Ready or Not by the Fugees
I'd never choose this as my favorite song... but the President of the United States did back in August. Hey, I'm not going to argue with him since his taste doesn't appear to be horrible (forced, but not horrible). I guess in a way it's good that he isn't obsessing over his favorite song list ala Rob Gordon until there isn't even a list...
So in honor of President Barack Obama, today's song is his favorite song—the Fugees stellar "Ready or Not".
Congrats President Obama. You've brought change. You've brought hope. And you've done so in a poised and peaceful manner.
I'm proud to call you my President.
Showing posts with label Rob Gordon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rob Gordon. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
I'll Be Satisfied
I'll Be Satisfied by Ryan Shaw
You can find the full version here.
One of the things that appears to have been forgotten in the 21st century is that simplicity is usually the best. This is especially true in music—for some reason the pop song is frowned upon by 'serious' music fans. Anything that is obvious, all of a sudden can't be good (which goes back to our Coldplay and U2 argument, why U2 is acceptable and Coldplay is frowned upon).
Take this song. Ryan Shaw's cover of the Jackie Wilson classic from last year is fantastic. He nails the notes and brings some new life to the song without really changing it. The song is catchy, it's fun, it's everything you want in a pop song.
But no one paid any attention to it. And I blame the simplicity of the song. We live in an era were music fans suddenly think that Radiohead is a second coming of Camus (though they've probably never read Camus) and that music must provide some insight into intellectual thought; we have move away from the true point of music—pop music specifically—which Rob Gordon put best, "What came first, the music or the misery?" This is the point of pop music: joy and misery. There is no in between. Sure at times it can be used as a form of protest or to tell a story. But for the most part, pop music is about joy and misery.
But music fans—indie fans—no longer want this. They want music to be a form of intellectual thought, but all I see is pesado-intellectualism and crappy noise. I'd much rather have the Strokes sing "trying to catch her eye" or Mason Jennings ask, "Do you think about me?" than some cryptic wannabe Jeff Tweedy make bad metaphors. Because for me most of the time all I need is "Just a kiss, just a smile, hold my hand baby, just once in a while" in a pop song.
You can find the full version here.
One of the things that appears to have been forgotten in the 21st century is that simplicity is usually the best. This is especially true in music—for some reason the pop song is frowned upon by 'serious' music fans. Anything that is obvious, all of a sudden can't be good (which goes back to our Coldplay and U2 argument, why U2 is acceptable and Coldplay is frowned upon).
Take this song. Ryan Shaw's cover of the Jackie Wilson classic from last year is fantastic. He nails the notes and brings some new life to the song without really changing it. The song is catchy, it's fun, it's everything you want in a pop song.
But no one paid any attention to it. And I blame the simplicity of the song. We live in an era were music fans suddenly think that Radiohead is a second coming of Camus (though they've probably never read Camus) and that music must provide some insight into intellectual thought; we have move away from the true point of music—pop music specifically—which Rob Gordon put best, "What came first, the music or the misery?" This is the point of pop music: joy and misery. There is no in between. Sure at times it can be used as a form of protest or to tell a story. But for the most part, pop music is about joy and misery.
But music fans—indie fans—no longer want this. They want music to be a form of intellectual thought, but all I see is pesado-intellectualism and crappy noise. I'd much rather have the Strokes sing "trying to catch her eye" or Mason Jennings ask, "Do you think about me?" than some cryptic wannabe Jeff Tweedy make bad metaphors. Because for me most of the time all I need is "Just a kiss, just a smile, hold my hand baby, just once in a while" in a pop song.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Portions for Foxes
Portions for Foxes by Rilo Kiley
I am always surprised by this song. I've never thought of Rilo Kiley as the type of band/artist who could write lyrics that seem like they come from a Chuck Klosterman book or something. Any fan of Mr. Klosterman* might take that as a sort of cheap shot at him... but it's not indented to be. The song is just sort of a dumbed essay that Chuck has probably written...
The song isn't all that complicated. For some crazy reason, the people who are the worst for us are the ones we want and can't be without—that's the song. "And you're bad news/My friends tell me to leave you" we've probably all been told this, I've been told this, and I sure as hell have said something like that to a bunch of friends. But despite this, we stay with this person or if we're without this person we're pulling our hair out and thinking/realizing about how easy it would be to be as insane as Rob Gordon. Sometimes the ones who are the worst for us are some how the best... or we tell ourselves this.
Of course there is a fine line, anyone that leads you to self-destructive behavior is someone that you should leave high and dry. But I've never thought that this song went down that path... it's more the selfish girl or the guy who can sweet talk his way back into your life, only to stop calling you after a few months of hanging out once again. Why do we stay with these people let alone let them back in our lives? I'm it has to do with some sort combination of sex, potential, passion, and belief that we can change the other person.
Which brings me to the one part of the song that I don't like—that somehow sex removes all the mystery of a person... Umm, no. Not at all. That couldn't be more untrue. If anything, sex only makes someone MORE mysterious. Assuming of course, the person you're sleeping with is someone you actually, you know, love.
* I am a big fan of Mr. Klosterman's work.
I am always surprised by this song. I've never thought of Rilo Kiley as the type of band/artist who could write lyrics that seem like they come from a Chuck Klosterman book or something. Any fan of Mr. Klosterman* might take that as a sort of cheap shot at him... but it's not indented to be. The song is just sort of a dumbed essay that Chuck has probably written...
The song isn't all that complicated. For some crazy reason, the people who are the worst for us are the ones we want and can't be without—that's the song. "And you're bad news/My friends tell me to leave you" we've probably all been told this, I've been told this, and I sure as hell have said something like that to a bunch of friends. But despite this, we stay with this person or if we're without this person we're pulling our hair out and thinking/realizing about how easy it would be to be as insane as Rob Gordon. Sometimes the ones who are the worst for us are some how the best... or we tell ourselves this.
Of course there is a fine line, anyone that leads you to self-destructive behavior is someone that you should leave high and dry. But I've never thought that this song went down that path... it's more the selfish girl or the guy who can sweet talk his way back into your life, only to stop calling you after a few months of hanging out once again. Why do we stay with these people let alone let them back in our lives? I'm it has to do with some sort combination of sex, potential, passion, and belief that we can change the other person.
Which brings me to the one part of the song that I don't like—that somehow sex removes all the mystery of a person... Umm, no. Not at all. That couldn't be more untrue. If anything, sex only makes someone MORE mysterious. Assuming of course, the person you're sleeping with is someone you actually, you know, love.
* I am a big fan of Mr. Klosterman's work.
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