Why do some bands refuse to publish their lyrics?

[Allotar]

I cannot come up with a reason that actually makes sense to me, so maybe some of you know any? Sometimes it is hard to understand the lyrics of a song (even clear vocals) and I like to look them up. Depending on the band, the lyrics actually have a deeper meaning and for me knowing what they are singing about is part of the fun. I cannot see, why they don't want their lyrics published. Any ideas?

[forge]

Hmm, good question. I always want to know what I'm hearing. I still appreciate lyric sheets or at least listings on the group's website. With many singers, you can figure it out, but some styles such as black metal or death metal are hard to work it out without help. I like to sing in the car, and I hate to think I've been getting some of these songs completely wrong!

[H34VYM3T4LD4V3]

Re: Why do some bands refuse to publish their lyrics? maybe because of the whole explicit lyrics thing, if people don't know what they are, they can't be censored can they?

[BlutAusNerd]

Re: Why do some bands refuse to publish their lyrics? I choose not to publish my lyrics because they are very personal to me. If you can make out the vocals and perceive them that way, I would much rather have them revealed within the context of the song with sounds to accompany their meaning. Despite the personal nature of the lyrics, I've always believed that the music comes first, and would rather have the music be the larger factor in communicating the emotions of the song with the lyrics as reinforcement. Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk 2

[Iceni]

maybe because of the whole explicit lyrics thing' date=' if people don't know what they are, they can't be censored can they?[/quote'] This is actually a good point. If the lyrics aren't available that leaves people free to concentrate solely on the music. Of course, that's annoying for someone like me who filters his lyrics, but I can understand the reasoning.

[RelentlessOblivion]

I like to sing or growl to songs sometimes but I don't go out of my way to learn lyrics I just listen and if I'm misquoting them I don't care

[Allotar]

I choose not to publish my lyrics because they are very personal to me. If you can make out the vocals and perceive them that way' date=' I would much rather have them revealed within the context of the song with sounds to accompany their meaning. Despite the personal nature of the lyrics, I've always believed that the music comes first, and would rather have the music be the larger factor in communicating the emotions of the song with the lyrics as reinforcement.[/quote'] Ok, that is a valid point, but there are also other ways to chiper personal meanings. You could use metaphors for example or substitute personal elements with "harmless" words that still cary the same intention. It is the song that carries the emotion, but the lyrics often explain where this emotion comes from. If I am sad for example, a sad song often helps me, but a sad song that has my problem as a theme helps me even more. If you only want the music to speak, you cold also make an accoustic song or if you want the sound of the vocals make a "meaningless" songtext. In some way, if I publish something my intention is that people hear it.

[RelentlessOblivion]

I think it's important when lyrics carry such meaning to the individual who writes them that they not be published. I've shared some of my own in another thread here that are incredibly personal but I'm comfortable having in a public place but have others that even if I do use them I would never publish the lyrics I simply don't want them out there and it should be up to the artist not the listener to decide if their lyrics will be made freely available or not if a fan is able to decipher them and circulate them the artist can do nothing about that but they can control how easy it is to find the lyrics to a small degree at least

[BlutAusNerd]

Re: Why do some bands refuse to publish their lyrics?

Ok' date=' that is a valid point, but there are also other ways to chiper personal meanings. You could use metaphors for example or substitute personal elements with "harmless" words that still cary the same intention. It is the song that carries the emotion, but the lyrics often explain where this emotion comes from. If I am sad for example, a sad song often helps me, but a sad song that has my problem as a theme helps me even more. If you only want the music to speak, you cold also make an accoustic song or if you want the sound of the vocals make a "meaningless" songtext. In some way, if I publish something my intention is that people hear it. [/quote'] I do use metaphors and don't get extremely specific, but still would rather not publish them. I wrote many lyrics so that they could be interpreted in different ways, but still prefer the music to cone first. Our vocals aren't very difficult to understand and our lyrics can be deciphered, and if you want to listen for them and they work for you, great. Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk 2

[Allotar]

@RelentlessOblivion: I did not mean to say, that it is not the artists choice and I think it is right to remove lyrics online, if this is the wish of the artist. I just want to understand why, because at the first glance, it sounded a bit like a contradiction to me and the motives interest me. @BlutAusNerd: Ok, I think I understand what you mean now. So it is less about "hiding" them but rather making sure they are experienced in the right context (with the music)?

