Shug Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I like good lyrics, but they're certainly not essential. If some mundane lyrics are combined with music that conveys an emotion or feeling, then that's fine. Here's a great clip of Steve Allen poking fun of rock and roll lyrics: They are ridiculous lyrics, but it's a great song. Would that song be enhanced by lyrics from Bob Dylan, Lou Reed, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, or, say, Robert Frost? No. A song is a whole. If it moves me, it moves me. Some lyrics are worth analyzing, but mostly not.Good point, I agree. I mean if we judged rock music just on lyrics then most of the pre-Bob Dylan - 50s- early 60s rock would be considered poor quality. "Be bop a lula, she's my baby, be bop a lula I don't mean maybe" Most rock lyrics are not poetry and aren't that impressive when isolated from the music, I think. Rock songs are good when the lyrics AND the music combine to set a mood or convey a compelling message or whatever. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Hey, me too. 1990, right? I remember it because I hated him.I think it was 90, maybe 91. I'd probably hate JWH these days. Well, hate is too strong a word. Definitely not my thing, but he seemed pretty funny that night. All the recordings I've heard from him (admittedly few) seem like run of the mill earnest singer/songwriter stuff, but his live set was more like musical comedy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Doctor B Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Queen has always been crap..... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NoJ Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Tenacious D is saving rock n roll. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
i'm only sleeping Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Queen has always been crap.....This should nor be in a blasphemy thread but in one about Absolute Truths Quote Link to post Share on other sites
theashtraysays Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Queen has always been crap.....Funny you should mention that. It's not true, btw. One of the things I've enjoyed about Spotify lately is that I can download stuff to an iPod touch and listen to it offline in the car. And one of the things I've been binging on is old Queen. I was a huge fan of theirs in high school, but have since sold all my 8-tracks I had of theirs...So I've grabbed all their back catalog (up to about Jazz) from Spotify and have been listening to it a lot lately. It's been a great re-discovery and trip down memory lane. Both new and familiar at the same time. The thing that has surprised me the most is how much prog I hear in their early stuff. It's a different "sound" than I remember hearing, but 30-some odd years probably has something to do with that. So, yeah, that's an "A" for following the thread instructions, but it's pretty much blasphemy in my book. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I think it was 90, maybe 91. I'd probably hate JWH these days. Well, hate is too strong a word. Definitely not my thing, but he seemed pretty funny that night. All the recordings I've heard from him (admittedly few) seem like run of the mill earnest singer/songwriter stuff, but his live set was more like musical comedy. Yeah, hate just worked as a punchline for me there. I did dislike him a lot though. I remember he was doing a cynical song that included mention of a Beatles reunion tour and he stopped after the line and said something along the lines of "Mark my words, it WILL happen. With Julian or someone." And I did mark his words. Haha. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Yeah, hate just worked as a punchline for me there. I did dislike him a lot though. I remember he was doing a cynical song that included mention of a Beatles reunion tour and he stopped after the line and said something along the lines of "Mark my words, it WILL happen. With Julian or someone." And I did mark his words. Haha. I remember him saying some things along those lines. It's been so long that I don't remember specifics, but he made some boasts that were so ridiculous they were entertaining. To me, at least. It was almost like watching a movie with a character that is such an ass that they're likable, and once the movie is over you never have to or want to see, hear, or think about them again. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 This is quite the unlikely conversation, isn't it? Talking about a folksinger's opening act for a somewhat well-known indie band who was past their prime (all due respect to the VF) at the time, 20 plus years ago. Ah, the internet. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ghost of Electricity Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 i used to play JWH when I dj'ed at the college radio station back in the day. When you started talking about him I thought about youtubing him for 15 or 20 seconds. Then I proceeded with my life. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 This is quite the unlikely conversation, isn't it? Talking about a folksinger's opening act for a somewhat well-known indie band who was past their prime (all due respect to the VF) at the time, 20 plus years ago. Ah, the internet.Well, it's either that, or the other hot topic of the day: Gergg Allman narcing on his drug dealer 30-some years ago. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tinnitus photography Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 I would rather listen to Aerosmith than Slayer. Why is a connection necessary? I'd also rather listen to Sesame Street Fever than any opera.I'd rather enjoy sexual congress with Kate Upton than be imprisoned in a Mexican jail Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 I'd rather enjoy sexual congress with Kate Upton than be imprisoned in a Mexican jailBlasphemer! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John Smith Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 I'd rather enjoy sexual congress with Kate Upton than be imprisoned in a Mexican jailThat would be one congress with positive approval ratings. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Atticus Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 tinnitus satisfies? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IRememberDBoon Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 Gregg a narc? Go on please! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 I have an idea so crazy it just might work - check out the thread directly below this one, titled "The Allman Brothers Band", for more information. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 have y'all read David Byrne's book How Music Works? It has some really great stuff on these topicsCan you summarize what he says?LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Atticus Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 He has several discussions about the chronology of sampling, laws and instances relating to same and collaborations; what parts of a musical work are actually copyrighted (top line and lyrics). Byrne's book is a must-read (in my opinion) for any musician or person passionate about music. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 So what is his opinion on collaborations? This book seems mildly interesting, but not going to get around to reading (or listening to) it for awhile. Does he address the type of situation we were discussing earlier?? LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Atticus Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 I was hoping to quickly thumb through and find it but couldn't--there was a section where he mentioned a drum riff from a James Brown tune and a dispute between the drummer and Brown's camp on who really had the rights when it was sampled later. I'll try and find it later. There is a lot of interesting stuff in Byrne's book. I have thoroughly enjoyed it. everything from how the medium on which music has been recorded has affected what music is made, to chronology of musical technology, to chronology of intellectual property and recording issues. All kinds of good stuff. There is some stuff in there about the Talking Heads and his own music, but a lot of it is just broad, researched knowledge on all things musical. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gogo Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Not musical blasphemy, but semi-related to the above: http://dangerousminds.net/comments/sting_puff_daddy_andy_summers_and_the_case_of_the_misplaced_bajillion_dolla (long story short: Sting still makes $700,000+ per year from Every Breath You Take and I'll Be Missing You, and a quarter of all the money he's ever earned comes from those songs. He was the sole songwriter listed on Every Breath You Take, even though Andy Summers wrote/played the sampled riff, and P.Diddy didn't ask permission to use the sample, so Sting gets all the rights to both songs. He later realized the unfairness of this situation, and gave 15% of his Police royalties to Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland.) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
caliber66 Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 15% each. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gogo Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Yes, that's correct. Thank you! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lammycat Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 That's cool but probably still stings a little. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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