i shrugged them off
so my music's taking a decidedly different direction. A somewhat oddly accessible direction.
As in not accessible, but listenable. There's still melody. But it's more poignant, and I've managed
to say fuck all to restraining my lyrics in any way. I'm playing one of the new songs at the open mic night..then again,
I never released the old ones. I promised Becky I'd get on that, so on it I will get. So old songs, and new songs abound.
I hate to describe my songs because generally all my songs differ stylistically, as I'm sure anyone who goes to the open mic night will
notice. Speaking of, again, I don't mean to get anyone's hopes up, but anticipate my performance being...somewhat different.
I hope I don't weird anyone out. Oh fuck it, isn't that the point of musical performance?
Oh, and The Arcade Fire is beautiful. Every song on this freaking album is essentially perfect...some of it reminds me of a modern
day ziggy stardust...the song 'wake up' even borrows the chord progression and melody from 'soul love'...yet it still sounds different...
because they're incredible...easily the most exciting new band i've heard in a long, long time. And that speaks volumes, because I generally hate what's happening to music nowadays, mainstream and otherwise. While a good part of it is catchy and enjoyable, I'd be hesitant to say any of it is good. I read somewhere recently that rap and hip hop are becoming the new rock and roll. I agree...rap and hip hop, and their respective subcultures, hold more integrity as artistic styles than any popular modern rock outfit could profess. Now I'm not saying I'm going to start laying down rhymes, but there's a lesson here. Rap maintains a certain vitality that has long since been lacking in (popular modern) rock....in fact...when i say rock, just assume i mean popular modern unless i state otherwise.
okay, first example:
A verse from the first track off of Staind's new cd Chapter V:
(Run away) So I can hide.
(Run away) I've mastered feeling nothing.
(Run away) I'm dead inside.
(Run away) Why don't I care?
The song is called "Run Away"...brilliant, I know.
all right, next example:
A snippet of a verse from Kanye West's song Gold Digger:
18 years, 18 years
She got one of yo kids got you for 18 years
I know somebody payin child support for one of his kids
His baby momma's car and crib is bigger than his
You will see him on TV Any Given Sunday
Win the Superbowl and drive off in a Hyundai
She was spose to buy ya shorty TYCO with ya money
She went to the doctor got lipo with ya money
She walkin around lookin like Michael with ya money
Should of got that insured, GEICO for ya moneeey( your money)
If you aint no punk holla We Want Prenup
WE WANT PRENUP!, Yeaah
It's something that you need to have
Cause when she leave yo ass she gone leave with half
18 years, 18 years
And on the 18th birthday he found out it wasn't his
...excuse the colloquialisms...I didn't bother to fine tune that at all...but that's negligible...the point i'm trying to make here
is that no, this is not some incredible work of art, but it takes infinite more skill than the dribble i pasted above it.
As if we all couldn't tell that that asshole from staind is brooding. The words pasted above this little paragraph
are alive; aka, they entertain, serve a point, and deliver a message. That right there is a fabulous combination. The difference is obvious.
Now to anyone who's saying, "well maybe that's so, but [insert asshole from staind's name here] is just expressing his feelings. You can't judge someone's feelings." Who says I can't? There are billions (okay, maybe not billions but i'd say several tens) of songwriters who are able to take what they're feeling and put it into lyrics, without jeopardizing their integrity or intentions. AND they can make it vital, interesting, and entertaining. While Kanye is telling a cautionary tale of sorts, he does include his feelings (not necessarily in the quote i posted, but it happens, i promise) and you know what? He does it in a much more fulfilling way than staind ever could.
