Inevitable "crap music" thread

[Frank]

turgid shit like Coldplay's "Fix You", a song cynically constructed to be used on soundtracks, yet if you examine the lyrics, the song is not actually about anything

I think it's perfectly clear what that song is about:


When you try your best, but you don't succeed
When you get what you want, but not what you need
When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep
Stuck in reverse

And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can't replace
When you love someone, but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

And high up above or down below
When you're too in love to let it go
But if you never try you'll never know
Just what you're worth

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

Tears stream down your face
When you lose something you cannot replace
Tears stream down your face
And I...

Tears stream down your face
I promise you I will learn from my mistakes
Tears stream down your face
And I...

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you



There are lots of good rhymes for the word face, the word face isn't one of them. Neither is the word face again. How will lights ignite my bones, Chris, and why?

[Frank]

Meh, pretty sure that some of the greatest songs ever written aren't particularly 'about' anything and their apparently 'meaningless' lyrics still resonate with millions of people without having to be so on the nose as to be cringeworthy

Firestarter, Tutti Frutti, and Venus In Furs are patently nonsense on a lyrical level, but communicate a definite meaning through rhythm, mood, and melody. The aforementioned Coldplay song communicates nothing, goes nowhere musically, is devoid of atmosphere, and the only contexts within which it makes any sense at all are on the stereo of a Ford Galaxy making the school run or in a sea of well scrubbed faces, bathed in smartphone light and transformed by the knowledge that this is an anthem at a Coldplay stadium show.

[TordelBack]

...Venus In Furs [is] patently nonsense on a lyrical level...

Point of order!  ViF lyrics paint an idealised picture of S&M and sexual decadence of some interest to lonely teenagers, afficionados of the original book, and doubly so to those who have read Gene Wolfe and wrongly infer a connection.

Tutti Frutti you can have.

[shaolin_monkey]

Where do you guys weigh in on the whole Pink Floyd debate?

[NapalmKev]

Where do you guys weigh in on the whole Pink Floyd debate?

Some good, some bad.

'The Wall' is excellent, and my favorite of their output. 'Dark Side of...' I also like, but not so keen on the rest of their music*


Cheers


* What the fuck was 'Saucer full of Secrets' all about?

[shaolin_monkey]

The guys in work constantly take the piss out of me when Pink Floyd comes on.  They find it almost totally dull, turgid, meaningless stuff.

It's very weird for me, because in the social circles I hang out in almost everyone loves Pink Floyd, including myself.

The two extremes are bizarre to me.  I could understand it if it were individuals, but two large and disparate groups are polar opposites.

[Colin YNWA]

While I'm not a fan of Pink Floyd at all I do really like Flaming Lips and Cos cover of the album. Just goes to show with a more imaginative bunch that the Floyd songs can be fun (ducks for cover as he expects a volley of abuse)

http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/01/album-review-the-flaming-lips-the-flaming-lips-and-stardeath-and-white-dwarfs-with-henry-rollins-and-peaches-doing-the-dark-side-of-the-moon/

Mind fair to say its very hard to find a positive review of the record, but then what do critics know!

[Professor Bear]

Meh, pretty sure that some of the greatest songs ever written aren't particularly 'about' anything and their apparently 'meaningless' lyrics still resonate with millions of people without having to be so on the nose as to be cringeworthy.

And yet the following is from one of the "greatest songs ever (apparantly), and not something written in a primary school classroom:

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today.

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace.

[JayzusB.Christ]

Where do you guys weigh in on the whole Pink Floyd debate?

Apart from the Syd Barrett stuff, I don't like them.  Never did.  I don't like their music or their lyrics, and I particularly don't like the way people ruin perfectly good parties by getting their guitars out and playing 'Wish You Were Here'. 

[Mister Pops]

Where do you guys weigh in on the whole Pink Floyd debate?

Apart from the Syd Barrett stuff, I don't like them.  Never did.  I don't like their music or their lyrics, and I particularly don't like the way people ruin perfectly good parties by getting their guitars out and playing 'Wish You Were Here'.

Ah here now, that's hardly Pink Floyd's fault. That's an entirely seperate issue: Wankers With Acoustic Guitars.
They are the on the lowest rung of the musicians ladder. Their main sins being faux earnest renditions of songs which require only the most rudimentary playing ability. In many cases songs I once liked, or at least tolerated. Songs such as:

Time of Your Life by Greenday
The Needle and the Damage Done by Neil Young (usually it's that song but Neil has written quite a few songs fit for butchery)
Anything by Dylan
Everybody Hurts by REM
Summer of 69 by Brian Adams
Anything from Nirvana's unplugged album
Several Johnny Cash Songs
The Gambler by Kenny Rogers

Nobody ever enjoys it. In fact I started noticing around the age of 25, that most of my mates didn't even bother politely applaud at these performances.

[JayzusB.Christ]

Ah here now, that's hardly Pink Floyd's fault. That's an entirely seperate issue: Wankers With Acoustic Guitars....

Ha! Fair enough.
The latest song these evil people use to ruin other people's night is that Mumford and Sons song that says 'fuck'.
Stop it. Please.

[JamesC]

I can tolerate most music in the right environment.
Something like Pharrell's "Happy" is great for a teenage party or a wedding disco and will work great on a feel good film soundtrack. Played once an hour on the work radio on a Wednesday it drives up the fucking wall.

The thing that annoys me more than anything is the music industry itself. It's the way the same tired old tropes are trotted out time after time (it's telling that Blink 182s fifteen year old video for All the Small Things still works as a parody of boy bands).

I sometimes wonder if the drug taking and the resulting young deaths aren't part of the same problem (I think they probably are). It's no wonder you get tired of the same old things coming around and around as you get older.

I'd love to see something new.

[shaolin_monkey]

I'm finding I'm actually enjoying music the older it is. I've been dredging the past for all kinds if cool stuff. I'm currently at the 14th Century Welsh Folk Music stage. They knew how to party!!!

[Dandontdare]

Ah here now, that's hardly Pink Floyd's fault. That's an entirely seperate issue: Wankers With Acoustic Guitars....

Ha! Fair enough.
The latest song these evil people use to ruin other people's night is that Mumford and Sons song that says 'fuck'.
Stop it. Please.

I find the "Belushi Manoeuvre" works best!

[Hawkmumbler]

I worked in a charity shop for 6 months and all that was ever played was 4music. Utter shite. Rihanna, One Direction? Utter tosh.