1980...
I have started this blog -an umpteenth addition to my honorable TLB Prime Network- as a way to verse nostalgic freely and unabashedly, as often as I see fit. I thought it was the only way to go; after all, when bothering to look back, does it not make sense to focus on the good stuff and forget the bad? I've the lambasting blog for all the "bad" anyways...

That remains my prerogative and my modus operandi here - and it shall continue to be so.

However, I cannot avoid mentioning the constant temptation to do as most do, out there; case in point, Amos here...!

It seems like it is more popular to look back in total dejection and rejection of things past, passé and once, as painful to admit as it may be, cherished by the blogger/columnist himself...

I do not condone that approach - but I must admit it sure is tempting indeed! Oftentimes, I hesitate on whether the material I want to publish here isn't more fit for the lambasting, loquacious or outright ludicrous blog(s)...! I force myself to select only the old favorites of a lifetime for this blog here; and, sometimes, it is not so easy to shed the ol' sarcastic tone - no, it is not! I aim to praise only, here, on The Saudades Blog (though never as much, as fervently and as passionately as I will on Luminous Praising Of The Divine - of course!) - but there's always that little devil on one's shoulder that goads us into making a little joke about this, and another about that... Soon enough, it's not an homage but a put-down that we have on our hands! Much like what Amos and 1001 others do on a consistent basis; for controversy breeds attention and in a multi-mediatic world rife with short-attention span disorders across the wires, that is not to be overlooked!

I will strive for controversy, on occasion, just about anywhere - and, more persistently, on my Ramblings In Writ site! But, here, with oftentimes material, artisans and artists that cannot DEFEND themselves anymore - I will never stoop as low as those other guys do! Never! Why bash certain trends that were deemed to be "red-hot" or "the crème de la crème" in its heyday; just because we've purportedly "outgrown" them and "evolved" beyond it...? What manner of refinement is this, anyway, in a day and age where they have to resort to cutthroat competition in order to FIND that next American "idol" - HUH? Can you tell me? At least, in the old days, it was left backstage; and the best may not have always won, but we were led to believe that such had been the case! It is hard to imagine that Doris Day or Connie Francis were she-devils backstage, out to cut down any competitor that threatened their reign atop the mountain of ephemeral celebrity. I am NOT saying there weren't massive amounts of hypocrisy back then; because there always was and there always will be! Howvere, if there are harpies of fame like that throughout the history of show-business, they are far numerous NOW... Hence, reserve the presumably well-deserved bashing to the flavour of the day - and leave the classics alone! Isn't it already bad enough that they fell out of favor with the masses nowadays? I think so too.

In the particular case that was brought to my attention today, we have the sordid case of sappy, cheesy, "syrupy" love songs that do not reflect the human emotion anymore but rather mirror a distorted, heavily-romanticized illusion. And yet - most of these songs have stood the test of time! They may seem silly to some, today, but they were once the top of the charts! And they actually attempt to put into melody and into words the NOBLEST of sentiments, motivations and intentions; that, alone, deserves NOT to be dragged in the mud (be it syrupy sweet and cheesy good or not!)
Don't get me wrong; I was never a fan of Air Supply (even though I love having a constant supply of air indeed - ha ha, easy joke that you've heard before; I know.) and most of Bobby Darin's, Lionel Ritchie's, Stevie Wonder's, Extreme's, Chicago's, Peter Cetera's, Bette Midler's, Kenny Rogers' and/or even Bryan Adams' repertoires have left me indifferent over the years. HOWEVER, I recognize quality and good taste when I see it - and all of these artists have it, in spades. Their biggest hits, having been played over and over again on the radio waves for most of my LIFE, have become intricately woven into my memories too; whether I wanted it or not! We're all in the same boat there; we should choose to recognize the merit of these things rather than look for the flaw and worst aspects of it. After all, these songs played A LOT in the background of some of our BEST DAYS: for pleasant summertime memories never fail to resurface whenever one of these tunes plays and I accidently catch a portion of it - or all of it. They are quality pieces and as such they are GOOD...!
We should never criticize them for any lacks they might have had; doing so is akin to pointing out our grandparents and parents' least aggravating flaws, in public, for all to see and hear...!
We should instead thank the stars, GOD and maybe even radio stations across the land for NOT playing alternate choices; you may imagine how different those summertime memories would playback now if the background music was AC/DC or Alice Cooper, playing to the hilt...


As it is, though, I would be remiss if I didn't point out that, in my personal book, Alice Cooper and Lionel Ritchie are pretty much squared evenly in the "songs I've surprisingly liked for quite a while now" department! After all, just for one example, Alice's "Eat Some More" and Lionel's "Dancing On The Ceiling" somehow go together PERFECTLY - don't you think too?

A typical party's scenario unfolding, circa 1980 - indeed!


The best thing to do is this: enjoy ALL of these songs, not as Amos suggested (cheesy songs in one corner, along with high school poetry, graffiti art maybe, Lifetime movies and Harlequin novels - pleeeease! And what then; rocking tunes still deemed to be "cool" in the other corner, along with the latest fad in techie circles, text-messaging inane one-liners and unrated, uncensored, unwatchable DVDs? Oops - make that Blu-Rays; and I don't mean blue Tampa Bay Rays, as they will be all of 2009 now... But I'm digressing again!) rather as I suggest to do: listening and enjoying these tunes, one after the other, all eras pell-mell, for each is a testament to its own creative era - and leave it at that, regardless of the (sometimes many) differences in style!


Do as I say and don't do as I do...
Er, I mean, as Amos does!

;)





And, by the way,
on the playlist
nudged in-between
Alice and Aerosmith
is one ALDO NOVA
(not Nove!)
No relation to
Heather Nova
(I think!)

Labels: Music

  ¶ 3:19 PM