for words. If we make changes to the site it will be because the changes help us to be a better workshop for words. If you had something else in mind, a more limiting definition of lyrics, then we are not yet on the same page. Perhaps we need to discuss further what you mean when you say “lyrics.”
The Soufflé isn’t the soufflé; the soufflé is the recipe. --Clara