Harking for a simpler time.....

[Flicka]

If you ask me, all the best music was either written before 1775 or after 1960. Also, I think it'd be hard not to admit that democracy in Eastern Europe was a good thing. And don't get me started on various things in our legislation and social security system.

And, yeah, the music.

This is rather interesting---such a huge gap--not only in decades, but in centuries as well. I'm just curious, why is this gap so large, if you don't mind me asking?

-Kristi

Eh, I have no idea. I'm surprised it took them over a hundred years to come up with something as good as Händel and Corelli too, but there you are...

I like 20s -50s music fine; I just generally prefer electroclash to crooning. But the classical stuff in the 19th century mostly gives me hives. Beethoven, Tjajkovski, Chopin... No, I'll pass on that.

 

[vitanola]

For me, music began a slow decline in 1967 and really hit bottom in 1975 and afterward.

-Kristi

The seeds of the decay of Amrican popular music were, I believe sown with thie introduction of the Frying Pan Hawiian Guitar by the Ro-Pat company in '32. The subsequent introduction of the Epiphone Electro-Spanish in '34 sealed music's doom, for with the electric guitar, any self-taught three chord wonder could make an ungodly rhythemic noise. Whilst there are any number of absolute virtuosi who have chosen the electric guitar as their preferred form of expression, the instrument's cheapness and ease of play, which allows a youngster to perform publicly without the many years of pparctive, thought and discipline required by more traditional instruments, has led to popular music's being overrun by musical illiterates, whose dross is so highly amolified that it tends to drown the better work.

 

[Sharpsburg]

While i do appreciate that Welk truly was the last of his kind, i can't think of Welk without imaging a room full of blue haired nursing home residents listening to his weak renditions of swing hits and that guy with the phony leiderhosen and accordion. Too many girl groups and bad duets of pretty white people for me to take his music seriously. I only know him from the show, so i can't comment on anything else. That show depressed me, even as a child. Just my opinion.

As has been discussed in other threads, anyone who tries to judge Welk with a jazz/blues/rock sensibility won't think much of him. But faulting him for not being any of those things is like criticizing a turnip for not being a grapefruit. If you consider Welk for what he actually was, a cross between a 1920's European musette group, a 1930's hotel dance band, and a vaudeville troupe, he stacks up quite well. He wasn't up to Kay Kyser's standard in the show-band category, but he was far better than Sammy Kaye or Blue Barron, and about equal to Horace Heidt. As for musicianship, by the time of his television show, the market for dance-band musicians had dwindled to the point where Welk was one of the few games left in town, and he could have his pick of some pretty fine talent.

The stereotype of the Era is that it was dominated by zoot-suited jitterbugs cutting a rug to hot jazz and swing -- but that's far from the truth. Hot bands were actually only a small part of the total popular music picture of the time, and never a truly dominant part -- most people older than their mid-twenties preferred the sweeter bands, and there was a very strong market for outfits like Welk's.

 

[Sharpsburg]

I think there is good music all the time, if you look for it. Hopefully, the internet and sites like pandora, etc, and other free music sites (also youtube) can give people access to good music which will never, ever be played on commercial radio. Who, honestly, does not love Adele? Come on.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

The show was definitely on the decline by the era you're speaking of. The Geritol-funded, somewhat bland, and campy version of what the show was once upon a time. The old shows, especially the 'Dodge Dance Party' episodes from the fifties are a lot better. I preferred the show when Jo Ann Castle and the Lennon Sisters were still on. When Jo Ann left, they lost one of their biggest talents.

While i do appreciate that Welk truly was the last of his kind, i can't think of Welk without imaging a room full of blue haired nursing home residents listening to his weak renditions of swing hits and that guy with the phony leiderhosen and accordion. Too many girl groups and bad duets of pretty white people for me to take his music seriously. I only know him from the show, so i can't comment on anything else. That show depressed me, even as a child. Just my opinion.

 

[Stearmen]

Lawrence Welk was old fashion en en when he started. But he out lasted almost every one else. I new a man that worked for him in sound, he said he was a perfectionist! Even though I thought he was L7 when I was a kid, I will always get a smile on my face when I see Aurther Duncan and his magic feet! Lately, I find my self liking Jug Band Blues, like Gus Canon!
[video=youtube;PgPGpqSAIws]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgPGpqSAIws&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PLAD599342F3BB3DB7[/video] [video=youtube;DdnWQVzwNLU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdnWQVzwNLU[/video]

 

[LizzieMaine]

While i do appreciate that Welk truly was the last of his kind, i can't think of Welk without imaging a room full of blue haired nursing home residents listening to his weak renditions of swing hits and that guy with the phony leiderhosen and accordion. Too many girl groups and bad duets of pretty white people for me to take his music seriously. I only know him from the show, so i can't comment on anything else. That show depressed me, even as a child. Just my opinion.

