Date: July 8, 1995
Weeks: 7
I mentioned before that TLC's vocals can be a bit contentious, as they can come across a little bit whiny. When it works, the vocals match the music and make a good song. When it doesn't... well, the results can get a little unpleasant. Unfortunately, this song falls into the latter category.
The problem isn't that they decided to make a song with a serious message. "Unpretty" (#848) is also a song with a serious message, and I liked that one. And it's not even that the vocals are bad. It's just that the vocals and the music don't match very well. The vocals are serious and subdued. The music is serious and subdued. But it seems like both the vocals and the music are intentionally subdued so as not to overpower the other, with the result being a bit of a vacuum of sound. Just because a song contains serious subject matter doesn't mean it needs to be bland.
Even the rap verse is bland. It's monotone when it doesn't have to be, and the music isn't any different during the rap verse than it is in any other verse. It also just feels poorly integrated and tacked on and out of place when it's just tacked into the bridge. I wonder if the song might have been better if they had used the rap for the verses and then sang the choruses.
The song's lyrics are pretty well known for trying to tackle subjects that people felt were important to talk about in the mid-90s, such as gang violence and AIDS. I'm not sure those messages come across very clearly without the video to back them up. The lyrics are badly constructed. They don't reveal until the end of each verse what the verse was about, almost requiring you to listen to the song several times in a row to make the meaning clear. Also, I always thought the metaphor in the chorus was stretched really thin. "Don't go chasing waterfalls." Okay, don't pursue unattainable goals that might wind up harming you, I understand that. "Please stick to the rivers and the lakes that you're used to." What does that mean? Sure, in context I understand that they're supposed to represent safer, known goals to achieve, but metaphors generally are supposed to be intriguing when divorced from context. They're not supposed to be nonsense.
My verdict: Don't like it. It's possible that my opinion of this song was irreversibly tainted by the video, and the awful computer-generated water-dancers with their one silly arm-bob dance move that I can't help see in my mind every second this song is playing. But I stand by my opinion. And at least there's a Weird Al version to enjoy that fixes most of my issues.
Showing posts with label Weird Al Parody Songs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Weird Al Parody Songs. Show all posts
Monday, November 14, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Song #492: "Another One Bites The Dust" by Queen
Date: Oct 4, 1980
Weeks: 3
I think it's interesting to have this song follow right after "Frankenstein" (#295), because they're actually pretty similar in a lot of ways. Both songs have somewhat traditional components, but then there's a percussion-only intermission in the middle followed by some experimental, weird sounds. And yet this song makes it work.
I think the primary reason it works so well is that there's a stronger through-line in this song. The percussion breakdown maintains a similar beat from earlier in the song. The vocals continue sporadically, and connect the song's beginning to its end. The percussion intermission doesn't feel like it lasts nearly as long. It's not that the intermission in this song is any less experimental and odd, it just doesn't seem quite so out of place, nor so aggressive and unpleasant.
This song has two points to recommend it most strongly: the excellent bass line, which stands out and uniquely identifies the song within the first three seconds, and Freddie Mercury's vocals. Mercury is, in my opinion, the best male vocalist who ever worked in rock and roll music. He had a big range and no fear. He sang boldly and highly and intensely, and this song is one of the finer examples of what he could do. The only bad Freddie Mercury song is one where he fails to explore his range, and this is not one of those songs.
One thing that makes this song unique is its restraint with the lead guitar. It comes in and provides occasional accents, but generally it lets the bass guitar carry the song. The odd sound effects scattered throughout are somewhat less successful, and keep the song from getting my unreserved recommendation. It's possible the song might be too repetitive without them, but the lead guitar could have carried that on its own, I think. I'm not sure if the simulated gunfire sound during the lyric "out of the doorway the bullets rip" is clever or silly, but it's certainly attention-getting.
I'm not sure if I've ever really understood the lyrics. On the surface, it seems to be about a street thug gunning down his opponents. He's lamenting the life that brought him here, including the unspecified person who kicked him out of his home, and the song seems to end with him being shot himself due to his dangerous lifestyle. On that level, I guess it works an interesting story, but it's quite dark for a pop song. Some quick research doesn't seem to advocate any alternate interpretations. That really is what it's about. I think it's interesting to learn that Queen supposedly released this as a single because Michael Jackson suggested it to them, because I was thinking the lyrics reminded me most of "Beat It" (#532). Similar songs about street thugs that don't necessarily advocate street thuggery. I saw hints that maybe this song was describing a cowboy, and I can see that interpretation, although to my mind, the music suggests wet streets and back alleys in a 20th-century city.
