Lyrics & Hues
I remember riding in the car with my parents when I was younger, and if a song with NSFW lyrics played on the radio, and if my parents heard said lyrics and saw me singing along, I would reassure them I was only listening to the music and barely paid attention to the words.
Lies. All lies.
I vividly remember keeping a notebook, and in the best version of my chicken scratch with my best fine tip pens, I meticulously transcribed the lyrics to my favorite songs with the seriousness and diligence of a mission driven monk recording sacred text for posterity. Did I write that L kind of funky? Unacceptable. Rip out the page, start again.
When I bought a new cassette tape or CD, and 15 to 25 minutes later when I finally unsealed the apocalyptic proof plastic to view the liner notes, there was always a wave of disappointment to discover it was just thank you’s and credits instead of the song lyrics I desired.
This isn’t to say that I don’t love music and melodies. One of the baddest, lyric-less three minutes and 53 seconds in history is the intro to Papa Was A Rolling Stone by the Temptations.
But the perfect lyrics, whether it’s a line or two, or just a few words, can be powerful. My love for some timeless text, a memorable message, a beguiling bridge, an imaginative intro, a haunting hook, a vivid verse, or a captivating chorus is what inspired Lyrics & Hues.
Lyrics & Hues are 8x10 paintings that feature some of my favorite song lyrics artfully presented. Since I’ve already confessed that my personal penmanship mimics that of a barnyard fowl, I also prefer adhesive lettering as opposed to hand lettering.
The first five I’ve created include the Bodak Yellow hook I couldn’t purge from my brain if I tried in a mostly obvious color scheme. And a vibrant quartet of romance laced lovelies that include a heavenly declaration by Johnnyswim; an existentially inspired musing from Donny Hathaway; fanciful seasonal imagery by Xaviar Omar; and a charming confession by Zapp and Roger.
What are your favorite lines from a song (artist and song title included)? I’ll check them out, maybe add a few to my Spotify playlists, and may use my favorites for future Lyrics & Hues!
