Poetic singing

I've always liked musicians who are also songwriters. Especially if they're poetic. I don't know tons about poetry, but I think I recognize poetic writing. I was thinking tonight about Bob Dylan because a song of his was playing on the radio and I got to thinking about singing styles, writing styles, and how the right combination can make a great song.

In particular, I was thinking about "Lay Lady Lay" by Bob Dylan. It's a song that is poetic, the music matches the mood of the words, and most of all, Bob Dylan's voice matches the mood of the song. It kind of sounds like he's singing it while laying on a big brass bed. Maybe he is!

Simon and Garfunkel were also good at matching poetic writing, to the proper mood of music, to the right voice. Part of how they did it was they had two very different vocal styles that harmonized well when needed or could also manage solo. One of my favorites of theirs is "Why Don't You Write Me?" which has a nice beat, a catchy tune, clever words, and appropriate voice, mostly Paul Simon's. On the same album (I'm dating myself with that word) Art Garfunkel's voice hits with "Bridge Over Troubled Water" which needs clear, high range to work with the violins.

I don't know what made me write about music, but I had never analyzed why some songs connect with me. It felt like a revelation since I'm not musically inclined or gifted at all.

R likes to quiz me on different artists while we're listening to the radio. I'm terrible with artists and bands and who is who. Amazingly, he's pretty good at it for someone who can't sing a note. He also usually knows what instrument the different band members play. I can barely identify the instruments, much less know who's playing them.

Okay, that's enough about something I know nothing about.