And for those of you who say "well, what did rock stars sing about back in the day that's so different than now?" You know what? Other than certain socio-political situations, nothing. Nothing at all. They wrote about crappy relationships, their insecurities, love, life, whatever. Was everything they wrote gold? No, the same way not everything Kanye will ever write will be gold. But more often than not, the effort was applied at some level to create words and music that complemented each other, entertained the listener, yet withheld value to the singer (and/or band). I'll post some examples:
David Bowie - Soul Love
New love - a boy and girl they talking
New words - that only they can share in
New words - a love so strong it tears their hearts
To sleep - through the fleeting hours of morning
Love is careless in it’s choosing - sweeping over cross a baby
Love descends on those defenseless
Idiot love will spark the fusion
Inspirations have I none - just to touch the flaming dove
All I have is my love of love - and love is not loving
Bernie Taupin (words)/Elton John (music) - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
So goodbye yellow brick road
Where the dogs of society howl
You can't plant me in your penthouse
I'm going back to my plough
Back to the howling old owl in the woods
Hunting the horny back toad
Oh I've finally decided my future lies
Beyond the yellow brick road
Rush - Limelight
Living in a fisheye lens
Caught in the camera eye
I have no heart to lie
I can’t pretend a stranger
Is a long-awaited friend
Led Zeppelin - The Ocean
Singing in the sunshine, laughing in the rain
Hitting on the moonshine, rocking in the grain
Got no time to pack my bag, my foots outside the door
I Got a date, I can't be late, for the hellhound hero's ball. (this last line is often debated)
Black Sabbath - Paranoid
I need someone to show me the things in life that I can’t find
I can’t see the things that make true happiness, I must be blind
Make a joke and I will sigh and you will laugh and I will cry
Happiness I cannot feel and love to me is so unreal
And so as you hear these words telling you now of my state
I tell you to enjoy life I wish I could but it’s too late
The Who - Baba O'Riley
Out here in the fields
I fought for my meals
I get my back into my living
I don't need to fight
To prove I'm right
I don't need to be forgiven
Don't cry
Don't raise your eye
It's only teenage wasteland
I left out the obvious ones - the beatles, bob dylan, joni mitchell, bruce springsteen...but I think I proved my point. I hope. I leave you with these stimulating words from staind:
Why must I feel this way?
Just make this go away
Just one more peaceful day!
Addendum: This isn't stated in the original text, but yes, some bands (i suppose staind included) do hit upon some form of lyrical artistry at times. The rest of the equation is sheer delivery, which is as equally important as the words being sung.
Next week I'll try and tie this all up.
And basically, the point of me writing all of this is to tell anyone who reads this that if my music ever falls into the hole of crap such as I have described, I utterly beg of you to let me know.
As in not accessible, but listenable. There's still melody. But it's more poignant, and I've managed
to say fuck all to restraining my lyrics in any way. I'm playing one of the new songs at the open mic night..then again,
I never released the old ones. I promised Becky I'd get on that, so on it I will get. So old songs, and new songs abound.
I hate to describe my songs because generally all my songs differ stylistically, as I'm sure anyone who goes to the open mic night will
notice. Speaking of, again, I don't mean to get anyone's hopes up, but anticipate my performance being...somewhat different.
I hope I don't weird anyone out. Oh fuck it, isn't that the point of musical performance?
Oh, and The Arcade Fire is beautiful. Every song on this freaking album is essentially perfect...some of it reminds me of a modern
day ziggy stardust...the song 'wake up' even borrows the chord progression and melody from 'soul love'...yet it still sounds different...
because they're incredible...easily the most exciting new band i've heard in a long, long time. And that speaks volumes, because I generally hate what's happening to music nowadays, mainstream and otherwise. While a good part of it is catchy and enjoyable, I'd be hesitant to say any of it is good. I read somewhere recently that rap and hip hop are becoming the new rock and roll. I agree...rap and hip hop, and their respective subcultures, hold more integrity as artistic styles than any popular modern rock outfit could profess. Now I'm not saying I'm going to start laying down rhymes, but there's a lesson here. Rap maintains a certain vitality that has long since been lacking in (popular modern) rock....in fact...when i say rock, just assume i mean popular modern unless i state otherwise.
okay, first example:
A verse from the first track off of Staind's new cd Chapter V:
(Run away) So I can hide.
(Run away) I've mastered feeling nothing.
(Run away) I'm dead inside.
(Run away) Why don't I care?
