Many would consider poetry and music linked, perhaps even fused together.  A stanza of poetry portrays the beauty of a relationship in a similar, but more silent, fashion than in a verse of a song.  Throughout the history of poetry, the words have been often strengthened by powerful imagery.  Ever since music’s mass production on mediums like records to the modern compact disc, imagery has become an effective tool for bands in conveying their songs’ meanings.

While iTunes can boast a cheap and efficient way of gaining and retaining one’s favorite music with the cover art, there is something to be said about purchasing the CD of your favorite bands and studying the art of their lyrical booklets.  One of my favorite booklets I have witnessed recently was a collage of notepaper with the lyrics scratched out, erased, and rewritten.  You could see lyrics that may have possibly been considered in a humble, yet creative format, giving the reader (and listener) the impression of the songwriter’s emotions and motivations.

Often times the cover art and booklet style can emit the aura of the music, further deepening the connection between the listener and the writer.  If the words are the bones, the music the muscle, the imagery would be the skin.  You hear the lyrics, you feel the melody, and the imagery helps encompass the message completely.  Design can always help accentuate purpose and reason, and this case it gives reason for spending the money to own music the way it was meant to be experienced.