Favorite Music, Anyone?

H_TeXMeX_H · 05-31-2010, 08:33 AM

I also like Weird Al, but I wouldn't list him as favorite.

A problem here might be that we grew up with different music, so that's what we end up liking, or something from that time. I can't say any new music has come out for a decade that I have liked.

Jeebizz · 05-31-2010, 10:44 AM

Weird Al spans almost three decades now. Sure his music is parodies of all the 'pop' hits, but in fairness to him, he is no dummy like most of the pop 'artists'. Before he got into the music business, he already got a college degree (in engineering no less). He didn't boast really high grades, but he finished a degree at least, and engineering degrees of any kind does require a lot of work.

Quote:

From Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weird_al

Yankovic, who was "only getting average grades" in his architecture degree, began to realize that he might make a career of comedic music.[9] Yankovic holds a degree in architecture from Cal Poly.[8]

Now lets compare that (well there is no comparison, but I am trying to make a point), to Miley Cyrus. College? She doesn't need no stinking college degree.

Of course she has Daddy to fall back on, because of his money from his 1990s music and such, if her music doesn't pan out, or whatever else she decides to take up, acting, etc. I don't see her writing a book anytime soon.

Anyways, I highly recommend the OP check out his earlier stuff, not just his most 'recent' work.

And now some classic Weird al, his music is even funnier in video form,

:

Fat
Eat It
This Is The Life
This song also featured on Johnny Dangerously (an excellent movie by the way,

)

damgar · 05-31-2010, 10:48 AM

Johnny Dangerously really is a great movie.

Jeebizz · 05-31-2010, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by damgar

Johnny Dangerously really is a great movie.

"Don't bulstein me, icehole!"

H_TeXMeX_H · 05-31-2010, 11:10 AM

I can't say that I learned a whole lot in college, so I don't blame them for not going.

Jeebizz · 05-31-2010, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by H_TeXMeX_H

I can't say that I learned a whole lot in college, so I don't blame them for not going.

Some, especially me would dispute that. To me college is where real learning starts. Not only do you take courses that pertains to your field, but even courses that you have to take that are part of your core is higher quality.

To me college is for folks that want to be there. Most kids that hate being in high school and prefer to just get a GED, don't really go to college. So in some sense, there is a different quality group. That is not to say however, that some colleges admit just about anybody...

Also I feel like I learned way more in college, than in high school.

H_TeXMeX_H · 05-31-2010, 11:47 AM

It depends on the professors. I learned useful things from maybe 4 or 5 professors in college, the rest of the classes were quite useless. High school was worse of course.

Robhogg · 05-31-2010, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeebizz

Most kids that hate being in high school and prefer to just get a GED, don't really go to college. So in some sense, there is a different quality group...

I think that this statement is highly questionable. Those who come from privileged backgrounds, will tend to go to college as a matter of course. People from low-income backgrounds will struggle to get in and to support themselves through college, however intelligent or motivated they are.

And, although I like Weird Al, I have difficulty seeing how a degree in an unrelated subject is any guarantee of musical talent. If you believe otherwise, though, then you'll definitely prefer Tom Lehrer. He gained an MA in mathematics, did research work at Los Alamos, lectured at MIT and UC Santa Cruz, and wrote some very witty songs as well.

That said, I'm sorry Kenny, but I haven't heard of most of the artists in your poll, don't like the ones that I have heard of, and I'd be surprised if many of them are remembered in ten years time. At least there would be a better argument for Beyoncé than the rest of them. As for my favourite music, it's pretty eclectic and tends to vary depending on my mood, the time of day, the weather and many other factors. This, though, is my "Desert Island Discs" list:

Ya Weledi - Natacha Atlas
Ninth Symphony - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Strawberry Letter 23 - Shuggie Otis
Maggot Brain - Funkadelic
Redemption Song - Bob Marley
Viva La Quince Brigada - Christy Moore
Orchestral Suite No. 3 - J.S.Bach
Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley

Jeebizz · 05-31-2010, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robhogg

I think that this statement is highly questionable. Those who come from privileged backgrounds, will tend to go to college as a matter of course. People from low-income backgrounds will struggle to get in and to support themselves through college, however intelligent or motivated they are.

And, although I like Weird Al, I have difficulty seeing how a degree in an unrelated subject is any guarantee of musical talent. If you believe otherwise, though, then you'll definitely prefer Tom Lehrer. He gained an MA in mathematics, did research work at Los Alamos, lectured at MIT and UC Santa Cruz, and wrote some very witty songs as well.

