Music Opinions

No, AndieZ, post about what you wanna. America and freedom isn't completely dead yet.

Liza Minnelli wore skimpy costumes, but she didn't bend over so we could get a good look at her goodies, and I never saw her dry hump anyone or anything. She had class as did her mother.

I don't know any of the music you mentioned. I'm just too busy with the tunes I play, study or listen to.

I like debate. I wish we could have even more, but we have to have the Aloha Spirit--Ahhh, well . . . :eek:ld:
 
So I think i've taken you all off topic. You probably prefer to talk about this or that folk/blues/jazz or something song so i encourage discussion back in that direction and will shutup about the pop stuff now.

Yeah, don't stop now... it just started to get good :)

Edit: I think it's a good point about the Jessie J song - it was actually about something - same as the Megan Trainor song. It wasn't just ooh I like that girl/boy or boo hoo he/she left me and now I'm sad. That's why I like some hip hop - the decent songs actually have something to say.
 
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It's kind of funny that T&A and its place in modern pop is looked upon disapprovingly in posts above yet posters mention liking Megan Trainor's "All About That Bass" which is literally a song about T&A. :D
 
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For a start how many people here who think they have refined musical taste like or dislike opera. How can you dislike opera and think you have refined taste?

I find soprano singing voices to be irritating, but I also don't claim to have a refined taste. What IS refined taste anyway?

Music, to me, is like food: I stuff it in my mouth (or in my ears, respectively), and I either go "Mmhm!" or I go "Yuck!", and that determines whether or not I like it and whether or not I want more of it. It's really as simple as that for me. This is entirely independent of intellectual aspects. I know that opera music is frequently complex, I know that it requires a lot of skill on the part of the performers, and I acknowledge that it is culturally deeply embedded. But I still don't enjoy it, at least for the most part. If that makes me a musically brute, so be it. I can live with that.

When I was in elementary school, in the late 1970s, I had an extraordinary teacher. She was a tough one, and in some ways I felt, even more so in retrospect, that she was a relic that had come straight out of the Third Reich (which she had, that was when she had been a young teacher). I was frequently at odds with her (and was punished for my refusal to shut up when it would have served me well with having to sit with the Turkish kids in the back, who in turn I befriended and got to meet their families), but she did one thing no other teacher did: she often took the class to historical and cultural places, and she took us to the state opera house in Mannheim (German city).

So before I was even a teenager, I had experienced operas like The Magic Flute, Madame Butterfly, Hänsel and Gretel, and so forth. It was very impressive, different from what I had seen and known, a stark contrast to the pop music I was used to (nobody in my family listened to classical music). If not for her, I would probably still not have seen those operas. The atmosphere was tight, magical even. I liked the instrumental aspects, too, the many different instruments playing together. But the high pitched voices were painful in my ears, and I still feel that way some thirty-five years later.

It reminds me of my deaf great-grandmother who would bake fantastic stuff like only grannies do, but she had the annoying habit of putting succade into everything she made. Succade was inescapable in her household, just like that jasmine scent diffuser she had in her bathroom. It ruined everything, and I'd always pick it out of the cake and the dumplings. Soprano voices in operas are like succade in cookies for me.
 
Mivo, do you like Oom-pah-pah, beer drinkin' music? I love it, and I like the dancing and even the singing, though of course I can't understand it. We have a small Octoberfest here in So-Cal, and there was one in Texas too. We usta go, but that was a long time ago.

Ahhh, beer and sausages and pretzels. What could be wrong with that? :eek:ld:
 
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I'm not from Bavaria! I live close to the French boarder, so my musical taste is more... refined! ;)

Actually, when I grew up, my grandparents were really into "Blasmusik" (the Bavarian folk stuff) and I was exposed to it a lot as I spent half my childhood and youth being raised by them. We'd often vacation in the south of Germany where this style of traditional music was and is all over the place, so I still do like it, even though I don't listen to it much as an adult. (German states are a lot like US states as far as cultural aspects go, just on a much smaller geographical scale.) They also liked German "Schlagermusik", which is sort of a modernized German folk music, culturally probably in the same place as American country. Like this. (Used to make me run and grab my Walkman to listen to pop music instead.)
 
Mivo, do you like Oom-pah-pah, beer drinkin' music? I love it, and I like the dancing and even the singing, though of course I can't understand it. We have a small Octoberfest here in So-Cal, and there was one in Texas too. We usta go, but that was a long time ago.

Ahhh, beer and sausages and pretzels. What could be wrong with that? :eek:ld:

I'm a polka fan! I have my Dad/parents to thank for that. They enjoyed dancing to polka music and my Dad would listen to polka music on the radio on Sundays. There was even a TV show on a community based type channel which I think was called Polka Dance Party. It was super low budget and cheesy but a hoot to watch all the same. They would have a live local band playing polka and couples would dance. It was kind of like American Bandstand except with polka music. Some couples were even all dressed up in special outfits because they belonged to some local polka club. I remember names like Whoopie John Wilfahrt, The Six Fat Dutchmen, The Chmielewski Funtime Band and Frankie Yankovic and they often had polka on The Lawrence Welk Show.

