Anti-Genius?
Listening to: Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out
Now for an example of bad songwriting. I chose this particular track because it's in the same style as "A Million Ways" and because the same person produced both tracks, so production is no longer a factor. In fact, this particular song is very catchy, and I like it very much. But it is most definitely a case of good production propping up bad songwriting. (It's in the "music" folder.)
First of all, the melody is excellent, so it's technically good songwriting in that regard. But the lyrics are abominable. Whatever theme the song might have - "take me out" vs. "I know I won't be leaving here with you" - the lyrics fail to define and develop it. Certain lines do have an emotional effect - for example, "I'm just a crosshair" - but upon closer inspection, the ideas fall apart. A crosshair? What kind of metaphor is that? How can a person be a crosshair? Does he mean to evoke the feeling of looking down a gun scope at someone? Because if he is the crosshair, then he is being used to look at another person - which isn't the most obtuse idea I've heard in a song, but it's close. And clearly the song only involves two people, so you can add unintentional contradiction to the list of errors.
Notice how the lyrics are treated in this song. They are thrown around, placed haphazardly (especially "I say don't you know / You say you don't know"), and for the most part, nonsensical.
So if you're lonely
You know i'm here waiting for you
I'm just a crosshair
I'm just a shot away from you
And if you leave here
You leave me broken shattered alive
I'm just a crosshair
I'm just a shot then we can die
I know I wont be leaving here with you
I say don't you know
You say you don't know
I say take me out
I say you don't show
Don't move time is slow
I say take me out
I know I wont be leaving here (with you)
I know I wont be leaving here
I know I wont be leaving here (with you)
I know I wont be leaving here with you
I say don't you know
You say you don't know
I say take me out
If I move this could die
Eyes move this can die
C'mon take me out
Now for an example of bad songwriting. I chose this particular track because it's in the same style as "A Million Ways" and because the same person produced both tracks, so production is no longer a factor. In fact, this particular song is very catchy, and I like it very much. But it is most definitely a case of good production propping up bad songwriting. (It's in the "music" folder.)
First of all, the melody is excellent, so it's technically good songwriting in that regard. But the lyrics are abominable. Whatever theme the song might have - "take me out" vs. "I know I won't be leaving here with you" - the lyrics fail to define and develop it. Certain lines do have an emotional effect - for example, "I'm just a crosshair" - but upon closer inspection, the ideas fall apart. A crosshair? What kind of metaphor is that? How can a person be a crosshair? Does he mean to evoke the feeling of looking down a gun scope at someone? Because if he is the crosshair, then he is being used to look at another person - which isn't the most obtuse idea I've heard in a song, but it's close. And clearly the song only involves two people, so you can add unintentional contradiction to the list of errors.
Notice how the lyrics are treated in this song. They are thrown around, placed haphazardly (especially "I say don't you know / You say you don't know"), and for the most part, nonsensical.
So if you're lonely
You know i'm here waiting for you
I'm just a crosshair
I'm just a shot away from you
And if you leave here
You leave me broken shattered alive
I'm just a crosshair
I'm just a shot then we can die
I know I wont be leaving here with you
I say don't you know
You say you don't know
I say take me out
I say you don't show
Don't move time is slow
I say take me out
I know I wont be leaving here (with you)
I know I wont be leaving here
I know I wont be leaving here (with you)
I know I wont be leaving here with you
I say don't you know
You say you don't know
I say take me out
If I move this could die
Eyes move this can die
C'mon take me out
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posted by Brandon at 3:52 AM
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