有个哲学家说：生活的本质是无奈的，文艺作品让人对现实世界产生幻觉，幻觉之后是更彻底的无奈和悲哀。这句话听起来有一定的道理。可是文艺作品也不全是空中楼阁，也有很写实的，幻觉也不是完全没有价值，有时候很鼓舞人心。电影《MUSIC AND LYRICS》就是一个很鼓舞人心的喜剧。

ALEX（休-格兰特）是一个过气的流行歌手。开始看这个电影的时候都想让人笑，现在的休- 格兰特本身就有一副老气样，被看惯了的笑脸上长了皱纹，古铜色的肤色显示的历史多于英俊潇洒。他来演这个角色是恰如其分，是不是量身定做就不得而知了。ALEX对现实坦然接受，几乎没有了朝气。他去游乐园去唱歌，虽然仍受欢迎，但是台上的热情洋溢和台下的无奈以及偶尔的抱怨让人笑中体会到一种辛酸。

他接到一个几天内给当红女星CORA写首歌的任务招标，可是自己又不会作词，恰好碰见了一个英语文学毕业的来他家浇花的女临时工DREW 。ALEX病急乱投医投的也是很巧，DREW经常来几句好词。 DREW曾经经历失败的爱情，信心倍受打击。他们两个处于低潮的人通宵达旦地合作，不停地讨论争论。关于曲和词的关系，ALEX认为他会的曲是更重要的，而DREW 认为词是歌曲的SOUL。很多曲子没有词比如贝多芬的交响乐，或者人们忘了词，会长久地留在人们的记忆中，但显然有些词是歌的灵魂，比音乐更精确，直接，是画龙点睛。影片中DREW以为ALEX把她的名字从他们合作的歌曲中去掉了，正准备伤心离开时，却发现 ALEX是自己创作了一首献给DREW的歌。DREW突然转身，背景是大片的观众，特写是灯光照在她的脸，听着歌词：

It's never been easy for me
To find words to go along with a melody,
but this time there's actually something on my mind,
So please forgive these few brief awkward lines.
…
I was living in the past,
but somehow you've brought me back

听到这里，她突然意识到ALEX对自己是多么真情，感动得流出了眼泪。

所以词曲哪个重要的争论没有绝对的答案和对错。但这个争论不免让人联想。对一手好听的歌来说，旋律就象人的外表，歌词就象人的心灵。好听的旋律可以一下子引起人的注意，可是如果配上很差的歌词，这首歌不久就会被人忘掉，好听的曲子单独流传的时间甚至可能会长一些。反过来说，再美的歌词如果旋律不优美，似乎也难让人喜欢。人到底还是欣赏内在和外在都美的东西。

两个人，一个失去了光环勉强生存的歌手，一个模模糊糊自信心几乎为零的零工 ，在互相理解和帮助中，创造出了令人感动的Melody and Lyrics，和在一起是一首美丽的男女声二重唱。DREW发现了自己都不知道的天赋， ALEX的灵感和感染力功不可没。
当他们这首《WAY BACK INTO LOVE》闪亮登场时，一种从低谷中爬起来的激动油然而生。

I've been living with a shadow overhead
I've been sleeping with a cloud above my bed
I've been lonely for so long
Trapped in the past, I just can't seem to move on
 
I've been hiding all my hopes and dreams away
Just in case I ever need them again someday
I've been setting aside time
To clear a little space in the corners of my mind
 
All I wanna do is find a way back into love
I can't make it through without a way back into love
Oh oh oh
 
I've been watching but the stars refuse to shine
I've been searching but I just don't see the signs
I know that it's out there
There's gotta be something for my soul somewhere
 
I've been looking for someone to shed some light
Not somebody just to get me through the night
I could use some direction
And I'm open to your suggestions
 
All I wanna do is find a way back into love
I can't make it through without a way back into love
And if I open my heart again
I guess I'm hoping you'll be there for me in the end
 
There are moments when I don't know if it's real
Or if anybody feels the way I feel
I need inspiration
Not just another negotiation
 
All I wanna do is find a way back into love
I can't make it through without a way back into love
And if I open my heart to you
I'm hoping you'll show me what to do
And if you help me to start again
You know that I'll be there for you in the end

文学不止是风花雪月，有时是黑暗中的曙光，是窒息烟雾中的清新空气.