I've wanted to talk about Michael Jackson's passing for some time now, but I don't really have the words. I came of age after the big hits, Thriller was released the year before I was born and the first Jackson song I'd heard was "Will You Be There" from Free Willy. As an adult I certainly understand the importance and genius of his work. He was a true artist, writing and producing not only his own hits, but also hits for Diana Ross and the charity single "We Are The World." His legacy extends beyond his own work, though.
Michael was a trailblazer, a pioneer in videos as well as music. Beyond the brilliant sound of "Billie Jean" the video was completely unique and groundbreaking. And then came "Thriller" - a music video in name only. It was an epic short film, financed by the king of pop himself.
I've often talked about the "Children Of ABBA" - my own personal theory on modern pop music. I feel that certain artists (from Taylor Dane to Britney Spears) are descended from the pop geniuses of ABBA, some via Madonna but even the Queen of Pop owes a debt to the Swedish quartet. Well, I've been doing a lot of thinking about the fact that there is another group of artists who descend from another musical genius, Michael Jackson.
It's not a black vs white issue. There is a different pop sound that Michael brought, a more organic approach to pop that the ABBA template doesn't have. While the children of ABBA create sleek pop masterpieces, reveling in the sanded down corners and smoothed down perfectness, the children of MJ rely on throbbing, jagged roughness. The stabbing bass line of "Billie Jean" would never work on an ABBA track, the layered harmonies of "Dancing Queen" would have seemed disingenuous on a Michael production. Neither is better than the other, both artists created pop masterpieces that influenced a million artists, both big and small.
Without Michael breaking down the color barrier at MTV, the idea of a black pop star (as opposed to "merely" disco star or R&B star) would have been impossible. Rihanna is one of the Children of MJ that springs to mind first. While the Barbados-born pop star doesn't write or produce her own music, that's not what makes a pop star a child of MJ. If you place her "Disturbia" next to "Thriller" you see the direct line from one pop star to another. "Umbrella" might not have the same sound as "Human Nature" but the similarity lies in the way both songs toy with melody and structure.
Another child of MJ is Ne-Yo, not just because "Because Of You" sounds like "Rock With You" but also in the way he inherits Michael's mantle as songwriter. He's written hits for Rihanna ("Unfaithful"), Beyonce ("Irreplaceable") and Lindsay Lohan ("Bossy") as well as his own. And the two world would have collided had Michael's passing not prevented Ne-Yo from cowriting for the King Of Pop's next record.
Michael's many children include dancing singers like Justin Timberlake and Chris Brown, although sometimes it seems those kids are stealing moves more than inheriting the spirit of Micheal's dancing. Ciara, however, exhibits that blend of homage and inspiration best when she dances, her moves come from that same place of joyous belief in the power of entertainment that MJ always seemed to possess.
Sonically, it's harder to point to an artist as a child of MJ, his voice should never be imitated. But his innovative contributions to pop music can be seen everywhere. I saw Keri Hilson as a child of MJ, but I was disappointed at the lack of her own songwriting on her debut album. Santigold is more of a MJ-style innovator, but her experimentation can sometimes go to far. Natasha Bedingfield is one of those pop stars that fluctuates between a child of ABBA and a child of MJ, songs like "These Words" and "Love Like This" have that free-flowing Michael sound while "Pocketful of Sunshine" falls on the ABBA side of the pop spectrum.
Really, I see Michael's influence most these days in the punk-pop/emo scene. Not just because Fall Out Boy covered "Beat It" but also because of the level of involvement a lot of these artists have behind the scenes. From writing their own songs, to picking producers and protegees with an eye towards creating a real pop sound to the energy they bring to the stage, artists like Paramore and Fall Out Boy may be the next logical step in music evolution.
If "Thriller"-era Michael took a look at the pop scene today, he'd probably be disappointed in the production he'd find. Look at the Billboard charts, from the lazy songwriting on "Birthday Sex" to the sonic blandness of "The Climb" to the all-around uselessness of "Don't Trust Me" we need more Children Of MJ.
Showing posts with label ABBA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ABBA. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
It's Not Quite An ABBA Reunion, But I'll Take It!