My verdict: Like it. The bass line and Freddie Mercury's voice are both too great to let any of the small problems I have with the song take over.
Weeks: 3
I think it's interesting to have this song follow right after "Frankenstein" (#295), because they're actually pretty similar in a lot of ways. Both songs have somewhat traditional components, but then there's a percussion-only intermission in the middle followed by some experimental, weird sounds. And yet this song makes it work.
I think the primary reason it works so well is that there's a stronger through-line in this song. The percussion breakdown maintains a similar beat from earlier in the song. The vocals continue sporadically, and connect the song's beginning to its end. The percussion intermission doesn't feel like it lasts nearly as long. It's not that the intermission in this song is any less experimental and odd, it just doesn't seem quite so out of place, nor so aggressive and unpleasant.
This song has two points to recommend it most strongly: the excellent bass line, which stands out and uniquely identifies the song within the first three seconds, and Freddie Mercury's vocals. Mercury is, in my opinion, the best male vocalist who ever worked in rock and roll music. He had a big range and no fear. He sang boldly and highly and intensely, and this song is one of the finer examples of what he could do. The only bad Freddie Mercury song is one where he fails to explore his range, and this is not one of those songs.
One thing that makes this song unique is its restraint with the lead guitar. It comes in and provides occasional accents, but generally it lets the bass guitar carry the song. The odd sound effects scattered throughout are somewhat less successful, and keep the song from getting my unreserved recommendation. It's possible the song might be too repetitive without them, but the lead guitar could have carried that on its own, I think. I'm not sure if the simulated gunfire sound during the lyric "out of the doorway the bullets rip" is clever or silly, but it's certainly attention-getting.
I'm not sure if I've ever really understood the lyrics. On the surface, it seems to be about a street thug gunning down his opponents. He's lamenting the life that brought him here, including the unspecified person who kicked him out of his home, and the song seems to end with him being shot himself due to his dangerous lifestyle. On that level, I guess it works an interesting story, but it's quite dark for a pop song. Some quick research doesn't seem to advocate any alternate interpretations. That really is what it's about. I think it's interesting to learn that Queen supposedly released this as a single because Michael Jackson suggested it to them, because I was thinking the lyrics reminded me most of "Beat It" (#532). Similar songs about street thugs that don't necessarily advocate street thuggery. I saw hints that maybe this song was describing a cowboy, and I can see that interpretation, although to my mind, the music suggests wet streets and back alleys in a 20th-century city.
My verdict: Like it. The bass line and Freddie Mercury's voice are both too great to let any of the small problems I have with the song take over.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Song #514: "I Love Rock 'N Roll" by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
Date: Mar 20, 1982
Weeks: 7
Now this is more like it. This is classic rock and roll for the ages. It's got wailing guitar, vocals filled with attitude, and a percussion line you can't help but clap along to. I think this may be the closest thing to punk rock on this list. This song isn't punk rock, not really. It's a bit too slow for that. But Joan Jett makes punk rock (you can hear her excellent punk rock song "Bad Reputation" in the beginning of the above video). And as far as I'm aware, no other punk artist has reached No. 1. So this is the closest thing you'll find to punk on this list.
The biggest reason this song is so good is the music. The guitars are hard and heavy, but the drums are fairly soft. And the guitars drop out from time to time to let the vocals carry the song. The result is a song that makes use of hard guitars without ever feeling like they're so hard that they're unpleasant. I like punk rock, but I understand that it can be a little overwhelming for some people. This song nicely splits the difference for maximum awesomeness.
Joan Jett's vocals are also a really great part of this song. Her bratty, punk attitude works along with the guitars to make an energetic and fun song. The backing vocals are a bit of a cheat to make the listener feel like a huge crowd around them is singing along to an arena rock anthem, but I don't mind the cheat very much. Those backing vocals contribute extra energy, and that's a good thing.
The lyrics are pretty simple. She sees the guy at the jukebox at the bar, they bond over a shared affection for the same music, and they go home together. It's a simple enough rock and roll story, and Joan Jett's vocals are well-matched to these lyrics, emphasizing the bold, bratty, I'll-do-what-I-want-no-matter-what-anyone-thinks sentiment. The lyrics are really kind of secondary to just singing "I love rock 'n roll" over and over with much enthusiasm, but what's there is decent enough.
I think it's worth noting that this song is a cover. It was originally made by the Arrows in 1975. Their version is a pretty good song to start with, but Joan Jett's punk attitude and brash guitars improves on the original.
