There are two main aspects in music: the meaning and the melody singing along. If lyrics of a song carry a meaningful message, then you depend on music with a mellow aspect and meaningful lyrics. However, if you favor the music of certain songs which mainly don't focus on a meaning, then it's just the music you're interested in.

Despite the fact that very few people (in my general perspective) listen to music just for its inner meaning, I am one of them. But I do swing both ways. I guess it all depends on my mood at the time I listen.

Let's take certain lyrics from my favorite artists to ascertain their differences:

Quote:

John Mayer- 3x5

Didnt have a camera by my side this time
Hoping I would see the world with both my eyes
Maybe I will tell you all about it when Im in the mood to lose my way
But let me say

You should have seen that sunrise with your own eyes
It brought me back to life
Youll be with me next time I go outside
Just no more 3x5s

Quote:

Fergie-Fergalicious

Fergalicious definition make them boys go loco
They want my treasure so they get their pleasures from my photo
You could see you, you can't squeeze me
I ain't easy, I ain't sleazy
I got reasons why I tease 'em
Boys just come and go like seasons

John Mayer's lyrics are of a man travelling and sending photos to his girlfriend, explaining the sites with real metaphors and personifications.

Fergie's lyrics...are of...her..."treasure".

I listen to both of these songs, but for different reasons: music and meaning. Fergie's lyrics has a beat to it, but I dislike the meaning. John Mayer's lyrics are meaningful but I'm not a fan of the music.

So, rambling aside, do you listen to music for the "meaning" or the "music"?

I listen to music for both, since, usually, the lyrics go well with the music (such as "Iris" by the Goo Goo Dolls; one can hear the syllables of the lyrics match with the music's beat). Basically, for me, the music and lyrics should complement each other.
Take care,
~"TreaGirl".

I personally prefer meaning most of the time. Problem is, if the melody of the music doesn't complement the meaning of the music, it just goes to trash. I personally don't see it going the other way around though >.>.

both is very important. whats a good melody if you don't have anything to say? ( that does not aply to acoustic music though) and you wouldn't get ppl to listen to what you have to say when the melody sucks

both actually.
but when the meaning doesn't match the music.. o.O

Nowadays... people have more beat and melody... 60's 70'sand 80's they have a good meaning... also nowadays... music is random not saying all is... ofcourse not all but music should be listened by the melody, rhythm, lyrics and timbre... not just 2 of them

Mostly meaning. If I found the meaning nonsense or bunch of irrelevant words I will not think of listening to it twice! Meaning is really important. Techno music is excepted in my list coz the melody mostly matters than meaning.

Also, i think meaning is more important than music. I have listened to songs that, at first, because of the music disliked them and after carefully listening to the lyrics found them really good.
But what i like most is songs with both meaning and lyrics, like Thirteen Senses - into the fire.

Its always better with both but I do enjoy instrumental music as well.

both melody and meaning are essential to a good song. you can't have all of one and throw away the other, or most of one and barely any of the other.

take for example: Jedi Mind Tricks - Uncommon Valor, A Vietnam Story

[Verse 1-Vinnie Paz]
Yeah, I don't know why I'm over here, this job is evil
They sent me here to Vietnam to kill innocent people
My mother always said, "The president, he doesn't care"
He tryin' to leave the footprints of America here
They say we tryin' to stop Chinese expansion
But I ain't seen no Chinese since we landed
Sent my whole entire unit thinkin' we could win
Against the Viet Cong guerrillas there in Gia Dinh
I didn't sign up to kill women or any children
For every enemy soldier, we killin' six civilians

excellent song with both meaning and a good melody

Well if you say that only meaning is important, that seems to cut out a lot of beautiful music who's meaning can't be fully understood. I speak mostly of classical music (i.e. Mozart, Bach, etc.). However, to say that melody without meaning is preferable, you turn up with the kind of meaningless dribble that MTV and such channels make their money on. Oh wait, well, not MTV. The "M" in that is just for show. But that's another issue altogether...

That is to say, I prefer both. A couple good examples of music with meaning, melody, and talent to back those both up? Try Nine Inch Nails, Tool, Daft Punk, Tom Waits... hell, I could go on and on. There's a lot of good music out there, it's just easier to settle for filth.

I prefer bought. You can't have agood song if it doesn't have bought good liricks and a good tune. But still, were one can see a good meaning to the song, another can find it more ... deslikefull and vice-versa. And it's the same whit the melody. It depends on the pearson. But I for example like to listen music for the plesure of it. But not eny song. Mostly I listen to the songs played by Secred Garden (my fav band ~ irlish I think) but I like Hamasaki Ayumi's song as well ('Memories' specialy) and other bands and singers like Panic at the Disco, Cascade, Celine Dion, Madona, JUNE and memy meny others.
~wne I have to deal whit japanise songs I ike, I usualy go look for the translated lyrics