My obsession with ABBA is pretty heavy. I own quite a few albums on vinyl (and if any one really loves me, they could buy me The Albums boxset for Christmas/birthday/just cuz) ABBA Gold is always on tap in the car and I just bought Benny & Bjorn's Broadway masterpiece Chess with a cast including Josh Groban and Idina Menzel. It's pretty fierce, y'all.
But I have resigned myself to the fact that ABBA will never reunite. There is some drama there, young'ns. But, the various members of the Swedish pop band have kept busy in the meantime, Agnetha and Anni-Frid have put out solo albums and Benny and Bjorn has worked together as songwriters, and as producers of Mamma Mia!
But, that's not all! Recently the male half of ABBA have been writing songs and Benny has been working with his own band, Benny Anderssons Orkester. They have rewritten some songs in English and plan to release an album as The Benny Andersson Band, with vocals by Helen Sjoholm. The lead single, and title track, is "Story Of A Heart" and guess what? ZOMG! It sounds like a new ABBA track! Yes, that is a wet spot on the floor from when I wet myself with excitement. Don't judge.
Helen's vocals are slightly thinner than Agnetha or Anni-Frid, and she does a little more 'ad-libs' at the end than the ladies of ABBA ever did. But that Swedish accent just takes you to an ABBA place, even if the perfect song writing and killer chorus doesn't. Seriously, I have not been this excited about a new song in days. Listen:
But I have resigned myself to the fact that ABBA will never reunite. There is some drama there, young'ns. But, the various members of the Swedish pop band have kept busy in the meantime, Agnetha and Anni-Frid have put out solo albums and Benny and Bjorn has worked together as songwriters, and as producers of Mamma Mia!
But, that's not all! Recently the male half of ABBA have been writing songs and Benny has been working with his own band, Benny Anderssons Orkester. They have rewritten some songs in English and plan to release an album as The Benny Andersson Band, with vocals by Helen Sjoholm. The lead single, and title track, is "Story Of A Heart" and guess what? ZOMG! It sounds like a new ABBA track! Yes, that is a wet spot on the floor from when I wet myself with excitement. Don't judge.
Helen's vocals are slightly thinner than Agnetha or Anni-Frid, and she does a little more 'ad-libs' at the end than the ladies of ABBA ever did. But that Swedish accent just takes you to an ABBA place, even if the perfect song writing and killer chorus doesn't. Seriously, I have not been this excited about a new song in days. Listen:
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
I've Got The Joy, Joy, Joy Down In My Heart!
I was at my Bible study Monday night and we were discussing what brings us joy. I said music and conversations, which got me thinking about which songs always bring me joy. There is something very powerful about music, to make someone angry or sad or happy. In chronological order, here are five songs that bring me joy.
Petula Clark - "Downtown"
When this song would come on the oldies station when I was a child, I always hoped I would live in a big city where I could walk downtown whenever I feel blue. I now live in Harrisburg, but I'd have to drive to get to downtown and I'd rather go to the mall than shop downtown. But the feeling when this song comes on remains the same, that liberating feel of joy that only shopping and music can bring!
Mama Cass - "Make Your Own Kind Of Music"
For some reason the music director of Lost seems to like to place happy pop songs from the 1960s in the middle of the deserted island drama. I'm not complaining! This song just fills my heart with joy, I want to make music, I want to dance, I want be a singing sensation! I'm not sure my neighbors approve, though.
ABBA - "Dancing Queen"
And when you get the chance, you are the dancing queen! Oh, to be a pretty young thing in the 1970s, the disco as my hunting ground. There is no greater expression of joy than to get your ass on the dance floor and shake what your mama gave ya!
Madonna - "Into The Groove"
This is the perfect song to strut to as you're walking your fine self through the mall. You can dance (for inspiration, naturally) as you walk, just giving little twirls and shoulder shakes, and that thing where you switch between your heels and your toes. Try it, it warms the heart! Only when I'm dancing can I feel this free.
