Ed changing the lyrics, A place to argue Options

[thefunkyredcaboose]

Recently Ed has been changing the lyrics to more and more old Live songs:

1. "To Christ, a cross, to me, a chair, I will sit and I've got to worship from down here!"

2. Adding Amazing Grace into I Alone.

This began with Operation: Spirit in the Live days. I don't think we all cared as much because we were just glad to hear the song again. But, what now?

I think the STD lyric change makes very little sense within the rest of the song, as does placing Amazing Grace into I Alone. If the song is now meaningless, what is the point of continuing to perform it when there is a large back catalog of tunes?

And before anyone says it, if Ed is truly a Christian then great for him, but this discussion really isn't about that. I am rather fond of many of the Christians I know and I am very familiar with their practice. This is more about what the lyric changes do to the song.

Have at it.

[OutToDry]

Perhaps this is Ed's way of getting around the royalties spat?

[thefunkyredcaboose]

Perhaps this is Ed's way of getting around the royalties spat?

Changing the lyrics in a live show wouldn't have any effect on the spat.

[VoodooLady]

If he can't reconcile his current faith with the lyrics he composed decades ago he shouldnt sing them.

at least when Salt found God, she refused to sing "PUSH IT"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCadcBR95oU

[thefunkyredcaboose]

Ed would change it to "Pray it!"

[TheBeacon]

Well, their his lyrics so I guess he can do what he wants with them. The majority of people at a show of his really isnt going to notice a difference anyway.

However, I will say IMO that this is incredibly annoying when I hear something like Amazing Grace during I Alone. I mean WTF man? I would just assume he sing shit like Run Away and let him butcher those songs and leave the classics alone.

[Pokey]

Yeah I don't think this would have anything to do with royalties.

I think it's a shame really. Someone brought up the point that they're his songs and he should be able to do what he wants. Again that's not the point, of course he can do it, the argument is should he do it. I don't believe he should.

These songs obviously reflect how he felt at a certain point in his life, and it's clear his feelings have changed, and that's fair enough. But the songs were still written with purpose and meaning. When he wrote them he poured his heart into them and some of them had obviously some ridiculous amount of thought and time go into them I'm sure. To throw away a line now which changes the meaning of the song just devalues the original work.
So many of us fell in love with those songs just the way they were for the content of them as much as anything else. They spoke to us. Changing that just doesn't sit right.

A lot of the time I don't mind when a singer changes the words to songs in concert. It can give the concert a really unique feel and I do like songs not sounding like exact replicas of what you hear on CD.
Not to constantly bring up Morrissey, but he's a classic example of changing lyrics in songs. However the changes are generally very tongue in cheek and if they change the meaning of the song it's done in an ironic humourus fashion. For example changing the line of "please please please let me get what I want" to "let me get who I want". Or just one word changes like "walkman started to melt to ipod started to melt[i].

I think there's a real difference between changing the words in a song, and changing the meaning in a song. It's fine to change the words and have fun with it live and such. But changing the meaning is different, if Ed really doesn't feel those songs represent him anymore then I wish he wouldn't play them. Let them rest instead of whoring them out and dragging what they were written for through the mud.

Could you imagine someone who started off as a Christian rock star writing songs about God, changing his thinking and becoming an athiest but still singing a song about praising God but changing some words around to flip it on it's head? It just sounds absurd, they'd be better off writing new songs that reflect the way they feel now.

Yes Ed has done that with his new album, but there's still a great deal of old Live material he could call upon (although I wish he wouldnt) that don't have to conflict with his Christian beliefes. Waitress or Shit Towne for example.

[thefunkyredcaboose]

I think there's a real difference between changing the words in a song, and changing the meaning in a song. It's fine to change the words and have fun with it live and such. But changing the meaning is different, if Ed really doesn't feel those songs represent him anymore then I wish he wouldn't play them. Let them rest instead of whoring them out and dragging what they were written for through the mud.

Bingo.

And Shit Town?? Haha...

[Hoodstock]

He shouldn't change songs.

I'd like to hear him sing Waitress to see how he'd change that:

"She didn't believe in god, but I don't care. She brought out our food on time so I said her a prayer"

"Everyone deserves some holy blessings"

[TheBeacon]

Like I said before, they're his songs, he is the one being paid to sing them so he can do what he wants. That being said though, it is our choice to pay to see him to sing these songs. Earlier this summer I was really hoping to see an Atlanta date on his tour. Now that I have seen some youtube videos and this lyric thing he is doing with changing the song I just choose to no longer want to see him. That is probably what will happen for alot of people and he will continue to struggle to sell tickets as his shows get worse.

To each his own!

This post has been edited by TheBeacon: Aug 2 2010, 2:05 pm

[VoodooLady]

One thing everyone seems to be overlooking is the fact that 'Czyk is basically infallible when it comes to writing/performing/living Rock and Roll. In my opinion, he could change the words to the Lord's Prayer and it would undoubtedly be an improvement.

Does he own these lyrics? Well, let me put an end to this petty squabbling. Ed Kowalczyk was not a member of Live. Ed Kowalczyk is (and always will be) Live.

Let me put it this way: he wrote the lyrics, he lived them, and now he feels it's time for a re-write. Who knows? Maybe these were the lyrics all along and 'Czyk feels that only now are we ready for their true meaning to be revealed. I think he had this planned from the very get-go.

hi ed

[LivesMeltdown]

I have no issue with the changing of lyrics. That is no difference than if Chad, Chad, and Pat change the arrangement to Live songs. The intent is exactly the same. It doesn't mean I'll like it, but there is no problem with me if either side changes a Live song and adds a different twist it. They wrote the songs, I trust their judgment.

[Aitkens]

One thing everyone seems to be overlooking is the fact that 'Czyk is basically infallible when it comes to writing/performing/living Rock and Roll. In my opinion, he could change the words to the Lord's Prayer and it would undoubtedly be an improvement.

Does he own these lyrics? Well, let me put an end to this petty squabbling. Ed Kowalczyk was not a member of Live. Ed Kowalczyk is (and always will be) Live.

Let me put it this way: he wrote the lyrics, he lived them, and now he feels it's time for a re-write. Who knows? Maybe these were the lyrics all along and 'Czyk feels that only now are we ready for their true meaning to be revealed. I think he had this planned from the very get-go.

You are an idiot. Sorry, but someone has to say it. Ed is NOT LIVE. LIVE was Chad Taylor, Patrick Dahlheimer, Chad Gracey, and Ed Kowalczyk. It was about the 4 of them. They were at their best when it was the 4 of them. You'll never understand till you get that through you head.

[dancing queen]

when did he add amazing grace to i alone? can I youtube it? I'm curious as to how he did it. and I'm not sure I believe changing one lyric here or there changes the meaning of a song to its complete opposite. they are his lyrics, he can do what he wants, but I don't think I would if I were him. I do agree, however, that many casual fans will never notice the change.

[thefunkyredcaboose]

Way to completely fail at recognizing the parody post guys. Brilliant, really.