Disclaimer: this post was written in December 2023, and scheduled for future posting. Its contents may no longer be accurate or appropriate.
It's easy to look up lyrics these days - a mouse-click or two and it's done. Not so easy 40 years ago, of course, particularly for the sorts of songs that weren't having their lyrics printed in Smash Hits.
Here's one such - Letter Never Sent, by REM. Back then, Stipe's lyrics were wilfully obscure and to sing along the 80s indie boy would often have to content himself with just making the right basic noises - all vowel sounds, mumbling and onomatopoeia.
Here are the lyrics, if you're interested after 40 years. Potentially more interesting: have you ever written a letter and then not sent it? Why not? And who was it to?
I can think of a few letters I really shouldn't have sent but did. All these years later and I still cringe at the memory of it.
ReplyDeleteI used to go to a post box, dither, and then pop my letter in the box, only to immediately regret it. The minute it's in the box, it's too late to change your mind. I'm being very cryptic, but as you will probably guess, the letters I'm alluding to involved affairs of the heart.
Been there too, dithering at the post box... Then taking the plunge and posting... And then immediately regretting. Sigh...
DeleteI wish I had a story about a letter I didn't send, or one I wished I hadn't sent. I guess I'm just too dull. I did, however, spent an inordinate amount of time as a teenager listening and attempting to transcribe obscure lyrics from artists who didn't provide lyric sheets. Elvis Costello in particular owes me about a year of my life back.
ReplyDeleteWhat I find galling about old and unknown or "estimated" lyrics is now, when I sing along to an old song that Amusements Minor also likes, he often tells me I've got the lyrics wrong, because of course he's listened to it on Spotify or similar, which spools the lyrics to him as he listens. Kids, eh? Don't know how easy they've got it, etc ...
DeleteStops them using their imaginations...
DeleteA terrible state of affairs.
DeleteI'm never sure I actually want to find out what Stipe was singing on the early songs- the lyrics/ vowel sounds/ phonetics in my head are what I'm used to
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree more. Feels more personal this way too, I think - it's my take on what he's singing.
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