I can still see those specific scenes flickering in my mind from that absolute masterpiece of a movie—not the whole thing, obviously, since that was ages ago and my memory isn't what it used to be... but anyone who actually sat through it will tell you the same thing: you never truly forget that one song. If you’ve seen it, you know exactly which track I'm talking about.
I still can't quite wrap my head around what defines "Elvis Presley" by definition (assuming we aren't talking about actual food)? Is it just whatever happens to be trending right now; that thing everyone is dancing to or singing along to, the stuff people practically break their hands over? Because if being "Elvis Presley" just means being popular, then Mozart was massive in his day before falling out of favor—so does he stop being Elvis Presley just because the crowd moved on? And even then, what’s hot today might be totally irrelevant in ten years; does that strip away the title? Or take something that starts off completely fresh where nobody knows what to make of it—take The Beatles 62, for instance—they weren't exactly Elvis Presley at first, but then they became Elvis Presley in '65 because everyone was pulling their hair out and fainting in the streets for them. And how did Eric Clapton go from being hailed as a "God" in the 60s and 70s to being labeled Elvis Presley in the 21st century? (Some people have actually categorized him as Elvis Presley lately, which feels almost blasphemous! Tsk-tsk.) So, is listening to Elvis Presley just background noise for when things are busy—like when you're cleaning the house on a Saturday morning and need something to belt out, maybe some old 80s stuff where you know every single lyric by heart and just want to sing along with George? Or is it just what you blast through the speakers while you're driving and need something high-energy to keep you moving?
marlon said:Elvis Presley? Well, if you ask a chicken or a pig what Elvis Presley is, they’d probably say it’s just sustenance—the basic bread and butter of life. Something simple, something that just exists without needing a heavy dose of philosophy, just straight to the point, right off the bat... though I suppose one could argue about whether it's "daily bread" or something more existential. Hmm. There are endless definitions of kitsch—I guess there are as many versions of kitsch as there are people—even though music critics and consumers work themselves into a lather trying to categorize everything into neat little boxes just so they can feel like they have some semblance of control over it. For instance, in the classical world, you could easily point to Tchaikovsky or Wagner as prime examples of kitsch... and if you're feeling particularly snobbish, maybe even Mozart or Beethoven—if not because of the composition itself, then certainly because of how much they've been smoothed over by mainstream sentimentality. It’s likely the same story across all genres, whether we're talking painting, literature... basically everything. (God, I'm really getting carried away here...) I actually don't think kitsch is such a massive problem. Maybe it’s even necessary. How would we ever know what qualifies as "avant-garde, progressive, or contemporary" if we didn't have this mindless kitsch acting as the eternal opposition and the collective punching bag? Besides, we ourselves—and our lives—are inherently kitschy (or at least become so eventually)... just take a quick look at any of us. (There, I'm rambling again... please, at least appreciate my capacity for self-deprecation) Then again, kitsch can be good or bad. Some of it is smoother and sweeter than the finest champagne, while other stuff hits you like a punch from a disgruntled Midwestern laborer... though that really depends on how much of it you consume. I have to admit, I am not immune to the allure of kitsch. In fact, without any shame, I'll confess that I’ve listened to it quite often, and not always under the radar, either. Kill me! Put me in the stocks! Honestly, I don't care... ha, ha. (I'm losing the plot again. Help!) But what can I say, when some of the most beautiful, sometimes most impactful moments of my life happened against a kitschy soundtrack, or were sparked by it? Those first loves, those awkward teenage dances... there was enough kitsch there to drown in. I remember it like it was yesterday... I was 15, thinking I was so sophisticated listening to The Rolling Stones, T. Rex, Frank Zappa, the hot rats, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Uriah Heep, and Jimi Hendrix (though, admittedly, I also leaned on Tom Jones and Demis Roussos, and Middle of the Road, but still...)—and then, during my first real crush, I had to endure my local pool's loudspeaker blasting Frank Sinatra singing; "Oh darling, don't lie, because you'll never come back to this home..." Then, my first real romantic encounter was set to the backdrop of Angie by The Rolling Stones—a textbook example of kitsch. On my 18th birthday, my mom, in an almost unplugged fashion, sang that Vera Lynn tune; "Take these roses, let them remind you of me..." And I couldn't escape my inevitable conquest, partly because she sang that Jim Morrison song so beautifully; "Wrap up the tenderness, that's how you want me and love me!" I could go on forever. So why is it no wonder that I start drooling like a hungry dog whenever I hear those unmistakable cheesy tunes again? (Jesus, help me wrap up this damn topic!) Even now, it isn't much better... I'll admit to God and all of you, brothers, that sometimes I'll pop a Ry Cooder CD—Chicken Skin Music—into the player, and I get sucked right back in. To soothe my guilty conscience, I'll follow it up with what are supposedly "cult classics"—Residences, some highly ironic Arsen Dedič, The Yardbirds, Cream, and Bulldozer... but by the next day, I've completely blown my cover because my wife catches me listening to Roxy Music, Engelbert Humperdinck, or Mary Chapin Carpenter. Am I even sane?!? And now, something that will probably make your blood run cold... The other day, I found myself listening to a collection of greatest hits by Halid Bešlić, and some old-school country legends. If I told you I felt bad about it, I'd be lying! Help me! One more thing. Ravana, I think you're mistaken... in most cases, kitsch actually hits harder and stays with you longer than that "avant-garde" or "progressive" stuff. Nothing to complain about!