That said, I'm sorry Kenny, but I haven't heard of most of the artists in your poll, don't like the ones that I have heard of, and am willing to bet that almost all of them will have been forgotten in ten years time. At least there would be a better argument for Beyoncé than the rest of them. As for my favourite music, it's pretty eclectic and tends to vary depending on my mood, the time of day, the weather and many other factors. This, though, is my "Desert Island Discs" list:

Ya Weledi - Natacha Atlas
Ninth Symphony - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Strawberry Letter 23 - Shuggie Otis
Maggot Brain - Funkadelic
Redemption Song - Bob Marley
Viva La Quince Brigada - Christy Moore
Orchestral Suite No. 3 - J.S.Bach
Hallelujah - Leonard Cohen

Well it is not just privileged kids though that don't like high school. Also Weird Al just happened to be talented in music, even though he got a college degree.

One other note, I also like Nirvana, and obviously Kurt Cobain didn't even make it through high school. He did have talent though, and unlike most pop stars that get into music and bypass even college, at least Kurt Cobain had something to say in his music. I don't think Miley Cyrus has anything of value to say in hers.

damgar · 05-31-2010, 12:10 PM

I forgot earlier that anything involving Les Claypool is gold. I didn't get Primus when I first heard it, but I don't ever count things out. I've been listening to The Grand Pecking Order by Oysterhead on repeat for a day now, which I tend to do a few times a year. And yes I still go for whole albums rather than singles. I've been hearing that with Itunes, etc. people don't buy albums anymore, it's almost exclusively singles. I can't imagine how much I would have missed out on if I didn't listen to complete albums. My favorite songs from my favorite artists tend to almost always be on the B side of a lesser known album. Of course my favorite artits tend to be lesser known (read not pop stars or super commercial) artists.

smeezekitty · 05-31-2010, 12:11 PM

*face palm*
IMHO the school system is SO BROKEN that it does not good anyway.
I think that having a college degree means nothing.

Jeebizz · 05-31-2010, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smeezekitty

*face palm*
IMHO the school system is SO BROKEN that it does not good anyway.
I think that having a college degree means nothing.

I partially agree with you smeeze: The public school system here in the states is just atrocious. However universities are still rather decent. The only issue now is that most kids, especially today are lucky if they even make it out of high school, and now unfortunately some universities are lowering the bar to increase attendance.

This is also due to lowering standards in public education. And we also know how well 'No Child Left Behind' worked.

damgar · 05-31-2010, 12:21 PM

Eh, I come from a family of educators. Society has to take more of the blame than the schools IMHO. Parents put all the blame on schools, but the school can't do anything if it's not re-inforced at home. The schools are what's made of them. The knowledge is there if kids/parents want it. I went to a well known party school in TX. In the orientation someone asked if it was a party school. The answer was "Harvard is a party school if you go there and spend all your time partying." I tend to agree. The student can always learn more than the instructor is giving if the student wants it. I can think of a few instances in my education where that was quite true.

Jeebizz · 05-31-2010, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by damgar

Eh, I come from a family of educators. Society has to take more of the blame than the schools IMHO. Parents put all the blame on schools, but the school can't do anything if it's not re-inforced at home. The schools are what's made of them. The knowledge is there if kids/parents want it. I went to a well known party school in TX. In the orientation someone asked if it was a party school. The answer was "Harvard is a party school if you go there and spend all your time partying." I tend to agree. The student can always learn more than the instructor is giving if the student wants it. I can think of a few instances in my education where that was quite true.

True, society has set a rather low standard, but the school system does have to share in some of the blame by not standing firm, and not watering down standards at the request of society.

damgar · 05-31-2010, 12:41 PM

Schools are publicly funded and at least here the people running them are elected. They can only stand so far. Add to that all the drives to pull funds from public schools for private schools reimbursements in various forms and the schools have been forced to comply.

But yes the schools have to share in some of the blame, but even things like poorly qualified staff come back to social influence. My mom and aunts went into teaching out of a sense of social obligation that was prevalent in the '60's. They were overqualified for what they would make as teachers, but they felt it was a higher calling of sorts. They continued to go to school on their own dime, and the time they spent outside of work to keep abreast of new ideas baffled me. That's a less common view today I'm afraid.

The new quota systems and standardized testing was quite frustrating for them. That's politics and society. It was mandated that they start coaching the lowest common denominator at the expense of those students who wanted to go the extra mile and achieve. Sad, but true.