jesussaddle
Power User
So true. I know people who admittedly only like lyrics about "real life"; some lyrics in metal admittedly were silly even for me, (
and this is not a good analogy, but its something like saying paintings should only try for "realism". Then later they admit that they don't really like lyrics at all, but if there are lyrics they should be about "real life". Then later they admit they only like "groove" music. Then its only groove music if its not progressive. Then you find that they have an example of a "hostile" song which is actually satirical. It eventually becomes clear that music is loaded with so many deep and involved art forms that learning to enjoy them all is a little impossible.
It touches you but that doesn't mean you're given in to it. In fact, if you can allow yourself to be touched by it, that's the best evidence you're capable of handling that side of life. When Ozzy's line "Generals gathering the masses" first entered my living room when I was growing up, I heard an honesty there I had literally been looking for -wondering about - even though I was not knowledgeable enough to understand the implications. There's darkness in some of that stuff, and yet there is profound integrity in a lot of it. That's how I feel generally about all the art forms of music, if they are done well - and if a fairly decent audience has learned to like something, I find I can learn to enjoy it as well so I don't judge it until I give it 20 minutes, and usually I come away with a positive impression afterwards - okay, the harmful side of it is maybe that you would choose a vein of it that becomes self aggrandizing or self-defeatist. I don't see a lot of people falling into that category except if they are already given over to more material abuse.
