Wednesday, December 03, 2008

I can hear music! Sweet sweet music!

Both the O'Jays, the Beach Boys, and a number of other bands had hits with songs containing these lyrics.

By-and-large that's the way I feel, I LOVE music. Think of it this way, I've got 12 - 14 hours every day listening to it on SIRIUS in my truck, so I better like a lot of different "flavors" of music. Rock 'n Roll, R&B, Jazz, Classical....the big band era, Sinatra, 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, hard rock, soft rock, Andrea Bocelli, Luciano Pavarotti, or easy listening - to me "it's all good" as Kristopher used to say.

In fact, there's only two kinds of music I don't like.
  • COUNTRY and
  • WESTERN
Now, as an example, I'm sure that D-wight Yoakam and Randy Travis are wonderful people....but when I hear nasally twanged treble voices.....geez, to me it sounds like somebody strangling cats! Don't get me wrong, there are some songs that have been made famous by country singers that I can tolerate - for example, Patsy Cline could sing just about anything and make it sound great.

But most C&W singers I can think of - to me - sound like they're trying to make a three syllable word out of "cat." Here's a direct example using the afore-mentioned Dwight Yoakam. On the new Don Imus Ranch record, Mr. Yoakam sings a song entitled, "Give back the Key to My Heart." Listen to the 'cut' sometime when you have a chance. There's a line in the song that goes, "Take my picture off the wall." Well, my un-countrified ear hears ...wa - ao - all. 3 syllables. And the whole damn record is so "twangy" it sounds like someone making fun of country singers!

But those are the only two types of music I don't like...............Hold it - Wait a second.

If I'm being entirely truthful I have to add "hip-hop" to that list. And since I don't know if they're separate forms of music, (is music even the proper word?), "rap" goes onto the list as well. Seriously, is this stuff even music? I mean, do kids today actually sing this "stuff" to their "love interests" while holding them close in a long embrace?

When I research the terms on the internet there's a great timeline at the following link, http://digitaldreamdoor.nutsie.com/pages/best_rap-timeline1.html. But I have to admit - I don't get it. Most of the aficionado's of hip/hop tell me that it grew out of the "funk" music genre and the inner city cultures. Really??? I love R&B, most Soul, and especially funk. And rap/hip hop doesn't sound like any kind of Parliament or Rufus funk I listen too! Rap sounds like what I used to want to avoid when I put one of my lp's on the turntable - scccraaatching & screaming!

And visually...oyyy! A lot of guys and gals jumping around on stage screaming into mic's held too close to their mouths trying to rhyme words that don't rhyme without taking a breath all the time waving their free arm in air while holding their crotches as their oversized pants are falling off and their gold "Mr. T" starter kits are jangling around!!!

Geez folks! Take a freakin breath once and a while, and oh yeah ..... baseball caps worn in any way other than straight forward or completely backward .... just make you look as intelligent as a bag of hammers! Word up!!

Here's the main reason why I don't get rap & hip-hop. 6 letters. M-E-L-O-D-Y. There's little if any melody. There's a heavy base line, and a rhythm....but there's no music. It's like if I read Dr. Seuss or Robert Frost in a staccato rhythm, accompanied by a heavy base line while someone else was scratching a record, and I sprinkled in a few "vulgarities" while wearing a cock-ed baseball cap, jeans falling off my ass, and a big freakin' gold clock on a chain!

Now that's something - but it's NOT music!

"I love music, any kind of music.
I love music, just as long as it's groovin."

Dum Spiro Spero ... baby!!!

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