'It's all right to like...'

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: David C. Carter
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 01:20 PM

If I ever hear Dean Martin on the radio it reminds me of my mother.She had some of his records.I liked him then,and I like him now.Doris Day singing-"Take Me Back To The Blackhills",haven't heard it in years,but I find it running through my mind often.

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: Maryrrf
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 12:37 PM

I like the Clancy Brothers and the Corries. I can often be found driving around singing along with either of these two groups. The arrangements may not be very sophisticated, but darn it - they're enjoyable to listen to.

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: John Hardly
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 11:22 AM

Yeah, right on! I like the Spinners. Their "It's a Shame" is a great arrangement -- in fact, most of the "Philadelphia Sound" is terrific --early Teddy Pendergast singing with Herman Melville and the Bluenotes. Who could NOT like that stuff?

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: Ron Davies
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 11:00 AM

I also really like "Danny Boy" if sung well--with both verses. The picture of somebody dear to the singer looking down on his grave really gets me.

Just heard a really sad bluegrass song--Slippers with Wings. It's solidly in the tradition of the 19th century parlor songs--and really affecting.

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: Purple Foxx
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 10:50 AM

Proving your point McG ,I have in front of me the current copy of "Mojo" magazine which contains A cover mounted CD with a track by Donovan (amongst other artists) , a very favourable review of a series of recently re-released Judy Collins albums,an indepth interview with Billy Bragg & a genuinely useful & highly readable guide to buying American Folk music.
This is a Rock music magazine.
Interesting times indeed.

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: TonyK
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 10:50 AM

I heard a statistic that 2 percent of the music produced gets 98 percent of the air time. I think there's strength in diversity. I have to watch out for my own attitudes so I don't come across as a snob. I don't advertise that I listen to Barry or Abba. My 24 yr old son raised both eyebrows when I admitted to listening to 'Dancing Queen', as if he had to reformulate his image of his old man. But I have to be careful not to look at people as an anthropological anomaly because their taste is on the other side of the bell curve from mine.

Ron, only your friends will never let you forget the embarrassing moments.

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 10:36 AM

Yes indeed - the truth is most of the music which holds the Mudcat tigether would fit into the catalogue of music that "it's not all right to like", grudgingly amended at times to "now it is all right to like"...

So I'm not surprised that the people posting on this thread evidently share my disdain for that way of thinking.

One thing I've noticed is that, while the newspapers, when they run music supplements and so forth, will generally ignore folk music as a category, and sneer at the whole concept, when they are actually doing reviews, very often the records they go nuts over tend to be records that fall pretty squarely within the folk music orbit.
......................

Gracie Fields.

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: Ron Davies
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 10:33 AM

How about "OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Tony!" ?

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: TonyK
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 10:31 AM

I suppose the true test of what I like is what I will allow to remain on the radio when I'm driving alone. I've let Barry finish more than one song. Abba is another one. However, neither artist embodies the image I like to present to the public.

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: Ron Davies
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 10:24 AM

Sinsull-- I agree with you. I take virtually all of them seriously too--many reflected truly the Hobbesian view of life then--nasty, brutish and short--and looking forward to the next life as a result.

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: Jeri
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 10:17 AM

SINS, maybe kendall would like Slade, if he likes Twisted Sister? I've got an album here.

Let's face it: folk music (unless it's pop music with banjos or whistles) is unpopular. Now it is, but I'm pretty sure Matty Groves was a huge hit when some long-ago singer/songwriter first sang the newly-written story-song for a bunch of people. Some of the stuff we do now was HUGE back when.

I like Jethro Tull, I like some Garth Brooks, I like a lot of semi-old country such as George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Charley Pride, and a bunch of folks who appeared on 'Hee-Haw'. I also have a load of Rush recordings and I was a huge Elton John fan, back before he turned into Mr Super-pop. I'm talkin' 'Skyline Pigeon', 'Madman Accross the Water' (I heard a recent folky-style recording of that!), 'Burn Down the Mission', 'Come Down in Time' - that sort of song.