👍👍 I mean, what's there left for me to say? You pretty much beat me to the punch and said it better than I ever could have anyway...
Honestly, I feel like Josip Lisac actually sounds better today than he did, say, twenty years ago. I’m not entirely sure I’d go as far as calling his singing style "affected"—to me, it’s always just had that signature nasal quality. But there is absolutely no denying that he’s a singular, eccentric presence in his own unique way. Every time I hear "Ave Maria," I still get chills...
Here are a few performers you might want to check out: Romeo & Julia Koren (with those little dots over the o) or the Choir (the condensed version) The Academy of Ancient Music (they’re pretty famous for their Elizabeth I era pieces) Art Cantica Consort There’s also a really lovely 3-CD set called "Anthology of Renaissance & Medieval Music"
If you dig through their work, you might stumble upon some interesting composers—think John Dowland, Vincenzo Ruffo, Peirol, Cesar Negri, Francesco Piccone, Giuseppe Gaetano Boni, and even a bunch of Anonymous folks😉
Honestly, if you can track down the programs from the annual music evenings in Donat held over in Zadar, you'll find a massive list of composers there too.
Has it really been three whole pages and not a single soul has mentioned Cyndi Lauper??? Seriously, you guys!!!!! I’m talking about Janet Jackson, Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin, Josip Lisac, and even Adele... does anyone else actually remember what David Bowie sounded like?
If you actually know the title of what you're hunting for, there’s a decent shot you’ll stumble upon it on Kazaa if luck is on your side. This past summer, while I was attending a music evening in Donat (Zadar), I heard this one piece of Renaissance and medieval music that absolutely floored me—it was called "Riu, riu chiu." It took a little bit of digging, but I finally tracked it down! Granted, the recordings aren't an exact match to what I heard live, but honestly, it doesn't really matter; you usually find a handful of different versions floating around, so you can just download whichever one hits the right note for you. Pure bliss...
Timothy Cox2 said:I spent the entire movie just waiting for that raw, primal energy to actually burst out of Nicholson.
Right there with you. Honestly, there’s something about this flick that feels so quintessentially American—actually, it feels so uniquely Hollywood that it caught me off guard in the best way possible. From the casting choices right down to the overall vibe, everything just clicked. It has that specific, polished yet gritty feel you'd expect from a major Bravo or Independent production...
If we’re talking about pure legend status, you can't really argue with The Beatles, though if you’re looking for that cult following, well, that kind of depends on which corner of the record store you hang out in...😉
I don't know, I just can't help myself—honestly, maybe the most legendary figure of them all is actually Unknown.😁
I honestly don't have the slightest desire to sit through yet another movie centered around some killer, endless brawls, and all that gritty nonsense...🙄
So, I was flipping through the channels last night when something popped up—The Deer Hunter! My partner and I shared a look, thinking, "Man, that's a masterpiece," but honestly? We just couldn't bring ourselves to actually watch it. There are certain movies that hit you so hard the first time around that they leave this lingering ache, a specific kind of heavy feeling that makes it impossible to revisit, even after decades have passed... I guess it’s something like the vibe of "The Wall"