What is Happening to Music
I was looking over the music that came out in 2008 and my heart is breaking, here’s a lyrical example:
Pink | so what 2008
So what
I’m still a rock star
I got my rock moves
And I don’t need you
Pink Floyd | wish you were here 1973
Did you exchange
A walk on part in a war
For a lead role in a cage
So in my lifetime we have gone from incredible and deep, to the worst lyrics ever penned.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamen…
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And in a frightening follow-up, guess what song came on my Pandora just now?
“How I wish, how I wish you were here…
we’re just two lost souls
swimmin’ in a fish bowl
year after year…”
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One of the greatest songs ever penned
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I had a very similar train of thoughts when I heard this song other day:
Superstar
Where you from, how’s it going?
I know you
Got a clue, what you doing?
You can play brand new to
All the other chicks out here
But I know what you are
What you are, baby
Look at you
Gettin’ more than just a re-up
Baby you
Got all the puppets with their strings up
Fakin’ like a good one
But I call ‘em like I see ‘em
I know what you are
What you are, baby
Womanizer, woman-womanizer
You’re a womanizer
Oh, womanizer, oh
You’re a womanizer, baby
(Ugh. I feel dumber just typing those words.)
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@becky // who is that?
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For one thing, it’s no longer cost prohibitive to make a CD. Anyone can do it in their bedroom.
Second, you don’t have to much talent with pitch correction, sample loops, synths, etc…
Third, bands are making 12~15 song albums every year, instead of 8~10 song albums every few years. Nothing is ending up on the cutting room floor…
Fourth, it’s about industry and rarely about art any more…
Just a few thoughts off the top of my head.
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Pink Floyd and others stood the test of time. There was as much crap back then as now, its just no one wants to remember it. In 30 years we will remember some cool stuff and Pink will not be in that category.
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Good point Rich.
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i agree, but at the same time there is still some good music out there. not every song is lolipop. you have to work a little harder, dig a little deeper, but it is there, just waiting to be found.
digging your blog.
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@rich // good point
maybe i just wish that there was more quality music getting airplay
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I agree with the digging comment. Let’s use the original artist as the example. In Pinks early album, misunderstood, she published a great song about a disfunctional family called Family Portrait. That hit a nerve with me. Let’s not kid ourselves, pink floyd was stoned for much of their career. But what do they say “every drunk is a poet”. Much of our issue is the point that it takes very little investment to make a record and not much ends up on the cutting room floor. We just have to do the cutting ourselves. That is why we have YouTube and iTunes.
One last thing, music is reflection of self, in this case society. If you watch all the reality show drivel out there, you will see the audiance those inferior lyrics are speaking to……US.
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@mike // i think the thing that always bugs me is that artists like pink are created out of thin air. having never performed a show or worked hard in her local scene at the clubs and bars, she is vaulted into the world scene while thousands of quality bands get looked over.
not saying real art can’t come out of this….it just bugs me
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Tell me about it…
Not only lyrically but it seems as if musicianship is heading that route too. Know a few power chords on guitar?? You’re in the band!!
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To say that music as of late has gone down the pooper would be a vast understatement.
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i've always thought creativity was more important than skill – Nirvana?
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my wife filled me in: womanizer….Brittany
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Yea, you're right. Nirvana was one of those groups who blazed a trail while not being at the top of their game from a virtuoso pov. So yea creativity is definitely king whether it be lyrical or musical.
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i would amend that with 'pop' music has gone down the pooper
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No; darks side of the moon was such a good album, that it was still in the top 100 four years later when I was born.
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you were around in '73?
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i think a good summary of all the above would be:
…i kissed a girl, and i liked it….
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Vince Reply:
December 15th, 2008 at 7:49 am
That works
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