<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>I suspect that one reason "normal" people hear the words first these days is that in today's music, there is not much except the words. The rhythm is metronome-like, no swing, drumming with little variation or subtlety. Chords are few and repeated. Even the lyrics are few and repetitive. Worse yet to my ears is how vocalists seem buried in the instrumental mix, rather than being out front of the other musicians.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Ron L<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> jim@kashprod.com [mailto:jim@kashprod.com] <br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, February 28, 2017 8:59 AM<br><b>To:</b> Ron<br><b>Cc:</b> Dixieland Jazz Mailing List<br><b>Subject:</b> [Dixielandjazz] response to Bob R. on "lyrics" & more<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Bob Ringwald mentioned that he never catches the lyrics to songs. I must admit that I am usually in the same category, also aiming my ears to the voicing of instruments, etc., and ignoring the lyrics. I can’t even sing the U.S. National Hymn, as I was always playing it whenever it was sung in school, or later when I was in the Air Force Bands, so I don’t even know the words after “Oh, say can you see….”! (Much prefer “America The Beautiful”, anyway!) I have no problem with the Spanish National Anthem as there are no words!!! :> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>My mention, however, of the lyrics to Blue Prelude & a few other songs that have caught my ear, are the exception to what is probably a malady amongst us “melody makers”.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>My wife couldn’t believe that I never saw anything in ABBA’s music until I went to see the very unusual musical movie made of their tunes. There, I could then see the popularity of such a group, as most “normal” people hear lyrics first, music second, rather than the other way around. That musical was particularly different than others as the words to the songs were already written (& popular), and the story line was built around the lyrics. Very unusual.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>No one has commented yet on “La La Land” as a musical. I saw it, and, well….ok! Just ok. Some say the main theme is nice, but I can’t remember it at all after seeing the film, so it obviously didn’t make an immediate impact on me. I said the film was Hollywood glamorizing itself, and that’s what I am now hearing critics say! “Lion”, now, is a proper movie. Difficult to see, and to think that it could be so many kid’s story, but it is very well done. No particular music to remember, though.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Jim</span><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div></body></html>