but at the same time, what is it that makes a song a hit and an enduring classic ALL OVER THE WORLD, even in places that don't speak the language of the song?
why were non-English-speaking Japanese youth crazy about Beatles songs?
why do I love the songs of Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil even though I don't speak Portuguese?
it's not the lyrics…. well, not the MEANING of the lyrics, anyway. sometimes the sound of the words has a musical quality of its own. but a lot of young artsits miss this point by concentrating on the meaning of the words.
which is why they'll praise Mary's great lyrics on My Life…. they may be honest, but they're not "lyrical"… they're prosaic
and which is why I think A Band of Bees write some beautiful songs, even though 80% of the time I have no clue what they're going on about