An open letter
Dear Musicians,
This is now the third time that this particular phenomenon has occurred. And really, it needs to cease. The first time was Hold Her Down with Toad the Wet Sprocket. Very catchy kind of alt country tune with what I think is a pedal steel guitar or at the very least a regular ol' steel guitar. The kind of tune where one might feel compelled to tap their foot in time. Until, of course, after playing the album into the ground, you start to listen a little more to the lyrics and less to the music and realize (SPOILER!) it's a song about GANG RAPE. The most recent entry into this particular field was a song by The Mountain Goats. (Hast Thou Considered the Tetrapod off The Sunset Tree.) Absolutely stunningly beautiful and hopeful song. Superb sound, very catchy hook. And then you listen to the lyrics and suddenly it becomes clear that it's about (SPOILER!) the physical abuse of the singer by his father/uncle/male authority figure in his life. Great. Exit stage left sunny and cheerful.
Please stop this. Melancholy songs need melancholy titles with melancholy instrumentation -- see Everybody Hurts by R.E.M. or even Luka by Suzanne Vega. Like you listen to Polly and you know from the get go that something is not right. Combining gruesome acts of torture/abuse/violence with cheerful and sunny music is disconcerting and unfair at best.
Sincerely,
K_sui
This is now the third time that this particular phenomenon has occurred. And really, it needs to cease. The first time was Hold Her Down with Toad the Wet Sprocket. Very catchy kind of alt country tune with what I think is a pedal steel guitar or at the very least a regular ol' steel guitar. The kind of tune where one might feel compelled to tap their foot in time. Until, of course, after playing the album into the ground, you start to listen a little more to the lyrics and less to the music and realize (SPOILER!) it's a song about GANG RAPE. The most recent entry into this particular field was a song by The Mountain Goats. (Hast Thou Considered the Tetrapod off The Sunset Tree.) Absolutely stunningly beautiful and hopeful song. Superb sound, very catchy hook. And then you listen to the lyrics and suddenly it becomes clear that it's about (SPOILER!) the physical abuse of the singer by his father/uncle/male authority figure in his life. Great. Exit stage left sunny and cheerful.
Please stop this. Melancholy songs need melancholy titles with melancholy instrumentation -- see Everybody Hurts by R.E.M. or even Luka by Suzanne Vega. Like you listen to Polly and you know from the get go that something is not right. Combining gruesome acts of torture/abuse/violence with cheerful and sunny music is disconcerting and unfair at best.
Sincerely,
K_sui