Music comes in different dimensions, and it means a lot of different things to different people out there.
Music is food for the soul, and just like the natural food we eat, we enjoy it differently. What might interest and satisfy me may be different for others. To many of us, music is considered good when the lyrics are meaningful, while for others, it is the sound of the instruments that counts the most.
When the lyrics are well-worded and meaningful:
When it comes to music, lyrics are the first thing that counts for me because they are one of the basic features of music that speak directly to the soul. They carry the message in words, and when they sink in, they get digested and remain in the memory.
There are a lot of songs out there that we just want to keep listening to because of the messages embedded in the lyrics. Sometimes, we seek clearer satisfaction by searching for the plain lyrics to read them word by word.
Music that is well-crafted with meaningful lyrics does not get tiring to listen to because it makes one feel as if they are talking to themselves, communicating with the Creator, or even crying when reflecting. Yes, that’s the power of lyrics in music.
There are so many songs I could mention that I can’t even settle on one that stands out among the lyrically rich songs I have listened to.
Cool Temper by J. Martins
YouTube
This song, in its own way, talks about how one needs to be worry-free about life because everything is going to be alright. The lyrics mention situations where someone might be cheated on by a partner, judged, and so on, yet the person is encouraged not to worry. Instead, they should be thankful to God because everything is going to settle and bounce back to normal.
The sounds of the instruments:
This is the part that carries the entertainment. This aspect is what gets someone excited and wanting to dance whenever a song plays. It is the part making more waves currently in the music scene due to the advanced technology used in music production.
Sometimes, when the instrumental sounds come into play in a song, one doesn’t even need or care about the lyrics; all they want to do is vibe to the beat.
A typical example of songs where the sound of instruments speaks louder than the lyrics is the African Amapiano genre of music, which originated in South Africa.
The sound of instruments gives a sense of completeness to what I define as good music—though I cannot speak for others.
The craft of the singer’s voice:
Can we ignore the beauty of the singer’s voice? No, we can’t.
The voice of the singer defines and completes what good music is. While some may say the voice of the singer does not matter, to me, it completes the essence of good music. If the voice goes against all other components, it is likely to result in a bad song.
Thanks!
