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Song Lyrics as Literature

by Gerri George

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Carsie Blanton/ Photo Credit: Regan Kelly

Lyrics are flash stories; they are poems, they contain elements of memoir; in some cases, they address personal themes, at times universal. Lyrics reflect the individual journey or cultural observations of the songwriter. They are a serious art form.
But are they literature?

Although there are many definitions of literature, my bookshelf copy of Webster’s New World Dictionary offers the following:
Literature: all writings of prose or verse, especially those of an imaginative or critical character…. excellence of form, great emotional effect….writings of a particular time, country, region….all the compositions for a specific musical instrument, voice, or ensemble.
Lyric: a lyric poem; the words of a song, as distinguished from the music.

The definition of a lyric is simple; applying the definition of literature to song lyrics is not. The above is a broad definition of literature, vis-à-vis lyrics, to be sure, but I’d rather fold lyrics into the literary family, than exclude them.

Like literature in general, song lyrics often reflect the times in which they were written: While the song Yankee Doodle Dandy seems nothing more than a cheerful patriotic ditty of words and music, in reality, it was hugely political. The website Archiving Early America explains that the song, first a nursery rhyme ridiculing England’s Oliver Cromwell as ”Nankee Doodle,” evolved into “Yankee Doodle” (indicated a trifling fellow), and “Dandy” (affected manners and dress). The British made fun of the American colonial motley crew, the early version who wore furs and buckskins, but over time, the motleys got their revenge, singing Yankee Doodle Dandy when the British surrendered. Great emotional effect? Writings of a particular time, country, or region? All the compositions for a specific musical instrument, voice, or ensemble? The lyrics can certainly be classified as literature. Who knew?

No one would argue the significance of Woody Guthrie’s lyrics. The insight helps to make his work shine as literature.
From Ed Cray’s book, Ramblin Man: Woody Guthrie on songwriting, “I am out to sing the songs that make you take pride in yourself and in your work. He considered himself The Dustiest of the Dust Bowlers. His lyrics in the classic “This Land Is Your Land,” are writings of a particular time, country and region, and offer great emotional effect. He labeled his guitar “This Machine Kills Fascists” which acknowledges the premise and passion of his lyrics. No slouch himself, of course, Bob Dylan, in Chronicles, Volume One, said Woody Guthrie’s songs “…had the infinite sweep of humanity in them.”

Sherrie A. Inness in her book Disco Divas: Women and Popular Culture in the 1970’s, says sexual openness was still going strong, but lyrics were becoming more self-reflective, a manifestation of the times. Singer-songwriters were trained in the style in which lyrics mattered. Carole King, “So Far Away,” and Carly Simon dealt with honesty, past lovers, and separations, themes not uncommon to literature.

Robert Hazard’s lyrics in “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” were timely and historic. The song continues its huge popularity with many uses worldwide, and has been covered by at least 30 artists.

Popular Philadelphia-based singer-songwriter Carsie Blanton, who tours nationwide, creates lyrics that are catchy, yet smart; they’re accessible (just ask her avid fans). Metaphors, similes. Her lyrics can also be fun – not unlike Paul Simon’s approach to “Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover.”

In her Baby Can Dance, (see video filmed in New Orleans) her lyrics reflect a view that it doesn’t matter how you dress or look, as long as you can dance; talent wins out. The title track on Idiot Heart, Carsie’s new CD: He was a dark-eyed man and I knew right away, It was gonna take a turn for the worst, So I said “Hey, heart, if you’re gonna go crazy Give a little warning first” Idiot heart I shoulda left you at home You gimme nothin but hard love bad luck When you gonna leave me alone?

In the title track from Buoy, her previous CD, she offers a tour-de-force of similes:

he showed up
brighter than a buoy
slicker than a submarine
bonnie as a berry
cuter than a kidney bean
she was struck
dumber than a detour
quicker than a pistol shot
revving like a motor
hotter than a parking lot

Carsie’s songs are transferrable to Broadway, TV, and film, but they are, first, literature. They have universal appeal. Imaginative prose? Yes. Great emotional effect? Yes. Jonathan Takiff, PhillyNews.Com, compares her to Madeleine Peyroux, Norah Jones or Nellie McKay. Reviewing Carsie’s new CD, Idiot Heart, Jess Righthand, in The Washington Post, calls it “classic songwriting at its best.” Her songs are available at www.carsieblanton.com.

Today, it’s singer-songwriters Adele, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Beyonce, and Carsie Blanton, to name a few, as well as Bono, Usher, the Wood Brothers, and Bruno Mars. The songs, sometimes just a few minutes long, 3 verses, and 3 chorus’ (one chorus, repeated three times), are structured with the rules of music. Story emotions flow. You be the judge of the literary nature of such compositions.
Then again, you might simply think of a song as uplifting, entertaining, finger-snapping, and toe-tapping.

seribulan

Careless Whisper
Wham!

