Use of Swear Words in Songs

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I can't remember if this exact topic has been discussed before, but do you guys think swearing adds content and / or coolness to a song? I don't mean words like ass or damn, but things like **** and other similar things.

For example, these three songs of Basshunter with swear words in them. Listening to them, what do you get out of the songs and do you think they really do add meaning or something to the song or they just did it for "fun"?

Shut the **** Up

Spoiler

[video=youtube;1vs6JAczNdg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vs6JAczNdg[/video]

Naken i Baken (Remix)

Spoiler

[video=youtube;a7Gp5-8is2I]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7Gp5-8is2I[/video]

Tired of You

Spoiler

[video=youtube;CQ9vAnVbRNs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQ9vAnVbRNs[/video]

Discuss.

 

Okay I'm done with dubstep. I admit it. A few choice lyrics and they choose this.




I've never been a fan of swear words in songs. If I don't understand the words (they are slurred), or I just can't hear them, I am fine with that.

Also, if it actually adds interest to the song... I'm okay with that.

Overall, I'm pretty neutral.

 

I don' t mind swear words one bit. My father swears a lot and I do too whenever I feel it is fitting. I wouldn' t mind my kids hearing such words because I would want them to know as many words as possible. Picking words is all about choosing the form that fits the intended substance, the circumstances and your personality, much like picking clothes. What strikes me when hearing that "Shut the fuck up" song is not its lyrics form, but its complete lack of substance (which is perfectly ok mind you, it' s not like song lyrics need to be profound or even have meaning, even though that' s a plus for me).

I think Billy Connolly sums up my overall opinion on swear words pretty nicely :

[video=youtube;h68CfIUkPKs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h68CfIUkPKs[/video]

 

Words are a form of expression. All of them. There are plenty of words that people use to mean the same thing as those "swear words" but why those specific ones have a bad reputation is beyond me. They are words. They mean what you make them mean. They are a form of expression and when used sincerely they add deeper meaning to a song, and when used insincerely they don't just like any other word.

 

I agree completely.

Profanity and slang have changed with each generation, and differ from language to language. There can be no such thing as an objectively offensive or objectively immoral set of sounds. The self-righteous have chosen certain words in every era and language to label as inappopriate for no apparent reason. There is nothing less appropriate about shit than feces. They mean the same thing. Why should I prefer one to the other?

One of them has a more derogatory connotation, perhaps. What if I mean to be more derogatory?

If a profane word is the only one of its definition, why shouldn't I use that word? Would inventing another word be more appropriate? Why?

 

It's alright when it actually adds something to the song. You know, like this song:

Spoiler

[video=youtube;pc0mxOXbWIU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc0mxOXbWIU[/video]

The censored version "Forget You" loses all the meaning the song has. So swear words can add to songs, and in then it's fine. However, way too many artists throw them around just for fun and giggles, which only results in them looking like maroons. It's quite similar to the whole stoner thing. "Smoke weed everyday" will never add anything to a song.

Swearing is fine, but it's just silly when it is without reason.

 

I completely agree with this. I never enjoy hearing excessive swearing in everyday life let alone in my music. However, the odd word here and there really makes little difference and if it can add to the song then it's fine. I mean it's the same with the content in the song, I remember a few years ago loads of kids were going around singing "Rockstar" by Nickelback and I just thought... if they knew what they were singing...
Also, when I was younger I used to sing "Wasn't me" by Shaggy- although, I had no idea what it meant (I thought it was a man and wife arguing about a stain on the sofa... xD) so I suppose it's never a huge deal but I have no idea what sort of damage the words and content could do in the long run. I just think songwriters should be careful.

 

I feel that the use of swear words kind of makes the song or artist seem like just another face among the rest of the artists. Excessive profanity just gets annoying when every other word is the F-Bomb or something. If a song has cussing in it, I think radio should play it the way it is, just like ASVP said, its a form of expression (maybe not the best form, but a form nonetheless. It sounds weird when a curse word is cut out or replaced with some other word, it doesnt really flow. With all the bad influences we have in America and all over the world, is cussing in song lyrics really close to the top of the list?

 

IMO, it all depends on the meaning of the song or the context.