And kids these days...
When I was a kid, it was top 40 or what your parents were into. I think there are so many different styles of music around now, all very accessible, that kids are a lot more diversified in taste than I was growing up. They can listen to rap with their friends, and have their iPods full of salsa and reggae and jazz and Gregorian chants and you-name-it. There are more choices, and a lot more chances to discover something they can get passionate about.

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: SINSULL
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 09:40 AM

Ah Ron. You see them as tearjerkers. I see them as serious commentary on life albeit in a simpler time. I genuinely love those songs for exactly what they are.

Sons of the Pioneers - me too, Severn.

Twisted Sister, Kendall? Now I know what to get you for your birthday.

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: Ron Davies
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 09:13 AM

I loathe and despise everything Barry " I ruin the songs, I ruin the songs" Manilow has inflicted on the world--except for "Copacabana". Good character sketching, sex and violence, a good story, a good beat--and all over within 3 minutes. Admirable economy.

I'm with Sinsull--absolutely love LOTS of tear-jerkers.

Totally addicted to Sephardic music, Motown girl groups, Bulgarian women's choirs, really corny country music, Bob Wills' comments on ostensibly serious songs, and lots of current "country" music (really 70's rock under another name ), especially of the "It's your fault" variety" or is sarcastic e.g. " What Part of No Don't You Understand?" or has a sense of humor, e.g. . " I'm Living Up To Her Low Expectations"

Also love really egregious Beach Boys songs like "She's My Surfing Hearse"--"Not too cherry but she could be worse" and "Car Club"--"We'll start/ A car club/ And wipe out/ The other clubs"--drove several people bonkers playing that one over and over recently in the car"

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: kendall
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 08:27 AM

Twisted Sister

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: GUEST,Dale
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 08:10 AM

Concerning open mike's curiosity about The Ragtime Wranglers, etc. 11 on Mar 06 - 12:29 PM:

They are a hard group to pin down as they have gone through multiple name and personnel changes through the years. The backup group, The Ragtime Wranglers, frequently back up other performers in addition to Miss Mary Ann and the Ranch Girls and sometimes perform by themselves. By the way, I referred to them as Ramblers instead of Wranglers. I knew better, just a slip of the mind while typing.

But basically, this is it, a group from the Netherlands usually fronted by Mary Ann. If she is joined by Mary Lou, then they transfrom into The Ranch Girls, but Mary Lou is semi-retired, so this doesn't happen as often as it used to. You can read the longer version here. http://www.theranchgirls.com/bio/story.html

Follow the links at the bottom of the page to the rest of the site. Look for the generous sound files, including some full songs. Don't miss the video of Mary Ann singing with Charlie Thompson.

Oh yeah, what do they do? Well, I'd say think 50s Rockabilly and Western Swing as their main directions, but here's what they say about it:

When you ask their influence and the music they want to play, they all will answer: early Country, Hillbilly, Western Swing, Rockabilly and everything in between. The Ranch Girls are influenced by early duet-singing, but the Ragtime Wranglers are crazy about instrumentals.

Whatever they do, they're having a good time at it. Right now they are at the Rockabilly Rave in Sussex, UK

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: RangerSteve
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 07:28 AM

My department doesn't believe in getting rid of patrol cars until they absolutelly can't be fixed, and one of them was old enough to have an AM-only radio. One day while I was searching for some music, which is rare on AM these days, I found a station that played Hit Parade music from the 40's and 50's. Doris Day, Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, etc. Since my Mom used to listen to that stuff, I recognized all of the songs, and found that I actually enjoyed it. I even ended up subscribing to the Time-Life series of Hit Parade songs.I now believe that Perry Como and Bing Crosby are two of the greatest singers ever, right up there with Wilf Carter and Hank Snow. I've added "To Each His Own" by the Inkspots abd "Mockingbird Hill" by Patti Page to my clawhammer banjo repertoire.

