Most overrated musician of all time

[GMichael]

It's interesting how far this topic is reaching. It started with the most overrated musician of all time, but now it's a slamfest that even reaches such small potatoes as Norah Jones and Southside Johnny?

My bad. It's just that back in the day, it seemed like everyone loved "The Boss" and SSJ so much that I could never get the DJ at our local bar to play anything else (except maybe the B52's). Whenever I would request the likes of Rush, Yes, or Pink Floyd, he would roll his eyes in disgust.

[Groundbeef]

My bad. It's just that back in the day, it seemed like everyone loved "The Boss" and SSJ so much that I could never get the DJ at our local bar to play anything else (except maybe the B52's). Whenever I would request the likes of Rush, Yes, or Pink Floyd, he would roll his eyes in disgust.

I knew I liked something about you GM. Ever see Floyd in concert? I saw them in '94 in Chicago. I wasn't into them around the Waters/Gilmour debacle, but I really enjoyed the show.

Pretty sure my then Fiancee and I were the only sober people in the audience for the show. We were way up in Soldier field, and with the wind blowing a bit you could actually see the smoke cloud rolling out of the stadium!

We left before the second encore started, just to be safe. What a great show!

[Auricauricle]

You and my wife would have much to talk about, Beefy! She was fortunate to catch them at Woodstock, Europe, when they performed in Germany. About 3 AM, PF comes in with DSOM....I'm getting green even as I write....Excuse me for a moment....

[RoadRunner6]

It was late night and I was on the computer. A few feet away, my wife had the TV on to I believe it was the David Letterman show. Suddenly I heard a voice that grabbed my attention. I walk over and sat down to investigate. Here was a young woman (maybe 21 yrs old) that I had never seen before or even heard of. I was absolutely mesmerized by not only the beauty of this woman but also by a maturity in singing and piano playing that was many years beyond her age.

I wrote her name down and Googled her. I purchased her first album. I was pleased but felt the album, in many of the song selections, missed the true talent of this fine young musician.

Her cover of Hoagy Carmichael's The Nearness Of You is one of the finest jazz performances I have ever heard. She nailed it 100% perfectly, a maturity I have never heard in a female jazz vocalist anywhere near her age. I wish I could compile a list of songs for her to perform on a nostalgic album of jazz classics. It would become a timeless masterpiece. (woops, there I go again using the M word).

Norah Jones has a very unique gift.

RR6

[Auricauricle]

Haven't hear NJ enough to agree or disagree. Have you heard her sister, Anoushka Shankar?

[RoadRunner6]

No I'll have to check that out. Of course, I know of her father but didn't know of any siblings. Thanks

Simply listen to cut #14 on Norah's first album, The Nearness of You (perfection in my opinion). She has several other impressive cuts on this album. Most vocalists would at that age be trying to impress all with their range, dynamics, etc. like an early Daine Schuur or Eva Cassidy.

I just Googled her (she giggled). I certainly see the family resemblance. It's too bad for such a beautiflul woman that she has to play such an awful sounding instrument. I am a huge Beatles fan but still shudder everytime I hear Harrison play that sitar or Ravi Chancre for that matter. ( )

RR6

[RoadRunner6]

4. Madonna - As a musician/artist she's an abomination..........5. The Beatles - James Browns - influence in popular music Da Worfster

...............I used to (when I was much younger) hit the disco lounges. I must say I enjoyed dance songs like Holiday. However, I never payed much attention otherwise to Madonna or listened to any of her albums. Her private and public antics were the stuff of The National Enquirer.

Then one day I was at the public library. I picked up a few CD's to listen to at my leisure. One of them was the soundtrack to the movie Dick Tracy although I had never seen it.

Wow, I was very impressed! I think Maddona missed her calling. What a perfect performance for a club jazz vocalist. I listened to that CD many times and now feel she has lots of missed talent as a jazz vocalist.