My verdict: Like it. I think this is my favorite song that I've reviewed so far.
Weeks: 7
Now this is more like it. This is classic rock and roll for the ages. It's got wailing guitar, vocals filled with attitude, and a percussion line you can't help but clap along to. I think this may be the closest thing to punk rock on this list. This song isn't punk rock, not really. It's a bit too slow for that. But Joan Jett makes punk rock (you can hear her excellent punk rock song "Bad Reputation" in the beginning of the above video). And as far as I'm aware, no other punk artist has reached No. 1. So this is the closest thing you'll find to punk on this list.
The biggest reason this song is so good is the music. The guitars are hard and heavy, but the drums are fairly soft. And the guitars drop out from time to time to let the vocals carry the song. The result is a song that makes use of hard guitars without ever feeling like they're so hard that they're unpleasant. I like punk rock, but I understand that it can be a little overwhelming for some people. This song nicely splits the difference for maximum awesomeness.
Joan Jett's vocals are also a really great part of this song. Her bratty, punk attitude works along with the guitars to make an energetic and fun song. The backing vocals are a bit of a cheat to make the listener feel like a huge crowd around them is singing along to an arena rock anthem, but I don't mind the cheat very much. Those backing vocals contribute extra energy, and that's a good thing.
The lyrics are pretty simple. She sees the guy at the jukebox at the bar, they bond over a shared affection for the same music, and they go home together. It's a simple enough rock and roll story, and Joan Jett's vocals are well-matched to these lyrics, emphasizing the bold, bratty, I'll-do-what-I-want-no-matter-what-anyone-thinks sentiment. The lyrics are really kind of secondary to just singing "I love rock 'n roll" over and over with much enthusiasm, but what's there is decent enough.
I think it's worth noting that this song is a cover. It was originally made by the Arrows in 1975. Their version is a pretty good song to start with, but Joan Jett's punk attitude and brash guitars improves on the original.
My verdict: Like it. I think this is my favorite song that I've reviewed so far.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Song #885: "Hot in Herre" by Nelly
Date: June 29, 2002
Weeks: 7
Make that "Hot in Herre [sic]" by Nelly. What's the meaning of that misspelling? Most misspellings are either trying to make a pun or capture how people talk, but this one just seems like a typo. If they wanted that word to sound drawn-out, wouldn't "Heere" be a better choice? And it doesn't even sound drawn out in the song, so it's really quite pointless.
The backing music is enjoyable. Everything happening in the bass line is good stuff, and the little guitar strum accents throughout are well-used. In researching the possible significance of the misspelling of "herre," I stumbled across a claim that this song's backing track is taken from "Bustin' Loose" by Chuck Brown. I definitely hear a rhythmic similarity in the bass. That can't be denied. But I think "Hot in Herre" is adding enough pitch variations to come off feeling sufficiently original.
I'm no expert in judging rap, but I know what I like, and I don't particularly like Nelly's voice. Mostly I think it's a little high-pitched and whiny. His rhythmic sense is good, but his tone is a bit hard to take. He seems to contrast with the music, rather than matching it.
The lyrics are complete nonsense and yet the gist is quite clear: Nelly wants everybody to get naked because he thinks it would be sexy. But it sounds more like he's just sexually harassing every woman in the room. "Take it off like you're home alone." Alone in the middle of the crowded dance club. "I got a friend with a pole in the basement. I'm just kidding like Jason. Unless you're gonna do it." Ah, one of my favorite slimy pickup techniques. Make an outrageous suggestion, then claim you were kidding. But you actually weren't kidding at all. Also, who is Jason, and why is he kidding? That feels like filler.
(Side note: I looked around, and some of the (very sincere) suggestions I read were hilarious. He's referring to a basketball player named Jason Kidd. He's referring to Jason in Friday the 13th (because he intends to murder the girl in the basement?) He's referring to Jason Alexander from Seinfeld (which had ended 4 years before this song hit No. 1). Nope, I'm more convinced than ever that it's just filler.)
Oh, I mentioned the lyrics were nonsense. "Nelly took a trip from the lunar to Neptune." Okay, "lunar" is an adjective. You can't use it as a two-syllable synonym for the moon because it fits your rhythm. Also, you went to Neptune? That might explain why these lyrics are borderline insane.
My verdict: Don't like it. I like the music, but not the lyrics. Thankfully, Weird Al has me covered. Also, while poking around, I found this funny folk-rock cover of the song.