If its random swearing, dropping f-bombs for no apparent reason, then its just bullcrap

If it has meaning and actual emotion, then it gives the song for depth. It makes it so that you can feel the singers emotions and understand it.
Edit: sorry. More* not for

 

I disagree with the stoner music comment. Even the whole "smoke weed everyday" concept can be just as meaningful if said artist goes into deeper meaning about why they smoke weed, their experiences with it, or if there is just a general point to it that carries artistic value like this song here:

[video=youtube;NhLLtek4aEQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhLLtek4aEQ[/video]

 

Doesn't bother me unless it's excessive. Sometimes it helps me see the point the singer's trying to make, I can tell just how "upset", I guess, they are, if the F-bomb flies during a rather emotionally charged lyric. I guess it's all about placement to me.

 

Swears are fine with me as long as they're not overly excessive. Hell, my favorite has a swear in it, and I still love it.

 

Mama by MCR is one of my favorite songs, and there are some swears toward the end. It gives it the vibe that the artist is going for, unlike some artists who swear just because they can.

 

I never understood why people get rattled up about swear words. When was the last time someone got upset because someone swore at them? They get more upset cos the ******* told them that they'd "rather lick a camel's ass then hang around with you you speccy four eyed fat black russian taxi driving pathetic loser."

S'not the bloody words that hurt people, I can say fuck all I please and no-ones going to run off crying going ";~; he said a mean word at me", but if I go around telling them they're a complete failure and a waste and so on they're going to get pretty ****ing upset about it, aye?

 

Based on all the replies, I guess I'm one of the few who generally tries to avoid swearing.. For others though I guess it's just really integrated into their lifestyle and there's no issue. As for the songs, songwriters want to express themselves, and since swearing is part of their lifestyles, it has to be part of the song for them to fully get the message across. Even when the cuss words are just all over the song, I guess that's just how these writers are, constantly dropping cusses, and that's who they are, and that's what they want the world to hear.
I kind of tend to shy away from songs with cusses (don't shoot me D:); still appreciate those with just a few to some extent, and avoid entirely those that drop cusses every other line. It's really not my thing, and certainly doesn't help when you're trying to stamp out cussing from your life, like me.

Wether or not it helps the song just comes down to each one's perspective, views and opinions, I suppose.

 

Words are just words, you give them power when you cower, it's really rather absurd.

Any and all words may be used in a song, it's the delivery in a word that defines it's nature, Fuck can be a sign of frustration, a symbol of fornication or just a general sense of amazement, unless a swear word is used AT someone then it's just fodder like the rest of them, a collection of some of the alphabet thrown together to create flow, flavour and style.

 

Swear words aren't necessary. They aren't bad, but they're practically never needed to convey emotion, like I've seen in this thread. It's a sign of lesser intelligence to swear to get a point across, but it's a fact of life. Swears are used in songs because it's a way of conveying emotion that's easier just because people know what to feel. "Fuck" isn't a word that makes you think hard, it's a word that makes you mad, or sad, or happy.

Today, swear words in art are like key words. Hear this, feel this. It's a sign that the relationship between consumers and producers is balanced. Years ago, swears meant something different, and so they were used to mean different things. They weren't used differently, they were taken differently.

Basically, my point is that swear words are used in music because it's easy. They mean the same as any other word, but society's twisted them into a useful tool for artists. It's not a problem. It's the nature of music.

 

Swearing can definitely be used to convey emotion in songs. It just doesn't make sense if your talking about some cheating-whore girlfriend and you say, "DARN YOU!" It's just not human. But a loud, raspy **** always gets the point across. There are times when cursing is overused though. For instance, I'm an avid fan of OFWGKTA. There are PLENTY of curses that get thrown around in their songs. Sometimes they get they're used for a reason, other times just because. But, curse words bring out emotions in you. When someone yells out a curse, your blood flows and your adrenaline rushes. It's another layer of music that entices the listener. But...that's just me.

As for swearing showing a lack of vocabulary, that's a common misconception. That may be the case with your average everyday person, but with a musical artist things are a little different. MF DOOM, Aesop Rock, Mos Def, and Nas are lyrical geniuses that have some of the broadest vocabularies in hip-hop, hell music, and they accentuate their songs with cursing because it's familiar. You want to have your listener following your words, but you want to make a greater point. You don't want to say useless lines, but you don't want to ailienate your fans. It's a trade-off that, in turn, makes better music. It's smart and relatable.

Welp, I've rambled enough.

 

Not necessarily. Do I cuss everyday/regularly ? Nope. Do I listen to music with swearing in it ? Yes.
Do I think swearing is necessary to get a point across, even in music ? Absolutely not. But that's all up to the artist. Imo, I don't really mind it unless its the f-bomb. It gets unpleasant to listen to. So I can see where you're coming from.