Favorite old song, and I mean OLD

[LRH]

Okay, well I'm 18, but let's face it, most music today is done on a synthesizer about either having premiscuous sex or senselessly killing random people. And call me crazy, but I'm not into much of it. People often ask:

"What kind of music are you into?"
To which I simply reply:
"GOOD music"

I started this topic because I was listening to the radio today, and I only liked maybe 2 of 20 or 30 songs I heard. I began to go through my really old collection later just to get some relief from the crap I was hearing on the radio. And I'm in sort of a chill mood today, so I listened to some of a really old group, The Platters. Recorded in 1959, my oldest favorite song has to be Smoke Gets in Your Eyes. I really reflected on the music and lyrics and got so lost in it.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=57tK6aQS_H0

Does anyone else have any old music they like? Gotta miss the days when musical talent was more appreciated.

(By the way, I'm always happy to make mp3's and midis for games )

[Hammerite]

Okay, well I'm 18, but let's face it, most music you hear on mainstream radio/TV stations today is done on a synthesizer about either having premiscuous sex or senselessly killing random people. And call me crazy, but I'm not into much of it. People often ask:

"What kind of music are you into?"
To which I simply reply:
"GOOD music"

I started this topic because I was listening to the radio today, and I only liked maybe 2 of 20 or 30 songs I heard. I began to go through my really old collection later just to get some relief from the crap I was hearing on the radio. And I'm in sort of a chill mood today, so I listened to some of a really old group, The Platters. Recorded in 1959, my oldest favorite song has to be Smoke Gets in Your Eyes. I really reflected on the music and lyrics and got so lost in it.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=57tK6aQS_H0

Does anyone else have any old music they like? Gotta miss the days when musical talent was more appreciated.

(By the way, I'm always happy to make mp3's and midis for games )

There's a LOT of great music about if you can be bothered to look.

[EldKatt]

Since you're emphasizing "old"... I guess the oldest stuff I've listened to more than briefly and found awesome is Antoine Busnois. Probably his most famous song is a four-voice motet called In hydraulis. It's great. Oh, and Georgian choral music is nothing short of really awesome, and probably counts as really old, considering that the Georgian tradition of polyphony (so I've heard) predates Western polyphony--and then we're talking well over a millennium ago. What can I say. The Georgian tradition of polyphonic music gets my rocks off.

Seriously, though, (though that is not to say that the previous is not serious) if The Platters (or even Jerome Kern in this case) are "really old", then I am not able to pick one old song, even as an example. The vast majority of all music is not exactly new, you know.

[LRH]

Since you're emphasizing "old"... I guess the oldest stuff I've listened to more than briefly and found awesome is Antoine Busnois. Probably his most famous song is a four-voice motet called In hydraulis. It's great. Oh, and Georgian choral music is nothing short of really awesome, and probably counts as really old, considering that the Georgian tradition of polyphony (so I've heard) predates Western polyphony--and then we're talking well over a millennium ago. What can I say. The Georgian tradition of polyphonic music gets my rocks off.

Seriously, though, (though that is not to say that the previous is not serious) if The Platters (or even Jerome Kern in this case) are "really old", then I am not able to pick one old song, even as an example. The vast majority of all music is not exactly new, you know.

Well, as far as mainstream goes >.>
I mean, for example, you could go to your local mall and ask everyone who Tony Williams was, they'd probably say "Wasn't he that tiger on the cereal box?" And I know there's TONS of great music out there! I'm just saying I think the world has gone a bit under par with its current taste in music.

[Matti]

And I know there's TONS of great music out there! I'm just saying I think the world has gone a bit under par with its current taste in music.

I think there's no such thing as a "current taste of music". There has been good music in the past and there's good music available nowadays, but you have to search for it. Fact is, you can't expect good music from radio and television. The mainstream music that is selled and broadcasted is just crap (with some exceptions). Oh, and it always makes me angry that they play new singles the whole day long, but no song that is more than a month old.. But just look at the music coming from the 80s, it's mostly horrible too.

But this:

"What kind of music are you into?"
"GOOD music"

...is exactly what I always say when I'm asked. There's no specific genre I'm listening to and no specific music period or whatever.

Well, the oldest songs I'm listening to are from the 70s, e.g. from The Doors..

[Babar]

But this:

"What kind of music are you into?"
"GOOD music"

...is exactly what I always say when I'm asked. There's no specific genre I'm listening to and no specific music period or whatever.

Heh...I literally got smacked once for saying that. My friend says it's a cheating answer . Nobody is going to say they listen to 'bad' music. The only thing I know from the Platter's is the Great Pretenders song. The oldest song I've been listening to? Greensleeves, currently.

[TwinMoon]

Yeah, mainstream music from the sixties was crap too.
We think that the rolling stones and led zeppelin were mainstream back then, but they weren't. Someone like Fabian was the James Blunt of 1958-1961, but nobody knows who he is anymore (don't go look it up, it's crap).

