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Bad language in songs, why?


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Old 22-03-2011, 23:11
Simon Rodgers
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Why is it that so many artists insist on swearing in their music?

It must have started in the 70's and gradually got worse! What is the point? There are about 7 different swear words in their purest form and a few more terms made up of these words.

Funnily enough a lot of musicians prefer to sing in English as it has the most words over any other language. So if there are so many different words, why not use a variety of these and cut the swearing?

I understand that some singers and rappers feel the need to add emphasis in their songs but they can do it without swearing.

It's not special any more, it's no longer "bad", it's had it's day and it only costs the producers more money either by having the song re-recorded by the artists or just editing it. Most of the time, the artist can't be bothered to re-record it so the just get the swear words blanked out and it just sounds stupid!
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Old 22-03-2011, 23:13
Mr. Fahrenheit
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I agree.
It's sometimes painful listening.

For example, Monster by Kanye West. It's just so un-needed. It doesn't add anything. It's not cool.
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Old 22-03-2011, 23:17
cm1992
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It's meant to express the singer's feelings in the song. Eminem is a great example of a singer who's songs sound better and more raw with the swear words not blanked out.
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Old 22-03-2011, 23:18
RussellIan
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I don't like it. I didn't mind it when I was younger, but it puts me off now. It's funny how that happens
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Old 22-03-2011, 23:22
Simon Rodgers
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It's meant to express the singer's feelings in the song. Eminem is a great example of a singer who's songs sound better and more raw with the swear words not blanked out.
I'm sure people like Eminem can make music with no swear words, they can still be strong but not swear.

This is why songs from olden days and novels written hundreds of years ago are so popular toda, because they have a way with words without such a strong need for profanity.
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Old 22-03-2011, 23:23
gagarules86
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I do see the OPs point,especially when songs are bleeped out on the radio and TV,but generally it doesn't bother me too much when I listen to songs on CDs/MP3s.
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Old 22-03-2011, 23:38
Theshane
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People have a right to say what they want and this includes using nasty words as lyrics.
I'd find the thought of telling people what words they can or can't use far worse than the swear words being used.
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Old 22-03-2011, 23:47
Phoenix Lazarus
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I doubt the OP would approve of the track Plaistow Patricia on Ian Dury and The Blockheads' New Boots and Panties LP. However, that was released in 1977, and I think its apparent that that particular track, with extremely colourful language, was rather sending up the media hype surrounding the recent swearing by The Sex Pistols on live TV, and around the general excesses of 'punk' and its self-conscious courting of controversy, at that time.
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Old 22-03-2011, 23:49
rawr
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Gratuitous swearing that adds nothing is pointless. However, just like in everyday language, sometimes the right word to express or emphasise something is a swear word. They're no less valid than any of the other words in the English language.
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Old 23-03-2011, 00:03
Eraserhead
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A well placed expletive can add strength and emotion to a track. Unfortunately some artists use bad language indiscriminately and it does feel unnecessary. I have to say hip hop artists do this a lot.
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Old 23-03-2011, 00:06
stud u like
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It is how people speak these days. You only have to listen to a conversation on a bus and every single word is "she f did this and she f did that and she is a f whore" and that is just the women.
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Old 23-03-2011, 00:11
filmfan7
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As a parent its not good to use bad language on songs as kids will think this is normal...i think genrally we are being desensitised in films music and in tv...and in songs its worse cos kids idolise their stars and copy them ...not a good moral standard set by the artists in question !
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Old 23-03-2011, 02:34
neel
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In fairness, the job of a musician is not to raise your children, or set an example of how to behave. Thats your job.

The job of a musician is to make music, sometimes swearing feels appropriate to the person writing that song and the sentiment that they want to express. Whether it adds or detracts from the music, is excessive, subtle, necesssary or not isn't really the issue.

The point is that it is the song the writer wanted to write. If you don't like swearing in songs, don't listen to artists who swear.If you don't feel Kanye West is an appropriate idol for your kids because they swear, talk to them and bloody explain that.

Don't suggest though that those artists shouldn't swear because you personally don't approve/like it/want your kids to repeat it.

