I've done something odd here. The SOD is a song I don't like. Is anyone else tired of hearing it? Or tired of being sent the link to the version by "Walk Off The Earth?" One more time now: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gtl8K0kO4P4&feature=fvst
It was novel at first. The song and the above performance. But christ, they went on the ellen show! You see, songs like this rarely have a chance in my book. They get smeared across every platform possible including commercials, and they're played, used, talked about, and pushed beyond the limit. Look, I did the same thing by posting it here, so now I'm adding to the problem.
Granted, I never liked the song. The first time I heard it, I changed it before I even got to the chorus. Peter Gabriel wannabe I thought, and I just wasn't in the mood. Then Kimbo told me she liked it. So I listened to it all the way through. I wasn't really entertained. I'm not gonna bash the song to hell because it doesn't deserve that, but I'm not going to lie either. The song is tacky to me. It's a matter of opinion, I'm not judging you if you like it, we're just not going to meet eye to eye on this one.
I think I can see why people like it though. A catchy enough melody and the guy sounds somewhat like Sting or the aforementioned Peter Gabriel. And it's got that indie factor to it that makes it seem edgy and above the mainstream pop-culture madness. But it's not. The lyrics are good enough I guess, but it's about your same old "break-up and revisit the relationship" type theme. It isn't the worst thing in the world, but whining about it through the chorus doesn't win points with me. Again, personal preference.
I loved Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes' first single, "Home." That catchy little tune did get under my skin, and had me whistling dixie for a solid two weeks. But then, it went mainstream. And mainstream isn't necessarily the problem. Why shouldn't everyone get to hear an awesome tune? The problem is, the second it goes mainstream, suits in their offices think to themselves, "how do I make money off this?" Then it winds up on add campaigns and in commercials of all sorts, and the group goes on talk shows and late night television (as is their right), and the radio can't stop playing it because if they did, then they'd be the only station that stopped playing it and everyone would tune into the other competing stations to catch it every thirty minutes. Once the machine starts, it can't stop. You hear the song in every bar and party. Then you hear the remix by whatever asshole is out there remixing these days, at every bar, club and party. Eventually, it becomes a study in conditioning or behavioral therapy. If the song isn't on, you start to think something is wrong. Suddenly your more aware if the song isn't played, hummed, or even thought about somewhere in your vicinity.
Right now, the Gotye song has damn near 190,000,000 views on youtube I'd have to guess. People are tuned in. They're eating it up. It's not a song anymore, it's a pop culture reference. It's a ring tone, it's a catchphrase, it's a trivia night answer. It's a gauge on how well you keep your finger on the pulse, and a judgement in your taste. If you don't know all the words but your friends do, you're the loser. If you don't belt out the chorus with everyone else, you're the outcast. It's the anthem of the week, maybe two if nobody else is putting something out right now. Oh well, what can you do.
For those of you who love it, enjoy. For those of you who don't, I'm ready to take the fruit, lettuce and tomatoes before being booed off stage.
No comments:
Post a Comment