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ordinary pop songs and why they're great.
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Tuesday, March 11, 2003
I am too tired to do anything justice so let's just rip into an all time worst record. I have two (in my mind as opposed to my record collection - heaven forfend). They're very different.
"Chain Reaction" by Diana Ross. This is just *so* pointless!! What's it meant to be? At best something to dance to - yes? Well then it must also be the very worst "dance" record too. It just plods along with this relentless unimaginative beat and the least taxing most boring melody ever. I shouldn't fail to be surprised that it's always a "floor filler" at a certain type of function. Yes it's a "function" record isn't it. Completely unchallenging, shuffle-about-by-numbers rubbish.
"Baker Street" by Gerry Rafferty. This is a contentious one, I know. But really, what is so good about it? I'm always sceptical about the high regard in which the saxophone is held, particularly in pop songs. In this case it seems to have lent some sort of untouchable credibility to an otherwise boring and nondescript song. In fact the sax serves as the chorus following the whiny old verse. And everyone thinks it's a classic! Huh??
posted by jessaka at Tuesday, March 11, 2003
Sunday, March 09, 2003
This is my very best idea. The only one I'm likely to sustain anyway. Each entry will be a record of mine and why I like it (or maybe why I don't). It's my all-consuming interest, arriving at that REASON why a song is good. Might be a song that's universally perceived as naff, or maybe just extremely ordinary. But I have an idea that we all like the same thing about each and every "pop" record.
Here's my best illustrating record. "I Want To Know What Love Is" by Foreigner. It's everso radio friendly. A big overblown number. Bet loads of people like it. I do, I have it. BUT IT'S ACTUALLY NOT THAT GREAT! How tedious and turgid is the verse? And the chorus isn't that strong - not really. The entire point, the reason for liking that song is the feeling you get from the bridge between verse and chorus ("In my life, there's been heartache and pain...."). Paring it down further, I swear it's just the keyboard chords underpinning that section that do it. So there!
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