The language used by singers and songwriters shouldn't be dictated by the most sensitive or impressionable within society.
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Old 23-03-2011, 02:47
SuperCheese
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The way I see it is, a songwriter writes what they feel. If you are having a conversation you say how you feel. Profanity is used in day-to-day dialogue, more now than ever before, so it will obviously be mimicked in the music industry as it is just normal people writing music. I personally don't care and they bleep it out on the radio for the kids, so I don't see the problem myself.
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Old 23-03-2011, 07:04
Fashion
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I'm half and half with swearing in music, if it's done properly like Amy Winehouse then it adds to the song's meaning etc.

What annoys me are tracks with that much profanity, that when it's all taken out there's only 1 minute of the song left.
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Old 23-03-2011, 08:40
I love Ellie
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Swearing ****ing rocks!
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Old 23-03-2011, 09:10
glyn9799
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Swearing doesn't really bother me. Songs like Pinks '****in' Perfect' and Enriques 'Tonight' are both fantastic.

However there are some songs where the bad language kinda ruins the flow of the song. It's just a way for the singer to go 'Hey look at me, i can swear'
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Old 23-03-2011, 11:48
Ben Etchells
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I don't mind swearing in songs but these tracks should be left for the album, nothing worse than a track full of swearing getting released a a single, sounds daft with all the censoring.
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Old 23-03-2011, 12:17
Cloudbuster
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There is no excuse for it. Songwriters should show their true merit and find more educated ways to get their point across.

There must be an element of "Let's use a swear word and that will get people to listen and download". Childish!

It sucks big-time. I won't go near a song on Itunes that warns "Explicit Lyrics". I am no prude, but see no point in it whatsoever.

Perhaps the bad language sums up how dumb half these artists really are
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Old 23-03-2011, 12:37
elnombre
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There is no excuse for it. Songwriters should show their true merit and find more educated ways to get their point across.

There must be an element of "Let's use a swear word and that will get people to listen and download". Childish!

It sucks big-time. I won't go near a song on Itunes that warns "Explicit Lyrics". I am no prude, but see no point in it whatsoever.

Perhaps the bad language sums up how dumb half these artists really are
Nonsense. So Bob Dylan was thick when he swore in Hurricane, and John Lennon was thick when he swore in Working Class Hero? Ian Dury? Roger Waters? Warren Zevon?

Artists are artists. They should express themselves how they see fit, or they're worthless and compromised. It's like removing 'red' from a painters palette because you're not keen on it. Songwriters can and should use any language they want to. Would you go tell Phillip Larkin to stop swearing in his poems?

If you don't like it, don't listen.
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Old 23-03-2011, 13:38
nats18
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I kinda see your point but imo someties swear words are necessary. Like Celo Green Forget You actually doesnt make much sense but in F*** You it does cos it's the right words.
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Old 23-03-2011, 14:36
James2001
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Ce-lo Green's song is just another of those that's complerely unecessarry though, it just feels like a song full of f-bombs for no reason other than to get attention and court controversy (and get loads of giggling 15 year olds buying it cos it's naughty). Which is a shame, because he's talented enough to sell loads of records without having to fill his stuff with strings of profantity.

When I was at school, the "big" artists like this were the likes of Eminem, Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg that half the kids bought because "oh, LOL, their songs are full of swearing and talking about smoking weed", and I think that's where a very large amount of the sales of these profanity laden songs comes from. Once you hit adulthood, it starts to sound ridiculous unless there's actually a point to the language, rather than just being done for the sake of it.
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Old 23-03-2011, 14:38
Pliny the Elder
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I remember being at primary school and finding it hilarious that The Specials had a song with the lyrics "It's all a load of Bollocks.."
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Old 23-03-2011, 15:11
~Jane~
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I don't think Eminem's "Love The Way You Lie" would be the same without the swear words and I agree with the poster who said the swearing version of Cee Lo Green's song is better. Forget You makes no sense plus in the situation of the song F**k You is what most people would say in real life. If you get one up on someone you are likely to say F*** you, I certainly wouldn't say "Forget you" - This doesn't make me thick or a chav just because I swear, it's just everyday language.
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Old 23-03-2011, 16:38
Gill P
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I was in HMV and a mother and grandmother were looking for James Blunt's first album. I pointed it out to them and also told them that the album lead single "You're Beautiful" had swear words in it, unlike the actual single. They then told me it was for their nine-year old girl and decided not to get it.
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