We wrote about the ‘Great American Songbook’ a couple of weeks ago. Those timeless songs are defined by not only great melodies, but great words. And lyrics matter with wedding songs, which is why contemporary couples still have us play these standards.
By contrast, too many contemporary songwriters don’t seem to fuss over the words they’re singing. A popular ‘love’ song with five-hundred MILLION listens on Spotify is a case in point. Jack Harlow’s song, “Love On Me,” certainly doesn’t have anything to do with love, and the lyrics are just plain lousy.
YouTube music maven, Rick Beato, weighed in on the subject in the video below:
He points out how the songwriter repeatedly rhymed on the same word, ‘baby.’ The words beat the listener over the head without even an inkling of class, wit, or flair.
The best contemporary singers occasionally dip into the Great American Songbook IF they have the vocal chops and style to pull it off. Lady Gaga is such a talent, as you can see in the video below:
Let’s Do It
She croons Cole Porter’s timeless classic, “Let’s Do It,” showcasing the power of a well-crafted song. If lyrics matter in a wedding song, the witty lyrics in this classic are sure to put a smile on your guests’ faces.
Beato laments that Harlow lyrics, “I don’t like no whips and chains and you can’t tie me down,” show how far popular music has fallen. He says most songs at the top of the Spotify charts are no better.
Night and Day
By contrast, take a listen to Cole Porter’s “Night and Day,” in a duet sung by Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett:
The melody and lyrics are sophisticated, written by an artist who fussed over every single syllable in every single song he over wrote.
Someone to Watch Over Me
The late Amy Winehouse had a distinctive contralto vocal range that she used to explore a variety of musical genres, including reggae, soul, and jazz. She covered the classic George/Ira Gershwin standard, “Someone to Watch Over Me,” to show how an artist with talent can make these songs sound new:
Ira Gershwin’s lyrics are the product of a craftsman who uses interior rhymes as well as end rhymes, each falling on exactly the right note:
There’s a saying old says that love is blind,
Still we’re often told “seek and ye shall find”,
So I’m going to seek a certain lad I’ve had in mind.
They Say It’s Wonderful
The great love songs from The Great American Songbook are a frequent fixture in cinema. Here’s Irving Berlin’s classic, “They Say It’s Wonderful,” sung in a Spiderman movie:
Talk about a songwriter who knows how to write lyrics!
I can’t recall who said it,
I know I never read it,
I only know they tell me that love is grand,
And …
He rhymes consecutive words, allowing a singer to milk the moment for all it’s worth.
This blogpost is quick to acknowledge the talented contemporary singer/songwriters creating memorable songs, like Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, and Ed Sheerin. These writers are story tellers, who pull you into their world through the power of song.
The Great American Songbook, the standards written in the 1920s through the 1950s, set the stage for the American music to come. Some modern songs live up to, and occasionally surpass, this legacy. But many not only fail, they don’t even try.
Songs matter. They express the human condition, and at their finest, can lift us up and give meaning to our lives.
Lyrics really do matter in wedding songs
In particular, lyrics matter with wedding songs, which is why we blog about this important artistic consideration from time to time. We want to help you find the songs that best represent your unique love story. Sometimes, we all have to think outside the box, and we hope this blog accomplishes that.
But whether your tastes run to Taylor Swift, Cole Porter, or Olivia Rodrigo, Columbus Pro DJs will play the music that speaks to you on high end equipment. And our professional DJs will MC your celebration with professionalism and flair. Check us out today.
