8.29: Music -- Changing it up

Nary a song is out there that I don't know the lyrics to. I know lyrics like astrologers know the stars. There are too many out there to know them all, but I know a lot. A damn lot. For certain musicians, I really get into their lyrics. When I was at my lowest, years ago, I'd listen to Tori Amos over and over. When I'm angry, I still listen to Fiona Apple. Tool has some great angry lyrics. Leonard Cohen, of course. Any list of musicians whose music I love is the same as the list of musicians whose lyrics I love, because I can't have one without the other.

But lyrics aren't sacred to me. Anyone who has spent time with me can tell you that I change up the lyrics to just about every song and sing the new lyrics loudly. They're always irreverent and goofy and ridiculous. Sometimes they're offensive. They always rhyme, though. I'm good at the rhyming thing.

I also use lyrics in every day speech. NGS can tell you so many gangsta rap lyrics, though she's never actually heard much gangsta rap. It fits, man. Especially Tupac. That totally fits my suburban life.

I often meet people who say that they don't even listen to the lyrics in music, and I don't get it. What else is there? The bass line?! I mean, come on!

NGS probably likes the bass line.