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Smiley Smile Stuff => General On Topic Discussions => Topic started by: mr_oleary on December 07, 2012, 01:03:48 PM



Title: Music that speaks
Post by: mr_oleary on December 07, 2012, 01:03:48 PM
One aspect (among many  ;D) of BW's music that I find amazing is how certain melodies capture sentiments better than words.  I can't tell though if I am projecting my own meaning onto the melody or if it's there to begin with.

To give an example, in the song 'Good Time', the tuba line immediately following 'oh what do we care' seems to shout a similar message ('f*** potential problems, let's just do it!')

Another example that I used in my analysis of Love You in the album review section (ps check it out if you want i put a lot of time and effort into explaining what the album accomplishes thematically) is the synth bass in Roller Skating Child following the end of the lyrics of the chorus.  To me it says 'This is wrong and dirty, I know it, but I can't control my passion'. 

Do you agree with these?  Are there any other musical moments in BB songs that you can extrapolate lyrics from based solely on melody?  Would love to hear what you guys think about this.


Title: Re: Music that speaks
Post by: Letsgoawayforawhile on December 07, 2012, 01:20:33 PM
I always think that gorgeous break in Don't Talk speaks really loudly.


Title: Re: Music that speaks
Post by: Chocolate Shake Man on December 07, 2012, 01:26:17 PM
The horn at the beginning of God Only Knows seems to say, "Whoa, look at that there. No, there. There! At the bottom of the shelf. I never saw that there before."

The trumpet in the first Surf's Up section says, "Don't pay for that turtle neck at full price. I know a place where you can get it discount."

The flute just before Brian sings the title in I Just Wasn't Made for these Times says, "I put 10 million big ones in locker 44F at the LA airport. The combination is 36-24-36 (what a winning hand!). The first person to find it gets everything."


Title: Re: Music that speaks
Post by: mr_oleary on December 07, 2012, 01:29:24 PM
The horn at the beginning of God Only Knows seems to say, "Whoa, look at that there. No, there. There! At the bottom of the shelf. I never saw that there before."

The trumpet in the first Surf's Up section says, "Don't pay for that turtle neck at full price. I know a place where you can get it discount."

The flute just before Brian sings the title in I Just Wasn't Made for these Times says, "I put 10 million big ones in locker 44F at the LA airport. The combination is 36-24-36 (what a winning hand!). The first person to find it gets everything."


Haha ok fair point  :lol


Title: Re: Music that speaks
Post by: Wild-Honey on December 08, 2012, 01:33:49 AM
The horn at the beginning of God Only Knows seems to say, "Whoa, look at that there. No, there. There! At the bottom of the shelf. I never saw that there before."

The trumpet in the first Surf's Up section says, "Don't pay for that turtle neck at full price. I know a place where you can get it discount."

The flute just before Brian sings the title in I Just Wasn't Made for these Times says, "I put 10 million big ones in locker 44F at the LA airport. The combination is 36-24-36 (what a winning hand!). The first person to find it gets everything."


Just curious, are you being sarcastic?


Title: Re: Music that speaks
Post by: Smilin Ed H on December 08, 2012, 02:46:10 AM
"BW's music that I find amazing is how certain melodies capture sentiments better than words."

Hence the assertion that the BB's lyrics are often too simplistic for the songs to warrant serious consideration being utter crap.


Title: Re: Music that speaks
Post by: filledeplage on December 08, 2012, 05:46:43 AM
One aspect (among many  ;D) of BW's music that I find amazing is how certain melodies capture sentiments better than words.  I can't tell though if I am projecting my own meaning onto the melody or if it's there to begin with.

To give an example, in the song 'Good Time', the tuba line immediately following 'oh what do we care' seems to shout a similar message ('f*** potential problems, let's just do it!')

Another example that I used in my analysis of Love You in the album review section (ps check it out if you want i put a lot of time and effort into explaining what the album accomplishes thematically) is the synth bass in Roller Skating Child following the end of the lyrics of the chorus.  To me it says 'This is wrong and dirty, I know it, but I can't control my passion'.  


Do you agree with these?  Are there any other musical moments in BB songs that you can extrapolate lyrics from based solely on melody?  Would love to hear what you guys think about this.
Quote

You Still Believe in Me.
Still amazingly timeless.


Title: Re: Music that speaks
Post by: Quzi on December 08, 2012, 07:15:39 AM
The horn at the beginning of God Only Knows seems to say, "Whoa, look at that there. No, there. There! At the bottom of the shelf. I never saw that there before."

The trumpet in the first Surf's Up section says, "Don't pay for that turtle neck at full price. I know a place where you can get it discount."

The flute just before Brian sings the title in I Just Wasn't Made for these Times says, "I put 10 million big ones in locker 44F at the LA airport. The combination is 36-24-36 (what a winning hand!). The first person to find it gets everything."


Just curious, are you being sarcastic?

He's not, I just retrieved the 10mil  :hat


Title: Re: Music that speaks
Post by: sockittome on December 09, 2012, 08:19:48 AM
The lead guitar in Bluebirds Over the Mountain sez, "Hey man, we're groovy and outta sight!  Let's party!  Sock it to me!"  :smokin





 :lol


Title: Re: Music that speaks
Post by: Letsgoawayforawhile on December 09, 2012, 12:24:41 PM
The lead guitar in Bluebirds Over the Mountain sez, "Hey man, we're groovy and outta sight!  Let's party!  Sock it to me!"  :smokin





 :lol

It always reminds me of the Sanford & Son theme song. :lol


Title: Re: Music that speaks
Post by: rab2591 on December 09, 2012, 02:29:07 PM
I always think that gorgeous break in Don't Talk speaks really loudly.

That and the string section in that song - the String Overdub track on the Pet Sounds Sessions is cosmically beautiful.
______

others off the top of my head:

The piano break in 'Holidays' before the 'Windchimes section'
The reverbed organ in 'Good Vibrations' at the beginning of the bridge.


Title: Re: Music that speaks
Post by: the professor on December 09, 2012, 08:50:42 PM
The horn at the beginning of God Only Knows seems to say, "Whoa, look at that there. No, there. There! At the bottom of the shelf. I never saw that there before."

The trumpet in the first Surf's Up section says, "Don't pay for that turtle neck at full price. I know a place where you can get it discount."

The flute just before Brian sings the title in I Just Wasn't Made for these Times says, "I put 10 million big ones in locker 44F at the LA airport. The combination is 36-24-36 (what a winning hand!). The first person to find it gets everything."


Which terminal?  I'm at Bradley and that combo is not working. . . .

Every BB song does this. Opening run of notes of WIBN is a bit of chirpy, adolescent banter--so innocent and meandering--the racing, jejune forethought of the eventual lyric.


Title: Re: Music that speaks
Post by: Magic Transistor Radio on December 10, 2012, 08:03:23 AM
I think the vocals only version of Forever is more powerful then the original. Something about Mike and Dennis being the only vocals heard is quite touching to me. Two guys that are polar opposites and couldn't get along have a sweet moment here. Then Brian's wail at the end makes me smile. :)


Title: Re: Music that speaks
Post by: sheknowsmetoowell on December 11, 2012, 09:54:02 AM
I think the first few bars of "Let Us Go On This Way" is a major "f*** yeah!" moment. The first few notes, followed by the "argh!", and then the synth in the background of "To get t'you baby I went through the wringer". Hell yes.


Title: Re: Music that speaks
Post by: Jukka on December 11, 2012, 12:18:00 PM
I think the massive staccato synth hits before Johnny Carson's coda sound like some one flicking through channels, finding nothing... And then he notices Johnny's on, and everything's alright. For a moment.