It Aint Love

A couple of years ago i watched James Brown valiantly strut up on stage to accept his invitation to the British music hall of fame. Ever the showman he peacocked his way onto the stage, his body weakened due to age, illness and giving it his all on stage. Whilst listing off the people that he wished to thank for his career, he stopped and began to address the youth. He pleaded with them to try and cleanup their lyrics. Although this was around the same time that Yank African american leaders such as Jesse Jackson were calling for end of the use of the word nigger., James Brown was also adressing the filth quota in lyrics today. I am not a puritan, i swear like a sailor when i start to drink, but i do wish that songwriting today was of a higher quality. Try and avoid the simplst route to express emotions. Think outside of the box a tad bit more. Even though the soul singers of the 60s and 70s are heralded for their singing prowess, their songwriting was justa s good. Granted attitudes change and people want to hear a reflection of their own lives in songs today, but that still doesnt mean that the ability to take about sex or love or drugs without actually mentioning those words isn't admirable.
Take Sam Cooke's timeless classic Dont Know Much About History. The song works since its simplicity is at the forefront. Not only in the ryhming scheme but the actual subject of the lyrics.

"Don't know much about history
Don't know much biology
Don't know much about a science book
Don't know much about the french
I took But I do know that I love you
And I know that if you love me too
What a wonderful world this would be "

Dont Know Much About History - Sam Cooke

My all time favourite lyrical song is Mel and Tim's Backfield in Motion. This is a song that uses american football as it's reference point for love. The song is most likely about cheating on your partner and how love can make you blind to it occurring (take note C Brown). Granted a song about being hurt by a partner is nothing new but have you ever tried to write a love song incorporating a sport? Your love is offside baby? My emotions is like a over the hip tackle baby? Your cheating is hurting me like you chewed off my ear? It just wouldnt happen. Look here are the quotes from the Mel & Tim song again.

"First down you start cheatin' on me
Second down, I was too blind to see
Third down, you know I love you so
Fourth down, baby I got to let you go,
'Cos I caught you with your Backfield in motion,
yeah, I'm gonna have to penalize you"

Backfield in Motion - Mel & Tim

Now let's compare that to modern day lyrics. Ill pick a song at random from today's top 20. (i was going to pick ODB's Baby I got Your Money but i love that dude. And it's actually lyrically quite good. Hold on you can call me dirty and then lift up your skirt, if you want some of this dirty, then god made dirt and dirt bust yo ass.) Jason Mraz is the victim and his song I'm Yours is exhibit A. Which is in this weeks top 20.

"Well, you done done me and you bet I felt it
I tried to be chill but your so hot that I melted
I fell right through the cracks, now I'm tryin to get back before the cool done run out
I'll be givin it my best test and nothin's gonna stop me but divine intervention
I reckon it's again my turn to win some or learn some"

Well he rhymed it with melted. Stop. The. Fucking. Presses. Look even weak rappers come up with better lyrics. Now i dont want to be hard on this guy because he is a singer songwriter that is in the realm of making airy lyrics but doesn't this make him sound like he is that middle aged dude that throws in unnecessary slang like it's going out of fashion? Is he the modern day equivalent of Steve Miller? Then again after actually watching him perform i see how he hid it behind that faux reggae guitar rhythm. You like you over season food when it tastes bad. Speaking of this give he seems like he is literally talking out the side of his mouth. Like those 60's gangsters in Chicago.

Either way it's depressing to see thats what the kids like. Maybe it's coming from someone that is in transition, going from youth to adult, but this all seems weak. As if the olden days songs were sugar and now the kids are stuck on saccharine. However there are germs of hope in the popular genre. (i do realise that there are tons of talented lyricists out there but im talking about top 40 era artists). The lyrics for Sam Sparro's 21st century life is very reminiscent of golden era (exile on main street) Jagger and Richards.

"Now I'm not a little boy I'm in the 21st century
Well you might think We've come A really long way
But there's still No equality
I watched the news On my computer screen
Talking about Buying my weed Out of a vending machine
You tell me I'm free But how can it be
When you're always Watching me on the CCTV"