A view on how music should be viewed (Why Pink Floyd is amazing)

[DylanZX]

To start off, Pink Floyd is my favorite band, so most of this is based off examples of their music and talking about them.... Mostly. And this is partly directed to a lot of people that live where I'm from and listen to rap music, but all in all the point is directed at everyone.


So many people listen to music for the wrong reasons. They listen to it because it makes them think they're cool or because it sounds good or maybe they just listen to it because everyone else is doing the same. This is not the purpose of music. It is created so that people can listen to it and enjoy it, but if you don't even know why you're enjoying it then why are you listening to it? I have found that the best music is not always the music that sounds the best. The best music is the music you can relate to or the music that makes the most sense. A prime example is Pink Floyd. A lot of people today listen to random mainstream rap music and bump it in their big trucks and SUV's with 15" subs and think they're cool because of what they listen to. I couldn't give a **** less if people thought I was cool for listening to Floyd, I do it because its just such good music. The lyrics and overall quality of their music is astounding to the point where I actually wrote this article about it. Take for example the song "Wish you were here", a classic among the band. I can relate to the song so well after losing one of my best friends, I can just listen to it and understand the message so clearly that I don't care how it sounds, its just the lyrics that have me listening. In a way its just like listening to poetry with guitars and drums in the background. Pink Floyd just makes the best music of all time, the music that makes the most sense and I don't even know why someone wouldn't want to listen and relate to it. Like their song "If" off their really old album Atom Heart Mother. One of the lines that really means something says:
'If I go insane, please don't put your wires in my brain.'
Most people would read that and go what the hell? But to me, I actually try to find the meanings of the metaphors in these types of songs to understand what kind of message the band is trying to portray, and all you have to do is think about what the lines mean and you can understand them. That particular line just means, "No matter what I do or how I change, leave me the way I am and let me live my own life." Thats a good way to live, just don't let other people interfere with what you're trying to do if you think it is best. The Dark Side of the Moon is no doubt one of their most popular albums, and with songs such as 'Time' I can see why. Part of the lyrics go as follows -

Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain
You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today
And then one day you find ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun

And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but it's sinking
Racing around to come up behind you again
The sun is the same in a relative way, but you're older
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death

