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Just got off the phone with this known person in the industry, and we were talking about the a real lack of anything spiritual or meaningful in a lot of todays music.
We used to have a singer named Robin, and her two girlfriends, who would come to our gigs and we would be riding home and for some strange reason, Robin would start talking about the meaning of life and death and where we are going and where we were before and (do I have a 10 for rambling yet?) and can we even feel real love and so on.

Point.

Decades ago we were in social revolution. People, students, were dying in the streets, and I guess like today, they were dying in other countries, and people were writing songs about it. Simon and Garfunkle were saying, like, you know, are you living, are you alive, are you listening, are you seeing are REALLY feeling anything, or are you just kinda wandering around going to work, eating, having sex, find someone you can tolerate, get married, have kids, die and so forth.

Music. Why? Artform. Express your feelings? But say something, make me think or feel. Make me cry, make me laugh, make go wow, or play the record and say now that is intense, and makes you think about it.

So, what do you think. Am I alone when I say, I do not want to kick back and listen to lyrics about killing cops, and raping people, and pushing drugs, or just like hanging and trying not to get arrested.

Kind of live with country in the sense of being in the middle of West Virginia and I guess lots of variations of "he's a jerk, he dumped me" or "she's a whatever and she dumped me and now I am drunk and lonely." That is I guess a step up. At least we have some feeling type things going on.

But then there are songs where the words are about places I don't want to be. I mean sure, I can't spend my life in Puff the Magic Dragon land, but no thanks, I don't want to be dodging bullets and running crack and know my singing career has a good chance of ending with a bullet in my brain.

So, this industry person, major connect, we are trying to do something as you all know, or may not know, is saying, there is a vacuum here Jean Valjean. And even the kicker rock stuff is being jelliied down in Spears vibrato Star Search pain.

How cliche can you get? I can show you songs with at least 8 cliche lines in 16 or so. What kind of song is that? Are the poets all dead out there?

Now with the kiddie corn flakes ads we now have the kiddee rock star (I have a 6 year old niece) bopping to stuff that is close to brain dead.

Since Robin is not around to be Cosmic, there are still a few earth shakers, like Tracy Chapman, who you can listen to the lyrics Heaven's Here on Earth, and sit back and think. So tell me, who do you think is still around writing lyrics that are a cut about the rest.

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There are no accidents in a perfect world   - Blondie

jvj...hmm, interesting points.  I've never really thought about the lack of spirituality or meaning in many of today's artists.  However, of the 'newer' ones out there penning music for the masses that actually have some deeper meaning behind them - in my opinion, of course - take a listen to some of Coldplay's music.  Particularly the songs 'Don't Panic' and 'A Rush of Blood To the Head'.  Another artist to consider is Damien Rice.  Listen to 'Volcano.'

I'll admit that I get sucked into the standard pop crap they play on the radio and while I may not necessarily LIKE it, I do know it and am familiar with it.  But it doesn't stick with me.  Maybe some of the songs have a catchy beat or an entertaining hook chorus.  Other than that, when that song's 15 minutes of fame are up, I go right back to my old familiars.  The ones that actually MEAN something to me.

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Think it all depends on what kind of artists your listening to these days...many current artists rock ma world both with music and lyrics...keane, embrace,franz ferdinand, david gray, coldplay, scissor sisters, snow patrol, maroon 5,the killers, green day etc etc...god sooo many...perhaps your just not listening to the right stuff

but!!

the british market for music is quite different from that of america..perhaps you should go a hunting jvj

Missy - I LOOVVVEE Scissor Sisters  :oh yeah:
(their remake of Pink Floyd's 'Comfortably Numb' was brilliant!)

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There are people writing songs about:
Patriotism
The meaning of life
How messed up the typical family is and how it needs to change


But these artists are the exception.

Yes, a few out there, Charlie Daniels, Alicia Keys, Tracy Chapman and others all are incredibly talented people writing meaningful lyrics.

But artists are getting younger and younger and what do you have to write about when you're 14 with a song on the pop charts?

Puh-lease.  Some people with some life experience writing and performing the songs would be nice.  And I agree, running crack and dodging bullets isn't the life experience I want to hear about necessarily.  Yes, Snoop Dog and Ice T both get lots of respect but these are guys who came up when it wasn't the norm - and not because it was fashionable.

There are many talented singers and songwriters that died in their prime no one has stepped up... Jim Morrison, John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix and the list goes on.  

But sometimes a song does come out but the artist just doesn't have any staying power... Nena comes to mind.  99 Red Ballons is a pretty deep song with lyrics that can really hit home if you listen.  Didn't stay on the American charts (but she had a number of releases in Europe).  U2 used to have much deeper lyrics but with the cease fire in Northern Ireland they're getting watered down now (still great artists, just it seems like they're trying to find a message now).

So I rambled... what does this all mean?  I agree.  I'm not stupid - I want music that doesn't try to meet the lowest common denominator - I want something that tries to reach my intellect that I can listen to, think about and go - YEAH.  Now THAT'S deep... (insert Keanau Reeves style 'Whaaaooooo' here).

You may be right Missy...I haven't heard of half those folks.

Sounds like I've got some research to do! Thanks for the suggestions!

Listened to any of jvj's originals lately?

We actually have quite high-hopes for his music, partly because his songs tend to be very 'deep'.