Avalon - "Testify To Love"
When I was a home schooled youngin' living in the country, going to church three times a week and immersing myself in the newly revitalized Contemporary Christian Music scene one of my favorite groups was Avalon. The slick and polished pop sounds warmed my gay little heart, I rushed out to buy O2: Avalon Remixed at Walmart as soon as CCM Magazine mentioned it was available. "Testify To Love" remains one of the biggest hits in gospel radio history, the band's first twenty non-holiday singles hit number one. Wynonna Judd covered the song for an episode of Touched By An Angel, it appears on the soundtrack also.
Petula Clark - "Downtown"
When this song would come on the oldies station when I was a child, I always hoped I would live in a big city where I could walk downtown whenever I feel blue. I now live in Harrisburg, but I'd have to drive to get to downtown and I'd rather go to the mall than shop downtown. But the feeling when this song comes on remains the same, that liberating feel of joy that only shopping and music can bring!
Mama Cass - "Make Your Own Kind Of Music"
For some reason the music director of Lost seems to like to place happy pop songs from the 1960s in the middle of the deserted island drama. I'm not complaining! This song just fills my heart with joy, I want to make music, I want to dance, I want be a singing sensation! I'm not sure my neighbors approve, though.
ABBA - "Dancing Queen"
And when you get the chance, you are the dancing queen! Oh, to be a pretty young thing in the 1970s, the disco as my hunting ground. There is no greater expression of joy than to get your ass on the dance floor and shake what your mama gave ya!
Madonna - "Into The Groove"
This is the perfect song to strut to as you're walking your fine self through the mall. You can dance (for inspiration, naturally) as you walk, just giving little twirls and shoulder shakes, and that thing where you switch between your heels and your toes. Try it, it warms the heart! Only when I'm dancing can I feel this free.
Avalon - "Testify To Love"
When I was a home schooled youngin' living in the country, going to church three times a week and immersing myself in the newly revitalized Contemporary Christian Music scene one of my favorite groups was Avalon. The slick and polished pop sounds warmed my gay little heart, I rushed out to buy O2: Avalon Remixed at Walmart as soon as CCM Magazine mentioned it was available. "Testify To Love" remains one of the biggest hits in gospel radio history, the band's first twenty non-holiday singles hit number one. Wynonna Judd covered the song for an episode of Touched By An Angel, it appears on the soundtrack also.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Five Songs On Shuffle, Volume 23
This is the twenty-third installments of my weekly blog entry series "5 Songs On Shuffle." I’ll put my iTunes on shuffle and blog about the first five songs that play.
"Mashed Potato Time" - Dee Dee Sharp Maltshop Memories: Jukebox Gems
Ooh, that new dance craze, The Mashed Potato! C'mon baby, let's shimmy to "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" but we'll have to take our socks off, so we don't mark up the gym floor. Ahh, the 1950s, so quaint and darling!
"Breathless" - The Corrs In Blue
Did you know for a good few weeks, I thought this was a Shania Twain song. So embarrassing, I know, but finally a DJ did his job and mentioned who was singing it. But when I bought the CD at the Salvation Army a few years later, I learned why it sounded so Twain-y, it was produced by Shania's hubby/producer "Mutt" Lange. Makes sense now! That's why I prefer to own the CD instead of download, you get the CD booklet with all that interesting (at least to me) information.
"Lead Me On" - Amy Grant Lead Me On
Believe it or not, this is my favorite song of all time. I can't explain it, it's one of Amy's better tracks for sure and I do love me some Christian pop. But it's not what most people would expect. Maybe that's why I like it, to keep people guessing.
"When I Kissed The Teacher" - ABBA More Gold
This is an prime example of why the Swedes do pop music better than anybody else. The lyrics are ridiculous, but so catchy. Apparently the intent of kissing the teacher was to embarrass him, only instead they both realized they were in love? Mary Kay Letourneau, much?
"Doo Wop (That Thing)" - Lauryn Hill The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill
I've been in love with Lauryn Hill since I saw her in Sister Act 2, and I think The Fugees version of "Killing Me Softly" is almost as good as the Roberta Flack version. But it was in the car with my cousin Jen and her cassette of the Grammy Nominees that I first heard "Doo Wop (That Thing)" and I was amazed. It's just so funky and cool, and the lyrics were not the normal pop or R&B thing.
