Hello /mu/. I am a native Spanish speaker, but I have an Advanced level of English. However, I noticed that when I'm listening to music, I have a hard time understanding the lyrics, unless I'm reading them from the internet. Because of this, most of the time I listen to music for the sound, but this also prevents me from listening to albums centered on the lyrics such as Hospice.
So how can I improve my understanding of lyrics?
Do you converse often with English speakers?
Maybe audio books might help too
Can you not understand them completely, like buried under the music, or are you just missing the subtle nuances and expressions used?
>>63211381
not op but also ESL, they just get buried under the music
>>63211370
Outside of my English classes, I don't talk with other people in English, but I watch a lot of videos in English. It's weird, because I don't have a lot of trouble understanding English when spoken normally.
>>63211381
What >>63211397 said, but also sometimes the intonation itself makes it difficult to understand too.
>>63211397
Well the lyrics being buried by the music is something that even alot of native English speakers struggle with, myself included.
Usually if they vocals aren't extra highlighted it's difficult for me to truly be impacted by what they're saying, and I need to read the lyrics to get a real grasp of their story telling.
But I'm guessing in your case, its probably because you have to translate it back to english in your head, creating a disconnect from the lyrics.
Plus when you add the fact that english has so many dialects, accents, and slang, it's easy to understand why it's difficult for you to process.
Keep listening to english lyrics and if you can, talk with some native speakers. It's not something that can be taught in a classroom. It's something that takes time to develop.
Best of luck to ya
>>63211690
*back to spanish
I can't even understand the lyrics in my own language
I'm also a native spanish speaker and not understanding what they are singing is a blessing.
Most times the lyrics are not at the same level as the music, or it draws your attention away from the music.
Besides, don't you have a hard time understanding what spanish musicians sing as well? Because I do.
>>63211397
tip from me would be, if you have Spotify premium, use the playback function and look at the equaliser section
>Mfw bilingual
Normal people have trouble understanding song lyrics in their own language.
>>63212163
why is that though? Do musicians not realize or do they just not care? Like, if you're trying to tell a story with your music, wouldn't you want people to understand what's being sung?
>>63212690
The harder you make your lyrics to hear the more chance a pleb is going to listen to the song again before they realize that they didn't mean anything. Pop music is literally a consumer product. Art music has no problem with clarity of vocals, and if they didn't mean anything there simply wouldn't be any.
>>63212690
I believe it's just that more that people tend to focus on the vocal melody rather than the words being sung. Not really the fault of either party - I think it's just how the brain works for loads of people.
>>63211305
frenchfag here, i'm exactly in the same situation OP
i study english, been reading, listening and speaking english since i'm a kid, but when it comes to music i always have a hard time understanding what is said without looking up the lyrics
i often get most words when the singing is clear enough but rarely a whole sentence, or the whole song.
It might be because i used to not focus on the lyrics and more on the melody, and it was okay since i grew up listening to Rock, but now that i got into Hip Hop lately it's annoying because most classic Hip Hop albums are mainly centered on lyrics and i can't casually listen to it, i have to read the lyrics while listening
>>63211305
Tu ta bien, loco. In America, no one knows the lyrics to songs unless they're top 40. Take it from me.
>>63212900
Top 40s aren't safe. Nobody knows Rihanna's Work.
>>63212980
That song is shit. Good.
>>63213018
You should know not to expect good songs from the top 40.
Understanding is relative. The point is asking yourself how do these lyrics make you feel. Not to mention the actual phonetics are significantly more important than what the words actually are. Just look at can and magma
>>63211305
a wise man once told me if you have a hard time listening to the lyrics, then it's probably on purpose.
>hi brian
Same, I can't get into hip-hop because I can't understand shit
>>63213172
>Same, I can't get into hip-hop because it's shit
ftfy
>>63212859
That's exactly my problem. I wanted to listen to m.A.A.d City but if you don't listen to the lyrics then you're missing the fucking point.
Same for Lil' B, most people listen to him because of the badness of the lyrics.
Reminder that hip-hop is a gringo meme.
Hospice is just so drowned from the music that I can barley hear any lyrics. I also have problems understanding lyrics.
>>63212690
Don't know
Why makes good lyrics?
>>63213286
>if you don't listen to the lyrics then you're missing the fucking point
it's still a great album regardless of lyrics
You're putting too much emphasis on it, considering that Kendrick is pretty much singing nowadays
>>63212900
>loco
You from Argentina?
So do lyrics even need to mean anything?
>>63213752
judging from the replies in this thread, I guess not
This is me. English isn't my native language, but I'm pretty fucking good at it. But lyrics are really hard to follow on songs. It is why most hip hop just goes ignored by me, because I can't listen to it and get immersed because I just can't follow along well enough.
For me it is pretty much all in the sounds, the instrumentals, arrangements, textures, etc.. I appreciate deliveries of vocal performances and the phonetics behind them though, but connecting deeply with lyrics is a rarity, it comes 2nd hand in 100% of the music I listen to, even if it is very lyrically driven.
Doesn't help that I'm a complete pleb when it comes to literature either.
While I really wish I was better at following lyrics, since it'd make listening to hip hop easier, and also feel more meaningful, the actual music will always be what matters the most to me, I just generally do not care about lyrics nearly as much.
Good
>>63213732
Dominican-American.
