I'm doing a little survey here to find out what people notice first about songs.  Is it the lyrics or is it the music?  What draws you to a particular song?


For me it is the music.  Whether it be a piano intro or a guitar lead, the music is always what I notice first about a song.  The lyrics, to me, are secondary.  Sometimes the music can be so pretty in a song that I won't even notice what the person is singing about!  ;D

For me it would be the vocals and then the music.  I really don't pay much attention to the lyrics.  

Hey !  There's NbC !  Hi !  :D

The music - lyrics come second.... ;)

First I notice the music.
Then the vocals.
Then the lyrics (usually it's because I can't always figure out the lyrics upon the first listening...)

It's the music.  I never used to even care about the lyrics when I was younger.  Now I have started listening to the lrics more and more and understanding songs more, but it's still the music that draws my attention to the song in the first place.

Like most who've replied thus far - music (with a 50/50 split on rhythm/melody) then lyrics...

...which, although I'm no expert, is the way most composers attack their work...even when co-composing...(John & Taupin immediately spring to mind)

Regards...

Mostly I notice the music, although if there is a so-so song with awesome lyrics, then I'll like it.

i tend to notice the music first, then the lyrics.  (but once i've heard a song once, i become obsessed with memorizing the lyrics, and i'll put a song or album on repeat just to learn the lyrics...and then i learn that the songs i like most have some pretty interesting lyrics... ::) ;D )

If it's a song by Train, I don't notice anything about it at all.

Unless a song has really striking lyrics (eg:  A really good Springsteen song, or any Eminem song, good or bad), I'm generally going to notice the music first.

I tend to notice the rhythm of a song first.  That is, whether or not it is poppy and upbeat, slow and dolorous, or just "lost".  

I guess that would put my answer under the umbrella heading of "music".

The reason I say rhythm is because if I am not in the mood for a certain type of song...I can't listen to it.  I can't listen to slow sappy love tunes if I want to dance...and I can't deal with happy, poppy dance numbers if I am in a foul mood.

Once I find that the song's rhythm matches my mood I then tend to notice words/lyrics.

Melody and lyrics to me they go together.Then the way the melody goes with the rythym.Next time I hear it I id it by the rythym first usually.

Definitely the music... the beat. The lyrics will be deciphered and listened to later!  ;D

It depends on how i've come across the song.
If someone's sent me it online then I focus on the lyrics first because it would be the meaning that was important but if it's something i've heard on the radio then it would be the tune.

For me it would be the sounds first.  All the different instruments coming together, and if there are vocals - then the lyrics.  All song lyrics have different meanings to different people, so if it means something special to me, I could care less what it means to other people.


8)

I notice the different beats in the music.

Howard

the intro to the song
then how the instuments come together,
the overall rythym and melody
then the lyrics.

Definitely the lyrics, especially if they pertain to my life at the moment, then the music.

I think the genral consensus is the music. Even as a person who looks for lyrics in music, the rhythm, the sounds and beat, the riffs, the chords - all of which you do tend to listen to first. Sometimes I have heard lyrics to songs first and thought they were so good, so I went and got the song. However, generally - it's the music that gets you, then all the meaning follows.

I guess it explains why I like such a variety of music. For pop and dance I just look for something fun - and the dance music I like generally has lyrics in it! For indie, rock and punk I always look for lyrics, but I can't stand the song if it's too 'heavy'.  And then there's new wave which generally has a bit of both for me - that's why I love it :)

For me, the music is the main thing. I was listening to Scotch the other day, I like their music but they use English in a 'different' way which makes you understand them and not at the same time . . .

Yeah and I've heard that if you like the lyrics of a song, you predominantly use the left hemisphere of your brain and if you like the tune of the song, you predominantly use your right - Has anybody heard that one?

I may pick up a new intro or the backing music. Lyrics may be noticed if you hear a song a few times. BTW, Junior, I like your profile pick of Wobbl or Bob. That short cartoon series is funny and it is shown in between videos on MTV2. I only watch that channel sometimes as it mainly plays rock/indie music.