For those non-U of I students reading this, let me preface this entry by explaining the chaos of dad's weekend. The fact that the university has to split parents' visits into Dad's Weekend (in the fall) and Mom's Weekend (in the spring) should shed a little light on the fact that these weekends tend to get a little rowdy. Picture it: a bunch of middle-aged men back at college, reliving their glory days as notorious partiers. Whether they're hitting the bars with their children or with each other, the dad's like to have a good time.
Now, you may be thinking, how does a bunch of dad's getting drunk at college relate to music? Well, it does. It brings up the issue of the music the bars decide to bust out that weekend. I doubt these fellas would enjoy hearing about being fly "like a G6" or how Enrique Iglesias "likes it," so what music does dear old dad want to listen to? Personally, my pops tends to be more of a Frank Sinatra/Rat Pack fan, stuck in the glory days of piano bars. But that's not to say that he doesn't enjoy some good dance music. However, his idea of "dance music" is disco hall tunes such as Laura Branigan and Donna Summer.
So how do we bridge the generation gap? I will admit that I do - on occasion - enjoy listening to his tunes, but it's doubtful to say that all of Firehaus (a campus bar) would. One song in particular, Don't Stop Beleivin' by Journey, gathered the attention of the majority of bar-goers. As I belted out the lyrics with my roommate and other friends, my dad tapped my shoulder and asked "Who sings this?" I looked at him incredulously, expecting him to be singing along with me. But it seemed that the only ones singing along were the college students and the younger generation of dads. This raised a question (in my mind) of what "throwback" songs have been played at bars on campus. For out generation, throwbacks might consist of songs by NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, and Spice Girls, all 90's pop music. I can't count the number of times I've heard songs such as "Dirty Pop" by NSYNC or "Faded" by soulDecision played while out and people go nuts. While I can't imagine my dad - or any of the dads out this past weekend - getting excited over some has-been 90's boy band, I am glad that my dad and I share a (rather limited) selection of music that we can enjoy together.
Subscribe To
Posts
All Comments
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Taylor Swift: Speak Now
So it's been a couple weeks since the release of the CD, but Taylor Swift, teen country-pop singer, has released a new album titled "Speak Now." You know what that means, teenage girls are going to constantly be referencing her lyrics and how Taylor "writes about their lives." Because let's face it, who else can relate to (the majority of) her songs besides teenage girls? Teenage boys? Nope. I'm sure they don't care about kissing in the rain and waiting for that "special someone" they just met to knock on their door, telling them they were enchanted to meet them. Don't get me wrong, I love Taylor Swift's music just as much as any other teenage girl out there, but that's because her audience is (most likely) 95% females between the ages of 12 and 25.
The coming of a new Taylor Swift album also means that someone new that broke her heart is going to get called out via song. This time's hit: John Mayer. With lyrics such as "And I lived in your chess game but you changed the rules everyday, wonderin’ which version of you I might get on the phone, tonight" and "And you'll add my name to your long list of traitors who don't understand and I'll look back in regret how I ignored when they said 'run as fast as you can’" no one can deny that this girl can write a song that cuts to the core.
So what have we learned so far? That you should never break Taylor Swift's heart because she will write a song about you and that her primary fan base is teenage girls. But strictly talking about her music, I can't help but admit that I've heard these songs before. Every album has the same topics: falling in love, heartbreak, getting revenge, growing up, and living in a fairy tale. Her newest album, however, deals with more mature topics than past ones, such as moving out, marriage, and paying bills. But one can't help but think if she acts too wise for her age. After all, she is only 20 years old. She sings "It's okay, life is a tough crowd, 32 and still growin' up now, who you are is not what you did, you're still an innocent," but what does she know about being 32 years old? Perhaps I'm just reading too far into this, but I hope I'm not the only one that thinks she isn't in the best position to be doling out this advice.
To get one thing straight: I am a Taylor Swift fan. I know it may not seem like it in this entry, but I am. She manages to sing about (relatively) the same topics over and over again yet still produce music that will stick in your head for weeks. It's been 2 weeks since the album was released, and I've probably listened to it 20 times. So what does that say about Taylor Swift as an artist? She has a sound that is her own and she stays true to that. What does that mean for her future? Are we going to look forward to her next few albums to be strikingly similar to her previous ones? I say as long as she can produce catchy songs that people will fawn over, the more power to her.
The coming of a new Taylor Swift album also means that someone new that broke her heart is going to get called out via song. This time's hit: John Mayer. With lyrics such as "And I lived in your chess game but you changed the rules everyday, wonderin’ which version of you I might get on the phone, tonight" and "And you'll add my name to your long list of traitors who don't understand and I'll look back in regret how I ignored when they said 'run as fast as you can’" no one can deny that this girl can write a song that cuts to the core.
So what have we learned so far? That you should never break Taylor Swift's heart because she will write a song about you and that her primary fan base is teenage girls. But strictly talking about her music, I can't help but admit that I've heard these songs before. Every album has the same topics: falling in love, heartbreak, getting revenge, growing up, and living in a fairy tale. Her newest album, however, deals with more mature topics than past ones, such as moving out, marriage, and paying bills. But one can't help but think if she acts too wise for her age. After all, she is only 20 years old. She sings "It's okay, life is a tough crowd, 32 and still growin' up now, who you are is not what you did, you're still an innocent," but what does she know about being 32 years old? Perhaps I'm just reading too far into this, but I hope I'm not the only one that thinks she isn't in the best position to be doling out this advice.
To get one thing straight: I am a Taylor Swift fan. I know it may not seem like it in this entry, but I am. She manages to sing about (relatively) the same topics over and over again yet still produce music that will stick in your head for weeks. It's been 2 weeks since the album was released, and I've probably listened to it 20 times. So what does that say about Taylor Swift as an artist? She has a sound that is her own and she stays true to that. What does that mean for her future? Are we going to look forward to her next few albums to be strikingly similar to her previous ones? I say as long as she can produce catchy songs that people will fawn over, the more power to her.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)