(no subject)
There's a huge open space in the upcoming edition of "Our Times," and Marie asked me to submit something. Well I just sent her an email with my article attached, but I feel like sharing it with you all. And just so you know, this will be going in the "Opinions" section.
Play a (Good) Song for Me
By Clare DeFillippo
As years pass, it seems the quality of music vanishes as quickly as the days. As much as I enjoy an abundance of today's hits, I have a greater appreciation to the music from yesteryear, especially from the 1960s and 1970s.
Throughout the years, I have talked about the quality of music with many people. Even though many are passionate about their taste in genre(s), their reasons always seem to boil down to the same point when asked why they enjoy it: “I just do.” What I have gathered, many people defend what they like and put down what they dislike, but they never seem to support their opinion. They seem to go by popular trend, meaning they like it because it’s “hot” or they don’t like it because no one seems to listen to that particular artist.
Back in the 1960s, several artists experimented with different sounds. Take The Beatles for example. Through the ten-year duration of writing and recording music together, they managed to produce over 300 songs that sound different than another in their catalog. Also, no artist back then tried incorporating a full orchestra into Rock music, but they took a chance, and luckily enough for them (and the face of music), it worked. Almost half of a century later, The Beatles continue to have a tremendous impact on the art of music, and that is slightly why they are so great.
Bob Dylan is another great example of a true artist. Music is my number one obsession, and I have never heard any other artist create rhyme schemes and imagery quite like Dylan. Several musicians choose words that are easily rhymed, while Dylan went as far as blending three or more words together to rhyme with the last single word in the previous line. If more artists had an ounce of his talent, then I would have a greater appreciation than I do for the music today.
Although my choice of listening is influenced by what I was raised on (especially The Beatles, Bob Dylan, majority of the Motown artists, Simon and Garfunkel, and countless others), I look upon these musicians as “the greats” because they, unlike many others, had something intelligent to say that still holds true to today. They also had their own unique sound and used their own ideas and material. Listen to “Blowin’ in the Wind” by Dylan, and you’ll know what I mean as far as relevance is concerned.
When Rap was first introduced in the late 1970s-and began expanding in the early 1980s-it was on social issues, especially racism and violence. Now all they seem to talk about is a variety of irrelevant topics, such as how great they are in bed (or so they claim) or their hot and expensive cars that many people can only dream of affording. Why anyone would care about either of those is beyond me.
As a fellow writer and artist in my own right, the worst thing is when someone takes an idea that wasn’t originally their own. Take “Oh Yes” by Juelz Santana for example. Although he put his own spin on this song-if that’s what you want to call it-he used the 1961 hit “Mr. Postman” by The Marvelettes.
Backwudz’s 2006 hit “I Don't Like The Look Of It (Oompa)“ features a rap version of snippets from the popular 1971 movie “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.”
And although the lyrics have been reworked, Rap artist Nitty had the same melody and flow in his 2006 hit “Nasty Girl” as The Archies had in their 1969 number-one hit single “Sugar, Sugar.”
It seems to me that as the years slide by, the quality of music tags along for the ride. Just because times have changed, does that mean that what we consider talent has to evolve with it?
It's going to feel so good to see my name and writing in print again. :) Even though this isn't my best work, it's definitely presentable in my opinion. Trust me, I am my own worst critic.
I better get scootin'. I have work tomorrow from 10-3:30, and I don't want to be in the least bit exhausted, especially since all I do is sit there and read until someone is finally willing to purchase some Irish goodies. Ciao, l'amici!
Play a (Good) Song for Me
By Clare DeFillippo
As years pass, it seems the quality of music vanishes as quickly as the days. As much as I enjoy an abundance of today's hits, I have a greater appreciation to the music from yesteryear, especially from the 1960s and 1970s.
Throughout the years, I have talked about the quality of music with many people. Even though many are passionate about their taste in genre(s), their reasons always seem to boil down to the same point when asked why they enjoy it: “I just do.” What I have gathered, many people defend what they like and put down what they dislike, but they never seem to support their opinion. They seem to go by popular trend, meaning they like it because it’s “hot” or they don’t like it because no one seems to listen to that particular artist.
Back in the 1960s, several artists experimented with different sounds. Take The Beatles for example. Through the ten-year duration of writing and recording music together, they managed to produce over 300 songs that sound different than another in their catalog. Also, no artist back then tried incorporating a full orchestra into Rock music, but they took a chance, and luckily enough for them (and the face of music), it worked. Almost half of a century later, The Beatles continue to have a tremendous impact on the art of music, and that is slightly why they are so great.
Bob Dylan is another great example of a true artist. Music is my number one obsession, and I have never heard any other artist create rhyme schemes and imagery quite like Dylan. Several musicians choose words that are easily rhymed, while Dylan went as far as blending three or more words together to rhyme with the last single word in the previous line. If more artists had an ounce of his talent, then I would have a greater appreciation than I do for the music today.
Although my choice of listening is influenced by what I was raised on (especially The Beatles, Bob Dylan, majority of the Motown artists, Simon and Garfunkel, and countless others), I look upon these musicians as “the greats” because they, unlike many others, had something intelligent to say that still holds true to today. They also had their own unique sound and used their own ideas and material. Listen to “Blowin’ in the Wind” by Dylan, and you’ll know what I mean as far as relevance is concerned.
When Rap was first introduced in the late 1970s-and began expanding in the early 1980s-it was on social issues, especially racism and violence. Now all they seem to talk about is a variety of irrelevant topics, such as how great they are in bed (or so they claim) or their hot and expensive cars that many people can only dream of affording. Why anyone would care about either of those is beyond me.
As a fellow writer and artist in my own right, the worst thing is when someone takes an idea that wasn’t originally their own. Take “Oh Yes” by Juelz Santana for example. Although he put his own spin on this song-if that’s what you want to call it-he used the 1961 hit “Mr. Postman” by The Marvelettes.
Backwudz’s 2006 hit “I Don't Like The Look Of It (Oompa)“ features a rap version of snippets from the popular 1971 movie “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.”
And although the lyrics have been reworked, Rap artist Nitty had the same melody and flow in his 2006 hit “Nasty Girl” as The Archies had in their 1969 number-one hit single “Sugar, Sugar.”
It seems to me that as the years slide by, the quality of music tags along for the ride. Just because times have changed, does that mean that what we consider talent has to evolve with it?
It's going to feel so good to see my name and writing in print again. :) Even though this isn't my best work, it's definitely presentable in my opinion. Trust me, I am my own worst critic.
I better get scootin'. I have work tomorrow from 10-3:30, and I don't want to be in the least bit exhausted, especially since all I do is sit there and read until someone is finally willing to purchase some Irish goodies. Ciao, l'amici!