The song is called "Run Away"...brilliant, I know.
all right, next example:
A snippet of a verse from Kanye West's song Gold Digger:
18 years, 18 years
She got one of yo kids got you for 18 years
I know somebody payin child support for one of his kids
His baby momma's car and crib is bigger than his
You will see him on TV Any Given Sunday
Win the Superbowl and drive off in a Hyundai
She was spose to buy ya shorty TYCO with ya money
She went to the doctor got lipo with ya money
She walkin around lookin like Michael with ya money
Should of got that insured, GEICO for ya moneeey( your money)
If you aint no punk holla We Want Prenup
WE WANT PRENUP!, Yeaah
It's something that you need to have
Cause when she leave yo ass she gone leave with half
18 years, 18 years
And on the 18th birthday he found out it wasn't his
...excuse the colloquialisms...I didn't bother to fine tune that at all...but that's negligible...the point i'm trying to make here
is that no, this is not some incredible work of art, but it takes infinite more skill than the dribble i pasted above it.
As if we all couldn't tell that that asshole from staind is brooding. The words pasted above this little paragraph
are alive; aka, they entertain, serve a point, and deliver a message. That right there is a fabulous combination. The difference is obvious.
Now to anyone who's saying, "well maybe that's so, but [insert asshole from staind's name here] is just expressing his feelings. You can't judge someone's feelings." Who says I can't? There are billions (okay, maybe not billions but i'd say several tens) of songwriters who are able to take what they're feeling and put it into lyrics, without jeopardizing their integrity or intentions. AND they can make it vital, interesting, and entertaining. While Kanye is telling a cautionary tale of sorts, he does include his feelings (not necessarily in the quote i posted, but it happens, i promise) and you know what? He does it in a much more fulfilling way than staind ever could.
And for those of you who say "well, what did rock stars sing about back in the day that's so different than now?" You know what? Other than certain socio-political situations, nothing. Nothing at all. They wrote about crappy relationships, their insecurities, love, life, whatever. Was everything they wrote gold? No, the same way not everything Kanye will ever write will be gold. But more often than not, the effort was applied at some level to create words and music that complemented each other, entertained the listener, yet withheld value to the singer (and/or band). I'll post some examples:
David Bowie - Soul Love
New love - a boy and girl they talking
New words - that only they can share in
New words - a love so strong it tears their hearts
To sleep - through the fleeting hours of morning
Love is careless in it’s choosing - sweeping over cross a baby
Love descends on those defenseless
Idiot love will spark the fusion
Inspirations have I none - just to touch the flaming dove
All I have is my love of love - and love is not loving
Bernie Taupin (words)/Elton John (music) - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
So goodbye yellow brick road
Where the dogs of society howl
You can't plant me in your penthouse
I'm going back to my plough
Back to the howling old owl in the woods
Hunting the horny back toad
Oh I've finally decided my future lies
Beyond the yellow brick road
Rush - Limelight
Living in a fisheye lens
Caught in the camera eye
I have no heart to lie
I can’t pretend a stranger
Is a long-awaited friend
Led Zeppelin - The Ocean
Singing in the sunshine, laughing in the rain
Hitting on the moonshine, rocking in the grain
Got no time to pack my bag, my foots outside the door
I Got a date, I can't be late, for the hellhound hero's ball. (this last line is often debated)
Black Sabbath - Paranoid
I need someone to show me the things in life that I can’t find
I can’t see the things that make true happiness, I must be blind
Make a joke and I will sigh and you will laugh and I will cry
Happiness I cannot feel and love to me is so unreal
And so as you hear these words telling you now of my state
I tell you to enjoy life I wish I could but it’s too late
The Who - Baba O'Riley
Out here in the fields
I fought for my meals
I get my back into my living
I don't need to fight
To prove I'm right
I don't need to be forgiven
Don't cry
Don't raise your eye
It's only teenage wasteland
I left out the obvious ones - the beatles, bob dylan, joni mitchell, bruce springsteen...but I think I proved my point. I hope. I leave you with these stimulating words from staind:
Why must I feel this way?
Just make this go away
Just one more peaceful day!
Addendum: This isn't stated in the original text, but yes, some bands (i suppose staind included) do hit upon some form of lyrical artistry at times. The rest of the equation is sheer delivery, which is as equally important as the words being sung.
Next week I'll try and tie this all up.
And basically, the point of me writing all of this is to tell anyone who reads this that if my music ever falls into the hole of crap such as I have described, I utterly beg of you to let me know.