Songs that suck

[Bobro]

Originally posted by Llarion:

For me, music is a way to bring beauty into my life, so Manilow and The Carpenters represent that portion. (Like him or hate him, one cannot deny that Manilow has written many landmark songs, though he did lock himself into a genre pit. But, if you're a jazz person, check out 2:00 Paradise Cafe with Sarah Vaughan, Mel Torme, Shelley Mann, Gerry Mulligan and other Jazz greats, might change your perspective on Manilow...)

 

Well I agree with you about Barry Manilow- I've always thought he was a fine musician, doing his thing his way. Whatever you may say- he's Barry Manilow, and has no shame about it. I like Neil Diamond, too.

 

Beauty is different things to different people, though- beauty in "popular" music I find in Hendrix, Joy Division, David Bowie, Roxy Music, Kate Bush, Sinead O'Conner, and Funkadelic for example.

 

I can't think of one "genre" I catagorically dislike. I might saw New Age ( http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif ) but that covers way too much territory, from Andreas Wollenwieder to that synth guy Ray-something (nice stuff) to...all kinds of stuff. I could say Muzak, but once when I was working an extrodinarily shitty job a Muzak version of a Paula Abdul song rolled by on the kart, with some mighty clever orchestration, and I laughed my ass off- it was a good thing.

 

Even if a tune is an exception... it's all about the exceptions anyway.

 

It is now officially one whole year since I've listened to the radio, except by default in stores or restaurents, coming from a couple of years of involuntary non-stop radio (working as speaker on radio), and I am very happy about that. But here's a psychedelic thought- I only remember the few tunes I did like, such as Macy Gray, some Eno-produced tune (James?), and a couple of big hits, "Try Again" I think was the title of one. Late-late nites some of guys would dial up some nice newer tunes- Portishead, Lamb, Aphex Twin, and that stuff is quite good IMO.

 

Songs That Suck? Hmmm...the wierd thing is that the songs I find most egregiously suckalicious seem to always come from musicians who've made some truly all-time-great songs, so I'll out of respect for the positive I'll not mention the negative.

 

-CB

[Mark Zeger]

With so many correct calls on your list, it's hard to fault one entry, but it's a big fault:

 

Originally posted by Llarion:

That said, I hereby submit my "vomit karaoke" list:

Help Me, Rhonda

 

No, it's not "Good Vibrations", "The Warmth of the Sun", "Don't Worry Baby", "Caroline No", etc., but Brian Wilson's hits are enshrined in the pantheon of pop music. And "Help Me Rhonda" is a part of that legacy.

 

As for Manilow, I am a "jazz person" and the "2am Paradise Cafe" record has about as much to do with jazz as Kenny G. That record would play daily in the record store I worked in 1984. I credit Manilow as a writer of well crafted pop songs and an energetic performer with an admirable following. However, "2am Paradise Cafe" was a feeble attempt to mine a "critics' darling" genre in the hopes of reviving a career. Well, it worked for Linda Ronstadt...

[Botch.]

Llarion, it looks like your record collection and mine are identical, with two exceptions (you included Barry Manilow and excluded Seal); plus you are correct in starting to think Steely Dan's Aja is the best album ever recorded; it is. For an outstanding demonstration of Barry Manilow's worn-out "formula", check out Ray Steven's "I need your help, Barry Manilow" A real scream!

[SFOracle]

...

Opera.

 

Have you ever actually been to an opera? Opera is more than just a musical genre, it is a multimedia experience. It is hard to judge opera music by just listening to a CD, you have to be there to really appreciate it. However some arias are extravagently beautiful, and listenable in their own right.

 

Also opera covers such a broad variety of musical styles and periods. Sample a variety from the light and frivolous The Magic Flute (Die Zauberfloete) by Mozart or even more frivolous Die Fledermaus (The Bat), by Johann Strauss II, to the dark and brooding Peter Grimes by Ben Britten which is also very musically complex (one piece features a 3 part round in 7/4 time). Mozart's Don Giovanni is a probably a good place to start if you want to appreciate opera.

 

Don.

[Llarion]

Originally posted by botch@netutah.net:

Llarion, it looks like your record collection and mine are identical, with two exceptions (you included Barry Manilow and excluded Seal); plus you are correct in starting to think Steely Dan's Aja is the best album ever recorded; it is. For an outstanding demonstration of Barry Manilow's worn-out "formula", check out Ray Steven's "I need your help, Barry Manilow" A real scream!

 

Oh, man, I LOVE that, it's perhaps the best single musical parody EVER, even better than the master, Weird Al! I was so happy when I found Ray Stevens Greatest Hits II on CD!

 

We're not that far apart, I like Seal too. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif

 

As to Help Me, Rhonda.. I do LOVE the Beach Boys and recognize the pure genius that is Brian Wilson. However, "Rhonda" is more repetitive than post-Beatles McCartney, and has the same grating wedged-in-your-brain familiarity as "It's A Small World". At least to me.

 

Oh, and yes, I've been to operas-a-plenty. My parents-in-law both sing in the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay, so I'm fairly overexposed to the genre. I've seen La Boheme and Carmen and countless others... Wailing sopranos with vibratos deeper than Stephen Hawking discussing quantum physics with Martha Stewart generally make my skin crawl. I can appreciate the talent and everything, it's just not my bag, baby!

 

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Cheers!

 

Phil "Llarion: The Jazzinator" Traynor

www.mp3.com/llarion

Smooth Jazz