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Death Cab for Cutie Message Board :: DCFC Boards Death Cab For Cutie: Information Travels Faster Death Cab For Cutie annotating death cab lyrics|
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Hey all-
I recently built a site that allows you to annotate song lyrics...the site is pretty sparse but as a big Death Cab fan I've added about 25 of their songs. I was wondering if it'd be ok to post the link to the site here in case anyone's interested in trying it out. Thanks, Jon |
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sure, why not? link us up
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Ok thanks (I didn't want to seem to be spamming a forum that I'm new to)...
The site's still rough, but I'm going to be trying to improve the user experience over the next month as feedback comes in. Just click on any song and then click "Annotate this song" on the song page to try out the annotation tool (you need to login with a Google account...this is so I will be able to control spam): http://www.songstack.com/lyrics/death-cab-for-cutie Thanks everyone. |
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ahh cool site. I like the idea and it's well executed as far as i can tell!
one thing I would say though is that I'm not sure what "a high-level summary" is, in terms of a description. What's meant by high-level? A good description, do you mean? Maybe it should just be "Summarise what this song is about" or somesuch |
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Songs should never be described, takes away the magic of the meaning to you. You create your own meaning of a song, it doesn't matter what it's about. That's why 'Facts' is such a good album, lyrically it's sometimes unclear and that's why it makes sense to so many people. The idea that you want to know what, for example 'Tomorrow Never Knows' or 'There Is A Light That Never Goes Out' are about is absurd, all songs are like pieces of art they don't have descriptions, simply meanings to those who observe them. Create your own meanings, rather than cold analysis of songs.
It's your funeral and it's fantastic. |
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I think what you're getting at is that the meaning of a song shouldn't be explained, because part of the attraction of good lyrics is the mystery, the ability to give it your own meaning. That's true, but only makes sense if you're talking about someone explaining it who knows the meaning (ie the artist). Anyone else that comments is just bringing an interpretation, and there can't be anything wrong with that. Exchanging thoughts and views about art is a part of the process of art - doesn't have to be a 'cold analysis'. Or do you when coming out of a film silence anyone who wants to talk about it Jim?  |
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I understand, and really like your view that discussion about music is a very important process in the development of art...BUT 'song meanings' do not really exist. I honestly believe the process of writing a song is a psychological process not open to any true analysis by those whom didn't have input in the song's creation. The MERIT of music can be discussed successfully, but analysis of songs seem to create a status quo about what a song is about, a million people seem to claim to 'know' what (for example) The Beatles were trying to say with EVERY song they wrote. It's just not true, creating your own meaning to music is a million times more rewarding. It's your funeral and it's fantastic. |
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Jim: I agree with you in large part. Though a couple points:
1. I wouldn't lump ALL music into the category of being impervious to interpretation. Take a song like "Penny Lane" by the Beatles. If you listen to it without knowing what it's about, you probably won't have any idea about the things it's referring to. But take a look at the Wikipedia page about it and you'll see that it's actually about something very specific that can be explained to someone who's interested (I'll have to add some Beatles songs to SongStack)... 2. I think that a person's personal interpretation of a song can help other people form a connection to that song that they wouldn't have otherwise been able to. For example, if you listen to "Tiny Vessels" a bunch of times but are confused as to what it's about, but then read someone else's interpretation about it as a song about difficult relationships (or something), you might start to hear the song differently than you previously did. I agree the most powerful emotions evoked by a song are the ones that you have yourself, without external input, but sometimes a little outside inspiration can get the right neurons firing. Thanks for the feedback! |
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Yeah mate, I like the idea of what you are trying to do, but the catagorization of music is a dangerous evolution. Takes away the magic of what songs can mean to individuals. The example of 'Penny Lane' is a good example, 'Penny Lane' should be about the LISTENERS memories of their past, not McCartney's memories of Liverpool. In a way we know what the song is about, but when I listen to it it transcends location/time/general meaning and becomes about my life and my memories, and that's what good music is about. A better example is 'In My Life' which truly transcend any meaning and becomes a piece of music which reminds me of my experiences. It's your funeral and it's fantastic. |
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I think Jim makes his point pefectly, and I only have one thing to add. Once upon a time John Lennon discovered that a class at his old school were studying his lyrics. Infuriated, he made a song that had no meaning whatsoever. Combining three verses written on three seperate acid trips, he created the lyrics to I AM THE WALRUS.
But the important point of that story is that I think most artists agree with Jim in that there is not 1 song meaning for a song, but one for everyone who listens. Great point, Jim. Couldn't have said it better myself. http://alexs2010musicblog.blog...0_02_01_archive.html I have never met Napoleon, but I plan to find the time. |
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