• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Best Rock/Pop Song of 1981...

I'll preface this by saying that I hope that I'm not breaking any rules by saying this because I'm not stating any particular political opinion, but I'll say that speaking more generally, I feel like it should be pretty obvious that the arts, with music included in that, has always been a vehicle for expressing opinions on politics and culture. It seems odd to me then that others would take issue with the fact that certain musicians express their political opinions to the public. In lots of cases where I've heard folks take issue with certain artists who are vocal about their political beliefs, I difficultly believing that they didn't already know the artists' political beliefs through their music, which is very much concerned with the political. To say that music should simply be entertainment seems rather limiting to me and ignores so the fact that its had so much influence on politics and culture over the years. Do we really want music to be so safe that it only concerns itself with topics that are likely to be completely uncontroversial to everyone who listens to it? If that's really the case, then we may as well forsake the whole genre of rock, as this music was developed in an atmosphere were it was very controversial... same with lots of other genres (maybe all of them!).
 
Last edited:
painttoad said:
i saw billy in 84 i think it was... ratt opened for him.

i went to see ratt but i did like billy.

billy blew them away.

ratt sounded bad, heavily distorted and sloppy. billy sounded pristine.

such a different time. nobody thought twice to see a 15 year old drinking a beer at a show.

try that now. you'll have 20 karens that just can't mind their business calling 911.
Click to expand...
I'm in no way a fan, but it does seem odd to me that one video would have made him such a pariah, particularly in that era when there was so much other cheese on MTV. I did see him live a bit before he was famous, opening up for Jefferson Starship. Though I like the Airplane stuff, by the 80s, the "Starship" version of the band had become pretty awful (I only went to the show because a friend really wanted to go) and I thought the show was pretty bad, but Billy Squire's set was much better... I remember thinking that his music seemed like a bit off a riff on the Led Zeppelin sound, though he kind of put his own stamp on it...
 
RunOutGroove said:
I'll preface this by saying that I hope that I'm not breaking any rules by saying this because I'm not stating any particular political opinion, but I'll say that speaking more generally, I feel like it should be pretty obvious that the arts, with music included in that, have always been a vehicle for expressing opinions on politics and culture. It seems odd to me then that others would take issue with the fact that certain musicians express their political opinions to the public. In lots of cases where I've heard folks take issue with certain artists who are vocal about their political beliefs, I difficultly believing that they didn't already know the artists' political beliefs through their music, which is very much concerned with the political. To say that music should simply be entertainment seems rather limiting to me and ignores so the fact that its had so much influence on politics and culture over the years. Do we really want music to be so safe that it only concerns itself with topics that are likely to be completely uncontroversial to everyone who listens to it? If that's really the case, then we may as well forsake the whole genre of rock, as this music was developed in an atmosphere were it was very controversial... same with lots of other genres (maybe all of them!).
Click to expand...
Looks like a new thread for you to start.
 
Lux Man said:
I am just saying that you had a nice well thought out reply to the subject and it might be a good new discussion/thread rather than here.
Click to expand...
Not to belabor the point (though perhaps I am!), but I have no issue with conversations on these threads taking lots of twists and turns, just like in-person conversations tend to do. I figure that anyone who isn't interested in responding to whatever detours the conversation goes is always free to respond to whatever the original post was...
 
init4fun said:
Ever read the lyrics as that song plays? The gist of it is him telling his girlfriend that he's gonna prostitute himself to rich old ladies to get the money he can't otherwise get.

As a teenager I always loved the "It's my life and I'll do what I want" rebellious lyric of that song, and then one day I sat and read the lyrics as it played..... :(


It's a hard world to get a break in
All the good things have been taken
But girl, there are ways to make certain things pay
Though I'm dressed in these rags, I'll wear sable, someday

Hear what I say
I'm gonna ride this serpent
No more time spent, sweatin' rent
Hear my command

I'm breakin' loose, it ain't no use
Holdin' me down, stick around
But baby (Baby)
Remember (Remember)

It's my life and I'll do what I want
It's my mind and I think what I want
Show me I'm wrong, hurt me sometime
But someday, I'll treat you real fine

There'll be women and their fortunes
Who just want to mother orphans
Are you gonna cry while I'm squeezin' them dry?
Talkin' all I can get, no regrets

When I, openly lie
And live on their money
Believe me honey
That money, can you believe?

I ain't no saint, no complaints
So girl, throw out any doubt
And baby (Baby)
Remember (Remember)

It's my life and I'll do what I want
It's my mind and I'll think what I want
Show me I'm wrong, hurt me sometime
But someday, I'll treat you real fine

(It's my life and I'll do what I want)
Don't push me
(It's my mind and I'll think what I want)
It's my life
(It's my life and I'll do what I want)
And I can do what I want
(It's my mind and I'll think what I want)
You can't tell me
(It's my life and I'll do what I want)
I'll do what I want
(It's my mind and I'll think what I want)
Click to expand...
Damned, I never listened to the lyrics, only the hook. It'll never sound the same to me. Now, House of the Rising Sun, I now know it was a cover but the Animals were the first time hearing it for me and I still like it.
 
Work2do said:
Good stuff all !

Like him or not, Billy Squire can not go without mention.

I turned 10 in July of '81, got a portable Emerson radio/cassette player for my birthday and never turned it off. 7/81 every hour was "Urgent" followed by "Betty Davis Eyes" followed by "Winning" by Santana. Remember that time so vividly as I was becoming aware of modern music.
Click to expand...
Don't forget the J. Geils Band lots of great tunes in this era
 
krautmaster said:
No story or meaning, just a good "Jam Session"... I prefer a story
Click to expand...

After playing for nearly 40 years in bands, I prefer Music over any story...

19101710262925019416468174.jpg


... But it's me, OK ? :biggrin:;)

T
 
RunOutGroove said:
(...) It seems odd to me then that others would take issue with the fact that certain musicians express their political opinions to the public. (...)
Click to expand...

Well, in my view Natasha foremost stated a dislike of hypocritical behaviour - which I can understand.

On the other hand, at least in some areas a certain level of political engagement might hardly be possible without a certain level of what might as well be perceived as hypocritical behaviour - like for example in case of environmental activists, who fly around the world from one conference to the next, which might raise the question, whether they're at least doing more good than harm or rather more harm than good.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini
 
spicer said:
Damned, I never listened to the lyrics, only the hook. It'll never sound the same to me. Now, House of the Rising Sun, I now know it was a cover but the Animals were the first time hearing it for me and I still like it.
Click to expand...

I can thank my Hippie 9th grade "social studies" teacher for that. His lessons were all about "How is what music/lyrics your encountering in your world as your growing shaping you & your beliefs?". He constantly urged us to sit and actually listen to the lyrics of the songs we loved, and discern "What, exactly, is this song tryin to tell me?". Sure, a catchy beat may draw ya in, but the message itself, like a Christmas present, is far more important than the wrapping paper ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom