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Taking a look at the lyrics of the current top hits in Ghana, it is easy to conclude that lyrical quality or lyricism to some artistes is just not that important.
Lyrics are words that make up a song usually consisting of verses and choruses. A writer of lyrics is a lyricist. So how important are lyrics to a music lover? It’s easy to make the assumption that the more easily the lyric is understood, the better chance your song has to become a hit.
Ghanaian songs often contain political, social, and economic themes—as well as aesthetic elements—and so can communicate culturally significant messages. These messages can be explicit, or implied through metaphor or symbolism.
Interestingly, report by Daily Guide Africa on March 16, 2018 stated Hiplife artiste Barima Sidney is not enthusiastic about the current trend of music ‘flooding’ the airwaves in Ghana. He stated that most of the songs lack deep lyrical content and mature storylines. Even though he likes the works of some musicians, he thinks that the general music trend is a worrying one.
Listening to popular music is considered by society to be a part of growing up. Music provides entertainment and distraction from problems and serves as a way to relieve tension and boredom. Some studies have reported that adolescents use popular music to deal with loneliness and to take control of their emotional status or mood.
It is therefore an undoubtable and unwavering fact that some people adore musicians for the words they use, and I’m not trying to devalue that appreciation. Again, there have been times when I’ve asked myself if I’m missing out because I’m not enjoying that aspect of the song as much as the next person.
If you want lyrics, you will surely love Obrafour, Sarkodie, Teephlow, Kofi Kinaata, Manifest, Stonebwoy and Sonnie Badu.
Lyrics allow the songwriter to connect with the listener, affecting a person’s mood, vibe, or spiritual energy. So as a consumer of music, you may want to be aware of the meaning or purpose of the song.
I appreciate the value of a well-written song because it allows you to truly connect with the lyrics. The lyrics that songwriters produce now have changed throughout the years losing its essence. Lyrics used to make you feel connected to the words, make you think about life or even empower you. Lyrics matter because they have the influence to bring change in a way of impacting someone’s life either negatively or positively. A great songwriter aims to make music about personal experiences that will touch millions of people.