These stanzas simply portray that life should be lived how you want, take the time to do whatever makes your life most exciting and live without regrets, because one day you'll be old and miss your youth, and look back on the days you could have spent doing so much more than what you've done. In a way its talking about how most people, when they grow too old to enjoy the things they did when they were a kid, try to find their youth in life, kind of like a mid-life crisis. This music just inspires me to live for today, because before I know it my time will be up. I don't even know how someone would rather listen to (c)rap music that says "YO NIGGA I GET DA GAT AND I GETS MONEY YEAAAHHHH" than such a good band as Pink Floyd. I guess most people are too stupid to realize they should listen to music that they can actually understand and relate to the lyrics of, rather than just following the crowd. There are other more complicated songs with different meanings that I can relate to though, for instance the song "Fat Old Sun" by Floyd is a peaceful song that just talks about relaxing on a hillside and getting high. I know the experience of what it feels like to do that and thats what draws me to love the song. Pink Floyds diversity in music is a lot more grand than what most people think. They have songs that range from talking about the experience of doing heroine (Comfortably Numb) to songs that talk about transvestites stealing their neighbors underwear (Arnold Layne), and yes, thats what the song is about and yes, Syd Barrett was probably very drugged up to write something like that. Some of it I can't really relate to, like Arnold Layne, but its still interesting to listen to something so different from the normal rock-band music of today or the 80's or any time really. This just shows pure originality, and it just interests me to think about why these people would write such things. Its just amazing how much better music was in the 60's and 70's. People back then actually made songs that had meanings to them, unlike nowadays. Only songs being made now are songs about shawtys in the club and random up-beat rap songs that people make up retarded dances to. Some lyrics that I can really understand come from the song "Dogs" off the Animals album. It says:
And when you lose control, you'll reap the harvest you have sewn
And as the fear grows, the bad blood slows and turns to stone
And it's too late to lose the weight you used to need to throw around
So have a good drown, as you go down all alone
Dragged down by the stone
If you think about it, this is stating that when you do something wrong, you are faced with the consequences and most of the time they do not have a good outcome. And it also means that no matter what you do thats wrong, you can't go back and change it once its done, you are kind of 'dragged down by the stone'. If you speed and get in a wreck, you have a chance of being killed, and theres no stopping it once the wreck has happened. Its lyrics like these that are just so true about things in life that I don't even know why you wouldn't want to listen to them. It doesn't matter how the guitar or the drums or the bass sounds, as long as the message is something you want to hear and understand. That is how all music should be viewed, and if you do not think so you have wasted your time by reading this. But if you've come this far, I guess you should continue to read, as I shall continue to explain to you what I'm talking about. I see countless people around me, living in the same place as me who have Bob Marley and Jimi Hendrix quotes all over their profiles. But I can bet you a million dollars not one of them even knows why they have those quotes on there. They probably just put them there because they sound cool, actually. There is no way they live by them, so why even quote them? A better and far lesser known quote comes from Syd Barrett - "I'd like to be rich. I'd like a lot of money to put into my physicals and to buy food for all my friends." Barrett was a prime example of how every music artist should be today. He did not want fame, or his name to be up in lights, all he wanted to do was make music. Make good music and perform it for his friends and maybe a few other audiences, and make just enough money to survive. When Pink Floyd started getting more popular he actually stopped working with them, (partly because of his major drug use due to the bands rising success) and because fame was exactly what he did not want. If more music artists were like that today, maybe we would have better music being created all the time. All that artists care about now is just making hit songs that sound good that will make them millions of dollars, and that just shows you how greedy people are in the world today. No one does it for the love of the music any more, its all about money, which Floyd actually made a song about, called Money. It explains how money rules everything in the world, and without it you can't survive. It also shows the point of view of an average greedy person who wants nothing but money, with lines like:
"Money, get back.
Im all right jack keep your hands off of my stack.
Money, its a hit.
Dont give me that do goody good bull****.
Im in the high-fidelity first class traveling set
And I think I need a lear jet."
And if you think about it, thats really how people are. They want nothing but the finest things in life, and can't be satisfied until they get them. We should all just live naturally and be thankful we have anything at all. Its just songs like these that are so true and make the most sense out of any music. I suggest you try to find a band and listen to them, and really try to understand what they're trying to tell the audience. And if its something pointless or not worth listening to, I wouldn't even bother listening to it. Now its 3:36 AM and I think I've made my point. Good day.

[Didymos Thomas]

They listen to it because it makes them think they're cool or because it sounds good or maybe they just listen to it because everyone else is doing the same.

Because it sounds good? As a working rock 'n roll drummer, this is why I listen to music. It sounds good. Makes me want to dance, find some cute little girl and have a ball.

I'm a terrible Pink Floyd fan-boy. Guilty as charged. But I listen to Pink Floyd because it sounds good. My personal relation to the music, the particular witty musical statements I notice - these are all secondary. Yes, they make me love the music even more. But it's the music sounding good to my ears that makes me like the music in the first place.

[FatalMuse]

I agree with Didymos' answer above, although I used to be a Pink Floyd fan (I still think it's good music, just my tastes have changed).

But I have another idea to put forward:
1. I gather the basic premise of the post is that music should be listened to for its lyrical value, for the quality of its lyrics.
2. Pink Floyd have a lot of large instrumental patches and even some entirely intrumental songs on their albums.

If (1.) is true, then what purpose does (2.) serve? Are these pieces of music good?

If music is entirely about the lyrics, then surely Pink Floyd should've cut the instrumental numbers from all their albums as they serve no purpose.

Also, your argument would make all classical and foreign language music redundant. It may be the case for you personally, but I know many people who find both those forms of music incredibly stimulating.

[DylanZX]

I guess all in all it is just my opinion, and I know Pink Floyd have a lot of mostly instrumental music. I'm just saying the best of their work is the work with the lyrics. I'm not saying they are the best band ever, I am just saying they were an example for me to use as good lyric artists. Their songs have meaning with the lyrics, but I am strictly talking of lyrical songs. Instrumental songs is a whole new element, such as classical. I like classical music, its something to relax to. As long as the instrumental has a purpose like being relaxing or something of the like, it is fine by me.

[philosopherqueen]

Pink Floyd is great, his music touches you from a lyrical stanpoint, and the instrumental touches you from another. To me, it's a perfect mix. Yeah, Dark Side of the Moon is the most popular, but the best is The Wall. Best masterpiece ever. Dark but never the less a masterpiece

[Mr. Fight the Power]

The fact that you could write such a long post about such morose, boring, and pretentious music and a band that has a legion of followers who are quite sure they are in the musical in crowd because they listen to it makes me think you might wish to look in the mirror.

