Ten years ago, the most popular songs read between a third and fourth grade level, but the inanity only increased with time, and after a five-year downward tumble ending in 2014 (the last year of the study), chart-topping hits had a reading level equivalent to second or third grade. Broken into genres, the levels measured just 2.6 for Hip-hop/R&B, a tie of 2.9 for Rock and Pop, and faring best was Country at 3.3[.]In fairness, it seems like the popular singers only read at that level.
Lyric Inanity
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There are some standout songwriters, Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt for two. Problem is there are not enough of them to raise the average.
cultural literacy plays a part here- sometimes the best way to make a point in a song is to reference things that used to be common cultural references, but that is of little use if the intended audience does not have the info in their heads.
"In a C-47 with a heavy load, full of combat cargo for the Burma Road" Steve Goodman- how many could assemble that sentence into a picture in their mind today?
True, though what I think is at play is less the cultural touchstones and more the ability to handle complexity of thought.
I saw this piece via InstaPundit today. While it wasn't very interesting to me -- I don't watch TV, and thus care nothing about commentaries on TV shows -- I was taken by the complex first clause of the subtitle:
In a commentary culture constantly on a quest for multifaceted female characters in mainstream entertainment...
That's a complicated idea, expressed in long words and adjectives piled up like spaghetti.
Sometimes simplifying your expressions can just make your thoughts clearer. Other times, the ability to understand complex thoughts is itself a virtue.
"Sometimes simplifying your expressions can just make your thoughts clearer."
Thomas Sowell as a modern master in the political areana- lucid and concise.
Songwriting by it nature, requires concise writing, and the ability to generate ideas from sparse verbiage. As the topic gets more complex, the writing skills necessary get harder.
I once read a S. King short story and was astounded to find the time frame, characters, plot line and a few other things like the weather, all outlined in the first paragraph, with apparent ease.
I just recently went to a play entitled "Words by Ira Gershwin". Wow, such clarity and so concise, and so artfully crafted. My how our popular 'culture' has fallen.
I was thinking about maybe taking the kids back to see it to get a sense of truly well crafted lyrics.
I'm just here to inanely point out that country is the most intellectual pop music out there. Now I'm going to send this to all my sophisticated friends who turn up their noses at it. And gloat.
Check out lyrics to old and new hymns. No question which is which between these two fairly random samples:
God is so good
God is so good
God is so good
He's so good to me
(Ladies) He answers prayer
He answers prayer
He answers prayer
He's so good to me
(Men) I love Him so
I love Him so
I love Him so
He's so good to me
(All) We praise His name
We praise His name
We praise His name
He's so good to me
--vs.--
Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
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