Are you sure you linked to the right song, @SongsStillUnfinished? When I click your link I get Ramona Made My Day by Dignus, and while it's not my cup of tea, I don't think there is anything...
Are you sure you linked to the right song, @SongsStillUnfinished? When I click your link I get Ramona Made My Day by Dignus, and while it's not my cup of tea, I don't think there is anything particularly wrong with the song, nor does there appear to be any hint of someone saying "kill me" in it. If anything it feels incredibly positive since it's about a waitress making the singer's day just by chatting with him about her life.
As for my own "worst song experiences", I have a pretty damn high threshold for what others would undoubtedly label as "terrible" since I created /r/coversongs, ran it on my own for almost a decade, and so was subjected to some pretty "underwhelming" (to put it nicely) coversongs on the regular. I always tried my best to never judge people too harshly, since many submitters were clearly brand new to singing/playing, and I didn't want the subreddit to be a place that would discourage such people from continuing to practice and get better. However, occasionally someone was just so incredibly tone-deaf, and completely oblivious to that fact, that it would blast past my tolerance and make me cringe super hard. I feel like it would be pretty mean to single any of them out, but just imagine the absolute worst American Idol auditions you can think of, only instead of TV studio production quality they're shot on a 20-year-old laptop's webcam using the built-in mic, and you will get the idea of how bad they could be. :P
Oooh yeah, I linked the correct song for my contribution. To give perspective; this is the 'hold music' for an art gallery I have to call sometimes. Maybe that's why I take such offense to it. My...
Oooh yeah, I linked the correct song for my contribution.
To give perspective; this is the 'hold music' for an art gallery I have to call sometimes. Maybe that's why I take such offense to it.
My cringe about it, is its lack of structure, how slow and the crappy story is. And the kill me reference was to what I expect ramona to say, because that's what I want every time I hear this.
Your experience isn't what I expected as a response, and am glad that you did respond. I can't imagine the eye rolling garbage you've had to endure. I didn't mean to make a affront that this guy/band should stop writing and playing... it's just that I can't begin to have any appreciation for this...and it's use as a 'hold call' interlude.
It was an earnest release, but the liner notes are something of a joke, being intentionally a little surreal and not accurately describing the process Lou used to record the album. It's...
It was an earnest release, but the liner notes are something of a joke, being intentionally a little surreal and not accurately describing the process Lou used to record the album. It's unironically one of my favorites and a true inspiration to me. There's a recurring sound like a happy, squawking bird in Part One that causes tears to well up in my eyes. It reliably picks up my mood in the same way Berlin can lower it. The whole thing strikes me as being the sound of liberation and deliverance. The locked groove on the second LP's final side extend its final few notes into infinity. It's a beautiful gesture.
Something worth investigating is Zeitkratzer's rendition of it. The saxophonist Ulrich Krieger painstakingly transcribed the entire album for classical instruments -- an astonishing feat -- and got Lou to participate in a live recording of it in 2007. A live DVD was also made. Even before Lou died, I thought there was something poignant in how the orchestra performs most of the piece around an empty chair. In the final segment, he comes out and takes his seat, and in the only perceivable deviation from the studio recording, plays an extended guitar solo. I think what he plays likely resembles the "original" state of the Metal Machine recordings, before he put them through all that processing. He raises his hand, and Zeitkratzer join him for the "locked groove" portion. It's been a while since I've watched the interview with Lou and Krieger after the concert, but I distinctly remember Lou getting a little teary when he talked about his amazement when Krieger first presented him with the score. No, it's not for everyone, and being skeptical of people who praise it is wise. But it's emphatically not a joke.
Amazing response, I'll give the album another listen (because I have actually listened to the whole thing before.) I found it a bit trance-inducing, the way some of Philip Glass' music can be for...
Amazing response, I'll give the album another listen (because I have actually listened to the whole thing before.) I found it a bit trance-inducing, the way some of Philip Glass' music can be for me, or Steve Reich.