Steve

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: melodeonboy
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 05:26 AM

In answer to Nicholas Waller's question, you may want to refer to my comments on the Wild Rover and Streets of London in the "Songs to avoid.." thread, although it's approaching the subject from a different angle.

And I enjoyed the Viz reference!

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 04:09 AM

For the High School Concert one year, we were doing the song Lemon Tree. The teacher insisted we articulate the consonants strongly, to improve clarity. So then we all sang (sigh!)

Lemon Tree very preTy and the lemonT flower is sweeT buT the fruiT of the poor lemonT is impossible to eaT!

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: GUEST,Nicholas Waller
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 03:54 AM

How about Streets of London, the Wild Rover and Danny Boy...?

My guilty secret is The Moody Blues.

The herd aspect of cultural cool was well captured in Viz magazine by the strip Student Grant: "Grant has a number of friends who are just like him in that they are eager to express their "individuality" by all wearing the same kind of clothes," in the Wikipedia article. I remember one episode in which music fashions on campus were changing fast and Grant failed to keep up with the coolzone: his T-shirt favouring one band was OK at breakfast but laughably out of date by lunchtime.

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: Bert
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 02:46 AM

The Beach Boys

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: Peace
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 02:19 AM

Enya

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: Peace
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 01:49 AM

ABBA

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: Kaleea
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 01:26 AM

I enjoy all the acoustic Music I've ever heard, and I don't care who knows it. (Although, I can't say that I'm always in the mood to hear atonal Music.)

Jeepers, Alba, Herb Alpert is one of the few men whom I enjoyed so much that I didn't mind doing the housecleaning while listening to him!

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: Peace
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 12:20 AM

RE: 'It's all right to like...'

Ike.

Be a great campaign slogan, dontcha think?

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: Goose Gander
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 12:18 AM

It's alright to like Motorhead.

Really!

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: Alba
Date: 11 Mar 06 - 10:14 PM

Severn I can't believe it..excellent
It is so all right in my book to like Sir Harry Lauder and I am proud to say I do, very much.

I have been known at times, watched by my bewildered dog, to dance around my Kitchen to the sound of Herb Alpert and the Tiajuana Brass.
Lemon Tree very pretty and the lemon flower is sweet but the fruit of the lemon is impossible to eat

"If it makes you happy it can't be that bad" in the words of Sheryl Crow

Warmest Wishes to all
Jude

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: Severn
Date: 11 Mar 06 - 09:42 PM

The Sons Of The Pioneers

Sir Harry Lauder

The Guckenheimer Sour Kraut Band

Phil Harris

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: Rattler
Date: 11 Mar 06 - 06:43 PM

How about .... Late 60's Mowtown - Memorable songs and melodies, the "bright lights" image of an affluent and progressive urban working class, a (folk?)music of it's time and place as relevant in northern England as in Detroit.

Or even, a master enigmatic wordsmith, composer of highly memorable songs & tunes, and almost a folkie; Cat Stevens!

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: Bert
Date: 11 Mar 06 - 06:19 PM

Lawrence Welk

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: GUEST, Topsie
Date: 11 Mar 06 - 05:06 PM

The other day some music on the radio caught my attention. I listened to the end to find out what it was - it was Mantovani. If I'd heard an announcement saying, e.g. "The next piece we'll be playing is Mantovani", I wouldn't have bothered to listen to it.

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: akenaton
Date: 11 Mar 06 - 05:02 PM

I also liked Abba when they started out ....Thought I could hear some folk influences in the music.

Last year when interviewed on BBCTV, one of the guys said that they had started out as a Folk Group..even made a couple of records.

I enjoy Kenneth MacKellar's singing, although at one time he was the "Great Satan" to the Scottish folk community.

To hear him sing "The Holy City" (Jerusalem) is an experience..Ake

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: fat B****rd
Date: 11 Mar 06 - 03:49 PM

Josef Locke in particular "Goodbye" and "Violetta".
"She" by Charles Aznavour and many, many more. It's good to be free and uncool.

