Dumbing down of early music

[ArrahGoOn]

I've recently started listening to early recorded music, especially that of Dan W. Quinn, and other artists who sang comedy ragtime songs.
So most songs Ive been listening to where written prior to 1910 and I was really surprised how intelligent, well written and advanced the humour was in them for example 'Hamlet was a melancholy dame', 'Don't apologise' and 'So Whats the use'. Ive noticed that when I listen to songs after that period especially the comedy or light pop songs they seem incredibly dumbed down.
They tend to have very juvenile humour and use far fewer words especially big words. Its really shocking to me how much the music following seems to have been dumbed down so suddenly.
Its a common belief i think that popular music only have complex lyrics beggining in 1950s-60s with the arrival of people like chuck berry and bob dylan, I had never imagined this is a trend that only started around the 1910's-20s and prior music could have been so complex lyrically. Im not sure when exactly but it is a stark change from what ive heard. Musically there was alot of great stuff but by in large it was far less literate.
I have to assume that this was caused by writers trying to appeal to the greater number of people who were less educated than previous people who would have had access to this technology.
There also seems to be a trend coming out of the victorian era to simplify generally with the world of modern art, design and advertising being the obvious examples.
I havent been able to find any thing about it online and Id like to hear if other people have any views on this?

[Inigo]

Very interesting. But I suppose that, despite a general simplification trend, it may also depend on the men, the lyricists. There were good famous authors who made clever and complex lyrics, although the subjects may have been shifted to more simple things... But good poems set to music never died completely...

[An Balores]

I am not really familiar with many pre-WW1 songs, but many, though not all, popular songs of the 20's are pretty simplistic (e.g. Yes, Sir, That's My Baby! or Chick, Chick Chicken, Lay a Little Egg For Me). But in the 30's and 40's songwriting became more sophisticated, although there were a number of silly songs as well. Such trends may reflect the mood pertaining to the times.
The suggestion that "There also seems to be a trend coming out of the victorian era to simplify generally with the world of modern art, design and advertising being the obvious examples." is indeed worthy of more research. Additionally, 'dumbing down' is a complaint often heard about society in the modern era. One could make a case for believing that western civilisation passed its apex some decades ago and is now in decline, but I haven't time or space to expand on this further here!

[JerryVan]

I have to assume that this was caused by writers trying to appeal to the greater number of people who were less educated than previous people who would have had access to this technology.

I would assume so as well.

[epigramophone]

When collecting dance band records I tend to avoid those with a "vocal refrain", most of which I find to be crass and some downright irritating. In my experience, up to about 1925 the majority of dance records do not have a vocal refrain, but from then on they become ever more prevalent. For that reason my dance band collection contains comparatively few records made after 1930.

[JerryVan]

Quantity versus quality.
Plus, in the "Roaring 20's", I'm not sure that most folks were paying a lot of attention to lyrics anyway.

[Curt A]

It's not just early music...

I'm not sure that "pop" music has ever targeted an intellectual audience...
For example current pop artists/music 711 genre. Seven auto tuned words repeated eleven times? I can think of many examples from all decades that are annoying and stupid.

As far as advertising goes, you would be led to believe that people who buy insurance or wash clothes nowadays are complete morons, since the ads seem to be targeted to that group.

[Marco Gilardetti]

When collecting dance band records I tend to avoid those with a "vocal refrain", most of which I find to be crass and some downright irritating. In my experience, up to about 1925 the majority of dance records do not have a vocal refrain, but from then on they become ever more prevalent. For that reason my dance band collection contains comparatively few records made after 1930.

Funny: I do exatcly the opposite. I like to hear those elegant and educated voices coming from the past, no matter what the lyrics.

In my opinion every country has its own periods in which music gets culturally higher, and periods when music becomes mundane. Leaving operatic music aside (a totally different matter), it is quite indisputable that in Italy music peaked right before WWII, when both orchestra players and singers were highly trained and knew how to swing, and lyrics often dealt with themes that would be "modern" even by today standards: independent women pursuing their own will, electricity, futurism and city-style modern time living.

Fast forward to the '50s and all of this was gone: the swing reverted to traditional canzoni that would have sounded outdated even in the '800s, or was replaced by cheesy south american sambas, and my oh my the lyrics... forget to hear anything but sermons about getting married early and relocate to the countryside to give birth to dozens of children.

MUTATIS MUTANDIS, it's then no surprise for me to read that something similar happened also in other countries in different times.

[Marc Hildebrant]

Many early recorded songs were from the vaudeville time period. These songs were performed in public and had to be very good to keep the audience's attention.

After the vaudeville performances stopped, the new recorded music was written in a different style.

Marc

[ArrahGoOn]

Many early recorded songs were from the vaudeville time period. These songs were performed in public and had to be very good to keep the audience's attention.

After the vaudeville performances stopped, the new recorded music was written in a different style.

Marc

Great point here. I think that must be the main reason.