“I Like to Move It” by Reel 2 Real is probably your favorite song then, right?
What I really hate about some music
When I listen to music, there are four things that I really bothers me and was wondering if there are others who feel the same way about songs just as strongly as I do. I don't like feeling this way but when I hear these things, I just want to turn the music off and I'm not sure why the song writer doesn't realize he probably has a dud and not a hit. Here they are:
1. When a song writer finds a catchy phrase and the singer repeats the line three times in a row and then a stanza later, here it comes again repeated all three times and this just keeps going on and on.
2. Very similar to the above, a writer writes a real good line of music and then makes the whole song a repeat or variation of this line of music and has no imagination to add a little something in-between.
3. Singers who can't really sing well and think they can but get such really great score of music behind them that if a really good singer sang the song it would be wonderful to listen to. Please understand that carrying a tune to me doesn't make a good singer and I'm not talking about karoke singers here either.
4. Rhyming in a melody.... Please you can predict what the next line of the song is going to be before it is sang because it rhymes with the last line just sang...
83 responses Add your response
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+1 @edcyn |
DAC's song Living on the run starts off real good one of my favorites then he repeats da do do do da do do do da do do do da do do do over and over again and ruins it. Warren Zevon meet me in LA same thing ruins it. Could've been massive hits. I'm sure someone else doesn't like these artist and will chastise me |
This is true , there are exceptions such as classics such as Light my fire, who’s name with Fire used many times , is poetic and great singing ability , there are many great bands that have repetitive songs , I guess much depends on the quality of the composers ability ,and arrangement the musical content behind it has much more to do with it to me then the over dubbing of words. But I do agree with your points in many cases. |
insoc I'm sure if you are a music lover, you can think of a few examples yourself. Besides if I give an example I'm sure there will be plenty out there who love the group and song and probably will be offended. When that happens out comes the pitchforks, torches, and slings. This post is my opinion only and I was wondering if the things I mentioned bother others as well. Some will not be bothered by it at all and that is why they still sell records. |
That sounds exactly like what my homeroom teacher in the mid 60's told us to do one morning. It took me many years but that and poor quality sound engineering totally washed me out of the Rock-n-roll scene by the mid '70s and I don't regret going back to good jazz. I seldom look back. Also, I find a higher level of musical talent. With the exception of an occasional Sing-Song sound from someone that only WANTS to be an actual artist. |
I find that I listen to "pop" very little. Clasical has been around for hundreds of years for good reason. In pop he repetitive lyrics and short duration are reflective of life style. It has to be short so the station can "spin" more discs and have time in between adds. Most people can't seem to focus on anything longer. They roll on instant gratification after instant gratification. This started when radio needed more space for adds. It only goes one way. I do agree with several of the other replies with regards to talent of both the writers and the singer/musicians. When everyone considers themselves fabulous no one steps into correct them. And since we can't all agree on a collective personal preference...listen/play only what you love. Why choose anything else. It would take a month to completely pick this apart. |
When it comes to repetitious songs, Beatles, Hey Jude, first to come to mind, love the Beatles but that song has to be one of the most bothersome!
