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Guitar chord forum - chordie → Chordie's Chat Corner → Something to think about
I don`t really listen to lyrics deeply i`m ashamed to say,this guy puts an interesting perspective
on two writers that are very different ,the poor guy is optomistic and the rich guy masquarading
as a poor guy is pesimistic.interesting?
ps i enjoy both of these performers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMdfi46TmXM
EB, When this guy compares Springsteen to Berry i think he gives a good point of view. But I think maybe he should also look at the way songwriting has gone in recents decades compared with older decades. The listening public and the pushers of music had differant expectations. When I was working I noticed over the years the people I worked with and their families had changed. In the early days long term marriages and families with mother and father were the norm. By the end of my working life most of my work colleagues had been divorced or were seperated and their children were been brought up by one perant. Maybe the dark songs reflected a new form of disatisfaction and the world falling apart because of not only bad decisions but a lost of understanding on how to function and enjoy the old style of family and life. Popular soap operas in NZ seemed to revolve around cheating partners and disfunctional families. I don’t watch them but use to hear the young ones talking about them and in a strange way many of them are living in similar worlds to their favourite soaps and superficial reality shows. Now I think possibily this affects the songwriters lyrics who write the soundtracks of recent decades. I know there are many happy families and relationships but in my limited experience there seems to be a decline in those families.
I watched this all the way through, and I agree with the guy and the both of you, my friends.
As you know, I also like to read the comments below the video, and many of them are written with the seeming impression they are told "not to like" Bruce Springsteen. I didn't take it that way, however. I took it as being an opinionated video about 2 different aspects of "rock/pop" music. - nothing more.
Springsteen was once called "the new Dylan" for a reason. Bob Dylan's music appealed to us because of his "protest poetry/songs". He came along at a time when many of us were waking up to the fact that war, racism and injustice are bad, and Bruce's music isn't all that different when you think about it - he just makes it more personal.
The only Springsteen album I have in my collection is "Born To Run", whereas I have most of Dylan's work and enjoy listening to it.
As far as Chuck Berry - I have his "Greatest Hits", which are mostly upbeat, but for some introspective blues, I refer you to his song "Cottage For Sale".
As a musician/entertainer, of the three, I'll take Chuck if I have to please an audience.
Great post, easybeat!
Bill
great to hear from two great thinking men.
thinking almost seems like a lost art.many people just seem to
repeat what they been told,not able to think for themselves.
To begin, I've never liked or rated Springsteen! Chuck Berry was very repetitive in his form of music, not to say he hasn't written some classics cos he has, quite a few in fact. I do like a good story song as long as it has a good tune, beat and performance. Most famous "nonsense songs" have a great tune and beat and usually do better than "real" songs. I'm still trying to figure out what "Human" is all about...great record, great performance but what's it about? Are we Human, or are we dancer?....what??
Unfortunately I've seen the world change so much since the 1950's. I have to add, not always in a bad way. I think men were being locked up, up until the 60's for being gay, so they married women to cover (themselves) (I think what I was going to say was too much of a pun?) I think the advances in technology are great although being an old grump, I think a lot of it, musically, is missused. I was listening to the radio and a song just repeated the same line over and over again then went into an instrumental section which just repeated the same chords without the vocal. What has happened to pop music? It died RIP
Phill
I have always wondered about that song as well. " are we human.....?
As for the comparisons - it s comparing apples to oranges to grapes for me....
all had virtue in what they expressed- just traveling on different avenues at different times.
One of the complaints I have today ( as I am heading toward the grumpy side:) ) is that concerts today are a lot more about show, dancing, holograms, pyrotechnics, etc... than the actual music. I believe that is why groups like Eagles, REO. Foreigner, Fleetwood Mac, Kiss, Lynard Skynard, and performers like Elton John still sell out the arenas..... I went to Fleetwood Mac a few weeks ago - they were awesome in the 70's, and now they are in their 70's and they still rocked it !!!!
Just think if the Beatles were still around !
