Members VGW Posted April 1, 2009 Members Share Posted April 1, 2009 I personally don't have a problem with it. I've only written one song that uses an F-bomb, and I have one other song with {censored} in it. A lot of my songs are about scumbags, so the salty language doesn't hurt the song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wwwjd Posted April 1, 2009 Members Share Posted April 1, 2009 Absolutely....I'm not much for swearing anyway. The lyrics in question have actually been sampled from another source. I you HAVE TO steal, maybe just a "tape glitch-up" over the swear would fit it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TravvyBear Posted April 1, 2009 Members Share Posted April 1, 2009 I use the f-word in my lyrics from time to time. It's not something I go out of my way to use, but sometimes it's just the right word for what I want to convey. I don't think my occasional use of profanity has been what's prevented any of my songs from getting radio play. Is that MBV in your avatar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LeonardScaper Posted April 2, 2009 Author Members Share Posted April 2, 2009 I you HAVE TO steal, maybe just a "tape glitch-up" over the swear would fit it I guess I'm struggling with more than just the profanity thing with this tune. It all started with a story from one of my heavy equipment operators some time ago. He lives deep in the heart of Trenton, NJ. He was awakened during the night and went out to witness a gang initiation in a close backyard where a dude was enduring a very specific period of beating. Even my man, who is by no means innocent, was a bit shaken by the decision this initiate had made. I sampled a currently popular movie (am I allowed to do that?) for what I was looking for and chose the snippets specifically for the emotion they conveyed through language. Your comments leave me feeling artistically correct in my decision while still wondering...... The tune is only partly tracked but.....please listen and comment within the context of our discussion........or, hey....anything. 31 Seconds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Boydog Posted April 2, 2009 Members Share Posted April 2, 2009 listened to the complete recording,, IMO you've got a jam up song.the background (samples) are for me a little hard to understand even with cups. I know there are some who will probably hear it better than I but to me it fits the song. Well, actually the song wouldn't be complete without it.Gives the listener a better perspective of what you're saying and why. I give it:thu: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rsadasiv Posted April 2, 2009 Members Share Posted April 2, 2009 I think this could be a VERY good song, but the listener absolutely, positively needs the back story you told in your post, and that back story absolutely, positively needs profanity to be properly understood. Strong, comprehensible, extended profanity. Leaving the dialog muted and semi-comprehensible the way it is now will not work. This is happening in your back yard - loud enough to wake you up - close enough to keep you from turning on the light - close enough so that you don't move a muscle, just pull the covers over your head and hope it goes away, but it keeps on going, for a seemingly interminable amount of time, giving you time to start thinking about your life, about your endurance, about whether you could stand it and what you could possibly desire so badly that you would want to stand it. For a whole 31 seconds. I love profanity, and I have a deeply held philosophical opposition to censorship of any kind, but I'm not naive enough to believe that my personal beliefs will convince anyone else of anything, so I'll leave that harangue out of this. But to me, the effectve bowdlerization of the movie clip is a disservice to the potential of the song and to the reality of you as an artist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chicken Monkey Posted April 2, 2009 Members Share Posted April 2, 2009 There are very, very, very few times when an offensive word is necessary--it's far more often a one-word cliche. The Todzilla song stands out because it's an exception. I avoid it unless I'm hitting it head on. I also intend my songs to be listened to by as many people as possible, and throwing something in there to turn off the audience is not something I'm into. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tim_7string Posted April 2, 2009 Members Share Posted April 2, 2009 I have struggled with this very thing in my own songwriting. I was part of a radio contest back in 2001. People that either lived in or were from North Dakota were invited to send their music to the radio station KFYR-AM and be interviewed for 90 minutes. Luckily enough, I got in on the final year this contest was held. When I asked the DJ about content of songs before I sent them to the station for review, I specifically asked about certain words that may be questionable. I told him one of my songs had the word "ass" in it, as in "your great-looking ass" (referring to a female derriere). He said, "Yeeeeahhh...that would be a no-no....we want to keep this family-oriented." So, I left that particular song out and concentrated on some others instead. It was all good. I still haven't finished recording that particular song, because the "ass" part still bugs me, even though I wrote it in a pure state of mind at the time (high school senior). I thought of substituting "and your strawberry sass" but then I realize I ripped off Robert Smith! Ooops! (can't remember which Cure song right offhand) So, it sits in the vault. I personally think it's unnecessary. My usual reaction is similar to Lee Knight's. Anything that takes you out of the song and distracts you from enjoying it is bad. So, I would leave it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TravvyBear Posted April 2, 2009 Members Share Posted April 2, 2009 I think of my songs as an extension of me, I write for myself (and the ladies ) writing to please others isnt why I do it. I just hope they can connect with me. Than again, I don't see anything wrong in keeping a song kid friendly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members A Happy Crowd Posted April 2, 2009 Members Share Posted April 2, 2009 I still haven't finished recording that particular song, because the "ass" part still bugs me, even though I wrote it in a pure state of mind at the time (high school senior). I thought of substituting "and your strawberry sass" but then I realize I ripped off Robert Smith! Ooops! (can't remember which Cure song right offhand) So, it sits in the vault. I'm a huge Cure fan and now I'm racking my brain trying to think of what song that could be. All I can think of, though, is "gorgeous strawberry kiss" from Mint Car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Matximus Posted April 2, 2009 Members Share Posted April 2, 2009 When is profanity acceptable in lyrics? I'm working on a tune where I have made an artistic decision to sneak in some profanity. It isn't used gratuitously or casually and it is important to the message of the song. But.......when I hear the F Bomb coming down in a song I