Music has changed, and the emphasis from love has changed to material things such as cars, money, clothes, etc. Now I am not saying that “good” music does not still exists, because it definitely does. All I am saying is it is just not as frequent as it once was. I am not even saying that songs about material things are bad. If I said that I would be a hypocrite because I assure you that I will be in the club in the nearby future getting my freak on to people like Soulja Boy and Wacka Flacka Flame. Nothing against Soulja Boy or Wacka Flacka Flame, I support anybody getting their hustle on making money. So by all means keep doing the damn thing! All I’m saying is, when did the emphasis of music change? I am truly a fan of music; I can pull out my iPod right now and recite every lyric from artists like Luther Vandross to Tupac Shakur, so personally I understand music from back in the day and music in present day. Watch this standup comedy video of Steve Harvey talking about these issues. There is a lot of truth to what he is saying, plus he’s really funny.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Old School vs New School...
Don’t get me started on oldies! Being the son of Rose Waterford and Phil Waterford I couldn't grow up without having oldies pressed upon me. Luther Vandross, Prince, Al Green, Teddy Pendergrass, Earth Wind & Fire, Temptations, James Brown, Bobby Womack, Marvin Gaye, El Debarge, Rick James, Teena Marie, Al B Sure, and Howard Hewitt, to name a few! You can put on a song from any of these artists and I will have a story for you. I would like to thank my family for introducing me to this genre of music at an early age for many reasons. Music back then was about love and the finer things in life. These artists would put all their feelings out there and tell you exactly how they felt. Songs back in the day had substance to them. Marvin Gaye, “Whats Going on?” lyrics were so powerful and had so much meaning. He touched so many lives talking about real life issues, including poverty, the Vietnam War, and drug abuse. Al Green “Let’s stay together” talks about how in love he is with his woman. How many songs do we hear in present day where the opening line is “I’m so in love with you?”
Music has changed, and the emphasis from love has changed to material things such as cars, money, clothes, etc. Now I am not saying that “good” music does not still exists, because it definitely does. All I am saying is it is just not as frequent as it once was. I am not even saying that songs about material things are bad. If I said that I would be a hypocrite because I assure you that I will be in the club in the nearby future getting my freak on to people like Soulja Boy and Wacka Flacka Flame. Nothing against Soulja Boy or Wacka Flacka Flame, I support anybody getting their hustle on making money. So by all means keep doing the damn thing! All I’m saying is, when did the emphasis of music change? I am truly a fan of music; I can pull out my iPod right now and recite every lyric from artists like Luther Vandross to Tupac Shakur, so personally I understand music from back in the day and music in present day. Watch this standup comedy video of Steve Harvey talking about these issues. There is a lot of truth to what he is saying, plus he’s really funny.
Music has changed, and the emphasis from love has changed to material things such as cars, money, clothes, etc. Now I am not saying that “good” music does not still exists, because it definitely does. All I am saying is it is just not as frequent as it once was. I am not even saying that songs about material things are bad. If I said that I would be a hypocrite because I assure you that I will be in the club in the nearby future getting my freak on to people like Soulja Boy and Wacka Flacka Flame. Nothing against Soulja Boy or Wacka Flacka Flame, I support anybody getting their hustle on making money. So by all means keep doing the damn thing! All I’m saying is, when did the emphasis of music change? I am truly a fan of music; I can pull out my iPod right now and recite every lyric from artists like Luther Vandross to Tupac Shakur, so personally I understand music from back in the day and music in present day. Watch this standup comedy video of Steve Harvey talking about these issues. There is a lot of truth to what he is saying, plus he’s really funny.
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I wish music was still all about love...it is so sad to see where music has gone sometimes. I seriously think that music has such a huge impact on who we are as people. Back in the day when music was about love, divorce was unheard of. Now a days, there is more music about break ups and look at the divorce rate, it's ridiculous! I think in a sense we need to go back to how things used to be, when all we needed was eachother and that was enough.
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ReplyDeleteMan oooohhhh man...music...where do i begin?
ReplyDeleteI feel you Eric on the whole "I wish today's music could be more like music from back in the day." Right now, as a growing young man in college, I have found myself shying away from hip hop music over the past few months. I've found solace in what I feel is real music, with real substance, created by real talent. More recently I've found myself listening to R&B artists with amazing vocals, choosing then over rappers and hip hop artists. But, don't get me wrong, I still love hip hop and listen to it almost daily. Life without music wouldn't be the same life at all. I just wish that artists could go back to the roots, and that more singers with real talent will emerge. At the same time, I hope that new and older artists will realize the influence they have on people's lives and strive to make a positive influence.
First, thank you for posting videos to the songs. I knew them, but it's still nice to listen along as I'm reading. I agree with you one hundred million percent though, music isn't as great as it used to be unless you work to find it. I think that's why I'm such a huge Pandora and Grooveshark fan. Both of these sites help you find similar bands that you like and I haven't been complaining too much lately. It really is amazing some of the music that is celebrated in our society today. The lyrics aren't lyrics, they're not even a third grade poem at best. Good posts though, interested to see what you'll come up with.
ReplyDeleteMusic has changed so much over the years and definitely isn't the same as it once was. Listening to artists like Al Green, Johnny Gill, Earth Wind & Fire, The Temptations, The Whispers, SWV, En Vogue, Michael Jackson, Zapp & Rodger, Etc. Every one of their songs portrayed true emotion and feeling. They were songs that you could apply to your everyday life. When you put on "oldies" music, it automatically puts a smile on your face. It gives you that "feel good" feeling. Not only does it make our parents and grandparents happy and lively, but this music has been carried on to our generation as well, making an impact in our lives. A majority of the current Rap, Hip-Hip, and R&B artists have lost grasp of what music really is and have turned it in to pop culture and material items. The "oldies" have survived the test of time and will be passed on to many generations. What music being made now, can you see being passed on? Not much. :/
ReplyDeleteI agree with Colin, some of the our celebrated artists today don't have the talent or want to come up with meaningful lyrics. For example, Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" is mostly just her making sounds. However, for some reason she is one of the most popular and celebrated artists today. But, do you blame the artist or the audience? Isn't the audience the reason why these songs are so popular?
ReplyDeleteMusic is definitely not the same today as it once was. It used to tell story and reveal emotions and secrets, and today its about a lot of superficial things. Today, a lot of music is purely made for the money and making yourself a celebrity, very few people have true talent. Like real housewives Kim Zolciak recording the song " Tardy For The Party", is a song done for attention, and shows no talent at all
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