Can you hear a song for it's beauty without understanding the language?

[zerocool1]

Originally posted by: Roguestar

Originally posted by: jjones
Sure, Rammstein. I don't understand a word of german.

Hell, their music is great even if I don't understand most of the words. They can convey it mostly in the dirty industrial thrasing and the beats.

have you watched any of their music videos?

 

[ThePresence]

Originally posted by: ForumMaster
while i can't quite relate to the song the OP postes as i do understand it, there are songs that i like without understanding the language.

I understand it as well. I was posting it for those who don't.

 

[zoiks]

I knew it was going to be some hebrew thing before I read this thread.

 

[AnitaPeterson]

To answer your question:

YES. Absolutely.


Here are my (personal) reasons:

I grew up in Europe, in an extremely diverse cultural environment. It was enough for me to travel about 150 kilometres in (almost) any direction, to become immersed in a new culture and language.

Therefore, as far as I'm personally concerned, the words have always played second fiddle to the music... it's the quality of the voice that matters, much more so than the words...

I remember, when I was living in the U.S., that a friend of mine once got pissed off at some "stupid" Stranglers lyrics, while I was listening to one of their later albums... he just couldn't understand my point, even when I tried to exemplify with opera - which is enjoyable even if you don't speak the language (or understand the words.)

In my mind, that's why they call it "music" - as opposed to "poetry" or "rhetorics".

The good thing about my approach is that it allows me to enjoy any music, in any language... the downside of it (if you can call it a downside) is that I'm totally uninterested in 99% of the work of many artists which seem to have lyrics as their strongest point. Case in point, for English language: Bob Dylan, Aerosmith, Red Hot Chilli Peppers.

Simply put, if I don't like the timbre of the voice (I find that there are too many North American bands, these days, that have what I call "bleating" vocals), and the music is totally secondary (or, at least, uninspired and/or "generic",) these artists simply *never* get played in my house. I have other, better, things to enjoy.

 

[prontospyder]

Yes. I like "Now We Are Free" from the Gladiator soundtrack. Is it in Latin?

 

[AnitaPeterson]

BTW, youtube is blocked here at work, what song is the OP talking about?

 

[mattpegher]

Although the human voice can be quite a beautiful instrument, I am still always curious what the words mean when I listen to a song in another language. The exception to that for me is latin, most pieces are sung with little regard to the meaning of the words. My favorite is Barber's Adagio for strings adaptation for choir.

Barber's adagio

That said the word can be very important and can make or break a song for me. System of a Down, who mix melody and cacophony have a few songs that I am torn by because I like the melody but cannot agree with the lyrics.

 

[abaez]

There are quite a few April March songs (she sings in French and English) that I love listening to simply for the beauty of the french language. Also Sigur Ros made their own language (hopelandish?) for their cd's and they have some amazing songs as well.

 

[pennylane]

I was listening to Sigur Ros just yesterday.

 

[enwar3]

Personal favorite of mine... Gortoz A Ran from Black Hawk Down.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InWCiy3qy20

 

[ThePresence]

Originally posted by: enwar3
Personal favorite of mine... Gortoz A Ran from Black Hawk Down.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InWCiy3qy20

I like that song too. That soundtrack has a bunch of good ones. I like Barra Barra as well.

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: AnitaPeterson
The good thing about my approach is that it allows me to enjoy any music, in any language... the downside of it (if you can call it a downside) is that I'm totally uninterested in 99% of the work of many artists which seem to have lyrics as their strongest point. Case in point, for English language: Bob Dylan, Aerosmith, Red Hot Chilli Peppers.

That's a joke, right?
Other than that, I agree with the generalization of your post, but I enjoy those three bands based on their musical merit (and don't enjoy opera). The voice is an instrument, what it has to say is secondary.

 

[AnitaPeterson]

Heh, Tyler's band just came to mind... I heard people gushing about Aerosmith's lyrics before, and based on what I heard from this band so far, it doesn't move me...

From a rational standpoint, I understand (and agree with) the notion of "musical/cultural merit", but I'd rather listen to something else. Kind of like what Voltaire said: "God and I salute each other, but we're not on speaking terms"

 

[Jahee]

Yea, Saian Supa Crew.. French Hip-Hop.. Not so much beautiful, but i enjoy the music alot.. Really good energy to it.

 

[moshquerade]

no.

i needa teh english

 

[sandorski]

Some opera is just beautiful. I don't go out of my way to hear it, but when I do I appreciate it.

 

[yosuke188]

Does 9th Symphony count?

 

[pyonir]

Yep. A lot of Opera and vocalist music...i don't speak the language, but the song is beautiful. Most of Andrea Bocelli's work comes to mind...he mainly sings in Italian...i don't speak Italian...but i love his music.

 

[0roo0roo]

alizee, its beauty was her ass bumpin around...ah yes...so sweet
decent voice too

 

[JEDI]

If so, listen to one of the most beautiful voices in history, Ofra Haza sing what's (IMO of course) one of the most beautiful songs I know.

Text

Gives me chills everytime.

finally have all her songs in MP3 format. 3gigs

RIP :rose:


hm.. How do i do the ROSE icon?

 

[moshquerade]

no.

i needa teh english

i was going to post this again. i guess my opinion didn't change after three years.

 

[SSSnail]

Of course. You can feel the emotions expressed by the performers, be it instrumentals or their voices.

Damn, posting in a necro thread!

 

[IronWing]

Yeah, about half my music collection is in languages I don't understand. I prefer it that way as the words don't get in the way. One of the funnier ones is a Niyaz chant song in Urdu. It sounds like it was sent down by the gods themselves. Azam Ali explained the lyrics during a concert. It turns out it was a children's song about a hunter and the animals he saw in the wild. It was sort of like the Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly in that with each new verse you have to repeat all the previous animals. I really wish she hadn't told us.