Importance of Words to Music, a lyrical and melodic inquiry! Options

[trunks_girl26]

I resisted the urge to put this in Issues, even though it tends to be rather culturally relevant. Mods feel free to move this if they would like.

I just finished having a rather intense discussion with another forumite *cough*pwm*cough* which started as one about the limitations (or lack thereof) a choir has with music, as opposed to an orchestra and branched into one concerning the importance of words to music in general.

He tends to be of the opinion that words aren't as important as melody, while I feel that words can be as powerful, if not more, than the melody.

So, I put it to you, good Matazonians:

How important are words to music?
If words have no importance, would it be possible to take the same melody, put it to radically different phrases, and not not drastically change its meaning?
Does culture play a part in how important words are to music, if so how?

[Forever Unknown]

I think that in some situations, noise can say much more than words. I never used to feel this way until about a year and a half ago when I discovered 65daysofstatic, who are an amazing instrumental ("instruMETAL!") band.

Words, to an extent, are a limit. They can add depth to a song but generally they convey one meaning/issue/feeling per track. The music thus tends to back it up, meaning they're supporting one another and therefore limiting one another to that subject.

When it's just music, though, there are no limits. I'm not saying this is superior at all - it's nice to have a clear meaning in some music and lyrics support this possibility.

When it comes to instrumental music, there tends to be more layering of instruments and noise which can't so much be done when there are vocals because it would confuse the matter. It can also lift and fall at will without having to keep itself in check for the sake of a vocalist - same goes for rhythm changes, etc.

I'd suggest you give bands such as 65daysofstatic (in particular), Explosions In The Sky, Rachel's, Mogwai, Boards of Canada etc. a listen to see what I mean

I refer you to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WneDU-K3Sww
You'll have to excuse the video but they were/are poor little monkies. Never before have I heard something so jubilant, willful, strong and heartbreaking at once. I wouldn't just say this is 'music' - it's a living, breathing, sprawling and dynamic thing that wouldn't come across the same with lyrics.

You'll have to excuse the gushing, but really, 65dos are probably the most impressive and hard working band of the moment.