"Writing about music
is like dancing about architecture."
-Frank Zappa
Do you ever read a critic's review of a long awaited album only to be left none the wiser about what to expect? Does the "album" section leave you unfulfilled because of its two-dimensionality? Is music so personal to you that you find other peoples interpretations cold and clinical? If so, perhaps Mr. Zappa speaks for you as well.
Writing about music, in essence using one artform to describe another, will always fall short in its endeavor to enlighten. I'm intrigued when people convey emotions or experiences they attach to songs, but when they start to dissect the music, overanalyze it and communicate some deeper meaning for it all, they invariably fall way short of the intended mark. Thats why I love this quote. We tirelessly try to write about something that transcends the boundaries of the written word. The meaning is lost in the artistic translation, and as futile as dancing about architecture.
Just had to say that made my day! Tired of the rants that this or that music is the best or the most thought provoking. Music is music is music...you get what ever you want out of it. Whatever you feel at that moment. Your like or dislike of it doesn't matter. Now if you respect the music....now that's a whole other topic.
Anyway, Thank you for posting that qiuote. I think I will keep it for a while.
