My problem with songs

Music is important in my life, and particularly songs. I listen to songs mostly in English and French and what irritates me is that, most of the time, the musical arrangement, either through its volume, composition or production makes it very hard to understand the words that are sung. 

Of course, I’m wondering if it’s just me that thinks this way and if lyric comprehension is so important or just a small part of the overall experience, something I should accept or if there are better ways to listen to songs. If you happen to agree with me, I won’t feel so alone, and I’m certain I’m taking you into a rich debate that involves a mixture of music theory, cultural norms, and even neuroscience. I feel that lyrics are extremely important, because of their emotional power as they convey the artist’s intent, mood, and message. They’re the bridge between melody and meaning. 

John Lennon Lyrics 'A Day In The Life'

Whether it’s a protest song or a love ballad, lyrics shape the narrative of a song by reflecting societal values, struggles, and transformations, specially in specific genres like folk, rap, and chanson française. 

So I feel that my irritation isn’t just aesthetic, it’s a desire for hearing a story that connects well. When arrangements drown out the words, like it’s often the case with modern pop songs, it feels like the soul of the song isn’t there. This happens often because some producers favor rhythm, loudness and texture over vocal clarity, especially in pop, electronic dance music and rap. 

Also when lyrics use poetic phrasing, they can be much harder to grasp when they’re sung quickly or softly. Also today, when a song is streamed on Spotify or YouTube, it can often tend to flatten vocal dynamics, making lyrics harder to catch. 

I’m of the opinion that many listeners, especially those who value emotional resonance or linguistic nuance, crave lyric clarity. In fact, some artists (like for instance Stromae or Leonard Cohen) are revered precisely because their lyrics are foregrounded and intelligible. 

Unfortunately many others treat lyrics as textural elements, like the other instruments they’re blended with. In those cases, the words are meant to evoke feeling more than convey meaning. So what can we do? Some suggest trying lossless audio platforms (like Tidal or Apple Music HiFi) for better vocal clarity or to use lyrics-synced apps (like Musixmatch) to follow along in real time. I’ve not tried those, have you? 

Sometimes acoustic or live versions strip back the arrangement and make the lyric easier to discover and understand. Obviously the best is always to seek out lyric-forward genres: French chanson, folk, singer-songwriter, and conscious rap. If you have more ideas on the subject, please share them! In the meantime, good luck in improving your listening satisfaction! .