r/Music•
LadySpace

/r/music, what's one topic or lyrical focus that makes you much more likely to love a song?

For instance, I have a really weird tendency to fall in love with songs that are all about girls with self-destructive partying tendencies. No idea why, but it's alarmingly consistent. Here are a few examples:

Against Me! - Thrash Unreal

Less Than Jake - She's Gonna Break Soon

The Naked and Famous - Girls Like You

Also included in this weird fascination is any pop song by someone putting on an "angry/insecure party girl" facade: Kesha, some P!nk, "Just Dance" by Lady Gaga, that sort of thing (no links because sometimes reddit gets mad if you link to pop music).

So, what about you guys? What subject matter hacks into your brainstem and makes you like a song?

Posted Feb 9, 2013, 6:47 PM UTC

66
KyleDuke•

for me its not so much the topic that matters but the quality of writing. for example: the song "bear" by the antlers is about abortion. usually i wouldn't think of that as something i'd like to hear a song about. however, its so beautifully written that it touches me everytime i hear it

5
[deleted]•

I think it would be the other way for me. They lyrics that spell out an overplayed story are what I tend to stay away from. while on the other-hand a more unique way of putting lyrics together makes me appreciate a song more.

2
SkullBat•

I really like it when artists write a song about environmental/animal rights issues. For example:

Distubed - Another Way to Die

Megadeth - Countdown to Extinction

Ozzy Osbourne - The Almighty Dollar

2
karlbeezy•

I've never done heroin....but for some reason every song that's about heroin addiction is amazing.

Examples: Pink Floyd's, "Comfortably Numb" The Mars Volta, "De-loused in the Comatorium" (album) Alice in Chains, "Nutshell" The Stranglers, "Golden Brown"

Heroin ruins lives, of course. But it evokes a state of mind that makes great music, it seems.

2
theconcept208•

I think I really like songs about looking inward, about who you are and coping! My favorite example is from

The Who - Behind Blue Eyes. When my fist clenches, crack it open Before I use it and lose my cool When I smile, tell me some bad news Before I laugh and act like a fool

If I swallow anything evil Put your finger down my throat If I shiver, please give me a blanket Keep me warm, let me wear your coat

Leonard Cohen - Hallelujah

I did my best, it wasn't much I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you And even though it all went wrong I'll stand before the Lord of Song With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah

Both of these are amazing verses and both taken out of their famous covers. Never understood that!

1
[deleted]•

Songs that really just make me think. I can't explain it, but songs like "I'll Try Anything Once" by The Strokes really cause me to think about the world, life, love, all of that. (and I don't even smoke weed!)

1