I Wanna Make A Whole Lotta Dirty Back Door F.U.C.K. To Your Disco Stick or How I Grew Old.

There have been two songs to steam-roll the pop music world recently that caught my ear; one of them being "If You Seen Amy" by Ms. Spears and the other being "Love Game" by Lady Gaga. Now, when I first heard these songs in their entirety and fully noticed their tongue-in-cheek nature I became somewhat irritated. Why you ask? I'm not sure really. There was just something about their innuendoes and sexual aggression that rubbed me the wrong way. (mind the pun). I am, of course referring to Spears' hidden acronym 'All of the boys and all of the girls are begging to if you seek Amy' = 'All of the girls and all of the boys are begging to F.U.C.K. Me' as well as Lady Gaga's constant references to taking rides on men's 'disco sticks'.

('If You Seek Amy' or F.U.C.K Me, Britney Spears)

('Love Game', Lady Gaga)

That's when I really got to thinking about it. The conservative consumer in me was disgusted that these camps had resulted to songs very clearly about sex to sell records. I thought - don't these artists have anything better to sing about or any integrity regarding their content? Why must these people exploit and feed the sexual restlessness and tension of target audiences? Why does modern music have to live and die in the gutter?

Modern music I thought? Are they the only ones guilty of this innuendo riddled music? Well, my fairly comprehensive knowledge of classic rock from the 60's and 70's allowed me to take a few steps back and investigate and, well, what I found surprised me.

Brit and Gaga aren't doing anything new, nor are they any dirtier or provocative than some of my favorite classics. Now, I want to clarify something here (before I become known as they guy who thinks Lady Gaga is as good as Led Zeppelin): I am in NO WAY comparing the musicality, quality or technical skill of classic rock and modern pop - I am simply pointing out the similarities in lyrical and symbolic content.

Have a listen to "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" by ACDC, or "Feel Like Making Love" by Bad Company. And if you aren't convinced yet, give "Lemon Song" by Zeppelin a gander (the real meaty parts of this song aren't even Zepp's, it's actually borrowed from an old Arthur McKay blues joint from 1937 called "She Squeezed My Lemon". It has lyrics like "Squeeze me, babe, 'till the juice runs right down my leg...the way you squeeze my lemon-a, I'm gonna fall right outta bed..." 

('Lemon Song', Live from Dancing Avocado)

or "Whole Lotta Love" with lyrics like "Way down inside, woman, you need love. Shake for me, girl, I wanna be your back door man..."

('Whole Lotta Love', Live from Knebworth, 79)

So, what I used to love, the so-called 'classics', are okay, but these new tracks with the same level of sexual marketing aren't? Clearly I am just getting old and my ability to keep up with pop culture is fading fast.  Soon, any vestiges of the man who was once on the safe side of cool will be washed away leaving a grumpy, old, turn that music down cranky pants. Shoot me now.

writing under the influence,

jeffc

After and Afterer: Gould and Gaga

The first video, you may have seen and it may, or may not, have triggered the same surprised reaction as it did for me.  The second video I am fairly certain you have not seen, which is something I intend to remedy. 

GAGA

So, I thought she was just another campy pop steamroller who'd light up the scene for a spell and, before we knew it, would see her music gone, resting peacefully in the hokey over played concert arena in the sky. But in my most recent archeological YouTube dig I brushed off a not so ancient video of Lady Gaga exhibiting some very real musical chops. She covers 'Viva La Vida' by Coldplay. She rearranges the composition and has some fun with the lyrics on the spot.

Last night, at a dance choreography meeting for my new music video gig, I found out that Lady Gaga was singed first by her label not as a performer, but as a songwriter. When the label couldn't find anyone capable of singing her tracks, they gave her a shot at singing them herself. It begs the question, how talented is the girl? At any rate, she's definitely a lot more talented than the radio stations, ripe male teens humping their Dells and TMZ's give her credit for.

GOULD

So, that was the Afterer, and this is the After. I would say this is the Before, but it's not. Simply because, as you will hear the great Canadian concert pianist explain, he does create new material, he interprets the classics by Mozart and Bach, but, like Lady Gaga, drastically changes the arrangment and, in Gould's words "...turns performance into composition."

If you are not familiar with Glenn Gould, familiarize yourself. He is one of the most exciting, successful and progressive pianists of our time... and he's a Canuck too boot. His off the wall interpretations, abnormally low piano chair, constant humming heard on almost every one of his albums and, not least, his wickedly idiosyncratic and peculiar demeanor make him one cool and talented dude.

In closing, next time you look at a pop star shaking her ass in front of 100,000 people singing about riding a boy's disco stick, take a second to contemplate the possible depth of that character. Their dreams, plans, talents and other things that fly under the radar of larger-than-life pop music. And, if you fail to see the connection between Gould and Gaga, crawl in a dark moldy hole somewhere and never come out, for you lack even the rudiments of progression and open-mindedness.  

Bring it.

writing under the influence,

jeffc