OOTD - Review 11 - Lyrics.

Okay, we've got a lyric fan in today's review. Good to see because most people just don't seem to care about them anymore. Here it is.

"Great lyrics. I like the lyrics 'the attention you crave has become a drug, though I can afford you' ... The lyrics are wonderful, tells a great story. Makes me wish all the best for the singer and the person being sung about. 'One of these days ... will see what you missed'.

Would have preferred a more instrumental opening, the singing started abruptly. The vocals are strong and clear. If you can add more background music upfront, earlier on would be great. I like the instrumentals that come in about 2:30. The ending, about 3:50, is beautiful, mesmerizing.

Nick Lowe's Cruel To Be Kind was one of my favorite songs in the early 80's. This song gives all new meaning to that old song."

He got some of the lyrics wrong. That can be considered to be my fault if some words can't be understood. But the other side of that coin is singing with absolutely perfect diction, which in my opinion can sometimes suck the soul out of a story and make it sound dishonest and unbelievable. I'll take my chances.

"Makes me wish all the best for the singer and the person being sung about."

I certainly hope this guy isn't yet another person that thinks songs must be a diary. They certainly can be, but this particular song is a piece of fiction. And no one is being sung 'about', it's one person talking to another. Is it one side of a conversation? Or is it a monologue or even a lecture? That's for the listener to decide.

"If you can add more background music upfront, earlier on would be great."

Why? 'Our hero' is impatient to put his point across. He's clearly kind of fucked up by this situation regardless of the blame he's spouting. Someone like that wouldn't necessarily hold back. And his mood might hang around, thus the ending. Originally the song just ended on the last word, which seemed unnatural and unfitting.

Actually, instead of me laying down the law about how someone might behave in a given situation, a better way to look at it is this; A character has been invented - One who wastes no time and doesn't let go easily. That's defining, and the music backs it up. If a listener doesn't get it, it's okay because there's enough information there to create some kind of character in a listener's head. That's enough.