Issue of Lyrics in songs that are in other languages

kaji2015 · Post by **kaji2015** » Fri Jul 11, 2003 6:24 am

Does the average AMV view pay attention to the lyrics of a song if it's in another language? For Example a Japanese song that's just really catchy yet it has nothing to do with the video. Or a Rock song which just sounds awesome yet it could be talking about fluffy bears while going to an animation about a Mafia Hit Squad? Well, those who don't understand didn't know it was about fluffy bears, would it make a difference?

SarahtheBoring · Post by **SarahtheBoring** » Fri Jul 11, 2003 7:06 am

I'd have to say...how could they pay attention if they don't know the language? They hear them, but they can't comprehend it so... it's... kind of a moot point, isn't it?

I've looked up translations of songs in AMVs, though.

AquaSky · Post by **AquaSky** » Fri Jul 11, 2003 7:10 am

Some like to use songs in other language in order to justify forgoing the lyric-matching process. I've seen more than one, "I was tired of finding scenes to fit lyrics so I picked a song in Japanese" in video descriptions. To someone who doesn't know the translation of the lyrics, it probably wouldn't matter. However, there are those who are fluent in or can understand quite a bit of Japanese (or whatever other language the song is in). To them, I suppose it would make a difference. I guess it just depends on who your audience is.

Ashyukun · Post by **Ashyukun** » Fri Jul 11, 2003 7:32 am

There are a number of cases where videos have been made to songs with non-English lyrics that most people don't understand but that work fairly well. In most cases, I'd say I'm in agreement with Sarah- the 'Average' AMV viewer who doesn't know the language isn't going to pay as much attention to the actual lyrics of the song if they're not given a translation. This is why the several Vampire themed videos made to "Mitternacht" ( http://www.animemusicvideos.org/members ... php?v=6360 ,http://www.animemusicvideos.org/members ... hp?v=16764)work so well- the tone of the song and the lyrics just lend themselves to the genre (not to mention the lyrics actually work fairly well too, from what I can translate). Vic's "Shining Collection" is another good example- most people have no idea what the lyrics are, but the tone of the footage matches up with the tone of the song and the lyrics.

Castor Troy · Post by **Castor Troy** » Fri Jul 11, 2003 10:27 am

What they said.

post-it · Post by **post-it** » Fri Jul 11, 2003 11:47 am

of my 63 AMV's which I've made, I do not consider language to be the issue.

on one of my video's, I had the band from Love Hina on stage - joined by Wedding Peach, while they were doing the opening to Ah My Goddess -LIVE- and for the 2nd of the 3 sections of that song ( in japanese ) you could see the Opening sequence to the OVA's in the back ground while Urda was helping Daisy get the MAIN girl from Ah My Goddess to come on stage and sing ^^

the language being used and making everything seem like a -live- concert had absolutely nothing to do - with the video!

the only thing that I would caution against is:
1) don't make your AMV's too believable.
( this AMV was pulled from another server for, "You Have Created A Video Which Seems TOO REAL And Does Not Have The Original Series In Factual Perspective . . . " )
2) just be aware of what the song is about - if it is not in a language that you understand.
( this could lead to a Love Scene - to the music of Pink Floyd's The Wall T_T )

dwchang · Post by **dwchang** » Fri Jul 11, 2003 11:57 am

Ashyukun wrote:There are a number of cases where videos have been made to songs with non-English lyrics that most people don't understand but that work fairly well. In most cases, I'd say I'm in agreement with Sarah- the 'Average' AMV viewer who doesn't know the language isn't going to pay as much attention to the actual lyrics of the song if they're not given a translation. This is why the several Vampire themed videos made to "Mitternacht" ( http://www.animemusicvideos.org/members ... php?v=6360 ,http://www.animemusicvideos.org/members ... hp?v=16764)work so well- the tone of the song and the lyrics just lend themselves to the genre (not to mention the lyrics actually work fairly well too, from what I can translate). Vic's "Shining Collection" is another good example- most people have no idea what the lyrics are, but the tone of the footage matches up with the tone of the song and the lyrics.

No love for mine

...j/k

I have a video "Evolution" that is done to a Japanese song (Evolution by Ayumi Hamasaki) and people seem to like it although it has absolutely nothing to do with the lyrics. As many have brought up, most people won't understand the lyrics and will look at the timings and flow of the video instead.

Hopefully the videos listed (and my own

) will help illustrate that. So...do it!

OmniStrata · Post by **OmniStrata** » Fri Jul 11, 2003 12:12 pm

dwchang wrote: No love for mine ...j/k

I have a video "Evolution" that is done to a Japanese song (Evolution by Ayumi Hamasaki) and people seem to like it although it has absolutely nothing to do with the lyrics. As many have brought up, most people won't understand the lyrics and will look at the timings and flow of the video instead.

Hopefully the videos listed (and my own ) will help illustrate that. So...do it!

THAT VID R0X0RS!!! ^_^

dwchang · Post by **dwchang** » Fri Jul 11, 2003 12:18 pm

OmniStrata wrote:
dwchang wrote: No love for mine ...j/k

I have a video "Evolution" that is done to a Japanese song (Evolution by Ayumi Hamasaki) and people seem to like it although it has absolutely nothing to do with the lyrics. As many have brought up, most people won't understand the lyrics and will look at the timings and flow of the video instead.

Hopefully the videos listed (and my own ) will help illustrate that. So...do it!
THAT VID R0X0RS!!! ^_^

Thanks! I might also add that Omni's new video is in Japanese and works really well.

temaranight · Post by **temaranight** » Fri Jul 11, 2003 12:21 pm

Tainted Donuts..The video is so much fun..who cares what the lyrics really are 8)

Nightowl put the translation in his TriEngel vid much like the subtitles would be and IMHO it made the vid even better, mainly because he worked the vid around the lyrics..matching them instead of dodging them.

Overall..I'd say agree with whats been said..as long as the tone and timing and such go with the footage..forgien lyrics shouldn't be a problem.