...............Mentioning the influence on popular music of James Brown and the Beatles in the same paragraph? I think their influences were very different. I'm not knocking James Brown at all, he was a legend and a dynamic performer.

I can understand people not liking the Beatles (some people don't like pumkin pie with whipped cream). However, as you mentioned they were great songwriters. In my opinion it is all about the melodies. Lennon and McCartney are two of the most gifted and prolific writers of memorable melodies in music history. Out of those two brains in a mere 7 years (L&M songs performed by the Beatles ... not counting the songs they wrote while on their own or several fine Beatles songs writtien by George Harrison) came more great melodies than almost any other composers of the last several centuries. Think it's easy. Sit down at the piano sometime and whip out some cute or beautiful long lasting melodies. List any other pop performers or groups who had more than a handful of memorable melodies. It is hard to do. That is the real genius of the Beatles.

I don't have the exact number of how many cover versions of their songs have been performed by pop singers/groups, classical orchestras, jazz soloists/groups, rock bands, etc., but it's extensive.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...ed_the_Beatles

Along with their songwriting skills were four quite talented and creative musicians. IMO, the greatest pop group ever. In the year 2109, which song do you think the Seattle Symphany Orchestra will perform at their evening of great popular songs of the last two centuries at the Jimi Hendrix Memorial Concert Hall?, Papa's Got A Brand New Bag or The Long and Winding Road (the Beatles' Why Don't We Do It In The Road was withdrawn at the last moment).

Just a second opinion.

RR6

[Auricauricle]

Anybody wanna put Roger Waters up?

[hermanv]

I wrote her name down and Googled her. I purchased her first album. I was pleased but felt the album, in many of the song selections, missed the true talent of this fine young musician.

Her cover of Hoagy Carmichael's The Nearness Of You is one of the finest jazz performances I have ever heard. She nailed it 100% perfectly, a maturity I have never heard in a female jazz vocalist anywhere near her age. I wish I could compile a list of songs for her to perform on a nostalgic album of jazz classics. It would become a timeless masterpiece. (woops, there I go again using the M word).

Norah Jones has a very unique gift.

RR6

Agreed, a beautiful voice. One negative review of her 5th album was "Norah Jones releases her 5th version of a debut album."

I am afraid I agree, nice voice, but her music is very repetitious.

[Jimmy B]

I will bring up some one that Roger Waters would put on this list
Lloyd-Webber

Jimmy B

[RoadRunner6]

her music is very repetitious.

Yes, I agree completely. That's why I said: " I was pleased but felt the album, in many of the song selections, missed the true talent of this fine young musician." Read generally poor song selection, pity.

[GMichael]

My comment seemed aimed at criticizing but in reality I meant only to make an observation. The digressions are often what give these threads life.

On the topic of Ms. Jones...I remember when Norah's first release wasn't famous, yet, (I think it took several months for Come Away With Me to get some notice) it was sitting on a New Releases table at my local BestBuy. I bought it on looks alone...something I will occasionally do if it's cheap enough and it has a convincing look about it. I enjoyed that CD from day one but haven't seen a need to buy another of her offerings.

It's all good.

I first noticed Norah the night she won like 7 awards. (The same night Avril Lavine stunk up the stage) Norah blew me away with her beauty, grace and talent. After buying her CD, I could see why others might not like her. It seems like all of her songs have the same sound to them.
Song 1, "Wow, how smooth, what grace, I love it!"
Song 2, "This is nice too."
Song 3, "Hmmm... Seems much like the first two."
Song 4, "Again?"
Song 5, "ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzz.............."


Works great if I've had a stressful day. Pop it into the player for the drive home. By song 3 I'm relaxed. Just make sure to turn it off before the end of song 4.

[GMichael]

Uhm.. Is this site going to start THAT again?

[GMichael]

Hey....!

[02audionoob]

My bad. It's just that back in the day, it seemed like everyone loved "The Boss" and SSJ so much that I could never get the DJ at our local bar to play anything else (except maybe the B52's). Whenever I would request the likes of Rush, Yes, or Pink Floyd, he would roll his eyes in disgust.