Back in the day, when FM and vinyl only choices for listening had to put up with many bothersome songs. With advent of cd's could skip over bothersome songs, with streaming I can skip over any and all bothersome music! |
The first two are basically the same complaint, overdone repetition, with Kiss's Rock and Roll All Nite being one of the worst offenders. I think they repeat the line "I wanna rock and roll all night and party every day" something like 32 times at the end of that song. This is why, whenever Kiss comes up, we say "Kiss sucks". The third point is a little trickier, because sometimes the voice of a singer who would not normally be called a "good singer" can add some emphasis or grittiness to songs. See Bob Dylan, Neil Young, or Levon Helm as examples. The fourth point means nothing to me. I have no problem with rhyming and I think it can be used to tie phrases together into a cohesive structure. |
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@frankmc195 I share none of your complaints. Your #3 grievance I can’t make heads or tails of. You say “carrying a tune to me doesn’t make a good singer” immediately after saying you hate “singers who can’t sing well but think they can.” I don’t follow. I’m curious as to which songs you find antithetical to these transgressions. |
tylermunns anyone who can't sing quite as well as KD Lang, Julie London, Dianna Krall, Sade and of course many more could be subject to that observation by some but not all. You have to understand that this is my personal observations and not anyone elses so it would be understandable that you can't relate to it. I am older and as a music lover my taste have matured.... when you are young you gravitate towards Rock or pop (I still like both) but when you get older like me your taste will probably lean towards Jazz singers which mine has. The purity of some voices with wonderful background music will take you to a higher plane of enjoyment. |
After posting the above I want you to understand that I'm not one dimensional and music by Pink Floyd, Alan Parsons, Cowboy Junkies, 70's music, Smashing Pumpkins Revolution (no I'm not a revolutionary), Jimi Hendrix, Chris Isaak, and many more are all the things I enjoy. Anything that is enjoyable to listen too and doesn't make you want to drive off a cliff when you hear it. |
Hi Frank - I think you will find that most of the responders here are in the same age range, give or take, as yourself. So, no surprise that anyone's tastes, myself included, may have changed or matured over the last 50 or 60 years. I own a lot (and I mean a lot) of recorded music and what I have found with my own listening is that if the music catches me, I may not notice the lyrics until after several listens or if I force myself to read a lyric sheet. Music does have to grab me though. As for repeated phrases, if I like the music it doesn't bother me, if I don't like the music, then it becomes another reason to dislike it. Your third point quite frankly makes me go ... 'meh.' So, a better singer might do a better job of a song, than a not so good singer. Just that the not so good singer may have a bigger ego or higher estimation of their singing abilities or better production. Like American Idol's practice of the top two season finalists singing the same song (A Moment Like This) and you wonder why anyone would vote for Justin Guarini over Kelly Clarkson? How long did that last? Admittedly, I don't like lazy songwriting. I like clever wordplay ('How Can I Be Sure'). Creative is good too ('Don't Think Twice, It's Alright' comes to mind, then again most anything by Dylan). Doesn't always have to make intuitive sense to be good ('While My Guitar Gently Weeps'). Can be fun ('All That Meat and No Potatoes'). I do tire of songs that don't tell a good story or make a point or make my head hurt (anything that J Lo sings, has ever sung, our ever will sing). Could be they just don't write them like they used to. Or as Popeye might say ... I know what I can stand and I can't stands no more. Life is too short. What do I know anyways? Rich
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@rar1 - "That's alls I can stands and I can't stands no more!".... 😁 |
@frankmc195 - Definitely agree, though I'm 71 and an exception there, as I never much liked jazz when I was younger and I still don't. Ironically enough, I was really into blues as a teenager but lost my interest as I got older and into my 20's. I am very badly behind on catching up with new music as the publication I used to depend on for info went bust a few years ago, but I mostly like indie rock, reggae, some metal and some regular pop and rock (and the Grateful Dead!), but I don't stray much past that.... |
If those are the rules they are made to be broken by a skilled individual. The late Jim Steinman was such a one. |
larsman speaking of indie music, I hope you have had the pleasure of hearing "Headed south on the Northan Lights" (what a cool name) "Rosetta Cafe" "What will I do" " What am I waiting for" "A beautiful Vulnerability" "Tell me that story"... all of which are great ones and many more. OMG I forgot to add the absolute worse thing that I hate about some music and that is heavy drums though out a song that only gives you a headache and not listening pleasure... I'm not talking about the drums from early rock but todays added beats that are added by the producer. |
@frankmc195 - thank you for the recommendation - that IS a cool name; I shall check it out!! |
What no english majors on here.... I misspelled northern.... Unfortunately I can't find Headed south on the Northern lights anywhere.... don't know where I bought it at... not on Qobuz or Spotify... sorry everyone. If any of you do, let people know. I just recently heard it on Rose audio's internet radio. |
While I agree lyrics are important - and bad lyrics can quickly ruin an otherwise excellent song - keep in mind most rules are made to be broken. Listen to CAN and tell me what you think of repetitive lyrics. Also, 12 bar blues is a structure and sometimes - especially old blues songs - they just followed the structure in the lyrics. Root x 4, root, 4th, root x 2, 4th, 5th, root x 2. That sort of thing. |
You wanted me to give examples of some songs.... Try Cee Lo Green singing "I can't go for that" and from Lounge Cafe "I left my heart in San Francisco". You should make your own decision from which group I place these in.... are they great or are they terrible, you decide. No one could say anything bad about the lyrics and that is why I chose them. |