Welk's biggest mistake was trying to "become relevant" once his show left the network and went into syndication in the early '70s -- a dance band has no business trying to play songs written for rock/folk/country performers, and it's difficult if not impossible for any band to do so without looking ridiculous. Imagine Count Basie trying to play "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds," and the effect would be just as ludicrous. And the Count didn't even have the handicap of pretty white people in his band to contend with.

There were a lot of Golden Era performers who fell into this trap in the sixties and seventies. At one of the radio stations where I worked, there was an LP by Rudy Vallee of pop hits circa 1967 which made him come across as a pathetic, aging clown, not the fine and sensitive vocalist he had been in his prime. God only knows what the poor man was thinking. And even Bing Crosby, who should have known better, dabbled in this sort of thing -- he did better with it than most, because of his sheer talent, but it was still a vast comedown from his prime work.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Welk's biggest mistake was trying to "become relevant" once his show left the network and went into syndication in the early '70s -- a dance band has no business trying to play songs written for rock/folk/country performers, and it's difficult if not impossible for any band to do so without looking ridiculous. Imagine Count Basie trying to play "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds," and the effect would be just as ludicrous. And the Count didn't even have the handicap of pretty white people in his band to contend with.

There were a lot of Golden Era performers who fell into this trap in the sixties and seventies. At one of the radio stations where I worked, there was an LP by Rudy Vallee of pop hits circa 1967 which made him come across as a pathetic, aging clown, not the fine and sensitive vocalist he had been in his prime. God only knows what the poor man was thinking. And even Bing Crosby, who should have known better, dabbled in this sort of thing -- he did better with it than most, because of his sheer talent, but it was still a vast comedown from his prime work.

Mae West -- Baby Light My Fire (1972)
Listen for Ian Whitcomb at the end of the song

[video=youtube;RGNOwCzpq3E]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGNOwCzpq3E[/video]

 

[LizzieMaine]

We had that LP too. We had a very unusual format at that station.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

The album was produced by Ian Whitcomb.

 

[Stearmen]

Pop Music

Welk's biggest mistake was trying to "become relevant" once his show left the network and went into syndication in the early '70s -- a dance band has no business trying to play songs written for rock/folk/country performers, and it's difficult if not impossible for any band to do so without looking ridiculous. Imagine Count Basie trying to play "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds," and the effect would be just as ludicrous. And the Count didn't even have the handicap of pretty white people in his band to contend with.

There were a lot of Golden Era performers who fell into this trap in the sixties and seventies. At one of the radio stations where I worked, there was an LP by Rudy Vallee of pop hits circa 1967 which made him come across as a pathetic, aging clown, not the fine and sensitive vocalist he had been in his prime. God only knows what the poor man was thinking. And even Bing Crosby, who should have known better, dabbled in this sort of thing -- he did better with it than most, because of his sheer talent, but it was still a vast comedown from his prime work.

There are three very complicated reasons why those singers went down the pop sean. 1. Money, 2. Money, 3. Money!

 

[HodgePodge]

Imagine Count Basie trying to play "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds," and the effect would be just as ludicrous. And the Count didn't even have the handicap of pretty white people in his band to contend with.

"Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" wasn't tackled on it, but the Count did make a recording in 1966 called "Basie's Beatle Bag," which is 11 tracks of the Basie band playing beatles songs.

 

[Kishtu]

Apropos of not a lot, this was an interesting article:
http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/Don...utdoors-says/story-15410869-detail/story.html

Not so much for what Dame Fiona Roberts says, but for some of the responses - "she needs to get out of a Famous Five novel" being one of them.

Living a simpler life seems to be looked on as some kind of exclusively middle-class phenomenon. Fair enough, I suspect that in the UK having the money to "drop out" to a degree probably is, but I was slightly astonished by the level of antipathy shown to the kind of lifestyle many of us aspire to in the Lounge.

 

[fashion frank]

{LANGUAGE!} Every time I hear someone refer to a past era as a "good", "simpler" or "better times" my bloodpressure goes up and it's all I can do to supress the tirade that wants to flow - good air in ... bad air out...

