So I can obviously only look to the world around us (because we aren't allowed to blame parents these days) and when one studies pop culture it becomes clear that we, as Americans, seem to have lost our sense of creativity. Perhaps it is because we have become too test crazy in schools and so kids are not doing projects any more. Maybe it's because kids used to play and pretend in kindergarten, but now they are learning to read. I don't know, but when they get home from a rigorous, yet non-creative day at school, they pop in those ear buds and fill their brains with pop artists who are making millions by re-making other people's music. I'd be even more outraged at this generation if they were the ones who invented it, but sadly, it's an age-old story.
I've long wondered why no one has questioned the INSANE similarities between Lady Gaga's "Alejandro" and Ace of Base's "Don't Turn Around"... but then I think... who really cares about Ace of Base? (besides Dear Husband) So then she releases "Born This Way" which is, in my opinion a 100% rip off of Madonna's "Express Yourself." I mean, the music, the beat, the interjections of robotic speaking ("Don't be a drag, just be a queen...") the changes from pop-Barbie-girl-sound to deep "serious with a message" tone... We've seen these crazy outfits from Madonna and Marilyn Manson... I'm less than impressed by meat dresses.
But she's just one in a long line. Hell, Elvis, Jerry Lewis, and other "fathers of rock and roll" stole their music from Black musicians. Led Zepplin literally stole music from early artists and got away with it because it was pre-copyright law. Nirvana covered "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" in their 1993 performance of MTV's Unplugged and that was originally a song called "Black Girl" that was probably an old slave spiritual but was first recorded by a guy named Lead Belly - who also wrote songs later covered by Creedance Clearwater. I know "covering" a song is different than stealing a song, but regardless... it's not original. And many people don't know who Lead Belly is, but they know the songs "Black Betty," "Good Night Irene," and "Where Did You Sleep Last Night."
And I recognize that some songs seem better when they are covered because they get a new, updated sound and feel, but some classics, in my opinion are better left untouched. And, if you are going to cover a song - you should be real up front about - give credit where credit's due and "all that jazz." (as featured in Chicago, the musical - yes, it was a musical BEFORE it was a movie AND it was a book before it was a musical!)
I also find sampling to be terribly annoying. The following things physically pain me:
- Jamie Foxx's version of "I've Got a Woman" - Ray Charles needs no improvement or updating, in my humble opinion.
- Redlight King will be releasing a song called "Old Man" which is basically the track of Neil Young's original and this Redlight King guy singing over it. Now I use the term "singing" loosely. You know the band Everlast? What does he do? Sing? Talk-sing? Rap-sing? Well Redlight King is basically "Everlasting" himself all over Neil Young's "Old Man" (that whole sentence has a gross sexual innuendo somewhere). I'm disappointed in Neil Young, I'm sad that a classic song could be treated so poorly, and honestly, I'm quite surprised that someone would hear "Old Man" and think, "Damn, that'd be a great background track to my song"
- I wish the Black Eyed Peas would remember that WAY back in the day they used to turn out halfway decent lyrics, but then chose to use a catchy riff by Dick Dale in "Pump It" and most recently thought that sampling a song made famous by the movie Dirty Dancing was the way to go.
Mostly all of this bothers me because I find it lazy. Write something original for crying out loud. We've already heard all of these songs - we want new music, we want music about our generation - not some song from the 70's that coincidentally fits our modern day problems. But maybe, we don't hear anything original because most of the pop music on the radio today is written by this guy:
This is Lukasz Gottwald or "Dr. Luke" who has written and/or produced nearly every pop song from Miley Cyrus (Party in the USA) to Katy Perry (I Kissed a Girl/Hot and Cold) to Pink (Who Knew) to Avril Lavigne (Girlfriend) to B.O.B. to Kelly Clarkson (Since You've Been Gone) to Kesha (pretty much every single she's released) to Britney Spears (Hold It Against Me)... many of these songs have been involved in lawsuits, interestingly. Now I'm not saying this guy is just re-writing the same song over and over again with different effects (or maybe I am), but I do think that we are products of what we see and hear and this guy has his own influences and experiences that translate into the music he writes. The problem? Most of the music on pop radio has some tie back to this guy and his influences.
Most of pop music is written by a few popular (powerful?) songwriters. And it's happening with movies too as most are either remakes, sequels, or based (usually loosely) on books. Maybe songs are only popular because they are familiar. Hits become hits because somewhere in our subconscious we recognize a beat, a melody, a riff, or a catchy hook. Maybe everything has already been written. Maybe there are only, say, 25 original songs in this world and everything else is some version of one of those originals?
Don't get me wrong, I'm no music snob, some of the very songs I've bashed here, I have also rocked out to in the privacy of my Jeep Liberty. I'll get my groove on to "I Whip My Hair" if that's what's on, but it doesn't mean I don't know what this little Will-Smith-creation is doing - making millions off poorly written, repetitive lyrics and a beat that is only good for bumpin and grinding. All songs have their place. Sometimes I want mindless dribble, sometimes I want real poetry, sometimes I want musical talent, but always I want honesty and integrity and always I crave more creativity. Oh, and I absolutely never crave Nickelback.
Don't believe me? Check out these links:
And an excellent documentary that you must get your hands on: Before the Music Dies
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