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What's you guilty pleasure?


Scott from MA

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A message that I posted recently made me start thinking about songs that I like even though others think they are pretty lame. You know, those songs you just relate to, or that make you feel good, but you don't like to admit it because the other musicians might laugh. Now, I'm in an odd position, because most of you would think that EVERYTHING I listen to is lame, but my real guilty pleasure pleasure is "In Between Days" by the Cure. So... what's yours??

Scott

(just another cantankerous bastard)

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Hey, Scott. I can't believe this. Just yesterday I was considering starting this very same thread. Great minds think alike, I'm sure!

 

Anyway, my #1 guilty pleasures are:

Anything from West Side Story

These Boots Are Made For Walkin' (I even made up my own dance to it!!)

 

I know I have more that are worse than this, but it's Sunday, and my mind is a blank.

Anyone else??

Steve

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Okay...go ahead and laugh...

 

I like West Side Story, too...great stuff, and the fact that it's been so often covered is a testament to that fact.

 

But, my reeeeaal guilty pleasure...a song by the phenomenal songwriter Jimmy Webb...performed by one of the most-dissed (but talented) studio guitarists of all time because of his "plastic" haircut and "Golly shucks" image...

 

Wichita Lineman...wanna make something of it???

"Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine"
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Originally posted by Scott from MA:

A message that I posted recently made me start thinking about songs that I like even though others think they are pretty lame

 

I don't care what people think, which is why I'm willing to admit I have in my record collection: most all of the Carpenters recordings, Smiths, k.d. lang, ELO, Kraftwerk, Gary Numan, Enya, Frampton, Vangelis.. probably some other non-cool unhip stuff, but "oh well". No country or John Tesh, though....

 

http://www.mp3.com/chipmcdonald

Guitar Lessons in Augusta Georgia: www.chipmcdonald.com

Eccentric blog: https://chipmcdonaldblog.blogspot.com/

 

/ "big ass windbag" - Bruce Swedien

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I love Wichita Lineman (and Galveston and By the time I get to Phoenix)! Met Jimmy Webb last year on the road. What a great guy he is.

 

I also love most of WestSide Story.

 

I also love Burt Bacharach's music.

 

I also love much of The Carpenters.

 

'Cept I don't feel guilty about it at all. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif

 

Ian

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I like Burt Bacharach...speaking of which, the great thing about the last Austin Powers movie...

 

Most movies that hint of a retrospective of the 60s use a lot of stuff like Hendrix, etc. Well, while that certainly was going on, in reality, there was much more exposure to stuff like Burt Bacharach. I thought "The Spy Who Shagged Me" portrayed that rather well.

 

k.d. lang has one of the best voices around. I love her stuff.

"Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine"
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I am not believing this. I would have NEVER guessed you guys liked The Carpenters. I thought I would be the only sap on this board who would admit that... and who has bought recordings of theirs.

 

I remember the first time I heard Karen Carpenter. I was at a lake near my hometown... hanging out... it was probably 1970 and "Close To You" came on the radio. Even though I was into rocknroll, I remember thinking that this girl's voice was really special. I read recently where they have sold 100 million records!

 

Guilty pleasure... country music. If I gotta name one that would surprise some, it's gotta be George Jones. Something about this guy intrigues me. His pitch is perfect. His voice is haunting on ballads. Some of his ballads are downright beautifully arranged. He's really grown on me.

 

------------------

Duke

> > > [ Live! ] < < <

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I don't think country is a "guilty" pleasure... there's lots of country music that is genuinely great. Lots that sucks, too, but that goes without saying in every genre.

 

As for my "guilty pleasure", I like Hanson. A lot. And I don't feel guilty! They are seriously talented, know how to play, sing great, know how to write a great pop song and they put on a great live show too! AND they're cute! Can't beat that combination!

 

Sheesh, they are better than the Carpenters any day. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

 

--Lee

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Originally posted by LiveMusic:

 

Guilty pleasure... country music. If I gotta name one that would surprise some, it's gotta be George Jones. Something about this guy intrigues me. His pitch is perfect. His voice is haunting on ballads. Some of his ballads are downright beautifully arranged. He's really grown on me.

 

See the girl at the table

Sippin' on wine

Would you believe

That once she was mine...

 

(sob, sob - I just spilled a tear in my beer...)

 

Ian

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Okay, Ian...

 

Actually, easy listening is a bit of a "guilty but not really guilty" thing for me...I like a lot of it. I grew up during the 60s, but, those were the days when AM (FM stations were all "beautiful music") played mainly "easy listening", and a great cross representation of styles.

 

So, here goes...kind of impromptu...but...in no particular order:

 

1. Glen Campbell...Wichita Lineman

2. Brook Benton...Rainy Night in Georgia (this also qualifies as one of my fave rave blues tunes)

3. Ray Charles...Georgia on My Mind (see number two...same reason...even if it was written by a white guy)

4. Judy Collins (Joni Mitchell)...Both Sides Now...Joni and Judy...say no more...

5. Anything by Sergio Mendez (I loved Bossa...and those girls always sounded SO-OOO sexy)

6. Anything by the Dionne Warwick/Burt Bacharach collaboration

7. Bobbie Gentry...Ode to Billy Joe...the strings always sounded so spooky...

8. The Association...Never My Love...ahhhh...harmony!

9. The Vogues..."My Special Angel"...listen to the BIG production. BIG vocals...BIG strings...they couldn't (some will say they shouldn't) make a record like this nowadays if they TRIED. They used to do it all the time.

10. Floyd Cramer..."Last Date". A classic in understatement...certainly, if nearly everyone over 40 made a soundtrack to their life...this song would have to be in it somewhere.

 

Oh yeah, put Mason Williams "Classical Gas" wayyyy up toward the top of the list...

 

And that's the gist of it, y'know. I mean, we can lie to ourselves and say we only like "cool stuff"...but, in reality...each person has been shaped by the music that was the soundtrack to their lives. Certainly a lot of Zep, Beatles, Stones, Hendrix, what have you...but you can't avoid everything you hear.

 

So there...Tedster's easy listening big 11...or so...

"Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine"
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BTW...My first "real" concert was...ah, uh, ahem...er...

 

The Carpenters.

 

But I saw Foghat not long after... http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif (Why does that sound like Clinton's "But I didn't inhale")....

 

No, it was a great show!

 

And Lee, it's really okay to like Hanson. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif I think they've got a lot of talent...and they're starting to move away from the bubblegummy stuff.

"Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine"
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Ted, "You Are My Special Angel" by The Vogues is one of my all time faves. Mickey Gilley's version is good but The Vogues' is incredible. This song is on the setlist I'm working up. I think it's just downright beautiful.

> > > [ Live! ] < < <

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Originally posted by Tedster:

8. The Association...Never My Love...ahhhh...harmony!

 

Ohhhh... I forgot about that one. You just can't help but sing along.

 

My wife reminded me of another sappy song that I can't resist... Modern English's "I Melt with You". I'll even break into it once in a while when I'm fooling with the acoustic.

Scott

(just another cantankerous bastard)

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Originally posted by Tedster:

 

So there...Tedster's easy listening big 11...or so..[/b]

 

Hard to argue with much of that list Tedster...

 

FWIW, Here's mine...

 

(1) Most anything by Bacharach/David

(2) Goodbye to Love - The Carpenters (great song, great harmonies, great vocals plus Tony Peluso. 'Nuff said.

(3) Any Cole Porter

(4) Any Rogers and Hart

(5) When I Fall In Love - Nat King Cole

(6) Most Jerome Kern

(7) Take Five - Dave Brubeck

(8) Wichita Lineman - Jimmy Webb (preferably Glen Campbell version. That reverby six-string bass intro, followed by the minor third leap in the strings - ahh... wonderful)

(9) Stardust - Hoagy Carmichael

(10) Just the Way You Are - Billy Joel

 

There are, of course, many more... http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

 

Why would any thinking person regard it is "cool" to like Led Zepplin and "uncool" to like The Carpenters? Peer pressure?

 

Cogita Tute - Think for yourself

 

Ian

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>>Why would any thinking person regard it is "cool" to like Led Zepplin and "uncool" to like The Carpenters? Peer pressure?

 

Precisely! We're big bad rock 'n rollers, y'know...liking easy listening is like finding out Hulk Hogan likes to dabble in making homemade preserves...HAHAHAHAHAHA...

 

I agree, think for yourself.

 

I think some of this comes from not only peer pressure from other musicians, but also those of us who gig...pressure...let me restate that...PERCEIVED pressure from the "audience" to be "cool". But what the hell do they know? They all request the same stupid Skynrd songs over and over http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gifhttp://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gifhttp://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

"Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine"
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LOL Ted... I don't really care what anyone thinks of my taste. When I was a teenager it was the "coolest" thing for everyone to like Van Halen and Rush, and I didn't. Hell, I even went to John Denver concerts when I was like 13. Talk about peer pressure! That was considered the HEIGHT of uncool!

 

However I STILL thought the Carpenters sucked. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

 

--Lee

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Yeah, I listened to some Seals and Crofts when I was big into the acoustic thing, back when bands like them, America, Dan Fogelberg, etc...were happening big time.

 

And yep, Khan...Sinatra was good. Especially his earlier recordings from the forties. Such a smooth voice.

 

I've gotta admit, for dancing up close with a member of the opposite sex, put on Diana Krall's "Midnight Sun"...ahhh...perfect...

"Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine"
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Originally posted by Lee Flier:

I even went to John Denver concerts when I was like 13.

 

Hey... I always liked John Denver. My mother had all his albums. She would put them on and I would sit in the livingroom with my guitar and figure out the songs.

Scott

(just another cantankerous bastard)

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I think my mind has been downloaded to this forum! http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/eek.gif

 

One of the songs I couldn't remember was...WICHITA LINEMAN!!!

I've even done my own version of the amazing tune. Still working on it actually. So far I'm up to 4 guitar parts, one is exclusively E-Bow.

 

Anyway, no way I was going to mention my love affair w/the Carpenters!

 

Steve

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EXTRA, EXTRA, READ ALL ABOUT IT...

 

GUITAR PLAYERS ALL OVER HAVE SECRET LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE CARPENTERS...

 

Yup, I think Tony Peluso is a great player.

 

I think "For all we know" was one of my Carpenter's fave-raves.

 

If Karen is reading this from on high she's laughing her knickers off...

"Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine"
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Seals and Crofts? Absolutely. I fancy myself a pretty good vocal arranger, and aside from the Beach Boys, S+C were an act I've studied in the past.

Another one? How about Little River Band? Just listened to the greatest hits yesterday. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif

 

Always studying...

 

Steve

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Cool change kicks butt.

 

One of my favorite LRB songs is their Christmas number...a fantastic version of the calypso "Mary's Boy Child".

 

So, you're into vocals too, huh? http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif And, I take it from your handle, that from time to time you sling a Rick. What model? I've got a red (what does Rick call that, Fireglo?) 360-12.

"Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine"
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guilty pleasure? besides chocking the proverbial chicken? hmmm....i dunno i love all this stuff but its not a secret:

 

"don't pull your love" hamilton, joe frank and reynolds

"mmmmbop" hanson

"heartbeat it's a love beat" defranco family

"love grows where my rosemary goes" edison lighthouse

"lazy river" osmonds brothers

"indian giver" ohio express

that stupid new white budweiser jingle with "tony making pizza and marie in a skirt"

the now defunct NYC r&s strauss auto parts store jingle "we care for your car at R&S strauss...."

most any bachrach tune that dionne warwick sang "do you know the way to san jose..."

lots of rage against the machine

"boogie fever" the sylvers

the old hee haw show

70's blaxsploitation film music as well as 80's porn film music i.e. "new wave hookers"

fleetwood mac's "rumors"

"mambo #5"

"dolly parton"

hair bands--poison, motley crue, etc i.e. bubblegum on 11

carol king pop tunes

tom fucking jones! (big jim sullivan his guitar player rocked! he was jimmy page and ritchie blackmore's guitar teacher btw) "it's not unusual..."

 

-d. gauss

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Originally posted by LiveMusic:

I remember the first time I heard Karen Carpenter. I was at a lake near my hometown... hanging out... it was probably 1970 and "Close To You" came on the radio.

 

I suppose it doesn't really count since it's penned by Bacharach, but I can say I got my start in the business playing that Carpenters song....

 

I was I think 6 (whatever first grade is) and that song was always being played on the radio, I had the 8 track (!)(I remember going to Sky City with my parents right before they closed to by that tape; I remember seeing the poster advertising it taped to the outside of the store... weird how you remember things from long ago)...

 

ANYHOW

 

I was taking piano lessons. I was *supposed* to be playing "Mary Had a Little Lamb" and all the other nursery hits, but I wouldn't have that... figured out the opening melody/chords - the first verse, and decided to play that instead of "The Calliope" or some inane thing I was supposed to play at my first recital...

 

The other parents didn't like that at all. Half complained that it wasn't right that I was playing something "adult", and the other half complained I didn't play the whole thing, and that wasn't right/fair to the other children, and it was a big ruckus...

 

I remember thinking "what's the BIG deal? Why can't I play a Carpenter's song instead of these stupid single note melody things? Why are they mad at me?"

 

I think that was the beginning of my disassociation with understanding society in general.

 

All because of the Carpenters.

 

Go to the following link and read a near dissertation I once wrote titled:

 

Carpenters: More Gothic than Nine Inch Nails

 

http://www.epinions.com/musc-review-751-31BA3369-39AA3DB0-prod5

 

 

http://www.mp3.com/chipmcdonald

Guitar Lessons in Augusta Georgia: www.chipmcdonald.com

Eccentric blog: https://chipmcdonaldblog.blogspot.com/

 

/ "big ass windbag" - Bruce Swedien

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