The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #45461   Message #671978
Posted By: GUEST,Bill Kennedy
19-Mar-02 - 11:37 AM
Thread Name: What's wrong with 'Folk Music'
Subject: RE: What's wrong with 'Folk Music'
and I really only jumped in because I'm just a little tired of hearing all the hype about this film go unchallenged. obviously it's a popular film, that doesn't make it a good film, or necessarily do good things for the music we all enjoy; & that doesn't mean you aren't allowed to enjoy it or the music in it, or that because I said so you have to think about the context of the film and its setting, etc. You can just enjoy it if you like. I didn't. I was offended and disturbed. But as I said some of the music in it is good music (to my ear) some of it is not (Everything but the Baby, eg.) But to everyone out there listeneing to the studios, & critics, and ad men, and marketers planning the next version of o brother (make one popular film & worse rip-offs will folllow) there is a large world of folk music, roots music, blues music, bluegrass music, etc. out there that you might find actually more satisfying and nourishing, and there is a History to these songs, and thier recordings that you might pursue. Now another bit of history has been added, not the most fitting setting for the appreciation of Ralph Stanley and 'O Death' that I can think of , but now part of the history. But in this ('so NOT a grumpbag you wouldn't believe how funny that was to me when I read it, though I will speak my mind and am not afraid to have an opinion!') person's view not the High Water mark for the music in any way, just a blip of crossover into popular culture, which may now be the true folk by some definition. wish there was a non-virtual pub we could all retire to to discuss further over a few pints of the good stuff, until we all started singing our favorite songs!