"Mashed Potato Time" - Dee Dee Sharp Maltshop Memories: Jukebox Gems
Ooh, that new dance craze, The Mashed Potato! C'mon baby, let's shimmy to "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" but we'll have to take our socks off, so we don't mark up the gym floor. Ahh, the 1950s, so quaint and darling!
"Breathless" - The Corrs In Blue
Did you know for a good few weeks, I thought this was a Shania Twain song. So embarrassing, I know, but finally a DJ did his job and mentioned who was singing it. But when I bought the CD at the Salvation Army a few years later, I learned why it sounded so Twain-y, it was produced by Shania's hubby/producer "Mutt" Lange. Makes sense now! That's why I prefer to own the CD instead of download, you get the CD booklet with all that interesting (at least to me) information.
"Lead Me On" - Amy Grant Lead Me On
Believe it or not, this is my favorite song of all time. I can't explain it, it's one of Amy's better tracks for sure and I do love me some Christian pop. But it's not what most people would expect. Maybe that's why I like it, to keep people guessing.
"When I Kissed The Teacher" - ABBA More Gold
This is an prime example of why the Swedes do pop music better than anybody else. The lyrics are ridiculous, but so catchy. Apparently the intent of kissing the teacher was to embarrass him, only instead they both realized they were in love? Mary Kay Letourneau, much?
"Doo Wop (That Thing)" - Lauryn Hill The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill
I've been in love with Lauryn Hill since I saw her in Sister Act 2, and I think The Fugees version of "Killing Me Softly" is almost as good as the Roberta Flack version. But it was in the car with my cousin Jen and her cassette of the Grammy Nominees that I first heard "Doo Wop (That Thing)" and I was amazed. It's just so funky and cool, and the lyrics were not the normal pop or R&B thing.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
My Top Twenty: "Winner Takes It All" - ABBA
Song: "The Winner Takes It All"Artist: ABBA
Album: Super Trouper (also on ABBA Gold)
Year: 1980
Label: Polar Music
Highest Billboard Hot 100 Position: #8
Players: Agnetha Fältskog - lead vocals; Anni-Frid Lyngstad - background vocals; Björn Ulvaeus - songwriter, producer; Benny Andersson - songwriter, producer
Everyone knows who ABBA is, right? Swedish pop-masters Benny and Bjorn created perfect melodies and catchy hooks to be sung by pitch-perfect vocalists Agnetha and Anni-Frid to create little slices of disco-dusted pop magic. Despite having only four US top ten hits (including "The Winner Takes It All") ABBA has come to symbolize pop music at its peak, beloved in Europe and around the world for their unabashed mastery of the sing-along hook. From their biggest smash, "Dancing Queen" to the lesser known, but equally catchy, minor singles like "Does Your Mother Know" you can find all the hits on the stunning singles collection ABBA Gold, the band's biggest album in the US.
When the group disbanded in 1982, interest never waned much. The male members wrote the musical Chess with Tim Rice in 1983, Erasure recorded a cover EP called ABBAesque in the late 1980s, films like Murial's Wedding and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert used the songs as plot points and the Broadway sensation Mamma Mia! used 25 of the bands hits. Two ABBA cover bands have had great success, Björn Again in the late 1980s and A*Teens during the teen pop craze at the turn of the millennium.
I was first introduced to the pop goodness of ABBA when my sisters and I were given a box of 45 singles that had belonged to my dad and his siblings as kids. I was probably 13 or 14 at the time, and I was entranced by the bubblegummy pop sounds of The Archies and the disco singles by Donna Summer, Chic and ABBA. It was "Dancing Queen" and the b-side "That's Me" and "Fernando" whose b-side I can't recall, and I was hooked. When I was 21 I bought ABBA Gold and was terrified everyone would think I was really gay for liking them. Little did I know, there is a lot more to being gay besides loving a Swedish pop outfit. It was then I discovered "The Winner Takes It All" a tender breakup ballad that uses classical themes for the lyrics. "The gods may throw a dice/their minds as cold as ice" has a Shakespearean quality, the heartbreak so evident in "Somewhere deep inside/you must know I miss you/but what can I say/rules must be obeyed" And why shouldn't it ring so true? The song was written during the divorce of Agnatha and Björn, and when at the end Agnatha cries out "No self confidence/but you see/the winner takes it all" it just hits you right in the gut. And while Mamma Mia!'s Donna manages a happy ending after performing this song, it's only right that Brits should vote this heartrending classic as Britain's Favorite Breakup Song.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Five Songs On Shuffle, Vol. 18
This is the eighteenth installments of my weekly blog entry series "5 Songs On Shuffle." I’ll put my iTunes on shuffle and blog about the first five songs that play.
