David Vance SubstackRead More
One of the fundamentals of Substack is the centrality of the written word. Unlike others platform, here Word is King. It’s one of the great attractions for me, along with the fact that most of us here appreciate a good choice of words so it’s a perfect audience! Which brings me to the topic of this post – what the HELL has happened to the language of modern music?
I know this will make me sound very boomerish but how on earth did we get from the beautiful words of “Yesterday” by The Beatles, through the romantic words of Burt Bacharach and Hal David in “Walk on by” to “Wap” by Cardi B or “Golddigga” by Kanye West?
Compare and contrast;
“Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away
Now it looks as though they’re here to stay
Oh, I believe in yesterday
Suddenly, I’m not half the man I used to be
There’s a shadow hanging over me
Oh, yesterday came suddenly
Why she had to go I don’t know, she wouldn’t say
I said something wrong, now I long for yesterday”
to….
“Whores in this house
There’s some whores in this house
There’s some whores in this house
There’s some whores in this house (hol’ up)
I said certified freak, seven days a week
Wet ass pussy, make that pullout game weak, woo! (Ah)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, you fucking with some wet ass pussy
Bring a bucket and a mop for this wet ass pussy
Give me everything you got for this wet ass pussy”
Yes, I know that there have always been some silly songs that gain mass popularity “Birdie Song” and “Agadoo” being two good examples, but even they seem like Shakespearean poetry compared to what occupies the charts these days.
The current number one song both sides of the Atlantic is “Ordinary” by Alex Warren. I checked out the lyrics to see what is current;
You’re takin’ me out of the ordinary
I want you layin’ me down ’til we’re dead and buried
On the edge of your knife, stayin’ drunk on your vine
The angels up in the clouds are jealous knowin’ we found
Somethin’ so out of the ordinary
You got me kissin’ thе ground of your sanctuary
Shatter me with your touch, oh, Lord, return mе to dust
The angels up in the clouds are jealous knowin’ we found
Pass.
My interest in words has always been there and I suppose that’s why I became such a lifelong fan of Elvis Costello. His words are clever, acerbic, touching and always worth hearing. Take this throwaway couplet from 1984 “The Only Flame in town” song
“But you blew hot and cold
Turned my heart to a cinder
And with each passing day
You’re less tender and more tinder
Now you’re not the only flame in town”
The words have significance and after 40 plus years I still hear them. And the puns on flames are…erm…intense!
I thought I would finish by playing this song for you, it’s American Pie by Don McLean and again, the words are crucial!
We all choose the words we use with care and there is no better feeling than when what we write turns out as good as the thought when it came in our minds!
