Profanity?

[samuraiBSD]

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.

 

 

What the fudge is that supposed to mean? I would take the time to write out my whole rant on "emo" and how the word is over- (and mis-) used these days, but since my fingers are cold, I won't...

 

What does being in a certain genre have to do with swearing? Punk bands swear, so do alternative and glam rock bands from the 80s. There's even bad language in classic 70s rock, in some case. Your tone here also strikes me as saying that emo and novelty bands are lower than other forms of music. What are you trying to say here?

[blue2blue]

One of my favorite utterances of all time was spat out by one of the young male teens who used to use the garage underneath my old apartment in Seal Beach as a kind of clubhouse. I had been crashed out one afternoon (during the long recovery from a particularly nasty motorcyle wreck) and I was awakened by the sound of 5 or 6 14 or 15 year old boys having some kind of tussle down in their fortress of not-quite-solitude.

 

All of a sudden one of them burst forth with (I paraphrase):

 

"Hey, F-er, F your F-ing F, you F-ing F-head!"

 

 

Poetry. I mean, F your "F-ing F." Damn, that is genius.

[kennychaffin]

You know it!

 

[Matximus]

What the fudge is that supposed to mean? I would take the time to write out my whole rant on "emo" and how the word is over- (and mis-) used these days, but since my fingers are cold, I won't... What does being in a certain genre have to do with swearing? Punk bands swear, so do alternative and glam rock bands from the 80s. There's even bad language in classic 70s rock, in some case. Your tone here also strikes me as saying that emo and novelty bands are lower than other forms of music. What are you trying to say here?

 

 

Come on, we all know what Emo is. It's that whiney off-shoot of punk. Sensitive skinny kids in hoody sweatshirts that can't sing droning on about their feelings. Usually about how some girl dumped them (which I always thought was hilarious, cause they probably wouldn't have gotten dumped if they washed their hair and stopped crying all the time).

 

But what I'm trying to say is what i said: swearing is only acceptable in certain genres. In hip hop, rappers can swear without being a farce because - in my book - creative use of profanity is one of the central appeals of rap.

 

Novelty acts can swear cause they are a farce already. And emo guys can swear cause, well, what they're doing is already cringe-worthy, so some blue language here and there doesn't really matter.

 

Point is: cuss words are distracting. Don't use them unless you are whiney toolbag, a funny-white guy with a guitar, or pimping bitch-slayer.

[A Happy Crowd]

I think the most ingenious use of cursing in a song was accomplished by Pearls Before Swine. In "(Oh Dear) Miss Morse", they tap out F-U-C-K in Morse code in the background.

[T_Terror]

Here's my general take on songwriting and profanity-if you use it too much, it loses its impact. If you never use it, and have one song, it can really emphasize your point in the song. But...I never heard Dylan use profanity in his songs, and some of his lyrics are downright mean and nasty.

[Boydog]

One of the most popular is I .

 

 

Really? damn, (oops) that's where me been messing up, using the two letter version :poke:

[samuraiBSD]

Come on, we all know what Emo is. It's that whiney off-shoot of punk. Sensitive skinny kids in hoody sweatshirts that can't sing droning on about their feelings. Usually about how some girl dumped them (which I always thought was hilarious, cause they probably wouldn't have gotten dumped if they washed their hair and stopped crying all the time). But what I'm trying to say is what i said: swearing is only acceptable in certain genres. In hip hop, rappers can swear without being a farce because - in my book - creative use of profanity is one of the central appeals of rap. Novelty acts can swear cause they are a farce already. And emo guys can swear cause, well, what they're doing is already cringe-worthy, so some blue language here and there doesn't really matter. Point is: cuss words are distracting. Don't use them unless you are whiney toolbag, a funny-white guy with a guitar, or pimping bitch-slayer.

[LeonardScaper]

I think the most ingenious use of cursing in a song was accomplished by Pearls Before Swine. In "(Oh Dear) Miss Morse", they tap out F-U-C-K in Morse code in the background.

 

 

Amazing.

 

I listened to Pearls Before Swine and never knew that.

[Boydog]

Come on, we all know what Emo is. It's that whiney off-shoot of punk. Sensitive skinny kids in hoody sweatshirts that can't sing droning on about their feelings. Usually about how some girl dumped them (which I always thought was hilarious, cause they probably wouldn't have gotten dumped if they washed their hair and stopped crying all the time). But what I'm trying to say is what i said: swearing is only acceptable in certain genres. In hip hop, rappers can swear without being a farce because - in my book - creative use of profanity is one of the central appeals of rap. Novelty acts can swear cause they are a farce already. And emo guys can swear cause, well, what they're doing is already cringe-worthy, so some blue language here and there doesn't really matter. Point is: cuss words are distracting. Don't use them unless you are whiney toolbag, a funny-white guy with a guitar, or pimping bitch-slayer.

 

 

guess that pretty much includes most of us

I very rarely use profanity, mainly because I don't need to,and again because of the misuses that are so much being used, IMO if ya wanna cuss , cuss, it's not like it's gonna be eternal ( or maybe it will )

[MikerDougie]

I wish I had seen this when it just started because I can really understand. My brother and I wrote a song called "This Sh#t Ain't Workin". The song has received positive reviews by those that have heard it, but there is no doubt that it is limited because of the lyrics; However, the song is built around this phrase and concept (a guy in jail) so I can't see it as anything else.

Having said that, always take the high road if it is there....

[LeonardScaper]

the song is built around this phrase and concept

 

 

I think that may be the only way it really works for me.

 

Other than that, it just seems to be gratuitous.

 

31 Seconds

[blue2blue]

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.

And if someone does something dumb like trying to watch a movie on over-the-air TV, is that my fault?

