So, what's the deal with Janis Joplin?

[Verto]

Originally posted by PLATO


Ahh, but you miss it. I guess I can understand why the younger generation doesn't get Janis. You see, the "social commentary" wasn't trite when that song came out. It came out during the awakening of a nation to all the social inequalities that so many had taken for granted for so long...and the shear outpouring of those enlightenments from the hearts of people like Dylan and Joplin (among many others) inspired people to take action to make things better.

If you want vocal pefection then get Pavorati...if you want music that comes from the soul and reached people in a way they never were reached before, the put Joplin on the list.

She rocks.

Is that what you've deluded yourself into believing?

[Wezil]

Reality check Verto - You are the odd man out in this thread.

[Darius871]

Originally posted by Wezil
Reality check Verto - You are the odd man out in this thread.

...and Jaguar... and me...

Is there an idiom for odd men out?

[Imran Siddiqui]

That's 3... that's still odd .

[Darius871]

Look, I get the point about pouring your soul out being just as important as technical proficiency, but why does that somehow mean we should settle for just the former? With all the music out there, why not pick some that has both?

And as for her "social commentary," you're all deluding yourselves if you think that it was in any way original or groundbreaking, even for her time. There has been music criticizing social inequality, well... as long as there has been music. I mean come on.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by Darius871
Look, I get the point about pouring your soul out being just as important as technical proficiency, but why does that somehow mean we should settle for just the former? With all the music out there, why not pick some that has both?

If want both great singing and pouring out your soul all the time, why do you listen to anything but opera?

It's about the music, the pouring out your soul, the entire package. The blues aren't always pretty, but they don't always have to be .

[Cort Haus]

Originally posted by Jaguar

That song features her hideous voice a capella, but that's actually only the second most painful thing about it. The most painful thing about it is getting hit over the head with obvious and trite "social commentary."

Musicians attempting social commentary has always been and will probably always be painfully trite - with a few exceptions. Better to stick to songs about drugs, being depressed and getting laid IMO.

[Darius871]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
If want both great singing and pouring out your soul all the time, why do you listen to anything but opera?

It's about the music, the pouring out your soul, the entire package. The blues aren't always pretty, but they don't always have to be .

So if I sang a song backed up by a full complement of blackboard-scrapers, cat-stranglers, bathroom stall noises, and Dan Quayle speeches, its being a deeply moving tearjerker ballad about how much I love my girlfriend, difficulties faced in my life, pervasive problems in society, etc. might somehow rescue it from the abyss? No. Sorry.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by Darius871
So if I sang a song backed up by a full complement of blackboard-scrapers, cat-stranglers, bathroom stall noises, and Dan Quayle speeches, its being a deeply moving tearjerker ballad about how much I love my girlfriend, difficulties faced in my life, pervasive problems in society, etc. might somehow rescue it from the abyss? No. Sorry.

What part "it's about the music... " did you not see?

[Darius871]

So would that be a yes?

[Jaguar]

Originally posted by Cort Haus


Musicians attempting social commentary has always been and will probably always be painfully trite - with a few exceptions. Better to stick to songs about drugs, being depressed and getting laid IMO.

Bob Dylan did it just fine without sucking.

[Wezil]

Bob Dylan had a good voice? Since when?

[DirtyMartini]

Wezil --

There shall be no negative comments about Bob (except the whole loony born-again period), or I shall forget how kind you've been to me and put you on the list.

[Wezil]

Originally posted by DirtyMartini
Wezil --

There shall be no negative comments about Bob (except the whole loony born-again period), or I shall forget how kind you've been to me and put you on the list.

I happen to like Bob Dylan. I can't say that I was a huge fan but I do have some of his stuff. You must concede however that his voice was not what most would be considered "good". I can understand how others would feel that way about Janis.

See? I'm still kind to you.

No need to put me on "the list".

[Darius871]

Originally posted by DirtyMartini
(except the whole loony born-again period)

What's the beef?