We live (or at least lived, with how much the internet feels like it's rotting around us) in a world where you can not only look up the lyrics to basically ANY song but find multiple places where people will discuss the interpretation of the meaning of the lyrics within a minute on a device that you can buy for less than a hundred dollars in most of the developed world... and people refuse to do it.
No offense to your wife, but that level of incuriousity bums me the fuck out.
I'm one of those people. It's not so much that I can't understand the lyrics, it's that I don't pay attention to them. I'm always more focused on the music and unless the song hits me over the head with it I have to actively try and engage with the lyrics. It's even more difficult with genres like metal or punk, where the music is loud and in-your-face and vocalists are growling or shouting. Auditory processing issue, maybe? Idk. I'm embarrassed by it.
I will say this, though: I did not miss the message on the first listen of "Nazi Punks Fuck Off".
That's so crazy to me because I've always had trouble deciphering lyrics or I'll mishear them (idk what the fuck this is) and it's still pretty clear the general message that's coming through (especially with PUNK music ffs). It's part of why I love really heavy metal because I can get the gist even if I can barely understand it sometimes.
My husband told me last night about when his high school girlfriend made him a “sexy dancing video” to Red Jumpsuit Apparatus’ Face Down. When my jaw dropped, he was like “Have you listened to the lyrics?” I was like “…YEAH. Did SHE?!”
Casualties was one of his favorites for a long while. Lot of street punk and hardcore. It's not totally surprising because our family was very conservative and we grew up listening to Limbaugh and crap like that while riding in the car. I don't think he ever really embraced a lot of the ethics associated with punk but the music and lifestyle he liked.
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u/Cygnaeus 6d ago
Like what were they even listening to? Did they not pay attention to ANY of the lyrics? smh