Thanks, I tried and it helped me.sam wrote:Try putting Ol' MacDonald in the CD player. That might help!!!Liverbobs wrote:A likeable ditty, but since I've been reading this thread i can't stop singing the bloody song!!
"If I were You"
Moderators: Moderator5, Moderator3, FECC-Moderator, Site Mechanic
-
likethebike
- Posts: 6013
- Registered for: 20 years 11 months
- Has thanked: 3 times
- Been thanked: 47 times
You're supposed to express your written opinions in that way Greg. Again it's not telling everybody what to like. It's believing your interpretation and getting to what you feel said piece has to say and why that's important or it isn't. Having to write the phrase "in my opinion" or IMO is a waste of space and time when you think about it. It's self-evident that your words express your own opinion. There is also nothing wrong with employing a discriminating critical sensibility. One of the things wrong with the culture today is that everyone is flat out afraid to say something or go out on a limb.
Of course having spent thousands of words defending pop music and defending romantic music I feel odd even being in this position.
Of course having spent thousands of words defending pop music and defending romantic music I feel odd even being in this position.
-
Gregory Nolan Jr.
- Posts: 10373
- Registered for: 21 years
- Location: U.S. of A.
- Has thanked: 666 times
- Been thanked: 59 times
And yet I agree with you. I frankly prefer opinionated writers in many cases and personally find "IM" speak such as "IMO" to look absurd, never mind how unnecessary it is. When I say I like a song, I'm obviously not speaking for Doctor John Carpenter or Khoots or Jesse Garon.
I just tend to find Robert Christgau of the Village Voice (said to be the "Dean of rock critics") to be overly willing to revel in his one-off opinions. Your own writings show quite catholic tastes, from Elvis to Bobby Darin to R&B to Madonna and above all a sense of fair play too often absent from writers like Christgau. I like such critics, but on occasion many get the feeling that they are professional hair-splitters and arm-chair generals who are alien to singing and making music themselves.
As for "Are You Lonesome Tonight," I'm in agreement with Paul Simpson ("Rough Guide To Elvis") who (surprise) considers it the gem that nearly all (including Ernst Jorgensen) agree that it is career highlight. And the spoken passage was done in the mold of the Ink Spots. I don't think it's corn at all. This is one of those songs (like "Heartbreak Hotel" or "Supsicious Minds" or even "Hound Dog" that some would call "beyond criticism."
He only did a few songs with such spoken passages and as such I feel it works. I have no problem with any of Elvis' number one hits, come to think of it.
I just tend to find Robert Christgau of the Village Voice (said to be the "Dean of rock critics") to be overly willing to revel in his one-off opinions. Your own writings show quite catholic tastes, from Elvis to Bobby Darin to R&B to Madonna and above all a sense of fair play too often absent from writers like Christgau. I like such critics, but on occasion many get the feeling that they are professional hair-splitters and arm-chair generals who are alien to singing and making music themselves.
As for "Are You Lonesome Tonight," I'm in agreement with Paul Simpson ("Rough Guide To Elvis") who (surprise) considers it the gem that nearly all (including Ernst Jorgensen) agree that it is career highlight. And the spoken passage was done in the mold of the Ink Spots. I don't think it's corn at all. This is one of those songs (like "Heartbreak Hotel" or "Supsicious Minds" or even "Hound Dog" that some would call "beyond criticism."
He only did a few songs with such spoken passages and as such I feel it works. I have no problem with any of Elvis' number one hits, come to think of it.
-
rocknroller
- Posts: 7087
- Registered for: 20 years 11 months
- Location: scotland
- Has thanked: 33 times
- Been thanked: 95 times
- Age: 55
-
Gregory Nolan Jr.
- Posts: 10373
- Registered for: 21 years
- Location: U.S. of A.
- Has thanked: 666 times
- Been thanked: 59 times
-
likethebike
- Posts: 6013
- Registered for: 20 years 11 months
- Has thanked: 3 times
- Been thanked: 47 times
I agree that is a career highlight. My criticism was of the composition not the performance.
My problem with Christgau is that he loses me from time to time. He also has his own biases like everyone else. Still he has a lot of insights I never thought about like his picture of Elvis as a literary hero is one of those insights. I also like the sharpness of his style.
My problem with Christgau is that he loses me from time to time. He also has his own biases like everyone else. Still he has a lot of insights I never thought about like his picture of Elvis as a literary hero is one of those insights. I also like the sharpness of his style.
-
Gregory Nolan Jr.
- Posts: 10373
- Registered for: 21 years
- Location: U.S. of A.
- Has thanked: 666 times
- Been thanked: 59 times
I agree. He's very prickly, and I share less of his tastes than someone like Dave Marsh. I have an old anthology of the latter's reviews that is just a knockout, to say nothing of the Elvis writings within.
As for AYLT, you could look at it that it was composed in the manner of an Ink Spots song (even though it pre-dates them) which had some famed voice-over moments....
It's a very '90s song....The 1890s!
As for AYLT, you could look at it that it was composed in the manner of an Ink Spots song (even though it pre-dates them) which had some famed voice-over moments....
It's a very '90s song....The 1890s!