On a related tangent, I frequent a local Mexican restaurant and I always enjoyed the music they had playing there. I always wondered why it sounded so much like polka music with the accordion and the oom-pah-pah tuba. After a little research I found that sometime in the 1800s, German (and possibly Czech and Pole) settlers moved into Mexico and along the Mexico/Texas border. The merging of the cultures resulted in the European influence on the local music. I think it goes by several names which have their differences and emphasis on different instruments - Tejano, conjunto, norteno, Tex Mex, banda, ranchero.
 
Yeah, don't stop now... it just started to get good :)

Edit: I think it's a good point about the Jessie J song - it was actually about something - same as the Megan Trainor song. It wasn't just ooh I like that girl/boy or boo hoo he/she left me and now I'm sad. That's why I like some hip hop - the decent songs actually have something to say.

Exactly, that's what i'm trying to say. There are plenty of pop songs saying something. Ignore the crap and discover what's good. Actually its only through youtube, the voice show and me getting into singing at all that's got me finding out about these songs.
 
1. To listen to? 1a. Groups?
I tend to get on kicks, listening to the same songs over and over again for a few days (or weeks...or months...). Jimmy Buffett, Beach Boys, random musicals, older and older-style country, some alternative, ska, classical, TSO, Christmas music, classic rock, etc.

2. To play?
3. To sing?
I'm still in the learning process, does Twinkle Twinkle count? ;)
I sing all sorts of stuff, from most of the stuff listed above to hymns, a bit of opera, etc.

4. To talk about on the forum?
I mostly use the forums for the PoHo thread at this point. I don't get vocal much elsewhere, but I do wander out and look around.
 
I'm not a current pop fan and honestly can't listen to pop stations that seem to play the same 12 songs over and over. There's something wrong with a station if you can hear the same song replayed in less than 2 hours time. I find the mass majority of the kind of stuff they play there little more than dreck. Of course, there are always exceptions. There's nothing deep or remotely profound or meaningful about this song but the first time I heard it, I thought it was fantastic. (Though like many songs, it's probably over played.) The first time I heard it was this performance on SNL. Maybe it was because the band was so hot. Maybe it was the swagger and bravado of the singers. Maybe it was the choreography/dancing. Maybe it was the singing but it's most likely a marriage of all the above. In any event, a good pop song doesn't necessarily have to be very deep or have a message to be a good song. You kinda have to judge them on a song to song basis and not be so quick to dismiss a genre in general. (Though in my case, the number of current pop songs I like are definitely a minority percentage of the total pop pool.)

 
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I'm a polka fan! I have my Dad/parents to thank for that. They enjoyed dancing to polka music and my Dad would listen to polka music on the radio on Sundays. There was even a TV show on a community based type channel which I think was called Polka Dance Party. It was super low budget and cheesy but a hoot to watch all the same. They would have a live local band playing polka and couples would dance. It was kind of like American Bandstand except with polka music. Some couples were even all dressed up in special outfits because they belonged to some local polka club. I remember names like Whoopie John Wilfahrt, The Six Fat Dutchmen, The Chmielewski Funtime Band and Frankie Yankovic and they often had polka on The Lawrence Welk Show.

On a related tangent, I frequent a local Mexican restaurant and I always enjoyed the music they had playing there. I always wondered why it sounded so much like polka music with the accordion and the oom-pah-pah tuba. After a little research I found that sometime in the 1800s, German (and possibly Czech and Pole) settlers moved into Mexico and along the Mexico/Texas border. The merging of the cultures resulted in the European influence on the local music. I think it goes by several names which have their differences and emphasis on different instruments - Tejano, conjunto, norteno, Tex Mex, banda, ranchero.

Grandma & Grandpa were in polka groups and listened to the music all the time. They've passed on, and I'm trying to figure out what sorts they listened to. I think it was mostly Bavarian.

Your comment about the Tejano cracked me up. We live in Texas, and once when we were out camping, a big family started blaring Tejano from their truck out by the river. We learned, that day, that Grandpa could blare polka louder, and that people find blaring polka highly amusing...for about 30 seconds. Then they get the message, and everybody turns down the volume.

A lot of the rap music has similar beats to belly dancing. I guess it is all about swinging the hips...
 
I'm a polka fan! I have my Dad/parents to thank for that. They enjoyed dancing to polka music and my Dad would listen to polka music on the radio on Sundays. There was even a TV show on a community based type channel which I think was called Polka Dance Party. It was super low budget and cheesy but a hoot to watch all the same. They would have a live local band playing polka and couples would dance. It was kind of like American Bandstand except with polka music. Some couples were even all dressed up in special outfits because they belonged to some local polka club. I remember names like Whoopie John Wilfahrt, The Six Fat Dutchmen, The Chmielewski Funtime Band and Frankie Yankovic and they often had polka on The Lawrence Welk Show.

