I can't understand Beck's lyrics.

[Chris K]

I've just found Beck song generator on the net.

http://www.generatorland.com/glgenerator.aspx?id=123


These are a few lyrics generated from the site.


Share me your funky head

Rock us that holiday gorilla

Creepin' like a freak show

Everybody need some groovy freak spray


Sounds a lot like Beck himself, isn't it?

Awesome. Who needs Beck anymore.
Who needs a stream of consciousness anyway.

 

[champbassist]

The PM was in regards to your join date. If you are new to TB and "come in swingin", you`ll find alot of ppl to be far less tolerant.

+1

My response : give up. Most of Beck`s lyrics are nonsensical. How he interpreted that as a jab, I have no idea.

I think a bit of elaboration would have been nice. 'Give up' could be interpreted either way (as a jab at the OP, or to imply that Beck's lyrics are nonsensical).

Another non-native English speaker here. I started getting into 'English' songs when I was around 8 and for a good 4-5 years, I found myself unable to understand 95% of the lyrics. I do understand most of the lyrics now, but sometimes stuff still goes way over my head.

AFA Beck is concerned, I actually find his lyrics to be somewhat bizarre, but there are many singers with far worse enunciation than him, IMO.

 

[EssJay]

If it doesn't make sense look it up in the Becktionary

 

[Chris K]

LOL

 

[anonymous122511]

The PM was in regards to your join date. If you are new to TB and "come in swingin", you`ll find alot of ppl to be far less tolerant. Don`t want to see anyone get run out of town...even you lol. No harm, no foul. Apology accepted. Welcome to TB !

Thanks, appreciate that. Nice to be [DEL]back[/DEL].....er, here...
It's never too late to change is it?

 

[champbassist]

Thanks, appreciate that. Nice to be [DEL]back[/DEL].....er, here...

I was kinda expecting the matter behind your open "swingin'" to be something like that.

It's never too late to change is it?

Could be, if you're not careful

 

[Hoover]

i dont think you could make much sense with:

in the time of the chimpanzees i was a monkey, butane in my veins and mouth to my chunky

I dunno, I find that line to be particularly fertile with (possible) meaning. But I'm not real familiar with a lot of Beck's work, so I can't say whether that means lots of his work is particularly fertile with (possible) meaning, or if that line was just a fluke.

I'm curious: When the OP wrote "I can't understand Beck's lyrics" did he mean I Can't Understand What He's Saying Because It's Difficult To Hear The Words Clearly? or I Can't Understand What He's Trying To Convey Because His Syntax Is Obtuse?

 

[djero44]

I assume he meant comprehending the meaning of the lyrics as opposed to not being able to hear them clearly, though it may be both.

I haven't listened closely enough to Beck to have much opinion on his work, personally, but I do think this difficult to translate songs might garner a few extra listens for that very reason.

Though i'm not a huge fan, I have read so many people who are inspired and activated by his work that I have come to assume he has some pretty deep stuff going on. That comment about his heritage with the Scientology is very interesting, perhaps it is a clue?

Taking it to another level and trying to understand metaphoric symbolism can be difficult enough, especially not in your native tongue! Kudos for trying. If it happens that some of the lyrics are actually nonsense, well, that could make things even more difficult.

 

[eutgard]

I dunno, I find that line to be particularly fertile with (possible) meaning. But I'm not real familiar with a lot of Beck's work, so I can't say whether that means lots of his work is particularly fertile with (possible) meaning, or if that line was just a fluke.

I'm curious: When the OP wrote "I can't understand Beck's lyrics" did he mean I Can't Understand What He's Saying Because It's Difficult To Hear The Words Clearly? or I Can't Understand What He's Trying To Convey Because His Syntax Is Obtuse?

I Can't Understand What He's Trying To Convey Because His Words Selection Is SO Obtuse

For example, I can't imagine what butane, Novocane, and cyanide's meaning in American popular culture.

 

[MakiSupaStar]

I'm a huge fan of Beck. In my opinion he's our current Dylan. On the surface it's easy to discredit his lyrics as zany or stream of consciousness. But Becks style is to throw out metaphors and move onto the next one and then the next one after that. He's not stopping to expand on it or wait for you figure it out. Much of his music is not designed to be digested in one sitting. There are still songs to this day that blindside me and just blow my mind lyrically even though I've been listening to them for years. He gives your brain a lot of fat to chew on and personally I really appreciate it.

 

[SactoBass]

I Can't Understand What He's Trying To Convey Because His Words Selection Is SO Obtuse

For example, I can't imagine what butane, Novocane, and cyanide's meaning in American popular culture.

At least you can make out the words Beck is saying. Ever try listening to Michael McDonald? Every song is fives minutes of slurred speech. Nobody knows what the hell he is saying!! He might as well be singing in a language from another planet. My wife and I crack up laughing every time one of his songs comes on the radio.