I am currently revamping an area in my house to accommodate my amp, turntable and speakers - just bc I miss playing my LP's.
EB
Thanks for a great post.
Great discussion ...
I don't know how philosophical I am, because in my addled brain I often confuse the lines between impulse and intellect. A lot of interesting views have been raised, but I'm going to zoom in on this whole notion of popularity.
The whole marketing of entertainment, possessions, lifestyles, etc. has been refined to increase the volume of consumption, which is really another way of saying popular. For whatever reason, I've never been able to buy into the notion that I should like something / have something / do something, etc., just because it's popular or someone tells me it's popular. It's hard not to develop an air of arrogance when so many do fall into that cycle, and I certainly don't mean to get high and mighty about such things. It's also hard not to think / imagine that I understand the sub-surface motivations about most popularity campaigns, with various conspiracy notions about social engineering, etc., because I probably haven't got a clue.
However, I don't need anyone to tell me what I should like or shouldn't like. And it seems the more someone tries to do that, the deeper I dig in. Call it pride, arrogance, independence ... I dunno .. but it makes me resentful when someone questions me about not liking something, solely because it's popular. There are people, foods, clothes, cars, guitars, music, movies, power tools (on it goes) that I like, and those that I don't like. I don't have to understand or endorse someone else's preferences, and no one needs or should feel entitled to do the same about mine.
... 'nuff said
Remember how some of us hungered for the next Beatles single? 
Anything! Just as long as it was by the "Fabs". So....... looking back through the ol' "retrospectroscope", they really did put out some "garbage" (IMO, of course!).
Here's one example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZndVv-jl-U
You probably have your own examples?
I feel I need to "qualify" this a bit, by saying at the time, I really loved this tune, because i was a dyed in the wool "Beatlemaniac" and since Ringo inspired me to become a drummer, I felt I owed it to the lads to like anything they put on a record.
Bill, I think " you know my name look up the number" was John and Paul messing about during their downtime. It's not as good to listen to now as it was back then. It was Paul that got me into bass and learning to play other instruments and of course the fabs multi tracking.
Jim, I think it was Pink Floyd that started all the light show stuff as they were so boring to watch!!! their words not mine...ha ha. Any artist knows it's almost impossible to give a good rendition of a song while dancing like they do, and a lot actually mime to a backing track while dancing. Why pay to watch a performer mime, you may as well stay home and save a lot of money by watching the video.
TF. I'm with you on that. I think every generation want to put their own stamp on music and fashion for their decade. But as you say it's usually the music producers, DJ's etc, like fashion designers that guide styles and fashion.
I still wear jeans and tee shirts as I did in the 60's because those are the clothes I'm most comfortable wearing.
Remember how some of us hungered for the next Beatles single?
Anything! Just as long as it was by the "Fabs". So....... looking back through the ol' "retrospectroscope", they really did put out some "garbage" (IMO, of course!).
Here's one example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZndVv-jl-U
You probably have your own examples?
I feel I need to "qualify" this a bit, by saying at the time, I really loved this tune, because i was a dyed in the wool "Beatlemaniac" and since Ringo inspired me to become a drummer, I felt I owed it to the lads to like anything they put on a record.
You're coming through loud & clear, Bill ... it's hard to be critical of our heroes, isn't it? As a avowed Jethro Tull fan, I had admit that their 1983 album "Walk Into the Light" was, to be frank, horrible. It was sharp left turn from their typical very "organic sound", into this synth heavy / over produced nightmare. Every artist has the right to explore new territory, but I for one would have been happier if this was left as an undiscovered country.
I've never been a huge fan of either Dylan or Springsteen, so don't really have much to say about either. Chuck Berry changed the country and views of mainstream racial discrimination. That's some powerful pop music.
But the most important aspect of this conversation is that retrospectrascope is a FANTASTIC word.
But the most important aspect of this conversation is that retrospectrascope is a FANTASTIC word.
So very true, I meant to comment earlier on this fabulistic word.
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