For someone who loves music [yes, Queen does count as music thank-you-very-much] I’m surprised how little attention I pay to the lyrics.
I’m way more focused on the melody of the lyrics than the lyrics themselves.
That’s always been the case … even when I was writing songs in my own band.
I remember once we were in a studio recording an album [that’s how long ago it was] and being handed a piece of paper with the lyrics of the song we were about to record and being amazed at what they said, despite me writing the music about 10 years earlier.
In fact, my obsession with melody over lyrical content only really started to change when I started incorporating song lyrics into my planning ‘process’ … but even then, I tended to go back to my normality when listening to music purely for my enjoyment purposes.
I highlighted this a few months ago when I “heard” the lyrics to Foreigners ‘Hot Blooded’ song and was shocked at what they said.
From being a song that I always loved listening to in the car, to now being something that is synonymous with dirty old bastards trying to have an affair with some 17 year old babe.
Bloody hell.
Well, recently I came across another ‘classic’ that I listen to properly.
Before I begin, I have to take you back to 1985.
I know, some of you who read this blog weren’t even born yet … but there was a hell of a lot of you who were.
Anyway, 1985 was an interesting year because there was a new technology that was just starting to get some traction.
The CD.
The CD had been heavily promoted as an indestructible, high-sound quality music platform.
They said it couldn’t be scratched. It wouldn’t jump. It would last for years.
Obviously we now know that was all a load of bollocks, but the album that best typified this new generation of music format was Dire Straits, ‘Brothers In Arms’.
I was never a big fan of Dire Straits.
Sure there were a few songs I liked, but overall, they were the sort of band favoured by the BMW driving, bank working wanker.
Or at least they were in my mind.
However this album was different. Not only was it the first big hit on the new CD platform, it featured a song – and video – that was made for the modern music generation.
The song?
Money For Nothing.
Let’s remind ourselves of the track … and video … and guest appearance by Sting:
I loved the song.
Part of it was because it had a guitar upfront and centre but the other part was it had a super-recognisable riff that I quickly learnt to play on my Fender copy, which immediately impressed all the kids at school which meant for once – and only for a fleeting moment – I was semi-cool.
Zoom forward 30 years – THIRTY BLOODY YEARS – and I recently heard it again on a film.
At first I loved it.
The build up, Sting’s voice, the opening guitar riff … it immediately took me back to a great time of my life … and then the lyrics started.
WHAT THE HELL?
Now look at them yo-yo’s that’s the way you do it
You play the guitar on the MTV
That ain’t workin’ that’s the way you do it
Money for nothin’ and chicks for free
Now that ain’t workin’ that’s the way you do it
Lemme tell ya them guys ain’t dumb
Maybe get a blister on your little finger
Maybe get a blister on your thumb
We gotta install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
We gotta move these refrigerators
We gotta move these color TV’s
See the little faggot with the earring and the make-up
Yeah buddy that’s his own hair
That little faggot got his own jet airplane
That little faggot he’s millionaire
We gotta install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
We gotta move these refrigerators
We gotta move these color TV’s
I shoulda’ learned to play the guitar
I shoulda’ learned to play them drums
Look at that mama, she got it stickin’ in the camera
Man we could have some fun
And he’s up there, what’s that ? Hawaiian noises ?
Bangin’ on the bongos like a chimpanzee
That ain’t workin’ that’s the way you do it
Get your money for nothin’ get your chicks for free
We gotta install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
We gotta move these refrigerators
We gotta move these color TV’s, Lord
Now that ain’t workin’ that’s the way you do it
You play the guitar on the MTV
That ain’t workin’ that’s the way you do it
Money for nothin’ get your chicks for free
Money for nothin’ get chicks for free
Look, I know lyrics don’t always have to mean stuff – look at Bohemian Rhapsody – but this is utter tripe.
It’s like they threw open a book, randomly picked out some words out, shoved them together and sang them to a backing track.
And what’s all that stuff about ‘little faggots’?
I swear to god the kids of 1985 only liked it because it had the words MTV repeated ad nauseam all the way through it.
About fifteen years ago, I decided I would try to buy any film or TV show that had made a significant impact on my life.
Some of these turned out to be as wonderful second time round – like ‘The Wonder Years‘ – but sadly, the majority turned out to reinforce I had even less taste as a kid than I do now and that’s saying something.
On the positive, it taught me 2 valuable lessons.
1. All this talk that lyrics/films/games can corrupt the young mind is bollocks.
2. As tempting as it may be to go back. Don’t. You’ll only feel totally and utterly ripped off.
So Mr Knopfler … you might be an amazing guitarist, but your lyrics are as shit as that headband you used to sport around head.