Last night, I was asked by a friend – in reference to September, by Earth, Wind and Fire – what kind of lyrics “Ba de yah” are?  Arguably, they are tragically awful lyrics, if they are lyrics at all, but regardless, he got me wondering about the importance of quality lyrics in a song.  To an extent, as with all things musical, I suppose the answer will always be subjective, insofar as how much an individual perceives lyrics, or how much they affect one’s enjoyment of a record. What really struck me, however, is that I’m not entirely sure which camp I sit in any more.

If you’d asked me a week ago how important lyrics are, I’d have said “very”, without a moment’s hesitation.  I am one of those individuals who is frequently guilty of expressing my emotions through lyrics, particularly in my Facebook feed.  If anyone in my vicinity mentions something that even vaguely reminds me of a particular lyric, I involuntarily offer the line up in song.  I’m that guy.

So when I was asked about the lyrics “Ba de yah”, I was forced to reconsider my standpoint.  I’m not exactly the greatest fan of disco, and frankly, I’ve never been inclined to vocalise the words “Ba de yah, dance until September” in a status update.  Regardless, the words (or phonemes, if we’re being really pernickety) “Bah de yah” crop up all over the place, in scat, in doo-wop, in soul, in old traditionals…  Seal’s Kiss From a Rose starts with a full 8 bars of “bah de ya” and similar nonsense, and yet there’s no denying its beauty.

And then… this evening, whilst listening to Dean Martin’s Volare, I realised that I had no idea what he was singing about.  Nor do I have any idea what’s being said when listening to Camille, or Ladysmith Black Mambazo, for that matter, but they feature in my music collection as prominently as the next artist.  It occurred to me, too, that I listen to plenty of instrumental music – jazz, dance and classical – where, obviously, my enjoyment is in no way affected by the quality of lyrics.

And though the lyrics to Supergrass’ Alright will never have the same impact on me as the lyrics to REM’s Nightswimming, for example, there is no doubt in my mind that hearing “We are young, we run free, keep our teeth nice and clean” is going to make me happy every single time!

Does this settle the argument then?  Are lyrics so unimportant?  Is it just the music itself which evokes feelings, movement, passion within me, the lyrics a meaningless afterthought I’m reading too much into?

I don’t think so.  It’s why I’m so torn.

There are definitely records I would turn off because the lyrics irritate me so very much, and equally, music whose sheer lack of tune, or imagination, or whatever, is enough to make me plug my ears.

There definitely seems to be a dichotomy, then.  There are songs with great melodies, and songs with fabulous lyrics.  Sometimes, one or other of them, most frequently the music, in my opinion, is so exceptional that one can’t help but be moved.  Certainly, great music and great lyrics don’t always come together, but when they do… there’s something special that happens within us, sends our hearts soaring, paints a picture in our minds, and has the power to make one’s day or break one’s heart.  This, to my mind, is the definition of truly great music.

Here’s how I perceive it: if I’m still listening to a record, singing the words verbatim, feeling every crescendo and every cadence ten years from now, then somebody has done something right…

So do lyrics matter?

That remains up to you: I certainly think so, but only so far, now.  Is “Ba de yah” ever a reasonable alternative to real lyrical construct?  I suppose it depends how it’s used.  I can think of a few artists who use repetition, scat and non-words to enhance the rhythm and timing of absolutely poetic lyrics.  It’s always a matter of taste.

One thing is for certain:  I’m keeping my ear to the ground for music and lyrics that come together in that most perfect way, pulling at my heart strings, for better or worse.  And when (or if) I find the perfect record, I’ll let you know!