Posted on 06/17/2008 10:29:14 AM PDT by redstates4ever
"British singer Amy Winehouse drinks during her performance at "Rock in Rio" music festival in Lisbon."
"Amy Winehouse carries a drink, as she arrives at the 2008 Ivor Novello Awards, at Grosvenor House, central London."
The sad thing is that Houston at her height was nothing compared to Winehouse at hers.
Whitney Houston didn't write her own material. She sang the material she was told to sing by her handlers. She sang material that was not daring or innovative or interesting - she sang generic material that was of a piece with the other generic pop offerings of her prime years. Despite her range and power, she never sang with believable emotion - "I'm Your Baby Tonight" is mindbogglingly unsexy.
Winehouse wrote her own material. She was dissatisfied with the artistic direction her first album took and took a big chance with her second album: throwback girl group harmonies combined with the postmodern neofunk and soul-jazz horn charts of the Dap-Kings. In the post-Britney Spears era, in the American Idol era, that kind of musical adventurism is not supposed to work.
But it did. Couple the bold musical choices with starkly confessional lyrics that she sings like she really means it, with real emotional resonance and she wipes the floor with Houston.
Listen to "I'm Your Baby Tonight" and then listen to "You Know I'm No Good."
The first sounds like the best student eagerly partaking in a vocal competition - not a woman offering herself to a hoped-for lover. It's sung over a backing track that is pure, dated 1990 new jack swing with any hint of an edge removed.
The second song oozes sexual energy and seduction - and the music could be 1968 Motown or 1955 Blue Note or 1972 Westbound or 2008 Ninja Tune: it's just not generic.
I haven’t heard Winehouse’s whole album yet, but I agree with your post 100%.
Meet you downstairs in the bar and hurt,
Your rolled up sleeves in your skull t-shirt,
You say “what did you do with him today?”,
And sniffed me out like I was Tanqueray,
’Cause you’re my fella, my guy,
Hand me your stella and fly,
By the time I’m out the door,
You tear men down like Roger Moore,
“Back to Black” is made by the arrangements and production. An odd hybrid of mid-60s girl groups, Bachrach-esque pop, and early-mid 80s neo-R&B.
The English horn sections also help. For a point of reference for the use of English horns back in the 1960s, check this out:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcoBjiY7UfA
Well,
Apparently you get into it alot more about it than me so I will take your word for it.
I haven’t heard that much of Amy but Whitney has always been one of my favorites. (I was a teenager in the 80’s)
"but my Daddy thinks I'm fine"
Hmmm, perhaps, I tend to go for the ethnic chics. I've dated some Jewish girls, very s3xy they were....
If this skank and Babsie Streisand are the epitome of Jewish women, it's no wonder more Jewish men are going for shiskas nowadays.
Man, How come I never get to have "problems" like that??? :-D
Rodman wasn’t sick he’s an attention hound. I’m in Chicago so I’ll defend him! :-)
Very young Keith Richards in drag, right?
It looks like something a cat coughed up.
LOL
Or maybe her arms are so skinny, it makes her hands look huge.
I’ll argue that point. Rodman is a freak and I submit anyone who is that much of an attention hound has mental issues.
It was like that up until the mid-90's. My, errrrrr, friend tells me.
Sunny Bono in....Hairspray. Got a copy, a classic. If you grew up in Baltimore it hit’s home, hun.
Excellent retort.
Nice.
I didn't see a reason for a remake, the original being, as you say, a classic.
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