The Evolution of Lyrics… or is it Regression?

There is no doubt that music has changed drastically through time. Genres that were wildly popular such as opera and classical music now only appeal to a very small niche and new genres have surfaced in the recent years, such as techno and house music. Whole orchestras of interments have now been replaced by Macbooks and DJs dominate the top charts. Yet, one of the greatest changes in the music world is the one that took place in the lyrics. Music lyrics have taken a different form – and perhaps a more vulgar form – in the past few years. The way in which women, love, friendship and several other themes are represented has morphed completely and the lyrics seem to have no sort of link to the ones written in previous decades. I don’t mean to generalize, there are still plenty of artists who write profound and meaningful lyrics, but that wouldn’t make for a good article, now would it? For mine and your entertainment, I will compare the lyrics of the legends of music (The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Stevie Wonder, etc.) to the ones of recent artists who are in all the top charts and how they speak of the same themes, but in ways that differ a little bit too much from one another.

Dancing:

“Something in the way she moves

Attracts me like no other lover” 

Something – The Beatles

“Slow down, grab the wall

Wiggle like you tryna make yo ass fall off”

Gas Pedal – Sage the Gemini ft. IamSu

Sex: 

“I’m askin’ you baby to get it on with me, ooo ooo

I ain’t gonna worry, I ain’t gonna push

I won’t push you baby”

Let’s Get It On – Marvin Gaye

“And that’s why I’m gon’ take a good girl

I know you want it”

Blurred Lines – Robin Thicke ft. T.I. & Pharrell Williams

Money and Social Class:

“And his hunger burns

So he starts to roam the streets at night

And he learns how to steal

And he learns how to fight

In the ghetto”

In The Ghetto – Elvis Presley

“Money is the anthem

Of success

So before we go out

What’s your address?”

National Anthem – Lana Del Rey

Beauty:

“Isn’t she lovely?

Isn’t she wonderful?

Isn’t she precious?”

Isn’t She Lovely – Stevie Wonder

“I’m tryna find the words to describe this girl without being disrespectful 

Damn girl 

Damn you’se a sexy b****”

Sexy B**** – David Guetta ft. Akon

Drugs:

“There is no pain you are receding

A distant ship, smoke on the horizon.

You are only coming through in waves.

Your lips move but I can’t hear what you’re saying.

When I was a child I had a fever

My hands felt just like two balloons

Now I’ve got that feeling once again

I can’t explain you would not understand

This is not how I am

I have become comfortably numb”

Comfortably Numb – Pink Floyd

“Hi – I am looking for Molly

I’ve been searchin’ everywhere and I can’t seem to find…

Molly, Molly, Molly, Molly, Molly, Molly, Molly, Molly

Molly, Molly, Molly, Molly, Molly, Molly, Molly, Molly”

Molly – Tyga ft. Wiz Khalifa & Mally Mall

Friendship:

“Making friends for the world to see

Let the people know you got what you need

With a friend at hand you will see the light

If your friends are there then every thing’s all right”

Friends – Elton John

“I said that I’ma ride for my motherfucking niggas,

Most likely I’ma die with my finger on the trigger

I’ve been grinding outside, all day with my niggas

And I ain’t going in, unless I’m with my nigga

My nigga, my nigga”

My Nigga – YG ft. Young Jeezy & Rich Homie Quan

It is clear that music has evolved through the years – if you could call that an evolution – and that the same themes from decades ago are still apparent in lyrics now days. It puzzles me how artists can write so differently about the same subject and how vulgarity has become an overwhelming factor in recent songs. Of course, not all recent music used this form of language and representation, some good artists have inherited the poetic form of writing from their idols an our generation is not entirely put to shame.These recent songs are fun and catchy, I won’t deny that, but what happened to the romanticism? If this is the music of our generation, I’m afraid of what will happen to future music. Maybe I shouldn’t have kids…

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