"No One" - Alicia Keys No One - Single
I love this song so much, it was on my top songs list for last year. The strange synths, the piano line, the impassioned vocals all combined to create an intense pop record that sounds like nothing else on the radio.
"Super Trouper" - ABBA ABBA Gold
As you may recall, I saw Mamma Mia the other week, and was very pleased. Donna, the mother character sings this song with her two best friends and former band mates as a "reunion" of Donna & The Dynamos for the daughter bachelorette party. The song is just a fun pop song, and the super trouper referred to in the lyrics a type of lighting, not a law officer.
"We Are Broken" - Paramore Riot!
This power ballad from pop-punk grrl band Paramore is a very nice song, but almost forgettable. I enjoyed hearing it pop up on random, but don't really remember hearing it. It happens, they can't all be "Misery Business"
"Hurt" - Johnny Cash The Legend Of Johnny Cash
This is one of my favorite songs of all time, which I blogged about last December. It's so moving, almost painfully so, a man coming to terms with his mortality; and the loss of a loved one, of himself. The piano rises as the end, and it kills me. Hard to believe The Man In Black didn't even write it.
"Ur So Gay (Remix)" - Katy Perry Ur So Gay EP
In this hard techno remix of the sassy single from of-the-moment popster Katy Perry, the first three minutes consists of just the line "Ur so gay... boy" repeated over and over an obnoxious beat. You don't even get to the snark-tastic lines that make the original so fun, just the chorus. And the beat isn't the best to dance to! SKIP!
"No One" - Alicia Keys No One - Single
I love this song so much, it was on my top songs list for last year. The strange synths, the piano line, the impassioned vocals all combined to create an intense pop record that sounds like nothing else on the radio.
"Super Trouper" - ABBA ABBA Gold
As you may recall, I saw Mamma Mia the other week, and was very pleased. Donna, the mother character sings this song with her two best friends and former band mates as a "reunion" of Donna & The Dynamos for the daughter bachelorette party. The song is just a fun pop song, and the super trouper referred to in the lyrics a type of lighting, not a law officer.
"We Are Broken" - Paramore Riot!
This power ballad from pop-punk grrl band Paramore is a very nice song, but almost forgettable. I enjoyed hearing it pop up on random, but don't really remember hearing it. It happens, they can't all be "Misery Business"
"Hurt" - Johnny Cash The Legend Of Johnny Cash
This is one of my favorite songs of all time, which I blogged about last December. It's so moving, almost painfully so, a man coming to terms with his mortality; and the loss of a loved one, of himself. The piano rises as the end, and it kills me. Hard to believe The Man In Black didn't even write it.
"Ur So Gay (Remix)" - Katy Perry Ur So Gay EP
In this hard techno remix of the sassy single from of-the-moment popster Katy Perry, the first three minutes consists of just the line "Ur so gay... boy" repeated over and over an obnoxious beat. You don't even get to the snark-tastic lines that make the original so fun, just the chorus. And the beat isn't the best to dance to! SKIP!
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Amanda Seyfried (and the cast of Mamma Mia) Want A Man After Midnight.
I finally saw the Broadway sensation Mamma Mia on the stage a few weeks ago and for a ABBA freak like me it was an awesome experience. I'm also super thrilled for the film version, it's got Meryl Streep, Peirce Brosnan and Colin Firth in it. A music video for the song "Gimme, Gimme, Gimme (A Man After Midnight)" just leaked onto YouTube. As a music video it's not much to write home about, but Amanda Seyfried does a good job singing, plus there are clips from the film. Watch:
Monday, April 28, 2008
Five Songs On Shuffle, Vol. 8
This is the eighth installment of my weekly blog entry series "5 Songs On Shuffle." I’ll put my iTunes on shuffle and blog about the first five songs that play.
