The power of pop lyrics
The power of pop lyrics
By Finlo Rohrer
BBC News Magazine
Wednesday, 19 April 2006
U2's One has topped a poll of music fans to find the nation's favourite lyric, but is it profound and meaningful? Or are pop lyrics falling short of becoming the new poetry?
"One life, with each other, sisters, brothers."
U2's One at first glance does not seem to contain the most earth-shattering lyric from the popular music canon. And rhyming "other" and "brothers" is the kind of thing that would enrage a primary school English teacher.
The lyric - which edged out the Smiths and Nirvana in the VH1 poll of 13,000 music lovers - is more like the tagline for a Benetton advert, or an 1980s airbrushed Athena poster of native Americans gazing out on the wilderness.
And yet One is seen as a magically moving piece of music by millions of people, with the kind of poignant lyrics that make it a favourite choice at weddings.
It is often the songs that have less meaning that people tend to attach their meaning to?
U2's One has topped a poll of music fans to find the nation's favourite lyric, but is it profound and meaningful? Or are pop lyrics falling short of becoming the new poetry?
"One life, with each other, sisters, brothers."
U2's One at first glance does not seem to contain the most earth-shattering lyric from the popular music canon. And rhyming "other" and "brothers" is the kind of thing that would enrage a primary school English teacher.
The lyric - which edged out the Smiths and Nirvana in the VH1 poll of 13,000 music lovers - is more like the tagline for a Benetton advert, or an 1980s airbrushed Athena poster of native Americans gazing out on the wilderness.
And yet One is seen as a magically moving piece of music by millions of people, with the kind of poignant lyrics that make it a favourite choice at weddings.
It is often the songs that have less meaning that people tend to attach their meaning to?
What is your favourite song lyric and why?What do the words mean to you?
posted by polarscoob at Friday, April 21, 2006
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