Since about ten years ago everyone started looking back: you got people making big band music (Brian Setzer) doing fifties pop/jazz (Jamie McCullum & to a lesser degree Robbie Williams), people did sixties rock, disco came back (Madonna) oldschool hiphop got back, you name it.
Music is richer now than it ever was, because everyone's doing something else. I like it anyway. Just don't listen to commercial radio, but go look for something else.
One Giant Leap for instance mixes western music and world music. Marvellous album.


Some old stuff I like:
1964: Coltrane "A Love Supreme" (free jazz)
1971: Marvine Gaye "What's Going On" (soul / gospel with socially conscious lyrics)
1960's: Sam Cooke (great voice)
1973: Joni Mitchell "Blue" (singer/songwriter, brilliant, I love her)

Some older stuff I like:
"I Put a Spell on You" a song by Screamin' Jay Hawkins (best rock 'n roll ever)
"Blue Velvet" a song by ... ehm... can't remember.
"Autumn Leaves" a song by Johnny Mercer
Ella Fitzgerald ("Pure Ella" is my favourite album, just her voice and a piano)

Some really old songs I like:
"The Wild Rover", "Women of Ireland", "Waltzing Mathilda", "A pub with no beer" (all from before 1900 I think)

Some really, really old stuff I like:
Bach's Mattheus Passion, Mozarts Requiem.


Sorry, ranted a bit. Music is very dear to me. (Quote from Kurt Vonnegut: "Music to me is proof of the existence of God. It's so extraordinary.")


@Babar: Surely you know "Earth Angel" from the Back to the Future movie? It's also by the Platters.

[Babar]

Earth Angel, Earth Angel, will you be mine? My darling angel, love you for all time, I'm just a fool, a fool in love.


Now see what you made me do?! I didn't even look the lyrics up on that. Thanks for making me look silly . But why would you think I'd know it? Haha..Do I exude so much awesome, I'd just have to know that song from Back to the Future?

[LRH]

If you wanna go that far back, I myself am fond of Tchaicovski, who doesn't love the nut cracker? Ooh, I like Coltrane as well, I've got the entire Coltrane/Miles Davis set, but I'm far more into Coltrane, being a sax player myself .

Edit: And as far as newer stuff, I do enjoy it! Don't get me wrong, I'm kinda into Swtichfoot and call me queer, but I admit to liking a few evanesence songs, Weezer, The Strokes, etc. etc.

[evenwolf]

Sure,


Johnny Cash          "Big River"   1957
Buddy Holly           "Everyday"    1957
Kingston Trio         "Tom Dooley"   1958
Roy Orbison          "Crying"    1961  <<<< this recording is SOOO haunting and beautiful
Jackie Wilson         "I'm Comin' On Back To You"   1961
Harry Belafonte      "Jump In the Line"  1961
Ennio Morricone     "Fistful of Dollars"   1964
Sam Cooke            "Sugar Dumpling"  1965  <<<< Repeat the first minute 12 times in a row and still can't get enough
Sam & Dave            "Hold On. I'm Coming  1966
Nina Simone            "Sinnerman"    1966   
Dusty Springfield     "Son of a Preacher Man" 1968
Dolly Parton             "Jolene"   1974


Bob Dylan     "Anything. Even if he's just stoned and laughing its good"



and sometimes I'm the mood for Sinatra but that's becoming less and less every year.  Same with Elvis,  the more I hear the more turned off I become.   Just over saturated to the point of exhaustion, really.

[LRH]

Ah, but the story of buddy holly is so sad, to die that young
And once in a while, a local radio station (AM naturally >.>) pays him a tribute, and they tell stories about him, it makes me so sad

[Matti]

Ah, but the story of buddy holly is so sad, to die that young

That seems to be a tradition in the music business. Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison and Kurt Cobain all died with 27. Okay, Buddy Holly was just 23, but it's all quite early.. 

[TwinMoon]

Don't forget Mozart and Schubert; both dead before turning 30. (seems Schubert got to 31)

Oh, well, here's something that can still make me cry:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUwTdqPkluY
(the song was written in 1939 while were on the subject of old songs)

[Ren]

Wich Doctor

[Lionmonkey]

Domithan: You're contradicting yourself. You said:

most music today is done on a synthesizer about either having premiscuous SEX or senselessly killing random people. And call me crazy, but I'm not into much of it.

A bit later you said:

my oldest favorite song has to be Smoke Gets in Your Eyes. I really reflected on the music and lyrics and got so lost in it.

I looked into lyrics and found out that this song has got the word "love" repeating itself at least 4 times. This has led me to a conclusion that this song is about love. And as we all know, love is a surrogate to sex and sexual arousal, invented for censorship.

So, now you're telling me that you reflected on the lyrics about the thing, you're not really into. Doesn't make much sense to me.


About me:  You know, you sometimes get a feeling that you want to get close to this guy, and punch him hard with a baseball bat, screaming "For a love of Christ, please stoo-oh-ooop!". Well this OLD music surely awakens this feeling. Honestly speaking, it gives me nausea.  Always had.