Although officially released by Wham!, this was George Michael’s first breakaway single.

[Instrumental Intro]

[Verse 1]
I feel so unsure
As I take your hand and lead you to the dance floor
As the music dies, something in your eyes
Calls to mind a silver screen and all its sad goodbyes

[Chorus]
I'm never gonna dance again, guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it's easy to pretend, I know you're not a fool
I should have known better than to cheat a friend
And waste a chance that I'd been given
So I'm never gonna dance again the way I danced with you

[Verse 2]
Time can never mend
The careless whispers of a good friend
To the heart and mind, ignorance is kind
There's no comfort in the truth, pain is all that you'll find

[Chorus]
I'm never gonna dance again, guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it's easy to pretend, I know you're not a fool
I should have known better than to cheat a friend
And waste a chance that I'd been given
So I'm never gonna dance again the way I danced with you

[Post-Chorus]
Never without your love

[Bridge]
Tonight the music seems so loud
I wish that we could lose this crowd
Maybe it's better this way
We'd hurt each other with the things we want to say
We could have been so good together
We could have lived this dance forever
But now who's gonna dance with me?
Please stay, and...

[Chorus]
I'm never gonna dance again, guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it's easy to pretend, I know you're not a fool
I should have known better than to cheat a friend
And waste a chance that I'd been given
So I'm never gonna dance again the way I danced with you

[Outro]
Now that you're gone, now that you're gone
Now that you're gone, was what I did so wrong, so wrong
That you had to leave me alone?

shenhidayah

Nyanyian Serambi - Ramli Sarip

Keluar pagi balik petang
Adakala sampai malam
Cari rezeki bawa pulang
Buat orang yang tersayang
Ooo bersabarlah
Wajahmu di mana-mana
Senyum kasih mesra kasih
Cinta murni kan bersemi
Bersama ketulusan budi
Ooo bersemilah

Lama ku cari rahsia kasih
Rindu kasih untuk berkasih
Senang-senang duduk di serambi
Senandung lagu puisi
Zikir zaman nyanyian zaman

Andai kasturi hilang harum
Mawar tak berkuntum
Cinta tak bersambung
Biar emas setinggi gunung
Kan ku peluk rimbun ampun
Rahmat yang Maha Agung.


Tersirat & tersurat... rindu karya-karya beliau

seribulan

Mungkin – OST Andainya Takdir – Melly Goeslaw

Mungkin Aku bisa bercinta dengan kamu
Kendati Kata kata mu selalu
Menusuk Jantung melukaiku

Mungkin Ku mau memaafkan mu kembali
Demi Cinta yang ada di hatiku
Meloloskanmu Dari kata pisah

Mungkin Sang fajar dan sayap-sayap burung patah
Menyaksikan Kita berseteru
Selalu Tak pernah damai

Mungkin Cintaku terlalu kuat dan menutupi
Jiwa Yang dendam akan kerasmu
Sehingga Kita bersama
Mungkin

Mungkin Ku mau memaafkan mu kembali
Demi Cinta yang ada di hatiku
Meloloskanmu Dari kata pisah
Mungkin

Mungkin Ku mau memaafkan mu kembali
Demi Cinta yang ada di hatiku
Meloloskanmu Dari kata pisah

Mungkin Sang fajar dan sayap-sayap burung patah
Menyaksikan Kita berseteru
Selalu Tak pernah damai

Mungkin Cintaku terlalu kuat dan menutupi
Jiwa Yang dendam akan kerasmu
Sehingga Kita bersama

Mungkin Cintaku terlalu kuat dan menutupi
Jiwa Yang dendam akan kerasmu
Sehingga Kita bersama
Mungkin

Indahrupawan

Kalau tuan mudik kehulu
Carikan saya bunga kemboja
Kalau tuan mati dahulu
Nantikan saya dipintu syurga

seribulan

Lirik Lagu Enigma - Wings

Berlari-lari merentas bagaikan tanpanya arahan
Sembunyi diri membelakang wajah tanpa kelihatan
Begitulah manusia kelam jiwa oh
Bicara kata luahan hanya kepentingan sendiri
Mendabik diri hipokrasi makin menebal di dada
Tertipulah seluruhnya kekaburan
Namun segala hanyalah bak lakunan semata
Misteri insan dunia ini sehingga akhir zaman
Rahsia nasib sendiri rasa
Rentak kembara insan dunia satu enigma satu enigma
Tika mendaki kejayaan akan menyilau dimata
Ada yang lari dari kota yang sesak berdebu dosa
Sesungguhnya banyak ragam manusia
Namun segala hanyalah bak lakunan semata
Misteri dalam hidup ini rentak kembaraInsan dunia satu enigma satu enigma...