Is it just me, or has anyone else been irritated by music lately?
First of all, I’m annoyed by all the spelling that goes on. Apparently Fergie did too many drugs and now thinks singing is synomymous with spelling. On her album The Dutchess she (or a background singer) sings spells F-E-R-G-I-E (2 songs), T-A-S-T-E-Y, D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S, and G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S. Add a melody to it and it takes so long to spell these ridiculously large words that by the time she’s done I have no idea what she just said. That’s probably why everything is spelled 20 times in a row. It’s the only way to figure out what the hell they’re saying. I’d like to include V.I.P. in the above referenced lyrics, but since it’s technically an acronym I don’t think I can, although I really want to.
I know she’s not the first to do it. Famous artists like Elvis, Travis Tritt, Aretha Franklin, and Tammy Wynette are all guilty, but Fergie is on the radio all the time, so that makes her the most annoying to me. And speaking of annoying Gwen Stefani comes to mind. I love No Doubt. They had such creative lyrics. Now Gwen Stefani sings spells B-A-N-A-N-A-S for a living. It’s a crying shame, a C-R-Y-I-N-G shame.
Now don’t get me wrong, I love a good cover (Rascal Flat’s Life is a Highway, Lenny Kravitz’ American Woman, Black Crows’ Hard to Handle, Metallica’s Turn the Page, RHCP’s Love Rollercoaster and Train’s Ramble On all come to mind, I could go on and on), but in order to make a good remake shouldn’t the song have been good to begin with? Shouldn’t it be a song people want to hear again? Case in point: She’s Like the Wind by Lumindee (who?). Perhaps the goal is to make the cover better than the original, in which choosing a song by Patrick Swayze is probably a fairly safe bet. But come on. She’s like the wind through my trees [insert rap here]? No good. No G-O-O-D. And Quietdrive just had to remake Time After Time. The song wouldn’t be so bad but it makes me think of Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion and that’s bad. B-A-D. These people are making Puff Daddy Puffy P. Diddy Diddy look good.
Also, there should be a limit on the number of times a song can be remade. I understand how it worked back in the ’40s & ’50s. Someone would write a song, it would be done by a billion artists, and whoever did it the best was the most successful. That’s how it was, that’s just the way it worked. Now new artists use old songs to get their foot in the door with fans. But there is absolutely no reason for Joni Mitchell’s Big Yellow Taxi to have been remade 11+ times.
It seems every time I’ve turned on the radio in the last couple of weeks, one of two songs has been playing. The Way I Live by Baby Boy Da Prince (who?), or Rihanna’s Umbrella. Umbrella, ella, ella, ey, ey, ey, ey, ey. It’s irritating. I think of Michelle’s Ella, then I immediately hope she never has to suffer through the song.
To end on a happy note, I can’t wait for the new Maroon5 CD to come out (It Won’t Be Soon Before Long). Songs About Jane is one of my top five favorite albums so hopefully the next one will top it.
…and now I feel better.