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Well, it’s poetry isn’t it?
It’s not the first time lyrics of popular songwriters have gone under the academic microscope.
Bob Dylan’s verses virtually spawned a faculty on their own in some colleges as students pondered what the great man meant by some of the more obscure gems like Einstein sniffing drainpipes or the kings of Tyrus with their convict list.
Dylan in turn called Smokey Robinson, author of “Ooh Baby Baby” one of America’s greatest poets.
But Cambridge University turning to Amy Winehouse’s “Love is a Losing Game” and asking students to compare the lyrics with verses from Elizabethan poet Sir Walter Raleigh has been criticised for dumbing down.
Do you agree? Are there are any song lyrics worthy of study by university students?
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The Wall
I think this is a good debate, I think all music lyrics should be considered poetry or at least a form of poetry. Both are expressions of emotions and descriptions of our surrounding etc so why not Amy Winehouse’s Love is a Losing game – although I did prefer Shelby J’s version sung on several occassions over the purple 21 nights at the 02 last summer. Which brings me neatly to Prince – a prolific lyrisist – perhaps Cambridge should delve into his works to dissect there is plenty there to work with and of great interest no doubt !!! food for thought perhaps