Do You Change Lyrics?

[brad2001]

I am glad that some choose to color outside the lines.

Gibson Dove
67 Fender Coronado mod

[jseth]

I will change lyrics in some songs, if they don't "fit" what the song means to me or who I am (generally speaking)... most times conditionals, pronouns and adjectives/adverbs...

But occasionally for varying levels of subtle comic relief... for instance, in the third verse of "What's Going On?", Marvin wrote: "Who are they to judge us, simply because our hair's a little long...". At this point in my life, I don't have nearly as much hair as I used to when I was a kid, and what I have is pretty much all gray...

So I abridge that lyric (on the second time through, after solos) to : "Who are they to judge us, simply because our hair's a little gray, a little gone...".

Most folks don't even get the joke, but hey! We have to amuse ourselves, right?

I will also go back to older songs I have written and change lyrics to fit the direction and growth that my life has provided...

As a writer, I would love it if my words fit every situation perfectly... but I accept that they may not. If someone changed a few words of a song of mine, I wouldn't get all cheesed off by it...

[Earl49]

"It's late in the evening, she brushes her long blonde hair". Since my wife is a brunette that might get me into some trouble. So it becomes "brown hair". A survival adaptation.

Sometimes a lyric is so personal and situation specific that it seems out of context to do it verbatim. So, yeah, I take some artistic license at times.

Originally Posted by jseth

As a writer, I would love it if my words fit every situation perfectly... but I accept that they may not. If someone changed a few words of a song of mine, I wouldn't get all cheesed off by it...

As someone who has dabbled in songwriting, I would love to have something good enough and well known enough to be covered by others, even with minor changes.

[Bob Womack]

I do it around home and for fun and profit but not onstage. I have enough problems remembering lyrics that I don't need to throw anymore wrenches into that process, thank you very much.

But generating mondegreens or malapropisms has been a source of amusement to me. I played in one particular praise and worship band where I threw out humorously modified lyrics in practice that had the singers in stitches. They laughed, until they realized that the humorous versions had become ear worms and in the worship service they were having to mentally fight singing the wrong words.

Example: The "pickle" song- "Better is one day in Your house than Claussen's elsewhere."

Oh, my. The look on concentration on their faces as they worked to sing the right lyrics was priceless.

Bob

[Wild Bill Jones]

I change lyrics, write new verses or delete them as a song and I require. Sometimes change the melody and also add a bridge at times. Why not?

[vindibona1]

What are lyrics?

[Dave Anthony]

Sometimes lyrics get dated by technology.
For example "From Four To Late" a fun jaunty blues song in C major (yeah, I know, that's why I like it) by Robert Johnson:


From four till late, I was wringin' my hands and cryin'
From four till late, I was wringin' my hands and cryin'
I believe to my soul, that your daddy's Gulfport-bound
From Memphis to Norfolk, is a thirty-six hours ride
From Memphis to Norfolk, is a thirty-six hours ride
A man is like a prisoner and he's never satisfied


Well, maybe in 1936 on dirt roads in a model T

I use:

From four till late, I was wringin' my hands and cryin'
From four till late, I was wringin' my hands and cryin'
You broke my heart with all your cheatin' & lyin'
Headed back to California, it's a thirty-six hours ride
Goin' back to California, it's a thirty-six hours ride
A man is like a prisoner and he's never satisfied

[Dryfly]

and to get a reaction I'll do Dylan's "Don't Think Twice" grammatically correct.
Because of the provenance of the song the reactions are funny.

There's no use to sit and wonder why babe.
It doesn't matter any how.

There's no use in turning on your light babe,
A light I've never known.
There's no use in turning on your light babe.
I'm on the dark side of the road.

Interesting how he wrote the title correctly but not the first three lines of particular verses.

I've often wondered why songwriters write that way when it's not necessary for the lyrics to work and they're obviously knowlegable or educated.

[Dave Anthony]

"I've often wondered why songwriters write that way when it's not necessary for the lyrics to work and they're obviously knowlegable or educated."

-- I postulate that it gives character to the voice of the singer and helps in the creation of a feeling of authenticity and intimacy. It helps sell a song. Just one of the many ingredients sometimes used in the creation of that magical thing we call music.

[lowrider]

Originally Posted by 3notes

This^^^^^^^^

Um, no, don't change the lyrics to suit yourself. To me, that's a big no no. And I don't play out at all. If I did, same would hold true.

I see here some do. Shame on you. And what about the audience as they sing along. They could have a "light goes on moment" and think you got it right and they had it wrong.

Ya, no. Never change the lyrics.

[TBman]

Originally Posted by Mr. Jelly

Strolling on the boulevards in Paris
Naked as the day I will die
The sailors, they're so charming in Paris
But I just don't seem to sail you off my mind

There isn't enough money printed to get me to sing that. I probably wouldn't even hum it,

[DukeX]

I write (and only play) my own songs, so if I change the lyrics I call it a re-write.

[mr. beaumont]

I think it's fine, if it doesn't change the meaning of the tune.

So if you're singing an old standard love song and change "guy" to "gal," no big deal.

If you're too much a prude to sing a line that's integral to a song, sing something else.

[sad99]

I remember Kris Kristofferson telling a story about singing Me And Bobby McGee live shortly after Janis Joplin made it a big hit. It was a song the audience always sang along to, and she had changed a line or two. Kristofferson sang his original lyrics, which clashed with the audience was singing, so after a few shows, he gave up and sang it Janis's way. As I recall, he was quite amused by the whole thing, saying that once a song is out in the world, it has its own life to live.

[Pitar]

No. If the song is melodically attractive makes no difference. Bad, or unsuitable lyrics are something that perhaps the original artist felt strongly enough to pen but that doesn't give them artistic license in my mind. Similarly, terrible lyrics, though harmless in context like Cold Play's Clocks, won't get a moment's consideration from me. I might suffer missing the opportunity to play a very catchy melody but I won't compromise myself for it. I'm no musical gigolo.