Weeks: 7
Make that "Hot in Herre [sic]" by Nelly. What's the meaning of that misspelling? Most misspellings are either trying to make a pun or capture how people talk, but this one just seems like a typo. If they wanted that word to sound drawn-out, wouldn't "Heere" be a better choice? And it doesn't even sound drawn out in the song, so it's really quite pointless.
The backing music is enjoyable. Everything happening in the bass line is good stuff, and the little guitar strum accents throughout are well-used. In researching the possible significance of the misspelling of "herre," I stumbled across a claim that this song's backing track is taken from "Bustin' Loose" by Chuck Brown. I definitely hear a rhythmic similarity in the bass. That can't be denied. But I think "Hot in Herre" is adding enough pitch variations to come off feeling sufficiently original.
I'm no expert in judging rap, but I know what I like, and I don't particularly like Nelly's voice. Mostly I think it's a little high-pitched and whiny. His rhythmic sense is good, but his tone is a bit hard to take. He seems to contrast with the music, rather than matching it.
The lyrics are complete nonsense and yet the gist is quite clear: Nelly wants everybody to get naked because he thinks it would be sexy. But it sounds more like he's just sexually harassing every woman in the room. "Take it off like you're home alone." Alone in the middle of the crowded dance club. "I got a friend with a pole in the basement. I'm just kidding like Jason. Unless you're gonna do it." Ah, one of my favorite slimy pickup techniques. Make an outrageous suggestion, then claim you were kidding. But you actually weren't kidding at all. Also, who is Jason, and why is he kidding? That feels like filler.
(Side note: I looked around, and some of the (very sincere) suggestions I read were hilarious. He's referring to a basketball player named Jason Kidd. He's referring to Jason in Friday the 13th (because he intends to murder the girl in the basement?) He's referring to Jason Alexander from Seinfeld (which had ended 4 years before this song hit No. 1). Nope, I'm more convinced than ever that it's just filler.)
Oh, I mentioned the lyrics were nonsense. "Nelly took a trip from the lunar to Neptune." Okay, "lunar" is an adjective. You can't use it as a two-syllable synonym for the moon because it fits your rhythm. Also, you went to Neptune? That might explain why these lyrics are borderline insane.
My verdict: Don't like it. I like the music, but not the lyrics. Thankfully, Weird Al has me covered. Also, while poking around, I found this funny folk-rock cover of the song.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Song #532: "Beat It" by Michael Jackson
Date: April 30, 1983
Weeks: 3
Okay, so Weird Al's "Eat It" was not actually song #532. April Fools! In fact, that position belongs to the song Weird Al was parodying, "Beat It" by Michael Jackson.
I feel like this was the song that cemented Michael Jackson as a superstar. Maybe that's not accurate. His first appearance at No. 1 was "I Want You Back" (#228) as a member of the Jackson 5, 13 years earlier. And "Billie Jean" (#530) had been at No. 1 just before this. But this was the song that stuck with me at the time. Maybe that's because of the Weird Al parody, but the fact that Weird Al chose to parody this song suggests it was the biggest of Jackson's songs at the time.
Michael Jackson became huge because he fused rock and R&B into one popular sound, but this song is pretty straightforward rock and roll. Guitars dominate the song. The main backing guitar is probably the thing that this song is best remembered for, even more than the vocals. Well, that opening bell-sound may compete for most memorable music part, but I'm not entirely sure what's making that sound. Maybe that's the guitars, too. At any rate, the song is guitars, drums, vocals, and very little else. That's classic rock and roll.
Michael Jackson's vocals are always good, and this song is no exception. I suppose he could have embellished more, since he's definitely capable of singing something more elaborate. But he fits his voice into the music and doesn't try to compete with the guitar to be the most exciting thing happening musically. And that works to the song's advantage.
I've actually never been too clear on the meaning of the lyrics. I think it's about a guy on the streets trying to prove he's tough by fighting, and the song seems to sympathize with that sentiment without endorsing or condemning it. But the video doesn't really identify that protagonist. Instead it shows two gangs building up to a street fight until Michael Jackson shows up to get between them, and everybody dances. I went to Wikipedia for more insight, but even Wikipedia seems to throw up its hands with regard to the true meaning. "The lyrics of 'Beat It' are about defeat and courage, and have been described as a 'sad commentary on human nature'." That doesn't help me sort it out, thanks Wikipedia! At any rate, I understand that somewhere at the song's core, Michael Jackson is lamenting gang violence that so often is about people fighting just to prove that they are tough. And I can endorse that meaning.