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: Roughyed
Date: 11 Mar 06 - 03:41 PM

Nick reminded me of the time I drove up to a Scottish folk festival in Port William playing tapes of Brathanki (a Polish folk/jazz/rock band) and Asian Dub Foundation on the way. Great journey, great festival.

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Mar 06 - 03:13 PM

Is it all right for me to like Dinah Shore?
I think the stuff she did (before television) was downright wonderful.

Oh, and I really love the old Girl Group recordings...

"Soldier Boy, oh my little soldier boy...."

-Joe-

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: kendall
Date: 11 Mar 06 - 03:09 PM

I was misquoted.

Actually, I wish I could say I like all kinds of music. One advantage would be that I wouldn't be driven out of stores because the musak drives me batty.

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: Nick
Date: 11 Mar 06 - 01:07 PM

I've never been able to understand people who say "i can't stand rock, rap, blues, jazz or Doowop or... or... or..." and then suggest this other people's limitation

I had an enjoyable evening last night singing unaccompanied traditional folk songs - listened to some blues on the way there and some classical music on the way back and am playing a little light jazz with a friend tomorrow morning.

Glad I know so little about music that I can enjoy its rich diversity

And Jimmy Shand was great also. Try playing the Bluebell Polka and watch people smile!

And I liked Abba the first time round when it was very uncool to like them and cared as little about what people thought about it then as I do now (though I didn't think Agnetha had the nicest bottom in the world - it was big enough to build a small housing development on)

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: ranger1
Date: 11 Mar 06 - 01:03 PM

Well, I like tons of stuff Kendall would hate.
Godsmack, Bryan Adams, Garth Brooks, Billy Idol and The Clash to name a few of my non-folkie guilty pleasures. Heck, I'll even admit to liking a couple of Ricky Martin songs. (yes, Kendall, my taste is all in my mouth, I know.)

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 11 Mar 06 - 01:03 PM

"And I started thinking how I loathe that kind of idea that our tastes in music, or in anything else, should be governed by whether "it's all right" to like something, rather than whether we actually do like that thing."

I couldn't possibly agree more McG.

As a lifelong ignorer of fashion in all it's many guises, I have always liked what I like, and never been ashamed to say so.

Rolf Harris is the best case in point. Ridiculed for one rather over sugary song, he was out of fashion for years, but the fact that you can build a successful festival program with him headlining shows not only that it IS alright to like him, but also that it should never have been wrong in the first place.

Ditto for many performers.


"parasitic wankers the lot of 'em !

..preying and thriving on the insecurities and prejudices
of mass consumerism.."

Possibly a somewhat over generous description Punkfolkrocker, but it will do.

Over the years, I have spent considerable time and energy teaching my son that various genres are not "crap" simply because HE doesn't like them.

I happen to dislike Rap, but generally refrain from saying so unless my opinion is asked for, and even then I am at pains to emphasise that this is merely my personal taste.

To me, a critic is doing his job when he/she comments on performance or production quality, but oversteps the mark if slagging off the content of a production for reasons of personal preference.

Don T.

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: kendall
Date: 11 Mar 06 - 12:55 PM

I guess I am somewhat narrow in my taste for music. But, actually, I like Dixieland jazz and Leadbelly style blues. In addition, I like
Indian Sitar instrumentals. Some years ago, I saw on tv, Ravi Shankar and Yehudi Menuin. What a combo that was!

I also like Egyptian music, Carribean steel drum music, Mexican double trumpet and Andean flutes.

Jacqui, I don't think I'm as narrow as you like to think. I simply don't like everything YOU like.

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: open mike
Date: 11 Mar 06 - 12:29 PM

now i am curious..about--"Miss Mary Ann and her Ragtime Ramblers/ Ranch Girls"

i like cowboy (and girl) music

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: Roughyed
Date: 11 Mar 06 - 12:28 PM

'All right to like' is for people who use music as a badge of belonging rather than something to listen to. The best musicians I have come across have the widest taste.

