My main research question was: In what way can changing language in my lyrics affect its text, meaning and delivery? I attempted to answer this by writing four songs (two in English and two in Norwegian) and rewriting the English version to Norwegian and vice versa. My study shows that the text and meaning have been greatly affected by changing the language of the songs, with both positive and negative effects.
A positive effect observed from rewriting was the new lyrics allowing deeper and new meanings to form, offering the listener new and more favourable interpretations of the song. This is highlighted in the reflection section of the thesis, where (responder 2) and (responder 4) commented on their perception and preferred version of “Speed Plug”.
A negative effect was that, at times, the change in language was perceived as forced or ingenuine. This is shown in the reflection where (responder 1) comments on “Guitar Jerk” noting that the song felt translated. However, this may stem from the form and structure of the original song. I found that songs like “Speed Plug”, with looser lyrics and space to breathe, allowed for easier rewriting and provided more room for creative work arounds.
The delivery did not appear to change significantly with language. Only in one song, “Speed Plug”, presented to the responders, did they report a noticeable difference in delivery. They experience the spoken tone in the song as conveying a more genuine and intimate feeling when rapped in Norwegian. This can be seen in the reflection when (responder 4) comments on the delivery of “Speed Plug”. However, for the three other songs, only negligible differences in delivery was observed. I believe this may come from my artistic intent to deliver virtually the same song, not wanting to change it too much, as doing so might result in it feeling like a completely different song.
It should also be noted that most of the responders had a deeper understanding of Norwegian compared to English. Since spoken tone is what one relates to most often in everyday life, they might have associated this tone as more intimate when performed in Norwegian.
Through my study I have found that I utilise tacit knowledge, as explained by Polanyi, during the initial creation of a song, focusing less on lyricism, and more on delivery and sound when attempting to generate a flow. Using delivery as the building blocks for the flow my lyrics inhabit. This creative process aligns within my understanding of flow, where delivery is a defining part of flow, rather than the other way around.
To summarise, both text and meaning was seen to change considerably when rewritten into another language, yet the same delivery was found in both version of the songs.
If I were to conduct this study again, I think there are several things that could be done differently to gain more insight and knowledge into the research question of this thesis. For example, critical response process (CRP) is intended to be used as a tool for development, whereas in my research, it was used as a method of getting a wider perspective on the songs presented. It could be valuable to continue working on the songs presented, with the inspiring feedback received provided by the responders in mind. Further development of the songs could result new insights regarding the effects of changing languages.
In the study, I had to assume both the role of the artist and the facilitator during the CRP process. If there had been a separate facilitator with an in-depth understanding of the issue, the CRP process could have been more thorough.
Additionally, I had access to only a few responders with the necessary knowledge and understanding of both the genre and languages involved. Thus, I only had three responders, and a larger pool of responders could potentially affect the findings. Also involving designated English and Norwegian speakers could provide valuable insights on how songs are perceived. Most of the responders I worked with had a decent understanding for both Norwegian and English.
When working with lyrics and rhymes, I typically write in a linear fashion, establishing an end rhyme early in the process and basing the subsequent lines on that. However, it would be interesting to work on lyrics more in-depth, testing different ending rhymes, creating several versions of one rewritten song, to find out how this changed the perception of the songs, seeing what works best and what doesn't.
During my study, I encountered a significant amount of research and terminology discussing the rhythmical and rhyming aspects of rapping and flow. However, I found it difficult to locate studies that attempted to define aspect beyond rhythm and rhyme that contribute to flow. To address this gap, I turned to studies on popular music, and their vocal techniques. These studies, however, do not discuss flow, as it is not commonly used in the context of pop music. I believe this is an overlooked area within the field of flow, particularly relevant when examining contemporary rap music. It could be valuable to develop terminology that defines aspects of flow outside of rhythm and rhyme, an area that has already been extensively discussed.