[BlutAusNerd]

Re: Why do some bands refuse to publish their lyrics?

@RelentlessOblivion: I did not mean to say, that it is not the artists choice and I think it is right to remove lyrics online, if this is the wish of the artist. I just want to understand why, because at the first glance, it sounded a bit like a contradiction to me and the motives interest me. @BlutAusNerd: Ok, I think I understand what you mean now. So it is less about "hiding" them but rather making sure they are experienced in the right context (with the music)?

It's more about making sure the music comes first. I think that lyrics can be the icing on the cake, but great lyrics are nothing without great music. If my music can stand on its own then I'm happy, but I have to be saying something when I'm growling. I make the lyrics fit the mood of the song so I can feel it as I growl them, and if you want to listen to the words then go for it, but the music should project what the lyrics merely reinforce. Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk 2

[RelentlessOblivion]

Nevertanezra are a good example of what BAN is talking about, the music sets the mood and the lyrics enhance that mood but the lyrics mean little without the music whilst the music would still work without the lyrics

[deathstorm]

dave does a good point there with explict lyrics point but maybe it is sometimes written in a contract with the publisher or the record company even though they wrote the lyrics maybe some contracial thingy with publisher prohabits them form putting booklet of the album

[NTNR]

I choose not to publish my lyrics because they are very personal to me. If you can make out the vocals and perceive them that way, I would much rather have them revealed within the context of the song with sounds to accompany their meaning. Despite the personal nature of the lyrics, I've always believed that the music comes first, and would rather have the music be the larger factor in communicating the emotions of the song with the lyrics as reinforcement. Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk 2

No, you didn't just write "some lyrics" you wrote a fucking series of novels. Seriously, you'd give Dani Filth a run for his money with how much you wrote. But, somethings are too personal to post.

[BlutAusNerd]

No, you didn't just write "some lyrics" you wrote a fucking series of novels. Seriously, you'd give Dani Filth a run for his money with how much you wrote. But, somethings are too personal to post.

I can't exactly write just a few lines to fill up a 17 minute song now can I? Especially with the more stream of consciousness writing style that I use, once I've taken off I usually end up with a great deal written. I had to cut a few lines off of mine to make them fit, and none of my lyrics repeat. I'm hoping to be able to use a central lyrical theme for the new album to sort of link the songs together, as otherwise I might have a bit of difficulty trimming my passages down to fit our 7 and 9 minute songs. With your idea for the 3rd song's title/album title, I think I'll have a good amount to work with, as it fits with what I see in my mind when I hear what we are playing, and also sort of ties in with the lyrics that I have for Potato thus far.

[RelentlessOblivion]

a 7 minute song? you sell-outs

[Iceni]

With your idea for the 3rd song's title/album title' date=' I think I'll have a good amount to work with, as it fits with what I see in my mind when I hear what we are playing, and also sort of ties in with [u']the lyrics that I have for Potato thus far.

[BlutAusNerd]

Potato is the handle we've given to identify our track for the EP/single/split release. There's a beat in the song that our bass player has always had a hard time with, and when we get to it in the song, I always say the word "potato" to the rhythm that the beat should be in. I don't know why I picked potato, but the name stuck and that's just what we have been calling it since. NTNR tried to carry on the theme by naming some of our other new songs parsnip and some other vegetable that I can't recall off hand, but now we've just been using sequenced numbers to refer to the album tracks.

[Jonnymetal]

Intersting thread...with many many great points. My band decided to release our first album in digi-pack format because it suits the album cover better and it saved a few bucks..as did not putting the lyrics in. I've always believed too that music speaks louder than the vocals and anyone can figure them out by working on their metal decoders, or they can always just ask! \m/

[Iceni]

Potato is the handle we've given to identify our track for the EP/single/split release.

Hard to make this doomy, but by all means give it a go. Jr_01rYKQLg

[Idlewilde]

So that there can be many misheard lyrics of their songs of course!