Do you think it's right to analyze song lyrics, particularly ambiguous ones like Bob Dylan's? Just how deep do you usually dig into the words in order to find a meaning? In some cases, lyrics can be interperted in a million different ways, most obviously different from the songwriter's original intention.
I don't think it's right, or wrong to analyze song lyrics. it is simply a choice. some music bears analysis better than other music because there are different depths of meaning put into different songs and music by different artists. Bob Dylan is a true poet, imho. I definitley get a lot of meaning from many of his songs and others seem more whimsical, tho' I don't think any of his songs can be described as superficial. personally, I think that when I get the most out of music is the time I am not analysing much at all. I get more through my right-brain function than the left-brain, although it takes both. for me reflection and introspection might better describe the process. but that's just me.
I think sometime people read into things a little to deep and end up getting the wrong idea of songs. Don't dive to deep into the pool! Alot of these people are musicians not geniuses! Like Bob Dylans "Lay Lady Lay" was about his dog Lady!
i try to see it from the writer's point of view, bvut obviously i can't always do that. i always thought "lay lady lay" was about his wife.
I dont think it's great to analyze songs, only if the true meaning suddenly dawns on you and your like "OH shit! that makes so much sense now!". But Bob Dylan always said that his songs didnt really have any meanings and if you want to find a meaning to it then he doesnt care. He says this to an interviewer on the movie "Dont look back"
I always analyze any song I listen to. I think that part of the purpose of songs is to generate an analytical meaning. A song that can generate a million different meanings would probebly be the best song ever written in my opinion... it would stimulate the imagination in more ways that one can imagine.
I try to understand what songs are about, but I accept whatever meaning I can think of while listening to it, I don't dig. The way I interpret songs depends on my mood at the time.
i never analysed lyrics before now (we're doing it in english class), but i'm glad that i did. it's like i never realised that there were songs about issues i've had on my mind, but there's tons of them, all these people that have been there before me and made a song of it songs should be treated with the same respect as poems, they're important recordings of people's thoughts!
^ Agreez. I always read way into the lyrics. Isn't that what the songwriter wants us to do? But, yeah, sometimes the songwriter is just stoned or skattin meaningless words. That really bums me out ...unless they make it clear beforehand, like Mark Twain: "PERSONS attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot."
yes english kinda destroyed alot of text for me, especially when you start analysing movies...it shits me
some songs lend them selves to analizing better...but when you get as bad as my english teacher [he thinks "happiness is a warm gun" is ironic cause john lennon was 1) a man of peace and 2) was shot] i know basically what all the beatles songs mean though [like how they were written and/or why...
yeah, there's an awesome book that was put out by the beatles themselves, or atleast one of them. you can find pretty much all the meanings on the internet, though. i found the book at a music store, 'twas $30 or something like that.
personally I think any one has the right to believe what ever they want about a songs lyrics, thats the bueaty of it.
there is a meaning the actual song writer made... but if you think about it, your mind can twist and bend it into what ever is imaginable
i got "a hard days write" for christmas...its pretty good acctually cause it goes into a little more about the songs than just "blah blah blah" but some of the recording session information and alternate things...although i can think of one or two places where the book slips up [thats expected though] but then another part it cuts out mid-sentance haha, anyone ever see the psycho-interpretation of "i am the walrus"...i think im going to go find it now
http://www.webweaverdesign.ca/beatles/other/walrus.html#interpretation here is the silly horrid interpretation... the site is quit good though [and no the site did not write this interpretation]
lmfao www.stevesbeatles.com has some excerpts from the book that i was thinking of, but not many... however, it does have most if not all of the errors that take place in the songs... i'm sure you know of the site.
yeah...ive used it to find the errors as well...the "across the universe" on i posted that has the "walrus" thing has a section like that too...i especially like the one of john forgetting the lyrics to "i wanna hold your hand" [i think it was that one]