My comment seemed aimed at criticizing but in reality I meant only to make an observation. The digressions are often what give these threads life.

On the topic of Ms. Jones...I remember when Norah's first release wasn't famous, yet, (I think it took several months for Come Away With Me to get some notice) it was sitting on a New Releases table at my local BestBuy. I bought it on looks alone...something I will occasionally do if it's cheap enough and it has a convincing look about it. I enjoyed that CD from day one but haven't seen a need to buy another of her offerings.

[audio amateur]

yeah, i've been having that in your car thread Rich

[Rich-n-Texas]

Uh oh... Time Warp again.

[Auricauricle]

I will bring up some one that Roger Waters would put on this list Lloyd-Webber

Please, I'm trying to drink a cup of coffee, here! (Agreed, most certainly agreed!)

[Worf101]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_artists_who_have_covered_the_Beatles[/url]

Along with their songwriting skills were four quite talented and creative musicians. IMO, the greatest pop group ever. In the year 2109, which song do you think the Seattle Symphany Orchestra will perform at their evening of great popular songs of the last two centuries at the Jimi Hendrix Memorial Concert Hall?, Papa's Got A Brand New Bag or The Long and Winding Road (the Beatles' Why Don't We Do It In The Road was withdrawn at the last moment).

Just a second opinion.

RR6

Never said I didn't "like" the Beatles, I just don't worship them. As for influence on music I think even Miles Davis has had as much if not more due to his seminal influence on Jazz from Bop to Cool to Fusion. Interesting you mention Long and Winding Road, a song finished not by Martin or the Beatles but by some studio hack that added a chior and strings without their permission. Interesting.

As for writing music, I'm finishing up my second album with my latest band. I know exactly how hard it is to write a good if not great pop song and I've no delusions that I've ever been or ever will be as good a song writers as L&M. But I also know that, as great as they were, others Carol King, Holland Dozier and Holland, Jim Webb etc... have to be given their due and their own place in the pantheon.

D. Macks

[GMichael]

Hey RL,

Good to see you. Is this going to be a yearly thing?

[GMichael]

WTF is going on with my posts today?

[Resident Loser]

...purty much anyone who isn't already dead...IMNSHO of course...

jimHJJ(...sorry, couldn't resist...at the PL for tax forms again...thought I'd give a visit...)

[Rich-n-Texas]

Yeah? Well, why don't you stick around this time RL?

[luvtolisten]

Nominating Kenny Rogers for the most overplayed, although over 20 years ago, still not long enough for me. I never got Pink Floyd, Rush, or Jethro Tull. Or Norah Jones today.
Micheal Bolton was always depressed. Jackson Browne too, although I did like his earlier stuff. As for Springsteen , seems like every time I write him off and he's done, he seems to some how resurrects himself again. Springsteen's "Magic" CD I thought was one of his best works in a long time.

[Groundbeef]

Nominating Kenny Rogers for the most overplayed, although over 20 years ago, still not long enough for me. I never got Pink Floyd, Rush, or Jethro Tull. Or Norah Jones today.
Micheal Bolton was always depressed.

1. Kenny Rogers- who doesn't like "The Gambler", other than that, I am not a fan.

2. Pink Floyd. Do you not enjoy them, or understand their popularity? They sort of grew on me. I heard the Wall, and listened to it over an over. The strangeness of it all. Lots of interesting backstory on that album. Unlike some of the Floyd purists, I didn't (and still don't) really enjoy much of their earlier albums. Dark Side is wonderful.

I would have to also add that although I don't enjoy most of their early works their song
"Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict" is a personal favorite. Both in the name and the weirdness.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siEWeBD3GU0

3. Jethro Tull. If I EVER hear "Thick as a Brick" again, I'll break whatever speaker it's coming out of. My neighbor in college used to play that full blast at least once a day.

4. Norah Jones. Have a couple of her CD's. As others have said, her songs tend to sound very similar.