generally cringe. I suppose if I stick to my guns here there goes any chance of extended airplay. Don't swear unless you are a hip hop artist, novelty act, or Emo band. Or Elliott Smith- he could pull it off sometimes. But he was kind of Emo too. It is unacceptable for all other kinds of artists, because {censored}in swearing is distracting, amatuerish and clubfooted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members eddieboston2 Posted April 2, 2009 Members Share Posted April 2, 2009 I'm surprised how prudish this forum is. There ain't nothing wrong with swearing. It's just words, after all. Words have power, as any songwriter knows, but only because we give them power. I've used a lot of swear words in my songs, because they were the natural way to say something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members eddieboston2 Posted April 2, 2009 Members Share Posted April 2, 2009 I'll never forget the bowdlerized TV version of the movie Die Hard, where Bruce Willis's character is made to say, "yippee kayay, my friend" instead of "motherf*#@er." It just ruined that scene. Also, the great movie The Jerk, where Steve Martin's dog is actually named sh-thead. The scene of him running through the park is hilarious, but when they made the TV version they changed the dog's name to "stupid," which really wasn't the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AluminumNeck Posted April 2, 2009 Members Share Posted April 2, 2009 Whats the difference between calling someone a Dimwitted moron and a retard ? Nothing. So thats my point. What are community stanards anyways, but division lines drawn on imaginary planes of ambuguity to intentionally cuase sepratism and a "Better then you attitude" purposefully to elevate one group and lower another simply on the basis of vocabulary. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it !Actually, this particular instance isn't just a "mental hangup." It involved the possible imposition of fines, very large ones I'd imagine. It is also about community standards and acceptable language, or perhaps a view about what they should be. Much, much more than a mere mental hangup, don't you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members OldMattB Posted April 2, 2009 Members Share Posted April 2, 2009 Write and record two versions. You will have something to sing when your grandparents come to see you perform, and a radio-friendly cut just in case. With digital editing, you can have your second version in about twenty minutes. oldMattB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Boydog Posted April 2, 2009 Members Share Posted April 2, 2009 I think it's going to come down to what "you" want in the song, there are those who when learning it has "words" that'll turn away while others will listen , I've been playing music long enough to know you can't please everyone so why try, do it the way you want and move on to the next one. That song needs to be explained before the listener has a chance to hear it, then they can make up their own mind whether they want to partake or not. Go with ya gut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chicken Monkey Posted April 2, 2009 Members Share Posted April 2, 2009 What are community stanards anyways, but division lines drawn on imaginary planes of ambuguity to intentionally cuase sepratism and a "Better then you attitude" purposefully to elevate one group and lower another simply on the basis of vocabulary. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it ! This is a great policy, unless you want anyone else to listen to your music, in which case it will be listened to through a filter of community standards of some kind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wwwjd Posted April 2, 2009 Members Share Posted April 2, 2009 Checked back in, this thread still going, like a ***** ***** ***, on my *** *** *****. ****, thought it was over like a *** ****, it was ***** ***** ******. [sorry. just in a weird mood!] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LeonardScaper Posted April 2, 2009 Author Members Share Posted April 2, 2009 Leaving the dialog muted and semi-comprehensible the way it is now will not work. This is happening in your back yard - loud enough to wake you up - close enough to keep you from turning on the light - close enough so that you don't move a muscle, just pull the covers over your head and hope it goes away, but it keeps on going, for a seemingly interminable amount of time, giving you time to start thinking about your life, about your endurance, about whether you could stand it and what you could possibly desire so badly that you would want to stand it. Yo Ram.......You hit it on the head. I played it for my man this morning on the way to the site....he was all...."Man, you gotta turn that {censored} UP!!! So I did. Seems like the general consensus is......if it serves the song it's cool. 31 Seconds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LeonardScaper Posted April 2, 2009 Author Members Share Posted April 2, 2009 you can't please everyone so why try, do it the way you want and move on to the next one.That song needs to be explained before the listener has a chance to hear it, then they can make up their own mind whether they want to partake or not.Go with ya gut. A little OT........guess we all may be striving for that 'universal song'....the one that needs no explanation but instead hits the listener hard in a way that they didn't quite expect but 'got' nonetheless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brad Litton Posted April 3, 2009 Members Share Posted April 3, 2009 I think that profanity stops people from being creative and expressing themselves effectively without dropping to the level of using profanity. But, some of my favorite songs use profanity and I don't mind, I just don't think that I should use it, I don't really care if others do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tim_7string Posted April 3, 2009 Members Share Posted April 3, 2009 I'm a huge Cure fan and now I'm racking my brain trying to think of what song that could be. All I can think of, though, is "gorgeous strawberry kiss" from Mint Car. That's the one, thanks. True, it isn't exactly the same thing, but it's along the same lines (using the word "strawberry" as an adjective). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Boydog Posted April 3, 2009 Members Share Posted April 3, 2009 A little OT........guess we all may be striving for that 'universal song'....the one that needs no explanation but instead hits the listener hard in a way that they didn't quite expect but 'got' nonetheless. +1 can't argue with that brother OT? Not familar with a lot of these one letter words. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stackabones Posted April 3, 2009 Members Share Posted April 3, 2009 Not familar with a lot of these one letter words. One of the most popular is I. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LeonardScaper Posted April 3, 2009 Author Members Share Posted April 3, 2009 OT? Not familar with a lot of these one letter words. Maybe I wasn't off topic after all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.