Posted on 04/11/2020 9:01:29 PM PDT by Olog-hai
Don McLean, the 74-year-old singer best known for his 1971 hit “American Pie,” says he is not impressed with the music of today.
The singer-songwriter believes times have certainly changed since his early days in the music industry, and he’s claiming there is no longer music of substance when he turns on the radio.
The folk-rock singer sat down with Tom Cridland for his YouTube series “The Greatest Music of All Time” to reflect on his musical career highlights. During the candid conversation, McLean partially discusses his political views, claiming that politics no longer “really mean anything,” and he likened it to drastic shift he’s noticed in music.
“The music doesn’t mean anything. The music reflects the spiritual nature of the society. We have a kind of a nihilistic society now,” McLean told the host. “No one believes in anything, no one likes anything, no one has any respect for anything much. The music shows that.” […]
The singer-songwriter added that today’s catchy songs involving notes and choruses “repeated over and over again” end up becoming “drummed into your head or makes you want to hang yourself.”
“It’s not a hook,” he said. …
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Are you talking about music or musicians?
Based on my listening pattern I like some of the newer bands. Foxes and Fossils is a good example. Great band.
But they mostly sing music from the 70’s & 80’s. That’s what most of the singers and bands that I like are doing.
I find very little music that is new that I like. Not zero but not much.
He no longer exists because, like Frampton, hit big once and thats all you had in you!
that about sums it up
That was my first option listed.
I am not a great 80s fan...but their album...business as usual is very good. IMHO.
Old guy thinks music of today sucks.
IT DOES!!!
yeah..that was pretty bad...if you think about it...kinda had some “rap” in it...was Bob Dylan singing or “rapping”? Listen to A Desultory Phillipic by those famous rappers Simon and Garfunkel...if you want folk rap.
“Waters of Babylon”
I was fortunate enough to be at one of his concerts when he did this—small venue at my college auditorium, couldn’t have been more than 100-150 people.
When he had the audience sing this it was quite musical. And very sad. In fact, this could have been recorded at that concert.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bboWOqUrwt8
A very deep passage of Scripture.
What are your five?
Whatever Mclean, never could stand your music.
That said, no idea what goes on in “music” these days, seems to be ghetto tribal chanting or computer generated drivel.
No, not exactly......
As brutal a review as can be made! lol.
I listed five of my more favorite newer band elsewhere. There are more, but in many cases they are broken up now (I got their CD a few years ago). These kids can really turn in an exciting live gig, the lyrics can be compelling, and they are generally better players than yesterday.
The level of technical chops nowadays is vastly superior to that of yesteryear. There is no shortage of online resources and players today generally work very hard at their instruments. At the same time, some of these kids can't swing, boogie, or improvise. On balance, I will take someone with the raw talent of a Pete Townshend over the virtuosity of a Yngwie Malmsteen. That said, a Steve Vai and a Vinnie Caliuta can do it all.
TBH, I am not impressed with “American Pie”. Facile, shallow, cliche.
Maudlin bathos. Really embarrassing. Most of us regret our teenage sentimentalism.
PSALM 137
By the rivers of Babylon,
There we sat down, yea, we wept
When we remembered Zion.
We hung our harps
Upon the willows in the midst of it.
For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song,
And those who plundered us requested mirth,
Saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”
How shall we sing the Lord’s song
In a foreign land?
If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
Let my right hand forget its skill!
If I do not remember you,
Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth—
If I do not exalt Jerusalem
Above my chief joy.
Of course there is also the reggae version.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-3-OVv10_M
And perhaps the most beautiful version, from Godspell:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFmGFWqAr68
There is some truth to what he says, but it is an over generalization. There is some great music today. Just not as much as there was in some prior eras.
Yep
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