Music and Words

I bought the hubby a DVD-Audio (DVD-A) of Steely Dan’s 1980 album, Gaucho. There were two singles (at least) to hits – Babylon Sister, and Hey Nineteen. The hubby likes Steely Dan, and I used to, and so I thought it would make a nice gift for him. His favourite artist is Allen Parsons, and in checking DVD-A’s for his work found them to be very much out of our price range! Steely Dan, it is. I say I used to like Steely Dan because the first DVD-A the hubby bought of theirs a while ago, I finally got listening to the words. I decided at that point I no longer liked them.

I don’t know if this is true for others – I think it is to a point – but I hear and respond to the music first, and it is at some point later that the words “sink in.” It may seem strange for a writer to not notice words. To me, writing is different than music and lyrics. I must say, I never really “got” poetry, and lyrics are poetic in nature. There is some poetry that strikes me deeply, but I guess I’m too much of a direct person to appreciate poetic subtlety all the time. For me, this phenomenon is even present with hymns. I’ve worshipped using four different Lutheran hymnals over the years, and the words are not always the same. Some hymns I have memorized over time just by singing them often enough, especially the Christmas ones. I think at this age of my life, I’m finally “seeing” the words and thinking about them.

When I was in college learning to record music, we had sessions in addition to our class times. Since most of us were musicians, we would take turns as musicians or engineers, or assistant engineers to get practice in all disciplines. I remember a number of times where I was the engineer on the musical tracks for a song. I would marvel at the musicality and musicianship and think of what lyrics I would put to something like that. So I would often follow up with the song to see what had actually been done. What a disappointment. Many times the lyrics were base or misogynist. I would “mourn the potential” for the beauty of the musical tracks and how they could have supported a much better song. Oh well.

I think this is what has disappointed me about Steely Dan. Although I think they sing a bit too much at the top end of their vocal range, the musicianship is otherwise spectacular. The engineering and mastering are top notch. I really enjoy listening to the music they record. And especially in the DVD-A format, the clarity and depth are even better than for CD. As we listened to a couple of tracks last night, these words struck me from “Hey Nineteen.” “The Cuervo Gold, The fine Colombian, Make tonight a wonderful thing.” Cuervo Gold is a high quality tequila. And, in hearing it last night, my first impression of “fine Colombian” was he was talking about cocaine. But in researching on the internet, it could refer to a cigar instead. Musicians, drugs, alcohol… seemed a natural conclusion. Assuming that is what is meant, to me it said the night would be “wonderful” if there was alcohol and drugs present. It just seemed to me to be a waste of perfectly good music.

Music on its own speaks to us too, but in different ways than the lyrics. During the season of Lent, the hymns are usually in the minor key, bringing to our thoughts sorrow over the suffering Jesus endured for us. And then Easter morning, celebratory hymns in major keys, raising joy in our hearts and, for some of us, encouraging us to sing all out in praise to our Saviour for the salvation He has won for us. Something the hubby has always done as an organist, during Lent in particular, is for minor hymns he applies a Tierce de Picardie. This is changing the last chord of a hymn from the minor chord as played in all previous verses to a major chord. To the hubby, this offers the hope of the Gospel after feeling the natural sorrow one feels upon hearing a hymn in a minor key. Tomorrow is Good Friday, and the hymns will be in the minor key, and the hubby will always “open the door a crack” to the joy and hope of Easter Sunday by adding this harmonic device to the ends of the hymns.

Until next time, feel the sorrow of your sin, and then feel the joy of your salvation…