I don’t. I am completely driven by the music. With a few exceptions, what I like would appeal to me without lyrics involved at all. My wife says I’m missing 50% of the music. I don’t doubt that, and I can’t even rationalize it (except for the whole classical music thing, and jazz...) If the music in the song doesn’t move me, I just don’t care.
I can’t think of ‘messages’ in songs that I look for; Cat Stevens, Jackson Browne, Bob Dylan, etc., ad nauseum- I know they’re all deep and message laden, but it bounces off my brain. The music is what I hear.
I read books, so I’m not averse to the thoughts of others, and do enjoy the written word.
A post I made to the ‘What Are You Listening To Now’ thread last week, and Nick B’s response that the song I mentioned was a ballad was what prompted this topic. He was right, but again, I liked the music, and paid no heed to the lyrics. Me ballad? No way! But there it is...
Where do you stand on this admittedly unimportant topic?