Unpopular music opinions

[RadioWave]

A lot of the commercial "retro-swing" groups to come out of 1990s were just plain awful. Most of the bands donned fedoras, played 1950's rockabilly (with a trumpet and saxophone thrown in for good measure), and passed it off as swing. A handful of good tracks were made by various groups, but the overall attempt at recapturing the swing-era came across as cheesy and tacky - like paying homage to Da Vinci and Monet by coloring with crayons on crumpled notebook paper.

 

[rue]

No, he was instrumental in being white and combining those things. Everything he did had been done before him. There was nothing new he added to the mix. He just packaged it to a new audience.

LD

I get what you're saying, but that brought it to ears that wouldn't have heard it before. If it wasn't for Elvis, most might have never heard the musical stylings of say Arthur Crudup. In my opinion, he brought many singers that would have been ignored to the forefront.

 

[rue]

I think Crosby had ten times the talent Sinatra did. However, Sinatra's image -- "he did it HIS WAY" -- is far more in keeping with modern attitudes.

True, but at least he looked good

 

[Lady Day]

Mildred Bailey was the best female popular singer of her generation.

I am really getting into Miss Bailey, especially over the last few months, and from the little I've read about her, she seemed to be a bit of a pain

LD

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

I'm sure a lot of people here won't speak to me again, but I think Sinatra is overrated.
I don't get the love for the music. I think he was a mediocre crooner at best. Maybe what people respond to most is the lifestyle? Okay, I understand that, but I don't get the music.

LD

Personally, Dean Martin was a better singer.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

I don't get rock at all. Never have, never will -- it's just never appealed to me.

:eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap

 

[Kahuna]

I get what you're saying, but that brought it to ears that wouldn't have heard it before. If it wasn't for Elvis, most might have never heard the musical stylings of say Arthur Crudup. In my opinion, he brought many singers that would have been ignored to the forefront.

I'm not so sure that he did much for the careers of Arthur Crudup, Big Mama Thornton, etc. as singers. At best he might have gotten them royalties for their songs but the singers themselves remained pretty obscure. Once Elvis did a song in the 50's it was an Elvis song as far as most of the kids who listened to radio were concerned.

 

[Lincsong]

I'm sure a lot of people here won't speak to me again, but I think Sinatra is overrated.
I don't get the love for the music. I think he was a mediocre crooner at best. Maybe what people respond to most is the lifestyle? Okay, I understand that, but I don't get the music.

LD

I think Sinatra himself would agree with you. He didn't have a particularly strong voice. But, he often said he was a good actor in that he "lived" those songs himself and was able to project those feelings through the songs. He would sing the song as he thought the songwriter meant it to be sung. It was the eloquence and sincerity put into each song. A couple months ago I was getting my haircut and Ray the barber and I were talking about Sinatra. He's approaching 80 or perhaps he passed it, but he said he saw Sinatra perform 19 times in his life in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Tahoe and San Francisco. He told me that the thing with Sinatra was that he was able to make every woman in the audience feel as though he was singing the song about them and every man in the audience think about that "lost" love.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Everything worth saying on an electric guitar was said by Charlie Christian.

 

[Widebrim]

No, he was instrumental in being white and combining those things. Everything he did had been done before him. There was nothing new he added to the mix. He just packaged it to a new audience.

LD

I grant you that Bill Haley was in the process of combining hillybilly, Western Swing, and R&B a little bit before Elvis, but that's why I said Elvis was insturmental, not the originator.

 

[Widebrim]

Personally, Dean Martin was a better singer.

I think that Dean did have a better voice, but there was something about Frank's delivery and stage presence that account for his popularity, as Lincsong mentions...Oh, and regarding the song, "My Way," Sinatra hated it for its narcisstic overtones.

 

[Lincsong]

The music world would have been better if Carlos Santana, Jimi Hendrix and Jerry Garcia never learned an instrument.

 

[Widebrim]

Everything worth saying on an electric guitar was said by Charlie Christian.

Can we give Les Paul some recognition?...[huh]

 

[Widebrim]

The music world would have been better if Carlos Santana, Jimi Hendrix and Jerry Garcia never learned an instrument.

Wow!:eusa_doh: Well, I guess that's why this thread is called Unpopular Music Opinions.lol

 

[Lincsong]

Wow!:eusa_doh: Well, I guess that's why this thread is called Unpopular Music Opinions.lol

Like Frank Sinatra used to say; "if you don't want an honest answer, don't ask me".

 

[Widebrim]

Like Frank Sinatra used to say; "if you don't want an honest answer, don't ask me".

lol Good one! (And never let it be said that I doubted your honesty...)

 

[Lincsong]

If Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Band is considered the greatest rock and roll album I'd hate to know what the worst album was considered.

 

[CopperNY]

Elvis and Sinatra were -ultimately- "entertainers". most talented in their genre? no. but they had that hypnotic ability to carry a crowd that made up for other shortcomings.

and, as far as raw guitar power, i'm still in awe of Son House and his self taught steel guitar style.

 

[jamespowers]

Definitely agree with you on this one, Rue.

Here's another: The Beatles - most over-rated band in history.

:amen::amen: to both. The beatles are/were horrible. :eusa_doh:

 

[CopperNY]

:amen::amen: to both. The beatles are/were horrible. :eusa_doh:

agreed.