Question To Songwriters: Do You Consider Yourself A Poet?

bogey_j · 06-25-2010, 04:32 AM

do you consider yourself a writer first and a [rock] singer second?

would you ever consider publishing a book based on your poems/lyrics?

do you seriously consider yourself a poet?

TheBig3 · 06-25-2010, 09:29 AM

As someone who went through a Lit. program, I would hope to God they don't.

Too often poetry gets confused with "a bunch of words that rhyme. Anything with a rhyme scheme." Its not. In fact rhyming is for simpletons in poetry. No song-writers are ever asked if they considered themselves novelists, or journalists.

I don't understand where this concept comes from (my guess is the ****ing rhyming) but any song-writer who considers themselves a poet either doesn't know what poetry is or is a self-obsessed twat.

thomasracer56 · 06-25-2010, 04:15 PM

i'd rather keep them apart, as you don't see poets on mtv playlists, and a song doesn't go into collections of poems. i write songs, not poems, otherwise it doesn't speak to me well, but the above post explains everything so much better. there is no way my lyrics could be arranged without an instrument because that is how i write them, like i said, the above post explains it better.

TheCunningStunt · 06-25-2010, 04:18 PM

I like the idea of a song I write being poetic, but apart from the odd turn of phrase, it's really not. It's just a song.

thomasracer56 · 06-25-2010, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheCunningStunt

I like the idea of a song I write being poetic, but apart from the odd turn of phrase, it's really not. It's just a song.

I agree. I think it should have the same kind of flow, but my songs should stays songs.

TheCunningStunt · 06-25-2010, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thomasracer56

I agree. I think it should have the same kind of flow, but my songs should stays songs.

A lot of things I write is just storytelling, which in my eyes is better than poetry anyway. Lyrics that can tell a story are brilliant, there are only so many songs you can write about love, but with stories, you can write loads.

thomasracer56 · 06-25-2010, 06:23 PM

and with songwriting, the music gives a better expression of mood. i've done a little writing of literature of fantasy worlds, the real world, and a clash between the two all alike. it's what i've been doing even before i really cared about music, it's my oldest talent.

bogey_j · 06-26-2010, 04:27 AM

thanks for killing my thread guys. now no one is going to have the balls to admit they think they're poets

TheBig3 · 06-26-2010, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bogey_j

thanks for killing my thread guys. now no one is going to have the balls to admit they think they're poets

Or the brains to know they aren't.

~~bungalow~~ · 06-26-2010, 07:46 PM

are we saying that songwriting can't be/isn't/is separate from poetry or that songwriters, as a general rule, aren't poets? because certainly someone like robert burns is a poet and the songs he wrote are essentially poetry. and if robert burns could compose songs that are poetry, why couldn't someone compose the same sort of songs today--and thus be a songwriter who writes songs that are poetry?

View Poll Results: do you consider yourself a poet?
Yes, I consider myself more than just a singer. My lyrics are everything to me	2	12.50%
No, I'm not that pretentious	4	25.00%
Well, I consider myself both a singer/performer and a poet	3	18.75%
No, I'm not that good. I try to write good lyrics though	4	25.00%
My lyrics suck ass. Hell no	3	18.75%
Voters: 16. You may not vote on this poll

06-25-2010, 04:32 AM	#1 (permalink)
bogey_j Music Addict Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 95	Question To Songwriters: Do You Consider Yourself A Poet? do you consider yourself a writer first and a [rock] singer second? would you ever consider publishing a book based on your poems/lyrics? do you seriously consider yourself a poet?

06-25-2010, 09:29 AM	#2 (permalink)
TheBig3 killedmyraindog Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 11,172	As someone who went through a Lit. program, I would hope to God they don't. Too often poetry gets confused with "a bunch of words that rhyme. Anything with a rhyme scheme." Its not. In fact rhyming is for simpletons in poetry. No song-writers are ever asked if they considered themselves novelists, or journalists. I don't understand where this concept comes from (my guess is the ****ing rhyming) but any song-writer who considers themselves a poet either doesn't know what poetry is or is a self-obsessed twat. __________________ I've moved to a new address

06-25-2010, 04:18 PM	#4 (permalink)
TheCunningStunt love will tear you apart Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Manchester, UK. Posts: 5,107	I like the idea of a song I write being poetic, but apart from the odd turn of phrase, it's really not. It's just a song. __________________ I don't feel and I feel great. Last FM

06-25-2010, 04:15 PM	#3 (permalink)
thomasracer56 Still Crazy Nutso! Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: California, USA Posts: 148	i'd rather keep them apart, as you don't see poets on mtv playlists, and a song doesn't go into collections of poems. i write songs, not poems, otherwise it doesn't speak to me well, but the above post explains everything so much better. there is no way my lyrics could be arranged without an instrument because that is how i write them, like i said, the above post explains it better.

06-25-2010, 06:23 PM	#7 (permalink)
thomasracer56 Still Crazy Nutso! Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: California, USA Posts: 148	and with songwriting, the music gives a better expression of mood. i've done a little writing of literature of fantasy worlds, the real world, and a clash between the two all alike. it's what i've been doing even before i really cared about music, it's my oldest talent.

06-26-2010, 04:27 AM	#8 (permalink)
bogey_j Music Addict Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 95	thanks for killing my thread guys. now no one is going to have the balls to admit they think they're poets

06-26-2010, 07:46 PM	#10 (permalink)
~~bungalow~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Hot-lanta Posts: 3,140	are we saying that songwriting can't be/isn't/is separate from poetry or that songwriters, as a general rule, aren't poets? because certainly someone like robert burns is a poet and the songs he wrote are essentially poetry. and if robert burns could compose songs that are poetry, why couldn't someone compose the same sort of songs today--and thus be a songwriter who writes songs that are poetry?