Amazing too for me to read your response and the other response I got, that it's literally the worst. I mentioned the album because I knew it would be highly polarizing, but I think a lot of great art is - Jackson Pollack popped into mind but there are many others.
Years ago I was road tripping down the west coast. We'd stop in at record stores and pick up CDs based purely on the covers, which wasn't the best idea. Most of them were alright, but one friend...
Years ago I was road tripping down the west coast. We'd stop in at record stores and pick up CDs based purely on the covers, which wasn't the best idea.
Most of them were alright, but one friend paid $13 for a CD that was essentially static cutting in and out for an hour. With this awful CD in mind, I can confidently say that Lou Reed's record is still the worst. It sounds like something that came out of the Well to Hell
So, at a slight tangent - close your eyes (the song has hard sub titles) and tell me what he's singing here: https://youtu.be/291ET6Py6H8?t=128 Because he's not singing what the subs say he's...
So, at a slight tangent - close your eyes (the song has hard sub titles) and tell me what he's singing here: https://youtu.be/291ET6Py6H8?t=128
Because he's not singing what the subs say he's singing, is he?
I'm only responding to this now, because if I click one more of those links again, I might just end it all. I have a new utmost profound respect for what some generations of british children have...
I'm only responding to this now, because if I click one more of those links again, I might just end it all. I have a new utmost profound respect for what some generations of british children have had to endure throughout their formative years.
My friend told me that the song Peach Pear Plum was the worst song in existence. I have a pretty eclectic taste, so I listened to it, to try and prove him wrong. The thing about this song is,...
My friend told me that the song Peach Pear Plum was the worst song in existence. I have a pretty eclectic taste, so I listened to it, to try and prove him wrong.
The thing about this song is, every time you think "oh, that's why it's a bad song," the song evolves and gets even worse.
I love Joanna Newsom, so maybe I can relate why in a way you might understand. I personally love discordant, high-pitched, harsh-sounding pitches/tones in music, like is often used in a lot of...
I have no idea why it is so popular.
I love Joanna Newsom, so maybe I can relate why in a way you might understand. I personally love discordant, high-pitched, harsh-sounding pitches/tones in music, like is often used in a lot of metal (SOAD - BYOB), and Eastern folk/folk-inspired music (GITS - Making of a Cyborg, Batzorig Vaanchig, Anoushka Shankar, etc.). Something about instruments and singing that grate on my nerves a tiny bit hits me just right, often gives me goosebumps, and takes me out of myself and my mind (which is why I often meditate to the music I linked above! :). And Newsom's music does the same thing to me, but she is even more extreme than most of my previous examples. :P
I almost came back to this comment because I relistened to it, and my opinion changed completely after just 3 years of life experience (including 2020). What I mostly didn't like the first time...
I almost came back to this comment because I relistened to it, and my opinion changed completely after just 3 years of life experience (including 2020).
What I mostly didn't like the first time was the arrangement. First it's discordant, that's cool. Then her voice, alright, that's different. Then her playing with being in tune /out of tune. Alright... Then her vocalizing along with the harpsichord ...ouch.... Then the lofi stacked vocals knocked it out of the park of misery. The cherry on top was "Peach plum" (no pear) at the very end. Ahh I was sorry I listened to it the first time.
But this time, I felt it in a way words can't take express. The world isn't always a beautiful place. Life goes on even when you are just hanging on to the ride. And things can still be beautiful. They can be beautiful despite it all. In the face of it. I started appreciating the mood in Newsom's voice: that old blues adage that it's not how well you sing, it's the experience you bring to the song. Damn.
Nice! I'm glad that you gave it another shot, and had a different experience with it this time. And well said, about some of its imperfect but beautiful qualities too. :) p.s. Thanks to this...
Nice! I'm glad that you gave it another shot, and had a different experience with it this time. And well said, about some of its imperfect but beautiful qualities too. :)
p.s. Thanks to this conversation, TIL Joanna Newsom and Andy Samberg are married! I had no idea they were a couple. Neat.
