posted
"So where is the line? When is it glurge and when is it truly moving? Or does it even matter if the response is the same?"
For me, I think the difference is the intent. If a song is designed to "make someone cry," then it's manipulative. But if it's meant to share the author's feelings, then it can be inspiring.
I remember once reading a really good article by a gen. authority who went to a youth conference. He was depressed because all the talks were about death or some tragedy. The head of the youth conference explained, "The only way we can get the youth to feel the spirit and cry is by telling really sad or sentimental stories." The gen. authority explained that we should not confuse sentimentality with feeling the spirit.
Years ago, when I saw Dead Poets' Society for the first time, a friend of mine was really annoyed about that movie because, as she said, "Nowadays, people aren't moved by things that used to move them, so somebody has to die in order to reach people emotionally." (I felt the same way with Terms of Endearment years ago...bleaccchhh).
When the whole point of a movie, song, etc. is to "make" someone feel anything, it crosses the line into manipulation. When the point is to share an emotion, thought, or feeling, then it has a better chance of not being manipulative.
Posts: 1677 | Registered: Feb 2005
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posted
What about a Yule Christmas? Where all day they play Christmas music and show a picture of a log burning in a fireplace. Thats it. Thats all. Nothing more!!!
Posts: 666 | Registered: Nov 2005
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That was me shopping today...by the third "Last Christmas" I turned into that rude fat lady with grey hair making sotto voce comments about blowing up the radio station.
On the other hand I found a great internet radio christmas station that even the kids like.
edit: see? still so rattled that I cannot spell.
[ December 11, 2008, 11:23 AM: Message edited by: jana at jade house ]
Posts: 5575 | Registered: Jun 2002
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Hey, I found a really cool social networking site a while back that I realized would be perfect for this -- at least for sharing NON glurge songs. It's imeem and it's specially for sharing songs and playlists. I found some nifty Christmas songs there and posted a few as well. Note: no Christmas Shoes.
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quote: But after I learned that, I kinda felt emotionally manipulated.
I don't understand this comment. It seems like all they did was convey the emotion of the song effectively. The implication is that you'd not have felt manipulated if they'd've just sung the same song more disinterestedly. That tells me, no offense, that you don't often see good performances, if you see an effective conveyance of the message as "manipulation".
Manipulation involves falseness. If the words of the song convey desperation, it's not false to help non-actors convey that desperation in their voices and body language.
Posts: 2993 | Registered: Jun 2003
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quote: I always thought it was weird the boy knew his mom's shoe size. I didn't know my mom's shoe size until I could start borrowing her shoes. One of you moms with sons who are old enough to talk, go ask your son if he knows your shoe size. Then we'll know whether or not the song is realistic!
14yo DS - no 7yo DS - 13 adult? DH - I don't even know what your shoe size it
The only one who knew was my 10yo DD who is thrilled that she now has a foot longer than mine.
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JennaDean, BRILLIANT!!! Thank you for sharing. I go now to share the wealth with other friends.
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hey hey hey !!! I was rompin around my kitchen at 6 am this morning when this catchy tune came on. SweetPea and I just fell in love with it.
I Googled the thing to see what came up and here is the video for all you Nauvoodles. Watch carefully for the hot pink cowboy boots. The kids are precious.
I have a new and not obnoxious unholy Christmas favorite, yaaa hoooo! Yes, even I will listen to this genre done well. Leroy the Redneck ReindeerPosts: 5575 | Registered: Jun 2002
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I was in the car on the way to the store when our local "All Christmas music all the time" station started playing a song I hadn't heard before. I could totally relate to the first few lines, about trying to shop for the last few items on the Christmas list and not really being in the Christmas spirit. Then I heard the singer start to talk about an anxious little boy in line ... and he was holding a pair of shoes.
Uh-oh. I knew immediately that I had to run.
Fortunately I arrived at the store just in time, and turned the car off and fled inside! (Even more fortunately, they weren't playing "All-Christmas-music-all-the-time" radio.)
posted
It is maddening when a song that makes you want to barf becomes popular. It says to me that a lot of folks like it and that, maybe, I'm the one that's out of touch. When I was in grad school there was a song called, "I've Been to Paradise but I've Never Been to Me." You may remember it. Perhaps it was just played in the Provo area. It was absolutely awful, sentimental, tripe. I actually called the radio station and told them how much I hated the song. They said I was the only complaint they got and that everyone loved it. Boy, did I feel out of touch. Still, I haven't heard it in 25 years, so maybe in the long run, I was right.
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posted
What's worse, there's a book based on it. And a movie. (Someone at work gave me the book last Christmas. I immediately regifted it.)
Posts: 1472 | Registered: Jul 2002
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quote:It is maddening when a song that makes you want to barf becomes popular.
Yeah, I've held forth at length regarding the "Like a Lighbulb!!" idiocy. (Hated it!!!)
The other night, I was awakening from a long winter's nap, and some cartoon was singing about grandma ( of run over fame ) was celebrating Christmas with Elvis this year. Apparently that really is his body in the Elvis Aaron Presley grave. Who knew?