On a related tangent, I frequent a local Mexican restaurant and I always enjoyed the music they had playing there. I always wondered why it sounded so much like polka music with the accordion and the oom-pah-pah tuba. After a little research I found that sometime in the 1800s, German (and possibly Czech and Pole) settlers moved into Mexico and along the Mexico/Texas border. The merging of the cultures resulted in the European influence on the local music. I think it goes by several names which have their differences and emphasis on different instruments - Tejano, conjunto, norteno, Tex Mex, banda, ranchero.

Yeah, I was stationed in San Antonio for a long time. There's German towns (New Braunfels and Fredericksburg) nearby, and there's a beautiful old German Catholic Church with lots of German language stuff on the walls, etc. An old, old German lady relative of my ex-wife landed on the Texas coast and then went overland by wagon to Washington state.

I was told by someone that the Mexican bands picked up the button accordion from the Germans. :eek:ld:
 
Oh yeah, mikelz777, I like polkas too. The Clarinet Polka is one of my favorites. The dancing looks like a lot of fun. :eek:ld:
 
Yeah, I was stationed in San Antonio for a long time. There's German towns (New Braunfels and Fredericksburg) nearby, and there's a beautiful old German Catholic Church with lots of German language stuff on the walls, etc. An old, old German lady relative of my ex-wife landed on the Texas coast and then went overland by wagon to Washington state.

I lived in the hill country, Bandera, for a couple of years which is just about an hour from San Antonio. The German connection wasn't on my radar back then but having experienced small town Texas as well as big town Texas (if you want to call San Antonio big) it gave me a much greater appreciation for country music (which I liked going in) and the whole Texas/Mexico thing. I experience the music on a whole different level I wouldn't have known or understood had I not lived there.
 
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I wonder why there isn't more about Hawaiian music on the UU. After all, it is a ukulele forum, and there are lots of Hawaiian members (and leaders).

When I was a boy, my folks usta watch Webley Edwards on TV. My mother really liked Hawaiin music and the dancing and the stories. Webley Edwards played a skinny trumpet with a weird tone. I usta have one of his records, but it's long gone now.

My Godmother was Hawaiian, and we usta go to her luaus (?). Her two daughters danced the hula--good times.

I have a Jumpin' Jim's Hawaiian book, but I've only played and sang from it a little. :eek:ld:
 
I wonder why there isn't more about Hawaiian music on the UU. After all, it is a ukulele forum, and there are lots of Hawaiian members (and leaders).

When I was a boy, my folks usta watch Webley Edwards on TV. My mother really liked Hawaiin music and the dancing and the stories. Webley Edwards played a skinny trumpet with a weird tone. I usta have one of his records, but it's long gone now.

My Godmother was Hawaiian, and we usta go to her luaus (?). Her two daughters danced the hula--good times.

I have a Jumpin' Jim's Hawaiian book, but I've only played and sang from it a little. :eek:ld:

Not sure if you saw what I wrote some posts back, or if it's even relevant, but here are a few thoughts:

If I recall correctly most of what is in that book is really Hapa-Haole music and not true Hawaiian music.

I like Hawaiian music when I'm in Hawaii, but as a musician it's just not something I play much here in California. I'm sure I've said elsewhere that I think of the uke as an "instrument," end of story, rather than a specifically "Hawaiian" instrument.

There are some really beautiful Hawaiian songs but to me, most of the beauty is in the lyrics rather than the melody or chord progression, and as a non-singer, frankly, that's pretty boring. I really tried to dig up a truly Hawaiian (not hapa-haole) song that my all-instrumental ensemble could play, and came up totally blank - but I'm open to suggestions if anybody wants to send them my way.
 
Well, janeray1940, Jumpin' Jim's book has lots of old songs with good memories, and I like 'em. After all, I am a haole. And I am very seldom perfect.

You're correct about the beautiful words. I do sing though, and I'm an English Major so I like words and poetry. :eek:ld:
 
I wonder why there isn't more about Hawaiian music on the UU. After all, it is a ukulele forum, and there are lots of Hawaiian members (and leaders)......

Like a lot of genres, if one hasn't had much (if any) exposure to it, can't speak the language of most lyrics, or just culturally doesn't feel comfortable (sometimes happens!), then the genre is back-shelved. I'm that way with Kabuki and Italian opera, as well as Hawaiian. Overall on UU, there seems to be relatively little discussion at all on any genre; most threads being more instrument-centric than genre-relevant.
 
Well, janeray1940, Jumpin' Jim's book has lots of old songs with good memories, and I like 'em. After all, I am a haole. And I am very seldom perfect.

You're correct about the beautiful words. I do sing though, and I'm an English Major so I like words and poetry. :eek:ld:

I enjoy listening to the hapa haole stuff - my family had connections to Hawaii as well and I remember many of those songs from my childhood. But I'll leave the singing to those with better voices than mine! :)
 
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