My verdict: Like it. It's one of the pillars of Michael Jackson's superstardom, and rightfully so.
Weeks: 3
Okay, so Weird Al's "Eat It" was not actually song #532. April Fools! In fact, that position belongs to the song Weird Al was parodying, "Beat It" by Michael Jackson.
I feel like this was the song that cemented Michael Jackson as a superstar. Maybe that's not accurate. His first appearance at No. 1 was "I Want You Back" (#228) as a member of the Jackson 5, 13 years earlier. And "Billie Jean" (#530) had been at No. 1 just before this. But this was the song that stuck with me at the time. Maybe that's because of the Weird Al parody, but the fact that Weird Al chose to parody this song suggests it was the biggest of Jackson's songs at the time.
Michael Jackson became huge because he fused rock and R&B into one popular sound, but this song is pretty straightforward rock and roll. Guitars dominate the song. The main backing guitar is probably the thing that this song is best remembered for, even more than the vocals. Well, that opening bell-sound may compete for most memorable music part, but I'm not entirely sure what's making that sound. Maybe that's the guitars, too. At any rate, the song is guitars, drums, vocals, and very little else. That's classic rock and roll.
Michael Jackson's vocals are always good, and this song is no exception. I suppose he could have embellished more, since he's definitely capable of singing something more elaborate. But he fits his voice into the music and doesn't try to compete with the guitar to be the most exciting thing happening musically. And that works to the song's advantage.
I've actually never been too clear on the meaning of the lyrics. I think it's about a guy on the streets trying to prove he's tough by fighting, and the song seems to sympathize with that sentiment without endorsing or condemning it. But the video doesn't really identify that protagonist. Instead it shows two gangs building up to a street fight until Michael Jackson shows up to get between them, and everybody dances. I went to Wikipedia for more insight, but even Wikipedia seems to throw up its hands with regard to the true meaning. "The lyrics of 'Beat It' are about defeat and courage, and have been described as a 'sad commentary on human nature'." That doesn't help me sort it out, thanks Wikipedia! At any rate, I understand that somewhere at the song's core, Michael Jackson is lamenting gang violence that so often is about people fighting just to prove that they are tough. And I can endorse that meaning.
My verdict: Like it. It's one of the pillars of Michael Jackson's superstardom, and rightfully so.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Song #532: "Eat It" by "Weird Al" Yankovic
Date: April 1, 1984
Weeks: 1
"Eat It" was Weird Al's first big hit, and it's a great song. It's about a parent trying to get their kid to eat something. It's basically a funny list of things the kid could be eating. It's clever and never fails to crack me up.
The one lyric that makes me scratch my head is "Don't you know that other kids are starving in Japan?" That kind of guilt is a classic gambit by the parent trying to get their kid to eat, but was there a time when hunger was an issue in Japan? I've heard of parents using China in this argument, and Africa was popular when I was young, but Japan? I suspect he may have fudged the lyrics there to make a rhyme.
The music is uniformly excellent, with a great guitar backing the whole track. That guitar goes nuts in the bridge and then literally explodes.That's good stuff.
I do kind of take issue with the funny little hand-fart noises that pepper the song. They seem like a pretty cheap joke, and they kind of don't fit. I know earlier in his career, Weird Al had a lot of goofy sound effects backing him up, but by this time he seemed to be making more genuine music, so they're kind of an unwelcome throwback.
My verdict: Like It. This set the tone for the rest of Weird Al's career, and it's a ton of fun.
Weeks: 1
"Eat It" was Weird Al's first big hit, and it's a great song. It's about a parent trying to get their kid to eat something. It's basically a funny list of things the kid could be eating. It's clever and never fails to crack me up.
The one lyric that makes me scratch my head is "Don't you know that other kids are starving in Japan?" That kind of guilt is a classic gambit by the parent trying to get their kid to eat, but was there a time when hunger was an issue in Japan? I've heard of parents using China in this argument, and Africa was popular when I was young, but Japan? I suspect he may have fudged the lyrics there to make a rhyme.
The music is uniformly excellent, with a great guitar backing the whole track. That guitar goes nuts in the bridge and then literally explodes.That's good stuff.
I do kind of take issue with the funny little hand-fart noises that pepper the song. They seem like a pretty cheap joke, and they kind of don't fit. I know earlier in his career, Weird Al had a lot of goofy sound effects backing him up, but by this time he seemed to be making more genuine music, so they're kind of an unwelcome throwback.
My verdict: Like It. This set the tone for the rest of Weird Al's career, and it's a ton of fun.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)