Say What?  Evaluating Today’s Rock Lyrics

 

By Rob Lovering

 

When it comes to buying CDs, consumers can be divided into two camps: those who won’t purchase CDs with the “Parental Advisory” sticker, and those who will.  Of course, neither camp is better than the other—as they say, there’s no disputing matters of taste.  But there’s also no disputing the importance of lyrical content when it comes to deciding whether or not you’re going to throw down $13.99 for the latest album by the band du jour.  And when it comes to evaluating lyrics, there are at least two things to consider. 

 

First, there’s the language.  This is the simpler stage of lyric evaluation—just examine the language employed and decide whether or not you find it disagreeable or offensive.  If you prefer “I don’t care” to “I don’t give a f--k,” you’ll want to stay away from the “Parental Advisory” CDs.

 

Second, there’s the message.  This stage of lyric evaluation is trickier because it involves two steps:

 

  1. You have to figure out whether or not there is a message.  Contrary to what the Joe Liebermans of the world may think, some artists do not intend for anyone to glean a message from their music and, subsequently, to accept or reject it.  Rather, they consider themselves entertainers in the strict sense of the word: their job is to entertain, to amuse, not to instruct or indoctrinate.

 

  1. If the song does have a message, you have to figure out what is and then evaluate it.  This is where it gets messy.  For what may be wholly agreeable to one person may be utterly despicable to another.  Undoubtedly, you’re aware that not everyone appreciates the violent messages conveyed by Eminem or the anti-Christian messages expressed by Marilyn Manson.  Indeed, they have been designated the poster boys of disagreeable lyrics.  But the distaste for lyrical content works both ways.  For example, not everyone appreciates the overtly Christian messages conveyed by artists like Amy Grant, Jars of Clay, or Creed.  For not everyone believes (gasp) that the Christian message is a healthy one.  My point isn‘t to pick on Christian artists or to defend the messages of Eminem and Marilyn Manson.  Rather, it’s to suggest that, when it comes to evaluating the message of a particular song or album, a “Parental Advisory” sticker is not a requisite of disagreeable or offensive lyrics. 

 

So when it comes to evaluating lyrics, you must evaluate both the language employed and the message (if there is one).

 

With lyrical content in mind, I have provided a list of CDs below to serve as a shopper’s guide for the upcoming holidays.  Representing various musical genres, each album is (in my humble opinion) quite good and (opinion aside) very popular, as a glance at the Billboard’s Top 50 or Rolling Stone’s Top 20 indicates.  The list is divided into two categories: “Albums that Kick Butt” and “Albums that Kick Ass.”  As an examination of the sample lyrics will show, the former category is for both members and non-members of the “Parental Advisory” camp; the latter category is for non-members only.  Happy shopping!

 

 

Albums that Kick Butt

 

U2, All That You Can’t Leave Behind, “What left a mark/No longer stings/Because Grace makes beauty/Out of ugly things.”

Radiohead, Kid A, “You can try the best you can/If you try the best you can/The best you can is good enough”

Creed, Human Clay, “There’s a peace inside us all/Let it be your friend/It will help you carry on/In the end.”

Barenaked Ladies, Maroon, “It’s the perfect time of day/To throw all your cares away/Put the sprinkler on the lawn/And run through with my gym shorts on.”

Dixie Chicks, Fly, “I wanna be the only one for miles and miles/Except for maybe you and your simple smile.” 

 

Albums that Kick Ass

 

Blink-182, The Mark, Tom, and Travis Show (The Enema Strikes Back), “She’s a dove, she’s a f--king nightmare/Unpredictable, it was a mistake to stay here.”

Eminem, The Marshall Mathers LP, “You really f--ked me, Kim/You really did a number on me/Never knew me cheating on you would come back to haunt me.”

Marilyn Manson, Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death), “But I’m not a slave to a god that doesn’t exist/But I’m not a slave to world that doesn’t give a sh-t.”

The Offspring, Conspiracy of One, “And I’ll blow you away (you’re gonna f--k with me)/And the voices told me to blow you away (you’re gonna f--k with me).”

Rage Against the Machine, Renegades, “I’m out here risking my dome, just for a bucket or a faster ducket/Just to stay alive, yo I got to say f--k it.”