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‘You can't just say “words”’: literature and nonsense in the work of Robert Wyatt
chapter
posted on 2023-06-08, 19:13 authored by Richard ElliottThroughout his musical career, British musician Robert Wyatt has explored the interaction of words, language, sound and sense. His lyrical and musical delivery, by turns absurdist, infantile, angry and melancholic, deconstructs everyday phrases and invites listeners to question the borders of sense and nonsense. This chapter examines connections between Wyatt’s work and a range of literary voices, particularly those associated with nursery rhyme, nonsense verse and absurdism. A further aim is to explore the role of sense and nonsense in popular music. If one of the ways in which music differs from literature is through its ability to communicate without words, can there be a relationship between sense and nonsense in musical language that correlates with that found in literature? In what ways can musical language be said to make or not make sense? Exposure to Wyatt’s work emphasises the extent to which, as a musician, he has made use of words and vocables, even as he has occasionally distanced himself from the importance of lyrics in his music. By focussing on the literary-textual nature of Wyatt’s work, the text highlights the different demands and expectations placed on the ‘popular’ and the ‘literary’.
History
Publication status
- Published
Publisher
AshgatePage range
49-62Book title
Litpop: writing and popular musicPlace of publication
FarnhamISBN
9781472410979Department affiliated with
- Music Publications
Full text available
- Yes
Peer reviewed?
- Yes
Legacy Posted Date
2014-12-04Usage metrics
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