I’m a dyed-in-the-wool music snob, sure. Life is too short for Mutt Lange, you know?
But I get asked occasionally if I make a point of disliking a song/band simply due to popularity. As they said in the stats class, “Relationship does not necessarily indicate causality.” Or some crap like that.
Here are some popular songs I’ve liked from about the last 20 years.
(Keep in mind that in some ways this is a strange task. Songs like BB King’s “Three O’Clock Blues” and Little Walter’s “Juke” were popular hit singles, but of course, they were from a time when popular music was quite different, top to bottom)
“Beautiful” by Christine Aguilera. Anyone wincing already? Sorry. It’s a gorgeous little tune.
“Nookie” by Limp Bizkit. Ah, and you just thought you were wincing before. It’s big, dumb rock song. One great song and BOOM, Durst and Co. are effectively done.
“Hot in Herre” (sic) by Nelly. Fine blend of funky and clever, almost hip-hop vocal phrasing.
“Days Go By” by Dirty Vegas. Okay, admittedly, I have no idea if this was popular. I just heard it on the radio when I was in a miserable city (Houston), training for a miserable job (BACS), and miserable because I missed my family. Driving around, street lights flashing by, lost, burning the per diem in gas money, and this chunk of electronic hoo-ha, the type of which I usually dismiss, just… captured it.
“Sledgehammer” by Peter Gabriel. Dipping back a couple decades. Not the best song on the album (So), but a good, herky-jerky funk workout.
“Baby Got Back” by Sir Mix-a-Lot. Loved it. Took the bait, hook-line-and-sinker. It was nice that those of us who appreciate the occasional big butt had our anthem. (Pause while I wipe away a tear of pride…)
“Just a Friend” by Biz Markie. Okay, we’re getting into novelty song territory here, sure. And like Fred Durst on “Nookie,” Markie was pretty much flaming out even as he got started. Still… a hoot.
“Word Up” by Cameo. Distinctive pop funk, man.
“Enter Sandman” by Metallica. This is a one-trick pony band IMHO. I’d say they have a handful of truly great songs, most of which are NOT their hits.
“One” by Metallica. I won’t go into all their good songs here. But this was a distinctive one that made an impression when it came out. So what if you can't hear the bass? You know it’s thudding along with that grand unison flurry anyway.
“Contagious” by the Isley Brothers. This band’s been around HOW long? Nice piece of over-wrought, smooth soul drama. Really creative, and it appealed to the amateur cultural anthropologist in me. I’ll bet no one’s ever told the Isleys THAT.
Sting—ah, just kidding.
“Billie Jean” by… well, you know.
“Champagne Supernova” by Oasis. These guys sobered up and completely lost it, but this song is great.
“Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana.
And that’ll do.
By the way, Audioslave sucks. I expected great things from these guys, but there’s just…nothing…there. Wow. It feels like empty spaces and zero inspiration.
***
It’s Friday, so we may survive. That said, the headache I had for 12+ hours yesterday resumed the moment I set foot in the building. Hmm…
***
Spring semester grades are posted. Got a B in stats and in child dev. I can live with that. Brings my Tarrant County JuCo GPA to 3.50.
***
Kids are both back in school. THEBOY'S fine, and the bruise on THEGIRL’s head doesn’t look nearly as bad as I expected. Kelli thinks she hit the doorknob on the way down. Maybe that slowed her fall a bit…
***
Will you rub the back of my neck?
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5 comments:
Funny you talk about your headache. I went home today (Friday, in case you're reading this later) with a migraine today. First time in years. That's pretty disturbing. I thought I liked my new job, but maybe my subconscious has other ideas.
Pop songs...I absolutely agree with you on Cameo's "Word Up." A classic 80s single.
The scary thing is I know absolutely zero about pop hits of the last 5-7 years or so. I pretty much quit listening to any radio but public. I've no clue what most of the hits sound like. (And don't feel I'm missing anything.) Hell, I never heard Outkast's "Hey Ya" until just a couple of weeks ago. I thought it was annoying...until a week later I found myself singing it. Ah, the magic of an irresistible hook...
But let's see what I can think of...
"Friends in Low Places" by Garth Brooks. Robbie Fulks is right...as contemptible as most of Brooks' stuff is, he can really sing and this is a damn good country song.
"Gangsters Paradise" by Coolio.
Anything by ABBA. Sorry, they're genius melody writers. And I dig the fact that their English-as-second-language sound just slightly...off.
A bunch of Prince songs: "Little Red Corvette," "Raspberry Beret," "Let's Go Crazy," "Kiss," "Sign O' the Times," "Delirious," "Purple Rain," "1999"...I'm not crazy about his albums, but he was a great singles artist.
Also agree with "Billie Jean." Though I love "Off the Wall," "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock With You" more. Those songs were Jackson's finest hours.
"What's the Story Morning Glory" by Oasis. I like that whole album, actually.
"Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns 'N Roses.
"Call Me" by Go West.
"Waiting For a Star to Fall" by Boy Meets Girl. (Boy howdy, is that one embarassing.)
"Girls on Film" by Duran Duran. One of the few songs by them I can stand. It's a stupid song, but still catchy.
Some AC/DC singles: "Back in Black," "You Shook Me All Night Long," "Highway to Hell," "Thunderstruck." The masters of the big, dumb rock song.
A very few Kiss songs: "Strutter," "Deuce," "I Was Made For Lovin' You" (I'm sorry, I think it's great).
A bunch of Hall & Oates stuff. You know the hits...I like the same ones everybody likes.
"All These Things That I've Done" by the Killers.
"Take Me Out" by Franz Ferdinand. (Actually, the whole record is pretty darn good.)
That's enough, don't you think?
Michael
WOW! Michael, I thought I'd never see "Call Me" on one of your lists, and in a favorable light. I have a mix CD of 80's stuff and I have that one on it...
Debbie Gibson's "Only In My Dreams" is one of the catchiest damn songs I've ever heard.
Yaz's "Don't Go" and Human League's "Mirror Man" are good slices of electro-pop.
Shania Twain's "That Don't Impress Me Much" - The song truly sucks, but it was a great vehicle for the video. DAMN!! That woman is fine...
Anything by ABBA - Probably the greatest pop tunesmiths of the past 40 years. "Waterloo" always makes me grin like a goof.
Smashmouth's "Allstar" always makes me grin.
Bruiser
"Smashmouth's "Allstar" always makes me grin."
***Me too, if only because my nephew goes apeshit whenever it plays.
Michael
“Friends in Low Places” IS a really good song!
And I like Abba too. They never embarrassed themselves.
Prince, sure. For a guy who gets tagged with “genius,” though, I kinda wish he’d wow me more often.
And I almost typed “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” myself. Good stuff.
And I really love “Dancing Machine” by the Jackson 5.
Duran Duran… you know, “Ordinary World” is a good song.
“She’s Gone” by Hall and Oates.
I like pretty much all the Jackson 5 stuff, "Dancing Machine" included.
Can't agree with you on "Ordinary World." Besides being as blatantly manipulative as a Kate Hudson romantic comedy, it's not the kind of song Simon LeBon is equipped to sing. He's always been that band's weak link (musically, anyway) and it's glaringly obvious here.
Though he's not as bad as that guy from the Chili Peppers. That guy should never sing anything slower than a dance track.
Yeah, Prince's albums are a little too spotty for the "genius" tag to really stick. But when he's on, man, he's ON.
Michael
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