Monday, March 19, 2012
Don McLean
I miss the 1970s. Back then, it didn't matter as much who looked good in a video. It seemed like there were singers and songwriters out there who could really sing... Imagine, if James Taylor had come along in the 80s or 90s, would he have had the career he's had? Hard to tell. Anyway, I like Don McLean's music, though his career kind of slowed down once videos came into vogue...
Not that Don McLean is a bad looking guy, mind you...
But I can't see him prancing around a sound stage in spandex pants and leather. His style is a lot more subdued... just a guy and his guitar and a very sweet, lovely voice. I miss singers like that. I know they're still "out there", but with the advent of videos and American Idol, it seems like they're just not as visible or audible...
What a shame that is.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I love Don mclean. My favorites were probably "Castles in the Air" and "Crossroads." My dad taught me "American Pie" when I was practically a baby. When I was in second grade and went to Catholic school, I played piano for the choirs and for school functions because no one on the staff played well and the administration was too cheap to give any kid a cut in tuition for his or her parent playing when they had a student who could do the job for free. During the Christmas program, one of the wise men threw up all over the stage and the nun who was the principal told me to play something while the stage was hastily mopped. I asked her what, and she said, "Anything as long as it's not in the program." The only thing that came to mind was "American Pie," and because it had a couple of religious references, such as the part about the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost all catching the last train to the coast, I thought it was appropriate. It turned into a zen moment of drunken revelry with the Azores-Portuguese dairymen who were present. I blogged about it a long time ago, but I can't remember when. I'll have to look it up.
ReplyDeleteThat's quite a story, Alexis! You must be quite a player!
ReplyDeleteI took piano when I was very young. I wasn't particularly good at it, though I can pick out tunes. I did find out when I was taking lessons that I have perfect pitch. Aside from a year of band in middle school, though, I didn't do any music until I went to college.
My parents are musicians-- Mom started playing organ for churches when she was 14 and continued until she and my dad moved to a senior assisted living facility. Dad is a singer, though I have never enjoyed listening to him sing. When I was growing up, he used to sing solos and I'd stick my fingers in my ears. I think I knew I was musical, but I didn't want to be co-opted into their activities, so I got involved with horses instead. My parents didn't give a toot about horses.
When I went to college, I needed an arts class for my degree. I ended up taking a voice class and the prof encouraged me to take private lessons. So I did... and I got into our audition ensemble and got to travel with the school. Since I finished college, I've continued to study voice off and on. I probably should start up again, since for me, singing helps prevent depression. In the late 90s, when my depression was really bad, I took lessons as a means of release and it was very helpful.
I think my favorite songs by Don McClean are "Vincent" and "Castles In The Air". But no one does "American Pie" like he does... it's better than Madonna's version and it's especially better than The Brady Bunch's version!
I love "American Pie," too.
ReplyDeleteI've been playing piano since I was a baby. If I had mental retardation or autism I would be considered a savant. Since I don't have either condition, I'm nothing special. My parents are musicians.
Do you have relative pitch that's considered perfect, or do you have absolute pitch? My dad, my mom,and I have absolute pitch. My brother's sense of relative pitch is quite good but he doesn't have the tonal memory that the rest of us have. A few other things that the rest of us have skipped my brother as well.
I have absolute pitch. But as far as I know, I'm the only one in the family who has it.
ReplyDeleteAbsolute pitch is a trip, huh? it can be annoying. I'm extremely distracted by the "transpose" feature on electronic pianos because looking at one note and hearing an entirely different pitch is bothersome. it's easier just to transpose the piece. People like knowing the tone or tones of their doorbells, and I'm more than happy to share that information with them.
ReplyDeleteI can commiserate. When I worked at Busch Gardens for four summers as a teenager, we had to listen to about eight different Polka songs all day (I worked in the German section). There was one song that had a note that was half a step off and I was the only one who noticed it. It drove me nuts.
ReplyDeleteI hate listening to things that are off key and I can always tell when an acapella group goes off.
The choir director at my college didn't want to let me in the choir because I admitted that I wasn't that good at sight singing. He asked how I would learn the music. I told him I had perfect pitch. So he turned me around and tested me and I passed with flying colors. Next thing I knew, the whole music department knew and asked if I wanted to switch majors from English to music. I took a sight reading course and it was very easy for me. I sang a very discordant Vincent Persichetti piece and my accompanist was surprised that I got all the notes right. It's definitely a freaky ability. And there aren't that many of us who have it. My first voice teacher did, so she understood how weird and annoying it can be.
But it also makes a fun party trick...
I took the UCSF's test for their absolute pitch study back in the early 2000s... I actually failed it (barely) the first time, because I was drinking beer and not taking it seriously. I retook it the next week and passed with flying colors. I noticed the tones they used were the very same ones I'd heard before. I confessed to the people running the study and they said they weren't surprised, since I had been really close the first time.
My ear is not as good as it used to be, but I still have a fabulous ear. And some notes practically jump out at me and I can't help but identify them, even if I'm doing something else. I don't think I could stand to be a music teacher.
That being said... music comes very easily to me. I regret not studying it more seriously.
I don't really see how beginning band and orchestra even exist. Anyone with the ability to teach a kid a wind or string instrument is probably too musical to listen to beginning wind and string musicians perfecting their skills. It's an odd paradox. I know I would never in a million years take on directing an elementary or middle school band as a career, or even as a hobby. I'm not that much of a masochist. Yet someone has to do it.
DeleteI won't have a career in music, but that actually makes it more relaxing and a better hobby.
I meant to mention that I have an aunt and uncle (they are siblings) who taught themselves to play organ. And I have a cousin who is a professional bass player and is proficient in several instruments. He doesn't have absolute pitch, but I bet he has relative pitch. He's also a very talented artist. His dad is the self-taught organ player. So I guess it really is a genetic thing.
ReplyDelete