Anyone else not care about the meanings of songs?

Usually the only time I don’t care about the lyrics is when I can’t teally understand what they’re saying (which isn’t ideal) but the way the song sounds is so good that it keeps my attention. Overtly terrible lyrics will always make me hate a song.

I wouldn't go so far as to say I don't care.

IMO most of the 'meaning' of a song is truly derived from each person listening, not the individual(s) who wrote it.

It totally depends on the vocal artist and the strength of their voice, and whether or not the lyrics or instrumentation is the focus of the song. Lyrics are less important for someone who is amazing vocally and uses it like you stated as an additional instrument to compliment the overall sound. Incorporating literary device/poetics into a song's lyrics on the other hand surely enhances it in its own right. And if you have both...

However, like you, I believe the overall sound is the most important aspect of a song more than it's original lyrical intent because the instrumentation is what really separates it from poetry and its 'meaning' is as subjective as whether or not the song is 'good/bad'. All that being said I don't mean to discount the artists' original meaning either.

Eh idk

Likemi love Jason Isbell and the Hold asteady and their lyrics are amazing

I alos Love DMB. And his lyrics are less important to me.

i will listen to a meaningless song with good music before i listen to a "deep" song with shitty music.

It really all depends. If the music and vocals are great, then the meaning of the song generally won't detract from that for me. If the lyrics are amateur to terrible (not the meaning, but the lyrics themselves... such as saying "baby" all the time) then I will tune out even the best of songs.

When the lyrics are stunning and even more so when the meaning is something strong, that elevates a song to perfection. It will make a good song great and a great song epic.

Take My Morning Jacket - Steam Engine for instance. This is a gorgeously constructed song, but the lyrics and meaning are so powerful that it makes it one of (and probably most) my favorite songs of all time.

Just curious - what type of musician do you prefer? One who is perfect in technique or one who isn't great technically but plays with a lot of feeling?

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I love music but the lyrics are secondary to me.

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I will just never understand this way of thinking.

Lyrics, songs, poems, etc.. all go together with me.

Songwriting to me is just as much about the lyrics as the chord progression, or lead guitar during the breaks... to each his own I reckon

This thread reminds me of how much my appreciation of Bob Dylan has changed over the years.

When I was in high school in the mid-late '70's, Dylan got a lot of play on the radio. I would always change the station because I hated his voice and didn't think much of his music.

Now, in my fifties, he is one of my favorite artists to listen to. I guess, having accumulated more life experiences, I can relate to his songs more and don't really notice that his singing is less than ideal.

I especially like the opening lines of Tangled up in Blue that high school me wouldn't have noticed.

Early one mornin' the sun was shinin'
I was layin' in bed
Wondrin' if she'd changed at all
If her hair was still red

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I love music but the lyrics are secondary to me.

My brain only really picks up the singer as an instrument.

I’ve tried to really pay attention to what’s being said but my brain just listens to the different instruments and beats, I could really care less as to what’s being said.

Anyone else like this?

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I'm the same way. Have to be more mindful now that I have kids though.

Dawned on me one day I never really paid attention to any songs I listen to, in terms of the words or what they mean.