Peach Plum Pear? Here's a live version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzCuOP46kpM and here's a recorded version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKrb9ydJY6M If you don't like that I guess you...
I worked at an oldies station for a few years and I used to dread the holiday season in large part because it meant I was going to have to hear Barbara Streisand's version of Jingle Bells every...
I worked at an oldies station for a few years and I used to dread the holiday season in large part because it meant I was going to have to hear Barbara Streisand's version of Jingle Bells every day for a month. I will not link to it here.
Are you sure you linked to the right song, @SongsStillUnfinished? When I click your link I get Ramona Made My Day by Dignus, and while it's not my cup of tea, I don't think there is anything particularly wrong with the song, nor does there appear to be any hint of someone saying "kill me" in it. If anything it feels incredibly positive since it's about a waitress making the singer's day just by chatting with him about her life.
As for my own "worst song experiences", I have a pretty damn high threshold for what others would undoubtedly label as "terrible" since I created /r/coversongs, ran it on my own for almost a decade, and so was subjected to some pretty "underwhelming" (to put it nicely) coversongs on the regular. I always tried my best to never judge people too harshly, since many submitters were clearly brand new to singing/playing, and I didn't want the subreddit to be a place that would discourage such people from continuing to practice and get better. However, occasionally someone was just so incredibly tone-deaf, and completely oblivious to that fact, that it would blast past my tolerance and make me cringe super hard. I feel like it would be pretty mean to single any of them out, but just imagine the absolute worst American Idol auditions you can think of, only instead of TV studio production quality they're shot on a 20-year-old laptop's webcam using the built-in mic, and you will get the idea of how bad they could be. :P
Oooh yeah, I linked the correct song for my contribution.
To give perspective; this is the 'hold music' for an art gallery I have to call sometimes. Maybe that's why I take such offense to it.
My cringe about it, is its lack of structure, how slow and the crappy story is. And the kill me reference was to what I expect ramona to say, because that's what I want every time I hear this.
Your experience isn't what I expected as a response, and am glad that you did respond. I can't imagine the eye rolling garbage you've had to endure. I didn't mean to make a affront that this guy/band should stop writing and playing... it's just that I can't begin to have any appreciation for this...and it's use as a 'hold call' interlude.
Still not sure if Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music was a joke or an earnest release.
It was an earnest release, but the liner notes are something of a joke, being intentionally a little surreal and not accurately describing the process Lou used to record the album. It's unironically one of my favorites and a true inspiration to me. There's a recurring sound like a happy, squawking bird in Part One that causes tears to well up in my eyes. It reliably picks up my mood in the same way Berlin can lower it. The whole thing strikes me as being the sound of liberation and deliverance. The locked groove on the second LP's final side extend its final few notes into infinity. It's a beautiful gesture.
Something worth investigating is Zeitkratzer's rendition of it. The saxophonist Ulrich Krieger painstakingly transcribed the entire album for classical instruments -- an astonishing feat -- and got Lou to participate in a live recording of it in 2007. A live DVD was also made. Even before Lou died, I thought there was something poignant in how the orchestra performs most of the piece around an empty chair. In the final segment, he comes out and takes his seat, and in the only perceivable deviation from the studio recording, plays an extended guitar solo. I think what he plays likely resembles the "original" state of the Metal Machine recordings, before he put them through all that processing. He raises his hand, and Zeitkratzer join him for the "locked groove" portion. It's been a while since I've watched the interview with Lou and Krieger after the concert, but I distinctly remember Lou getting a little teary when he talked about his amazement when Krieger first presented him with the score. No, it's not for everyone, and being skeptical of people who praise it is wise. But it's emphatically not a joke.
Amazing response, I'll give the album another listen (because I have actually listened to the whole thing before.) I found it a bit trance-inducing, the way some of Philip Glass' music can be for me, or Steve Reich.