[evenwolf]

About me:  You know, you sometimes get a feeling that you want to get close to this guy, and punch him hard with a baseball bat, screaming "For a love of Christ, please stoo-oh-ooop!". Well this OLD music surely awakens this feeling. Honestly speaking, it gives me nausea.  Always had.

welp, most the music you DO like probably was inspired by it in one way or another so  mmmmlph!   (flicks nose with thumb)

[LRH]

Domithan: You're contradicting yourself. You said:

most music today is done on a synthesizer about either having premiscuous SEX or senselessly killing random people. And call me crazy, but I'm not into much of it.

A bit later you said:

my oldest favorite song has to be Smoke Gets in Your Eyes. I really reflected on the music and lyrics and got so lost in it.

I looked into lyrics and found out that this song has got the word "love" repeating itself at least 4 times. This has led me to a conclusion that this song is about love. And as we all know, love is a surrogate to sex and sexual arousal, invented for censorship.

So, now you're telling me that you reflected on the lyrics about the thing, you're not really into. Doesn't make much sense to me.


About me:  You know, you sometimes get a feeling that you want to get close to this guy, and punch him hard with a baseball bat, screaming "For a love of Christ, please stoo-oh-ooop!". Well this OLD music surely awakens this feeling. Honestly speaking, it gives me nausea.  Always had.

So, Love = Sex?
I don't know about you, but my relationship with MY girlfriend isn't solely based on sex. The reflection I had with this song was not in any way shape or form sexual. I would HARDLY consider what I said contradictory, when you have songs these days with lyrics such as "Aww skeet skeet skeet skeet" on "bitches". Am I not making sense here? Smoke Gets In your Eyes is about heartfelt romance, not random sex with different people. Also, I must believe if you can't find talent in that song or at least feel some appreciation for it, you aren't quite the musical expert, so maybe this isn't the topic for you.

[Ultra Magnus]

I must believe if you can't find talent in that song or at least feel some appreciation for it, you aren't quite the musical expert, so maybe this isn't the topic for you.

Translation:-
"If you don't agree with me, you must not know what you're talking about."

I could equally say that if you can't see the talent, or otherwise appreciate the songs on the radio that are "done on a synthesizer about either having premiscuous sex or senselessly killing random people", then you aren't quite the musical expert, so maybe this isn't the topic for you.

Lionmonkey's right, though - love songs have always been about sex.
"Love Me Tender"? "Will You Love Me Tomorrow"? "Dream Lover"? "I Want to Hold Your Hand"?
The only thing that's changed is the use of the language, which just reflects how people these days are less easily shocked/offended.
Of course "Smoke..." is an exception, but there are exceptions these days, too.

But if you can't read subtext, then clearly you aren't quite the musical expert, so maybe this isn't the topic for you.

[LRH]

I must believe if you can't find talent in that song or at least feel some appreciation for it, you aren't quite the musical expert, so maybe this isn't the topic for you.

Translation:-
"If you don't agree with me, you must not know what you're talking about."

I could equally say that if you can't see the talent, or otherwise appreciate the songs on the radio that are "done on a synthesizer about either having premiscuous sex or senselessly killing random people", then you aren't quite the musical expert, so maybe this isn't the topic for you.

Lionmonkey's right, though - love songs have always been about sex.
"Love Me Tender"? "Will You Love Me Tomorrow"? "Dream Lover"? "I Want to Hold Your Hand"?
The only thing that's changed is the use of the language, which just reflects how people these days are less easily shocked/offended.
Of course "Smoke..." is an exception, but there are exceptions these days, too.

But if you can't read subtext, then clearly you aren't quite the musical expert, so maybe this isn't the topic for you.

Are you KIDDING?! Will You Love Me Tomorrow is perhaps the only one of those songs even REMOTELY close to being about sex. There's a difference between love and sex, and if you don't think so, you need to straighten out some ideas in your head. I Want To Hold Your Hand, by The Beatles??! It's about puppy love!!! There's NO WAY this song could be mistaken for sex, unless you link every instance of the word "love" to the word "sex". It isn't my opinion that synthetic music requires no talent to perfrom. Sure, someone has composed this music, but nobody performs it. No performance = lack of talent. Lack of talent = lack of artistic musical appreciation. People composed AND perfromed then, and some do now, but not nearly as many.

[Ultra Magnus]

Are you KIDDING?! Love me Tender is perhaps the only one of those songs even REMOTELY close to being about sex. There's a difference between love and sex, and if you don't think so, you need to straighten out some ideas in your head. I Want To Hold Your Hand, by The Beatles??! It's about puppy love!!!

"Love Me Tender" is in fact the only one that could possibly NOT be about sex in that list.
"Will You Love Me Tomorrow" is the equivalent of "will you respect me in the morning?"
"Dream Lover" is too damn obvious if you actually read the lyrics.
And do you seriously believe that a 23 year old man would want to do nothing more than hold hands?

You're a tool of the doghouse makers. :

I'm not saying there isn't a difference between love and sex*, I'm just acknowledging the existence of things callled euphamisms.

* Actually, there may well not be. I'm hardly an expert.