"Almost Lover" - A Fine Frenzy One Cell In The Sea
This heartbreaking song is from solo act A Fine Frenzy, whose poetic lyrics bite into me every time I hear this song. "I cannot go to the ocean/I cannot drive the streets at night/I cannot wake up in the morning/Without you on my mind" and "Now your gone and I'm haunted/and I'll bet you are just fine/Do I make it that easy to walk right in and out of my life" are painful lyrics that any victim of heartache will indentify with.
"Snatch The Crystal Cat Back - Khia vs Dan Deacon" - The Hood Internet Mixtape Volume One
The Khia track is the absolute filthiest thing on my iPod. Lyrics like "I should have never let you s*** this p****/F*** this p****/Thugs love this p*****" and "You'll never find another b**** with a p**** good as mine/That's better than this/Gets more wetter than this" and "D*** for days/and your head so good and you d*** so strong/make a b**** wanna s*** and f*** you all night long" would make Howard Stern blush. And I kinda know all the words, and will sing along to it in the car. Yeah, I'm that whore...
"Mamma Mia" - ABBA ABBA Gold
Aw snap, you know ABBA is my jam! And I just saw the trailer for the movie version of the Broadway show of the same name this weekend, plus someone sang it at kareoke last week, so I am in a ABBA kinda mood. I always put ABBA Gold on when I want a pick me up, just poppy goodness.
"See-Line Woman" - Nina Simone Verve Masters 17
I am obsessed with Nina Simone, I first heard "Black Is The Color Of My True Loves Hair" about 5 years ago and fell in love. This is a jauntier track about a dancer and/or whore who casts a spell over every man. Feist later remade/sampled this song as "Sea Lion Woman" on The Reminder.
"Here (In Your Arms)" - Hellogoodbye Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs!
Hellogoodbye confuse me. Are they an pop-punk/emo band who can bang out a dancefloor anthem like this one, or techno-lords who dabble in emoland? Buying this album didn't help me decide, it's a lot of both. But's all good, this track never fails to get my body moving on the dancefloor, and the lyrcis are emotastic.
"Almost Lover" - A Fine Frenzy One Cell In The Sea
This heartbreaking song is from solo act A Fine Frenzy, whose poetic lyrics bite into me every time I hear this song. "I cannot go to the ocean/I cannot drive the streets at night/I cannot wake up in the morning/Without you on my mind" and "Now your gone and I'm haunted/and I'll bet you are just fine/Do I make it that easy to walk right in and out of my life" are painful lyrics that any victim of heartache will indentify with.
"Snatch The Crystal Cat Back - Khia vs Dan Deacon" - The Hood Internet Mixtape Volume One
The Khia track is the absolute filthiest thing on my iPod. Lyrics like "I should have never let you s*** this p****/F*** this p****/Thugs love this p*****" and "You'll never find another b**** with a p**** good as mine/That's better than this/Gets more wetter than this" and "D*** for days/and your head so good and you d*** so strong/make a b**** wanna s*** and f*** you all night long" would make Howard Stern blush. And I kinda know all the words, and will sing along to it in the car. Yeah, I'm that whore...
"Mamma Mia" - ABBA ABBA Gold
Aw snap, you know ABBA is my jam! And I just saw the trailer for the movie version of the Broadway show of the same name this weekend, plus someone sang it at kareoke last week, so I am in a ABBA kinda mood. I always put ABBA Gold on when I want a pick me up, just poppy goodness.
"See-Line Woman" - Nina Simone Verve Masters 17
I am obsessed with Nina Simone, I first heard "Black Is The Color Of My True Loves Hair" about 5 years ago and fell in love. This is a jauntier track about a dancer and/or whore who casts a spell over every man. Feist later remade/sampled this song as "Sea Lion Woman" on The Reminder.
"Here (In Your Arms)" - Hellogoodbye Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs!
Hellogoodbye confuse me. Are they an pop-punk/emo band who can bang out a dancefloor anthem like this one, or techno-lords who dabble in emoland? Buying this album didn't help me decide, it's a lot of both. But's all good, this track never fails to get my body moving on the dancefloor, and the lyrcis are emotastic.
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