While discussing music with a friend, I mentioned the band ‘Sleeping With Sirens’ hoping to get some recognition. Later on in the day she told me she’d you-tubed them and really liked the lyrics, but the melody was too harsh for her. That got me thinking. They do have some pretty awesome lyrics, that should be praised and acknowledged.
I’m not trying to say that Sleeping With Sirens do not have enough praise, they have a fans all over the world. However, what my friend said stuck with me (hence the post).
While I’m listening to alternative, post hardcore, metal and punk…most of my acquaintances my age are listening to R&B, pop and dubstep. My question to you is, Does music have a personality?
Take Sleeping With Sirens for example, one of their songs ‘If You Can’t Hang’ has an exiting build-up, punchy bass and great guitar. The lyrics tell a story and Kellin Quinn’s voice has a unique pitch that reels you in and leaves you wanting more. From the moment he opens his mouth to sing, you instantly know what the song is about. ‘If You Can’t Hang’ is obviously about a relationship turned sour, and the dumpee is getting their own back. You can easily tell by the lyrics:
“I don’t wanna take up all you time,
’cause you’re such a pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty face,
But you turned into a pretty big waste of my time”
I would say that the personality of that song is vengeful, angry and remorseful. To me, in certain ways, a piece of music is like a person. Unless it completley has no meaning at all, and the artist(s) does not have a story to tell; there is a hidden feeling in the music. Underneath all the anger in ‘If You Can’t Hang’, there is definately some sadness. Of course when someone leaves you, you become sad. Later, you get angry. Maybe that anger drove them to write the song. While they were writing it, the old sadness reemerged, creeping into the music.
Let me know what you think,
Roseby
juvenile hearing 