I'm not going to say that I am totally against Pink Floyd. The Syd Barrett album was a good one and some of the songs of the early to mid-seventies were ok. But when you look at the Dark Side of the Moon you find a couple of plain-jane rock singles with lyrics I thought were profound in 8th grade and a bunch of overwrought attempts at sounding like music geniuses.

That is my opinion.

Now, I don't want to get into an argument about what music is good and what isn't. In fact, my point is that such argument is completely unproductive. You were likely correct about some of the reasons people like music, but to me, music doesn't connect with your reason, rather it connects with more finer sensibilities. Music should not be analyzed like a math problem, rather it should be analyzed like a sunset: The less the better.

All elitist opinions are at least a little vapid, as they often say as much about a person's opinion of him/herself as they say about the topic of opinion itself. Music elitism, however, plants itself among the worst.

To judge requires one to understand, and I seriously doubt that you even have a really accurate understanding of why you like the music you like.

And you need to listen to more hip-hop before you offer such condemnations. I assure you that there are lyricists as talented as Roger Waters who are rappers.

[Didymos Thomas]

But when you look at the Dark Side of the Moon you find a couple of plain-jane rock singles with lyrics I thought were profound in 8th grade and a bunch of overwrought attempts at sounding like music geniuses.

Alright, hold on a moment, "plain-jane rock singles"? I have to ask - what isn't a "plain-jane rock single"?

Even the legendary single from the album, "Money" is anything but your run of the mill rock single. It's in 5 for God sakes!

[Mr. Fight the Power]

Originally Posted by Didymos Thomas

Alright, hold on a moment, "plain-jane rock singles"? I have to ask - what isn't a "plain-jane rock single"?

Even the legendary single from the album, "Money" is anything but your run of the mill rock single. It's in 5 for God sakes!

I was referring to "Time" and "Money" as being plain-jane. To me, only the gimmicky intro separates them from a lot of the semi-prog rock that was pretty common at the time. The songwriting isn't particularly compelling in either ("Money" is comparable to the O'Jays, both songs are pretty cliched topics).

Also, "Money" is in 7/4 and 4/4, employs pretty standard fare production and instrumentation for the time, and (unconvincingly to me) tries to make a social statement. I can say exactly the same about "Make Yourself" by Incubus. But I would not consider the latter to be a classic or deserving of repeat listening.

I understand that 7/4 is uncommon, but my point is that music cannot be evaluated like this, it is much more delicate.

To me "Money" just sounds boring and plain. It blends in indeterminably with all of the other boring and plain rocks songs I hear on classic rock stations. It doesn't mean that the song is particularly bad, or that the musicians aren't talented. It simply means that it doesn't appeal to me, and nothing you can say is going to convince me that I should like it.

[seerskater]

Originally Posted by DylanZX

So many people listen to music for the wrong reasons. They listen to it because it makes them think they're cool or because it sounds good or maybe they just listen to it because everyone else is doing the same. This is not the purpose of music. It is created so that people can listen to it and enjoy it, but if you don't even know why you're enjoying it then why are you listening to it?

come on man, are you for cereal?? theres no "right reason" for listen to music. what do you mean "if you dont even know why youre enjoying it, then why are you listening to it."? thats like saying "if you dont know why you love your wife, why are you married to them?" It doesn't matter if you know why you like it or not, all that matters is you like it. And people like it for different reasons. You like pink floyd because of their good lyrics. Awesome dude, im stoked for you. i listen to old big band music and hip hop, to name a few, because they sound good. and i assure you i love a good stomping count basie tune just as much as you love pink floyd.

I couldn't give a **** less if people thought I was cool for listening to Floyd

i assure you most people that listen to mainstream rap in their souped up SUV's would think the same thing about you

peace,

fellow hombre

[Aphoric]

Pink Floyd is very cool.

Also, for most fans of Pink Floyd, great band with similar characteristics = The Mars Volta. A lot of people can't get past the heavy guitar riffs played over complex jazz rhythms with strong salsa overtones, and I have to say for me it was an acquired taste. However, they are very similar conceptually, and play around with sounds and dynamics in music a lot like Pink Floyd used to. They're just one of those bands that keeps my hope for contemporary music alive.