|
Are There Any Intelligent Trance Lyrics? Why Are Most Trance Lyrics So Inane?
|
View this Thread in Original format
| Blotto |
Hi,
Trance can be some of the most powerful music when done well. Unfortunately, I think most trance lyrics are so redundant, simplistic, and basically dumb. Most so-called vocal trance involves some inane pop chorus of "Please come back to love me more..." or "Can't you see my tears..." "Take my hand..." Is this because of growing commercialization and marketing imperatives, like selling to a global audience and market where a standardized product can appeal to larger audiences? Is it that trance audiences just want escapist fluff, cotton candy for their brains, "politics wrecks my buzz..."? To what extent are influential DJs to be held responsible as they ply their global trade with their increasingly standardized products that can be played anywhere regardless of local politics, dictatorship or democracy?
Can you suggest any trance that moves beyond rather limited life experience of troubled relationships and deals with the larger world in which we live? I don't mean New Age navel gazing trash replete with samples stolen from Indigenous peoples to give it from stereotypical exotic feeling but stuff along the lines of Leftfield with some social commentary? Dancing and thinking are mutually exclusive, there is lots of life beyond vacillating between longing of the loins to screwed up relationships!
Cheers,
Blotto |
|
|
| SYSTEM-J |
It's because trance was never originally a vocal-orientated genre, so it has no culture of lyrical writing. The lyrics are the most extraneous aspect of a trance record, so the least amount of effort is put into them. This is in contrast with genres such as rock or hip-hop where the lyrical message has always been central to the creative process.
You could also factor in the fact that most trance vocalists speak English as a second language, so their English lyrics are quite simplistic. |
|
|
| david.michael |
| quote: | Originally posted by Blotto
Is it that trance audiences just want escapist fluff, cotton candy for their brains, "politics wrecks my buzz..."? To what extent are influential DJs to be held responsible as they ply their global trade with their increasingly standardized products that can be played anywhere regardless of local politics, dictatorship or democracy? |
Untz untz untz untz untz untz untz untz
We should drillllll, for crude oil in ANWR...
Untz untz untz untz untz untz untz untz
Reducing American dependence on foreign oil is the only waaaaay...
Untz untz untz untz untz untz untz untz
Abortion is wrooooong!
Untz untz untz untz untz untz untz untz
And I support our right to bear arms, babyyyyyyy...
Meh. |
|
|
| hasbone |
| quote: | Originally posted by david.michael
Untz untz untz untz untz untz untz untz
We should drillllll, for crude oil in ANWR...
Untz untz untz untz untz untz untz untz
Reducing American dependence on foreign oil is the only waaaaay...
Untz untz untz untz untz untz untz untz
Abortion is wrooooong!
Untz untz untz untz untz untz untz untz
And I support our right to bear arms, babyyyyyyy...
Meh. |
I would buy that track. |
|
|
| Faust_UA |
| quote: | | Why Are Most Trance Lyrics So Inane? |
Because lyrics in trance are unnecessary. |
|
|
| basilisk |
| I can't think of any trance music with real lyrical merit. Well, there are some exceptions--but they are marginal at best (Antix's Le Lascard comes to mind). I think the main issue here is that trance, in its purest form, is an experience beyond language. Its meaning is not derived from words but from the feeling of the music itself. For that reason, vocal trance strikes me as a contradiction of terms, like realistic abstract art or maximal minimalism. When you add full-on lyricism to trance it is almost always transformed into something other than trance. |
|
|
| Guest |
| quote: | Originally posted by david.michael
Untz untz untz untz untz untz untz untz
We should drillllll, for crude oil in ANWR...
Untz untz untz untz untz untz untz untz
Reducing American dependence on foreign oil is the only waaaaay...
Untz untz untz untz untz untz untz untz
Abortion is wrooooong!
Untz untz untz untz untz untz untz untz
And I support our right to bear arms, babyyyyyyy...
Meh. |
HHAHAHAHAHAHA |
|
|
| MrJiveBoJingles |
Most trance lyrics are inane because most of today's trance listeners don't demand anything better. If people stopped listening to that stupid crap, stopped paying for it, and stopped going to see the DJs who played it, then you would see some changes.
As it is, trance listeners are evidently a very undemanding crowd, at least as far as lyrical content goes. As long as the timbre of the voice is airy and ethereal, the lyrics could be talking about cleaning up piss and dried vomit from the street, or picking lint out of a fat man's belly button, for all they care.
:toothless |
|
|
| Gen3r4l1ty |
| Lyrical inanity applies to all dance music IMO. |
|
|
| daphunky1 |
"Is it that trance audiences just want escapist fluff"
Well yes. I don't want trance songs with real messages giving me something to seriously consider. Like someone else mentioned, trance in its purest form is beyond language. The reason why I like electronic music is because it does not tell me what to think, it does not push a message on me, I can think and feel whatever I want when I listen to wordless music.
Although as I typed this I've now thought of Sarah McLachlan - World On Fire (Junkie XL Mix). That has a serious worldly message. And whenever I listen to that song I always feel like the climax of the song is bringing some mad crusade to "extinguish the world from its fire". I've always really enjoyed that about that song.
Also AVB's Yet Another Day deals with the topic of suicide. I put this song on and cried to it about 6 years ago when I was going through a rough time.... only time I've really cried since childhood. |
|
|
| Tetraflux |
| lyrics in trance are pretty unecessary however the likes of jan johnston have delivered time again as has the vocalist for gabriel and dresden with the likes of mind circus, beautiful things etc |
|
|
| woscar99 |
| Insightful, political lyrics in dance music are as useless as a wang on a pope... |
|
|
|
|
