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Cuss words in songs?

#63
I think some songs it's really unnecessary to have cuss words, other songs I feel they use a word well just like any other adjective and often a word like sh** can draw in a listener. However each Mumford and sons album seems to have one song with a cuss in it multiple times and It ruins the song for me (little lion man)

So cuss responsibly children!
 
#65
One of my favorite artists proudly recited in a lyric that his CDs don't need parental advisory stickers. He's a respected artist in his genre and for him it's his style. Most of the **** I listen too does have swears. Picture people like kool g rap ghost face and Manson not swearing. It'd be weird. But that's who they are. So my answer would be if you swear in your personal life then swear in your songs. If not then why portray something you aren't.
 
#67
Kenzy said:
What kind of music do you play? Unless it's really ****ing heavy, I would say stay away from cussing. It's kind of unnecessary, IMO.
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That post made my day. I had a good laugh. The talkbass censor made it that much more comical.

OP to each their own, I am not anti-cussing in my bands but I am against useless cussing. It just isn't classy.
 
#68
I don't believe in self-censorship. If the song has expletives in it, it has expletives in it. Unless you're playing at a church picnic or something I would not change the lyric. But punk bands don't get many gigs like that. And even then I would just not do that song. My songs sometimes have expletives in them and sometimes they don't. It is a perfectly valid expression of my art.
 
#69
Zappa, as far as I could remember, never used any...I'm sure someone will point one or two out...but he was one of the most sexually suggestive writers ever. He was just comedically brilliant.

He didn't need to. But you knew exactly what he was talking about. "She was buns up kneelin, I was wheelin and dealin" as opposed to "Crazy B---h"? Come on. Grow up.

You need "cuss words" in your lyrics? You're a poser.
 
#71
Basically, whenever you attempt to saddle songwriters & the songwriting process with "rules" about subject, language, rhyming or anything else ,you will fail to do so. Some people cuss, some don't. Some will be offended and some won't. It's art. Don't try to build fences around it. It has to encompass all extremes and excesses as well as the mundane. It's kind of like food. You aren't going to like every kind of food......and that's ok.
 
#74
Dazonbass said:
glad no one said that to Rage against the machine
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or Peaches ("**** the pain away" is a great song), Dead Kennedys (too drunk to ****), etc.....

I think curse words can be very effective in songs but I wouldn't use them in every song. For me, they seem to loose power if overused.

I think what it really comes down to is it's your music so make it how you want to and if someone complains you know what to tell them!

:)
 
#76
Meh, Zappa used "cuss words" all the time and I am so glad he did. I could not imagine a song called "Breasts and Beer" having the same effect as "T***** and Beer." Or hearing him sing about some "stupid looking clod" instead of "some stupid looking sonofab****," etc.

There are two points and they are both equally valid:
1) WRITE WHAT YOU WANT;
2) PEOPLE WILL LISTEN TO WHAT THEY WANT.
 
#77
Mike in Chicago said:
Don't use them. They sound forced, Like you're trying way too hard to be rebellious.

It's uncool and poser like.
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+1 Also, I think it sounds brain-dead. I hear profanity in tunes
and think, "that's the only word they could come up with?"
Welcome to the forgettable music club.

We have a saying where I come from:
"If you have to say you're bad, you aint."
 
#78
I used to swear a lot in college. What I eventually realized, though, is that when every other word out of your mouth is profanity, the profanity loses all of its impact and just becomes this dull static of crud that makes you sound like a moron. These days, I swear rarely, and when I do, I mean it.

In song lyrics, it's all about audience and the message you're trying to communicate. If you want to play for a general public audience, you'll have to refrain from dropping f-bombs. But if you know your audience and you know your message and the profanity really is right for the song, then go ahead and use it. I can't really imagine gangsta rappers or hardcore punks saying "Gosh" and "fudge" and "Geezum Crow" like my mom's side of the family does.
 
#79
I would say write your songs however you would write them. If it fits with the music and it's how you feel, then go for it. I don't care for doing that, and honestly I'm not very impressed by foul language in a song, but that's just me, and your songs are not mine.

Personally I don't care for cuss words in music, but I also realize it's considered the norm in certain genres and with certain audiences.
 
#80
RTAV...t---ies and beer is funny. I know what you mean, SOB and that stuff in comedic terms (and OK...the Punky Meadows stuff was funny too) are different than rap and punk stuff screaming it for "shock value"...as if it's shocking at all. You're a ELP guy...the 1st impression had sone stuff on it too, but they didn't say "a mule f----ed seven virgins" like these low classers would do today.

There's just no filter anymore...
 

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