Something's always missing
Consider the Elvis Presley album 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can't Be Wrong. You might first think: of course they can. 50 million people are wrong about stuff all the time. But there is something to that title. There's something about him and his music that connected with that many people in 1959, and if you don't like it, shouldn't you wonder what you're missing? Wonder what all those people are seeing in it?
I'm thinking about this today because of Christian's offer in the comments of my last post to make me a mix of Neil Young songs that might sway me into the Neil way. I'd love that, and I'll listen to it, but I really want to know what to focus on. Something about his music has hit millions of people in just the right spot, and I want to know why it's missing me.
It's why I often ask the question, "What do you like about ______?", but that often comes off the wrong way, sounding like I'm asking, "What could you possibly see in that piece of crap? Go on! Just try and defend it!" But that's not it at all. If there's something that I ton of people like that I don't, I'm genuinely and deeply curious about what they like about it. I figure that I always love to talk up one side and down the other about what I like and why I like it, so why wouldn't other people?
I realize that this sounds like I'm requiring everyone to be overly analytical about everthing, but that's not it. I just think that behind all of our loves and tastes are reasons. But those reasons don't always have to be professorial or pretentious; when I ask someone why they like a certain band, I'm not expecting some inflated answer of how the instrumentation reminds them of Northern Danish reggae of the 70's. A reason for loving something can be as simple as the reasons that a pop song becomes a pop hit: because it's fun to sing along to, or it's a blast on the dance floor. Those are just as valid reasons as the vividness of the lyrics or the emotion of the vocals or the complex arrangement.
This is a post that should have been a comment to tell Christian: I'd love a Neil Young primer. Just tell me what I should be listening for.
12 comments:
After the Gold Rush, Harvest Moon
I'm kind of with you on this one: there's something I'm missing with Neil Young . . . and it kind of bugs me.
hey internet! let's all make our own shakey mixes and send them to reid! are you with me, internet? LET'S DO THIS!
i think it can actually do it with one song...'tell me why' on after the gold rush. if you can't get into that one, well, obviously you're part robot.
Now I kind of hope that I don't like it. I've always suspected that I'm part robot, and this would clinch it!
Isn't "part Canadian" the same thing as "part robot"
I think a collection of covers of Neil Young would be better. Forgetting for a second the fact that his nasally drone physically gives me a headache, I've found that other performers (like Cowboy Junkies, for example) are usually able to get more mileage from Neil Young songs than he can himself.
If I am part robot (if), it's from the Norwegian part of my ancestry.
But we're missing the point here. What I want to know is what I'm missing in my assessment that Neil Young songs are verse-chorus-wanky-solo sung by a guy with a two-note range and played by a group of musicians that sound too stoned to stand and whose variety is that what isn't "ROCK!" is "quiet". I don't even like covers of Neil Young songs.
So here's my challenge to you, not just for Neil Young but for for anytime you disagree with a negative opinion of mine: what should I listen for that would make me appreciate it? There's been plenty of music (and movies) that I don't like until someone gives me that one thing that makes it different and good, that one thing that says, "ignore everything else, because here's why people love it." It's like a magic eye poster. I can't see the spaceship. Show me where it is.
I absolutely will make you that mix, Reid. But you know what? I will be shocked if it alters your opinion. The thing is...the very thing that you should be listening for is indeed the thing that turns you off. His music is plodding. His vocal range is limited. Long guitar solos are often featured in his songs. None of these things are necessarily "bad" in and of themselves. One man's "plod" is another man's "groove". Know what I mean? Consider the Wilco song "At Least That's What You Said". You hate that one. I love it. It's basically a Neil Young/Crazy Horse facsimilie. Am I making any sense? In other words, I don't think you'd have nearly as good of a time listening to a Neil Young comp as I would making it (and by no means do I consider myself an expert, btw).
That said, I will also say that often times I find the most rewarding listens to be the one's that somehow alter my viewpoint for what I listen for in music. I can remember a time when I couldn't imagine what people heard when they put on a Bob Dylan record. Now, I'm obsessed with the man. I used to toe the party line on his vocals (ie, he can't sing). Now, I find myself digging my heels in and almost reveling in his voice, no matter how nasally and offkey it gets (and it does...though these days I'd call it more "froggy" than "nasally"). I revel in the Dylan-ness of it all. I'm rambling. I'll make you that Neil Young mix if for no other reason than perhaps one day you perhaps, yo just might enjoy it. But if you don't, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that either. I won't deny that the Doors were an "important" rock band...but I absolutely detest their music.
Reid can't like Neil Young, because he (Reid) is from Texas/NC, and "a Southern man don't need [Neil Young] around anyhow."
Actually Reid, I feel the exact same way about Neil Young. I also much prefer Crosby, Stills, and Nash without the Young. I guess his songwriting is supposed to make him a Canadian Springsteen or something, but his falsetto voice is like nails on a chalkboard. Plus it's just plain annoying having a Canadian come down here and act like he's God's gift to American political discourse. (Impeach the President? You can't even VOTE for the U.S. President. Go impeach your Prime Minister and leave us alone!)
Scott, does it change anything to know that Neil Young caught (and withstood) a lot of flack in the '80's for being openly supportive of Reagan?
I'm not sure if he's an American citizen now or not, but he's spent a long time living in this country, longer than either you or me. And all "51st state" jokes aside, US politics have a huge effect on Canada. Everyone in Canada has opinions on US politics. It's fine by me.
Christian, well said. That's exactly the sort of thing I'm looking for. I (well, I guess everyone does this) always listen to music listening for the things that usually make me love a song, and if there's something different, I don't always catch it. It's great to have someone point out what they find appealing about it.
I'm still intrigued by Paul's theory that I'm part robot, though. GOD, I hope it's true!
allright, allright Christian... I went back and listened to some doors excerpts of songs I hadn't heard in a looong time on itunes - and I wasn't impressed. Still, I think "Light My Fire" is a good enough tune to have been on the top 200.
I like Neil Young, but I can't really tell you why - I like that messy guitar and nasally voice I guess. I haven't really been a fan of his latest stuff though. How's that for complete non-information?!
the doors are not bad. jim morrison is bad, and he drags the average musicianship and sometimes catchy songwriting down into the mire of his bullshit quote-unquote poetry.
back to neil young, there's no question that if you don't like 'plodding' guitar and 'whining' vocals, there are whole decades worth of music you can ignore. but there are some examples of real songwriting craft that are just plain undeniable. examples include the song i cited above, 'winter-long,' most of harvest, some of harvest moon, and maybe my favorite of his albums, freedom. i love the heckfire out of his two latest ones, greendale and prairie wind, but i don't think you'd get into it.
here's a thought, rent that heart of gold movie. i think you'd like it for all kinds of non-neil young related reasons (namely, it's an incredible concert experience and the cameras put you in the middle of the stage). you get almost all of his newest album, along with a smattering of older songs. it's incredible.
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