 

TV is subject to community standards censorship because it comes into the home over the publicly owned airewaves -- basically so that young moms and dads don't have to explain the etymology of a word like MF to their 6 and 7 year olds.

 

[blue2blue]

Come on, we all know what Emo is. It's that whiney off-shoot of punk. Sensitive skinny kids in hoody sweatshirts that can't sing droning on about their feelings. Usually about how some girl dumped them (which I always thought was hilarious, cause they probably wouldn't have gotten dumped if they washed their hair and stopped crying all the time). But what I'm trying to say is what i said: swearing is only acceptable in certain genres. In hip hop, rappers can swear without being a farce because - in my book - creative use of profanity is one of the central appeals of rap. Novelty acts can swear cause they are a farce already. And emo guys can swear cause, well, what they're doing is already cringe-worthy, so some blue language here and there doesn't really matter. Point is: cuss words are distracting. Don't use them unless you are whiney toolbag, a funny-white guy with a guitar, or pimping bitch-slayer.

Ten years ago, I thought I knew what emo was.

 

Nowadays, I'm tempted to think it's any band with a silly haircut that one doesn't like.

 

 

 

With re what style of band should use profanity, I assumed you were being droll.

 

But, there are probably a lot of considerations for when to use profanity and when not, and I suppose, if your style is Worship Service or Devotional or Children's, then, yeah, style is going to have something to do with your decsion path, I'm thinkin'.

[blue2blue]

 

I wish I had seen this when it just started because I can really understand. My brother and I wrote a song called "This Sh#t Ain't Workin". The song has received positive reviews by those that have heard it, but there is no doubt that it is limited because of the lyrics; However, the song is built around this phrase and concept (a guy in jail) so I can't see it as anything else. Having said that, always take the high road if it is there....

 

 

The radio version could have a chorus of sassy Andrews Sister style vocalists coming in right over the titular vulgarism, singing "Shhhhhh...." a la the "Shut your mouth" line in "Shaft" in response to the radio version line "That shaft is one bad mother -- "... it was a brilliant move that made anyone familiar with the album version (which got late night FM play out here back in that day) laugh out loud the first time.

[LeonardScaper]

Driving the other day with a big Sugarland fan..........they got pretty clever....

Shhh.......it happens.

[eeglug]

There's nothing wrong with using profanity per se IMO. I've not done it myself though. Like any other tool one uses in music, the effect it achieves when in use can vary tremendously. One cannot escape the fact that vulgarity is not the norm in many people's daily verbal discourse. Cussing in church, cussing at the bus stop, cussing at the local dive at 1 am - they all mean different things depending on where you are, who you are, who you're with and how you say it. In a song you have some control over the context but your individual audience member's predisposition is something you have no say over. So overall I'd say profanity is something I'd have to think a great deal about before I'd use it.

[gismo recording]

But...I never heard Dylan use profanity in his songs,

 

 

Meanwhile, far away in another part of town

Rubin carter and a couple of friends are drivin around.

Number one contender for the middleweight crown

Had no idea what kinda {censored} was about to go down

 

From "Hurricane" by Bob Dylan

[LeonardScaper]

So......profanity works...if it works for the song.

It has been done well, and poorly, but as an integral part of our communication it may as well be as much a part of our music, if used judiciously.

Thanks for all of the reponses.

31 Seconds

[Kevin Phillips]

It can work... but don't let it be the point of the song. I know hip-hop is full of it and popular as anything, but I wonder sometimes if the writing isn't getting to the point where it's just plug and play... like they are going:

I need....
one syllable - {censored}
two syllables - bitches
etc.
(Plus how many times do people have to put their "hands in the ay-er, wave them around like you just don't cay-er"?)

See if you can word something in a way that is more memorable, catchy, than the same tired phrases.

[SomeoneYouKnew]

Say goodnight, Gracie.

 

(reported)

[Todzilla]

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.

Only when it's absolutely mother {censored}ing necessary.

[Hoppy Shimko]

The only people that want to say those kinds of things or want to hear those kinds of things are bad people. So, choose the company you keep. If that's the caliber of person who you associate yourself with then you'll fit right in, with the low lifes.

[Lee Knight]

The only people that want to say those kinds of things or want to hear those kinds of things are bad people. So, choose the company you keep. If that's the caliber of person who you associate yourself with then you'll fit right in, with the low lifes.

 

 

Deep thinker, huh?

[SomeoneYouKnew]

Old thread is old, but I thought I'd toss this out there anyway...



F Bombs are tricky stuff. Usually a turnoff. Puddle of Mudd used one ({censored}ing, not {censored} you) successfully in 2002 with She ({censored}in') Hates Me. Serious airplay, although they "gapped" the places where the word was used in the radio edit. Strong sales, over 500,000 copies sold.

Rewind to 1972:
You're Breakin' My Heart -- Harry Nilsson

You're breaking' my heart
You're tearin' it apart
So {censored} you.

It did get airplay, but I think they used a kazoo to replace the F Bomb in the radio version.

Profanity, like anything else, is a matter of time and place. And moderation. Overuse becomes boring and the effect is lost.


"When is profanity acceptable in lyrics?" That's a good question. But I think a better question is: "How can imply, rather than use directly?" To my way of thinking, implication is far more powerful than actually coming out and saying the words. It keeps the song socially acceptable in a wider audience. But those who catch the implication feel like they're in on a private joke. Even if the rest of the song is just "okay", they're fans because you've made them feel clever.

If you have established a pattern of rhyme, you can imply a profanity. Create a setup to make profanity complete a rhyme, but don't use the profanity. Replace it with a weak rhyme that seems forced. Or a non-rhyme.