Amazing too for me to read your response and the other response I got, that it's literally the worst. I mentioned the album because I knew it would be highly polarizing, but I think a lot of great art is - Jackson Pollack popped into mind but there are many others.
Years ago I was road tripping down the west coast. We'd stop in at record stores and pick up CDs based purely on the covers, which wasn't the best idea.
Most of them were alright, but one friend paid $13 for a CD that was essentially static cutting in and out for an hour. With this awful CD in mind, I can confidently say that Lou Reed's record is still the worst. It sounds like something that came out of the Well to Hell
I liked that album. It's pretty good noise/proto-noise. Yeah it's a bit hard work at times but there's some really great sounds there too.
Not a song but a whole album – Frank Zappa adored this album, Kurt Cobain listed it in his top five favorites of all time. I'll never understand why.
When I saw this post this was my first thought! I think some people like it under the "so bad it's good" kind of thinking.
So, at a slight tangent - close your eyes (the song has hard sub titles) and tell me what he's singing here: https://youtu.be/291ET6Py6H8?t=128
Because he's not singing what the subs say he's singing, is he?
I mention it because this version is the worst: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZ3tEDj1uh0
See also Elaine Page Sings Queen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXdasDHmNFY
I'm only responding to this now, because if I click one more of those links again, I might just end it all. I have a new utmost profound respect for what some generations of british children have had to endure throughout their formative years.
My friend told me that the song Peach Pear Plum was the worst song in existence. I have a pretty eclectic taste, so I listened to it, to try and prove him wrong.
The thing about this song is, every time you think "oh, that's why it's a bad song," the song evolves and gets even worse.
I have no idea why it is so popular.
I love Joanna Newsom, so maybe I can relate why in a way you might understand. I personally love discordant, high-pitched, harsh-sounding pitches/tones in music, like is often used in a lot of metal (SOAD - BYOB), and Eastern folk/folk-inspired music (GITS - Making of a Cyborg, Batzorig Vaanchig, Anoushka Shankar, etc.). Something about instruments and singing that grate on my nerves a tiny bit hits me just right, often gives me goosebumps, and takes me out of myself and my mind (which is why I often meditate to the music I linked above! :). And Newsom's music does the same thing to me, but she is even more extreme than most of my previous examples. :P
I almost came back to this comment because I relistened to it, and my opinion changed completely after just 3 years of life experience (including 2020).
What I mostly didn't like the first time was the arrangement. First it's discordant, that's cool. Then her voice, alright, that's different. Then her playing with being in tune /out of tune. Alright... Then her vocalizing along with the harpsichord ...ouch.... Then the lofi stacked vocals knocked it out of the park of misery. The cherry on top was "Peach plum" (no pear) at the very end. Ahh I was sorry I listened to it the first time.
But this time, I felt it in a way words can't take express. The world isn't always a beautiful place. Life goes on even when you are just hanging on to the ride. And things can still be beautiful. They can be beautiful despite it all. In the face of it. I started appreciating the mood in Newsom's voice: that old blues adage that it's not how well you sing, it's the experience you bring to the song. Damn.
Nice! I'm glad that you gave it another shot, and had a different experience with it this time. And well said, about some of its imperfect but beautiful qualities too. :)
p.s. Thanks to this conversation, TIL Joanna Newsom and Andy Samberg are married! I had no idea they were a couple. Neat.
Peach Plum Pear? Here's a live version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzCuOP46kpM and here's a recorded version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKrb9ydJY6M
If you don't like that I guess you will also not like Mad Hatter's Song by The Incredible String Band: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3eW0uRAP-Y
Hidden away in the middle of that is a really lovely bit. It starts here, and doesn't last long: https://youtu.be/p3eW0uRAP-Y?t=220
I worked at an oldies station for a few years and I used to dread the holiday season in large part because it meant I was going to have to hear Barbara Streisand's version of Jingle Bells every day for a month. I will not link to it here.
JFC, in the southern US, they play that goddamn awful happy birthday jesus song several times a day on local radio stations. You have my empathy.