I find that very interesting that you feel that way .

I realize that things were not so good in the 1930's for example a mans life expectancy was 58 as compared to today of 72 at minimum and things like that but and a BIG but , I thing things today are really screwed up in so many ways that I could fill a page and IMHO the difference is that the pace of life just as an example was slower and better than it is today.

There are many things like that ,that you can't put a premium on .

All the Best ,Fashion Frank

 

[Peter_E]

I realize that things were not so good in the 1930's for example a mans life expectancy was 58 as compared to today of 72

72? Really? Oh, sh## !!! I'd better get a move on - not as long left as I thought!

IMHO the difference is that the pace of life just as an example was slower and better than it is today.

I like a lot of stuff from back in the time gone by: old phones; old cars; leather shoes with laces; fedoras; trenchcoats; swing music; proper beer; and so on,

But ....

My Grandmother (in Europe) had 10 children. Of them, 5 lived passed infancy, and two died as teens (one from meningitis, and one from an herniated bowel), so only three lived to adulthood, my mother being one.

My wife's mother (born in Oklahoma) tells of waking up with the imprint of dust around her in bed. Her father (wife's grandfather) lost their farm and had to travel far and wide for work, essentially hobo-ing. They moved to California for a chance of a better life.

We own a couple of cars. One is from the 1950s. Recently, we were involved in an accident on the freeway: Hit on the side, spun, and ended up hitting the center divider head-on at speed. Air bags deployed, and we both (wife and I) walked away with bruises only. We have said many thanks that were in a Toyota Camry and not our 57 Ford. We would not have lived if we'd been in the Ford.

So, while there were many good things from the past, and there is nothing stopping you from employing then nowadays if you wish, I don't think that the blanket statement that it was "better" back then than it is today can be supported.

Nostalgia just ain't what it used to be!

 

[Stearmen]

I think the late 30s in hind sight were definitely the worst of days. The Great Depression, then the worst war in all of history. These days are certainly better then that. still, I do understand, since I like Golden Era Aviation so much. Makes you wounder what is wrong with all of us?

 

[fashion frank]

72?

So, while there were many good things from the past, and there is nothing stopping you from employing then nowadays if you wish, I don't think that the blanket statement that it was "better" back then than it is today can be supported.

Nostalgia just ain't what it used to be!

All nostalgia aside ,(which was not what I was really referring to )when I said better I was not referring to advances in medicine and or innovation ,I meant morals ,manners and the like .

All the Best ,Fashion Frank

 

[VintageBee]

Morals and manners...they are almost as rare as foie gras is in a California restaurant!!
(My grandson is going to stand out like a sore thumb at school with his good manners!!!)
Everyone now seems all consumed with themselves, 'me first, I'm more important', judging others...I know other eras had these issues to a certain extent... I think nowadays in this 'instant information' age, it's more evident as everyone seems to be 'talking' at once, demanding to be heard via Facebook, twitter, Instagram....the other day I shut it all off....it was so nice. So much so that when I turned the TV on that evening the noise hurt my head!

 

[Hercule]

So, while there were many good things from the past, and there is nothing stopping you from employing then nowadays if you wish, I don't think that the blanket statement that it was "better" back then than it is today can be supported.

Nostalgia just ain't what it used to be!

Aptly put.

For the record, the term I used that was flagged for language was, if I recall correctly, that of a deli lunch meat with a name similar to that of a certain northern Italian city.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I think "manners," so called, are overrated.

I think the kind of people who punctiliously follow everything Emily Post said to do are, generally speaking, the kind of people who want to make sure you know at all times that they're they kind of people who punctilliously follow Emily Post, and when I run into this sort of folks, I have to fight the impulse to burp as loudly as I possibly can in greeting and wipe my mouth with my sleeve. "Manners" in that sense mean absolutely nothing more than someone saying "I am more socially correct and better bred than thou."

Real manners are more simple. They have nothing to do with knowing which fork to use or taking your hat off in the elevator, and everything to do with letting the other guy out ahead of you in the parking lot, or not running to beat the old lady with the carriage full of watermelons to the shorter grocery line, or keeping your mouth shut and your feet off the back of the seat in front of you during the movie and just generally treating other people as you'd like to be treated. Nobody's perfect in that respect, but real manners means at least you're trying. Even if you couldn't care less what fork to use.