After reading the other lyrics thread and noticing a few people commenting that they don't look into lyrics, I decided to bring this debate to the forefront.

How important are lyrics in music?

Personally, I try to avoid looking for hidden meanings, but if I do stumble over one, I take it as my own and not the authoer's intended meaning. I look for flow and clever wordplay over substance. Sometimes I feel like this is superficial.
Bad lyrics, in my opinion, have no flow and make use of the typical cliches of rock'n'roll.

What do y'all think?

I'll just say that I'll take pretentious bullshit over cliches. I hate it when I can sing along to a song the first time I hear it.

Quite honestly though, I don't delve too deep into lyrics.

pretty important, i think.
songwriting is obviously the first concern, but well written music can be ruined by thin metaphors and clichéd phrases. the lyrics don't have to be particularly subtle or political or 'deep' or even coherent in some cases, as long as they aren't ordinary. and i agree that a well written vocal line (melody) and clever phrasing are definite pluses, as long as they don't seem contrived. the vocal line and it's lyrics are just as important as any other instrument, and should be treated as such.

If I want profound, or even just interesting lyrics, I'll read poetry. Tunes are tunes, man. If someone can write a tune with lyrics about a monkey spankin' in a tree, but the music itself is great, then that's all The Zola wants. Good lyrics in a song is just a bonus.

It's the most important thing to me. Good lyrics make for a good song.

It's not that important, unless they are so bad that they annoy me... then I get an uneasy feeling, even if the music is quite good...

King Crimson and the Postal Service are two examples of bands that I like, but that make me cringe about their lyrics...

depends. when i listen to acoustic storytelling music, like dylan, i listen to the lyrics alot. when i listen to heavy music i dont really care as much

here's an example of terrible lyrics. simple plan - welcome to my life *shivers*

Do you ever feel like breaking down?
Do you ever feel out of place?
Like somehow you just don't belong
And no one understands you
Do you ever wanna run away?
Do you lock yourself in your room?
With the radio on turned up so loud
That no one hears you screaming

No you don't know what it's like
When nothing feels all right
You don't know what it's like
To be like me

To be hurt
To feel lost
To be left out in the dark
To be kicked when you're down
To feel like you've been pushed around
To be on the edge of breaking down
And no one's there to save you
No you don't know what it's like
Welcome to my life

Do you wanna be somebody else?
Are you sick of feeling so left out?
Are you desperate to find something more?
Before your life is over
Are you stuck inside a world you hate?
Are you sick of everyone around?
With their big fake smiles and stupid lies
While deep inside you're bleeding

No you don't know what it's like
When nothing feels all right
You don't know what it's like
To be like me

To be hurt
To feel lost
To be left out in the dark
To be kicked when you're down
To feel like you've been pushed around
To be on the edge of breaking down
And no one's there to save you
No you don't know what it's like
Welcome to my life

No one ever lied straight to your face
And no one ever stabbed you in the back
You might think I'm happy but I'm not gonna be okay
Everybody always gave you what you wanted
You never had to work it was always there
You don't know what it's like, what it's like

To be hurt
To feel lost
To be left out in the dark
To be kicked when you're down
To feel like you've been pushed around
To be on the edge of breaking down
And no one's there to save you
No you don't know what it's like (what it's like)

To be hurt
To feel lost
To be left out in the dark
To be kicked when you're down
To feel like you've been pushed around
To be on the edge of breaking down
And no one's there to save you
No you don't know what it's like
Welcome to my life
Welcome to my life
Welcome to my life

I don't question the suckitude of those lyrics, but some look really stupid written down, yet seem to work quite well when you hear the song