the lyrics editing... - Forever Delayed

Bought In · #1 18-05-2009, 08:13

I don't want to come off as richey fanatic here but I find the way the lyrics were edited absolutely horrific. I wasn't expecting everything to be verbatim but it does seem that the Wire really fucked up on his one. Journal for Plague Lovers is the best example, it seems like only a fraction ended up on the song and by reading the real lyrics you get a completely different feel, something along the lines of archives of pain 2: the bludgening. The lyrics aren't anymore unmelodious than anything on the holy bible so I don't understand why they made a concious effort to dilute them especially when they weren't even planning to push the album 'commercially' (despite the mass amount of radio/tv interviews).

I still think JPFL is a great album but the editing has me feeling conflicted, it's as if they are richey's lyrics the way Wire thought he should of wrote them...

Dr.Gonzo · #2 18-05-2009, 08:21

I think you have a point there tbh.....

Dancing Kirby · #3 18-05-2009, 08:32

I agree fully. Not only have they edited out some great lines but they've also rearranged them to make the songs as generic in structure as SATT's. My constant moaning, meant as constructive criticism, over the past two years was all in vain. This could and should have been the album I was whinging for.

That in itself is disappointing, but what's worse is that if they couldn't break free from the generic monotony of their current songwriting with those lyrics, then the next album is pretty much fucked. Lots of repetitive verses to look forward to and more choruses that are basically the title of the songs, I fear.

But unlike SATT, this is still a good album that could so easily have been up there with THB if they'd tried.

wireobsessed · #4 18-05-2009, 09:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dancing Kirby

I agree fully. Not only have they edited out some great lines but they've also rearranged them to make the songs as generic in structure as SATT's. My constant moaning, meant as constructive criticism, over the past two years was all in vain. This could and should have been the album I was whinging for.

That in itself is disappointing, but what's worse is that if they couldn't break free from the generic monotony of their current songwriting with those lyrics, then the next album is pretty much fucked. Lots of repetitive verses to look forward to and more choruses that are basically the title of the songs, I fear.

But unlike SATT, this is still a good album that could so easily have been up there with THB if they'd tried.

So I guess you don't really like it then?

Clarence Pistoldinner · #5 18-05-2009, 08:37

Oh come on, Richey's lyrics were always edited, the difference here is that we can see how, when in the past we couldn't.

JFPL is, by far and away, their best since THB and I for one am a very happy bunny!

Manic_DJB · #6 18-05-2009, 08:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clarence Pistoldinner

Oh come on, Richey's lyrics were always edited, the difference here is that we can see how, when in the past we couldn't.

JFPL is, by far and away, their best since THB and I for one am a very happy bunny!

I couldnt agree more

Mary Chain · #7 18-05-2009, 08:47

I kind of mourn the lost second verse of Jackie Collins, but apart from that I'm pretty happy. Best they've done in years.

Bought In · #8 18-05-2009, 08:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clarence Pistoldinner

Oh come on, Richey's lyrics were always edited, the difference here is that we can see how, when in the past we couldn't.

Yes that's true, but I think it has been overdone here. The real lyrics are just as long as the lyrics on the holy bible so I'm guessing they weren't edited as much. On JPFL, alot of the verses are just repeated which is just silly because they were was alot of source material to work from. It's annoying as this was supposed to be a tribute to Richey but somewhere in the process they forgot about that and worried too much about how they might affect the music, which is not necessarily a bad thing but THB is a perfect compromise between lyrics and music, I just feel that the musical considerations were given too much weight.

GoldAgainstTheSoul · #9 18-05-2009, 10:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bought In

Yes that's true, but I think it has been overdone here. The real lyrics are just as long as the lyrics on the holy bible so I'm guessing they weren't edited as much. On JPFL, alot of the verses are just repeated which is just silly because they were was alot of source material to work from. It's annoying as this was supposed to be a tribute to Richey but somewhere in the process they forgot about that and worried too much about how they might affect the music, which is not necessarily a bad thing but THB is a perfect compromise between lyrics and music, I just feel that the musical considerations were given too much weight.

I havent gotten my lyric booklet yet so I'll hold off judgement but I feel as if I'm going to agree with you on this. How some of the intricate lyrics ended up used in the fairly simple 2 1/2min verse/chorus/verse layout in the end almost seems like Richey-lite when taking in to consideration these words were written following lyrical novellas like Yes, IfWhiteAmerica... & 4st 7lb.

The last thing I ever expected was to hear a song with lyrics written by Richey were the verse repeats itself. But I guess they were moving in that direction anyway with Judge YrSelf...

That said, I still LOVE the album.

Dancing Kirby · #10 18-05-2009, 08:59

It's akin to cutting out the tempo change on 4st 7lbs because JDB couldn't be arsed to write one around the lyrics. You know, if that lyric had been put to music today they'd have just ended on another run through the chorus instead. That's the kind of thing that separates JFPL and THB as far as I'm concerned.

Lauren Cinnamon · #11 18-05-2009, 09:02

I do wish they'd not repeated verses/left out lines/etc (like the 'lingerie' line in JCEQT) but I still think it's a bloody good album, and that they can't please everyone. They've obviously put so much work and effort into it - editing down the prose of William's Last Words alone must have taken ages.

nothingSpecial · #12 18-05-2009, 09:23

I'm with you all on this one. Some of the songs actually make more sense when you see the rest of the lyrics - in particular Jackie Collins. I was a little disappointed to see that so many of the lyrics had not been used and preference was given to repeating a verse. That said, I still think it's a good album and I'm enjoying listening to it. The only saving grace is that we can at least see the full set of lyrics - well apart from those that seem to be covered up with black pen (was this the work of Nicky or Richey I wonder?)

nocultureicons · #13 18-05-2009, 09:24

While it's certainly their best album in a long time I completely agree with you. There are so many great lines that weren't used... look at Me and Stephen Hawking... why just repeat the bridge and chorus twice like they had a tendency to do on SATT - surely they could have used some of the lyrics from the verses too? William's Last Words seems to have been edited in order to give it a different meaning. Part of me wishes I hadn't seen the lyrics in full, but part of me is glad that I HAVE seen them so I don't blame Richey. The initial disappointment I felt when listening to the album while looking at the lyrics still hasn't gone away and I worry never will.

Bought In · #14 18-05-2009, 09:28

I have to say that the William's Last Words edit is fine. When you read Richey's version with respect to hindsight, it's very open to interpretation. I imagine it's very hard for the band/family to read that lyric and not think that it's message especially with 'i'll be back' line in it....

Clarence Pistoldinner · #15 18-05-2009, 09:31

I am not a fan of repeated verses, but I think it was accepted before Richey went AWOL that the follow up to THB (for which these lyrics were surely intended) was going to be a very different animal. As I have mentioned before I think the evidence of 'Judge Yrself' shows that severe editing and mantra like repetition were the accepted plan for the next phase.