They actually made a cartoon show about that song? And yet they couldn't do just one more season of "Joan of Arcadia." Posts: 8601 | Registered: Sep 2002
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quote:.."I've Been to Paradise but I've Never Been to Me." You may remember it. Perhaps it was just played in the Provo area. It was absolutely awful, sentimental, tripe.
Oh, no. It was a blessing nation-wide. She even lip-synched the song on "Solid Gold," (no dancers, just her).
quote:I actually called the radio station and told them how much I hated the song. They said I was the only complaint they got and that everyone loved it. Boy, did I feel out of touch. Still, I haven't heard it in 25 years, so maybe in the long run, I was right.
Other people just changed the channel. It takes some effort (and self-confidence) to actually call a station and tell them what for.
Trust me, you were NOT alone in your despising. Posts: 8601 | Registered: Sep 2002
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posted
For the record, SW, it's Elvis Aron Presley. ETA: And I completely agree with your "Joan of Arcadia" assessment.
Ldsatty, it was not localized in Provo. I remember that awful, horrid song as well, growing up in SoCal. Even worse, it hit the charts twice--it enjoyed some resurgence, apparently. And as it played on my mother's radio stations, I could not change the dial.
posted
I remember singing along with that song as it played on the radio...my mom told me that "subtle whoring" was probably not something a girl my age should be singing about.
posted
Curse you, Jana! I went to the shops last night to buy some necessities, and I heard a song that I swear I'd previously never heard before you mentioned it.
I'm not sure what exactly you had to do with the playing of 'Last Christmas' over the speaker in the discount shop last night, but I'm definitely blaming you....
Posts: 596 | Registered: May 2002
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Well I did that, but this was a long time ago. I can't imagine why it would bother me enough to call the station. I must have tilted at a lot more windmills back then. I am cognizant that I've spent a lot of my life worrying about things that don't matter. But they sure seemed to matter at the time!
Posts: 556 | Registered: Nov 2004
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I have to thank dianoia. Not only are my four- and two-year-olds in love with "Six White Boomers", it absolutely works. Whenever I hear a song I can't stand, I just think of that one and all others are gone! And if I sing it, my kids start singing along, which is absolutely adorable.
Posts: 8170 | Registered: Aug 2004
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"I've been to paradise" plays maybe once a week or more on our (very) local easy-listening station, usually without words. I, myself, think it is a very interesting piece of introspection by someone who missed out on what it means to be a mother and wife, and realizes that maybe her choices weren't so great after all. So, I like it, and ponder it when it comes on. Obviously, your mileage may vary.
Posts: 2073 | Registered: May 2003
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I think the talking part of the song was what gave me the urge to regurge.
"Hey, you know what paradise is? It's a lie, a fantasy we create about people and places as we'd like them to be But you know what truth is? It's that little baby you're holding, it's that man you fought with this morning The same one you're going to make love with tonight That's truth, that's love......"
Posts: 556 | Registered: Nov 2004
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As far as it being a cautionary tale-type song, she sure sounded like she was glorifying what she had done. I've never quite believed her.
ETA: On to OT, CrowSon decided to take a risk with the side effects and hit the link. AACCKK! It finally made the rounds on the XM/Sirius Christmas station we've been listening to for the past couple of weeks. I managed to turn it off quite quickly to keep CrowMan from getting contaminated. I gave him the rundown of the story, and he thanked me for saving him!
posted
I remember hearing "I've been to paradise" back in the day.
I always wondered why Weird Al Yankovich never re-made that song with the phrase, "I have a pair of dice, but I've never rolled a three."
Posts: 674 | Registered: May 2003
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(Oh, no. IF you click that link, whatever you do, do not click on the author's name and read synopses of her other books. There's a sequel. And it spawned a whole series of nasty glurge. And the sheeple love it, from the looks of the reviews.)
Posts: 8170 | Registered: Aug 2004
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I am seriously worried....there's a film on a British TV channel called Christmas Shoes and I have a feeling it is the very same story as the dreaded song mentioned in this thread. I won't be doing my stack of ironing to that film aargghhh!!
Posts: 291 | Registered: Jun 2008
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I just came home and found my husband, Pink Floyd, slumped on his desk with giant pencils sticking out of his ears. Could you explain what is going on? The police want to know.
Mrs Pink.
You all are CRAZY!! In a good way. I'm laughing inside, and that's a verrry good thing.
Posts: 103 | Registered: Feb 2008
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I think it was this thread where someone asked for the Utah version of 12 days of Christmas? And that the question wasn't answered? A couple of days ago I heard it on the radio and wrote it down. I think there must be 2 versions though because I know one version mentioned something about construction on I-15 and this one didn't.
Popcorn popping on an apricot tree 2 elders biking 3 jello salads 4 orange barrels 5 oh my hecks 6 kids and counting 7 bombing seagulls 8 special spirits 9 missing offence (not sure on that one) 10 percent tithing 11 sisters quilting 12 checks for Deedee
Posts: 5025 | Registered: Sep 2002
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posted
I believe the missing offense was a reference to either the BYU or UTAH Football team of the year it was released, or possibly to both of them. It was released sometime in the 90's so not sure which team/year it was referring to.
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