Understanding Lyrics in Music Sung in English

[Journeyman]

Dear Ladies,

May I ask your help?   All the Russian/Ukrainian women I know listen to at least some English/American music.  However, I am not sure if they understand the words.

Please tell me whether it is possible to understand lyrics in music when they are written in a poetic style, rather than in ordinary, prosaic language?  Certainly, such comprehension will require a good level of competency in English, plus perhaps some familiarity with Western culture and colloquial references.  How quickly can one begin to grasp lyrics in this way after immigrating? 

Can you understand this kind of poetic language in music as sometimes being especially evocative, and, of course, romantic?   Much depends upon the melody, etc., but, presumably, it is the two (words and music) together that is the key.

Does it help to have someone translate the words from English to Russian, or does the emotional quality of the lyrics become diminished or lost in the translation?

Thank you for your help.

Journeyman

[Lily]

Really appreciate the topic. Thank you!   

Yes of course it is possible to understand. Moreover, understanding songs opens a door in the world that is never, or at the very least, seldom taught anywhere. I mean the realities of life, which ultimately made poets composing those lyrics.

The fact that lyrics has been put on music makes them easy and fun to learn and remember. Many lines are really sticky.

I remember old times when people tried to jot down the lyrics of favorite bands like Beatles, Boney M or Abba. Then they tried to translate and to understand what is meant. Sometimes people brought an unknown recording to the company of friends and told 'see what I got, can someone understand what do they sing? Or at least does anyone recognize what language it is?' 

Now this exercise is much more easier. If I hear a few words, I just google those short line, and this way I often get the whole song and likely the name of the singer.

It is a very entertaining and useful experience.

[vwrw]

One of VWRW's birthday presents from me was an iPod.   As we sit in the Caribbean together she has been downloading songs.    (About 225 so far and climbing daily) She tries for songs with clear English and even enjoys the music and clear lyrics of people like Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra.  

She does a search for the songs lyrics and has found sites on the internet where she has been able to make a word document with the lyrics of the songs she has downloaded so she can follow the lyrics to understand them better.

With some of the newer singers the English is often gibberish and hard to understand but she asks me to explain and I help her with it.  She makes side notes on her word document that help her understand it later.   All, in all she is turning it into a good learning tool for herself.

(Sorry, VWRW and I are sharing my laptop and I did not realize she was logged in and not me,  TG)

[I/O]

Turbo: Have you gotten some gender issue or.......................? Who is writing what under who's handle? Or who has got who by what handle?

I/O

[Turboguy]

If she had me by my handle I/O my brain would have been mush and I would have been unable to write anything.   Usually we are logged into my account unless she wants to make a post but I guess we went to bed last night logged into her account and my eyes were not open yet.

By the way, really nice photo in your Avatar.   You make a nice looking couple.