Having said that, I have been heartily cursing James Blunt half of last year on the basis of the execrable 'You're Beautiful'. A couple of weeks ago heard a record on the radio that I thought was great. Sure enough it was the man himself and I think his latest single is very good even if he did nick half the hook off Elton John. I don't care what anyone else thinks about my taste - including my wife who thought it was hilarious.

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: DMcG
Date: 11 Mar 06 - 11:58 AM

I was searching for music for folk dance I and in desperation bought a "Jimmy Shand and his Band" record ... and was suprised how much I liked it.

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: SINSULL
Date: 11 Mar 06 - 11:07 AM

Gene Autry and Gay Nineties parlour songs.

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: GUEST,not a narrow minded mean spirited snob
Date: 11 Mar 06 - 10:27 AM

"I like all kinds of...." = I have an open and receptive mind and a love for all that's good that life has to offer,
and will enjoy the gift of pleasure from as many sources as possible..


.. something like that, anyway..

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: kendall
Date: 11 Mar 06 - 10:23 AM

I've never been able to understand people who say "I like all kinds of music." What that says to me is, "I don't know squat about music."

McGrath is right. Although i can't stand rock, rap, blues, jazz or Doowop, I'd never say it shouldn't exist. What the hell, I still like Wilf Carter and Hank Snow.

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 11 Mar 06 - 09:42 AM

Right on, punkfolkrocker.

Is it all right to like polkas and polka bands? I do.

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 11 Mar 06 - 09:26 AM

bollocks to all the superficial lifestyle media journalists & critics, and self-apointed arbiters of fashion, cultural discernment
& 'good taste'..


parasitic wankers the lot of 'em !


..preying and thriving on the insecurities and prejudices
of mass consumerism..







..errrmmm.. now will The Archies classic first LP ever be released remastered on CD ?

[actually wouldn't mind a complete boxset of all Archies recordings
and unreleased demos and out takes..]

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: GUEST,Dale
Date: 11 Mar 06 - 09:06 AM

Greg, I have liked Edmundo Ros from way back! Chocolate Whiskey and Vanilla Gin (I buy horse with a V shaped back, once was a winner on a Trinidad track. Now he's boney, old and thin, one more race he can surely win.)

I'll only list non-folk secret pleasures, as opposed to unhip folk singers that some seem to disregard or take lightly. You know some of the ones I am referring to. I figure to be included here, a performer has to be a good long ways off from Folk/ Old Time/ Blues/ Bluegrass/ Related Music.

Jewel Kilcher (not everything, but enough to include, same for some of the others)
Any number of Australian Country Music Singers ~~ Sara Storer, a bunch of Kernaghans , Schneiders, Dead Ringers, etc.
Heidi Hauge
Real oldies like Henry Burr, Ada Jones, Billy Murray . . .
Clyde McPhatter
Pink Martini
The Slaptones
Miss Mary Ann and her Ragtime Ramblers/ Ranch Girls
Annette Hanshaw
Frank Chacksfield
Bert Kaempfert
Spike Jones
Many others, this is just a small sampling

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: GUEST,wayne
Date: 11 Mar 06 - 08:58 AM

Here we go. Real closet skeletons:

R.E.O Speedwagon, Leo Sayer, Air Supply, prog rock, even (gulp!) James Blunt. Farewell street cred. It was fun while it lasted....

Subject: RE: 'It's all right to like...'
From: jacqui.c
Date: 11 Mar 06 - 08:29 AM

Working in an office does give a chance to observe herd behaviour.

Many years ago I began to notice how anxious people got if they felt that they were 'outside' the norm for the group. I know of a number of people who would profess a like or dislike of a particular interest just to fit in. The thought processes kicked in and I decided that life is too short to HAVE to fall in with the majority opinion, just to save face.

As a result I can't think of any type of music that I would say it's alright to like. If my likes or dislikes are different from other peoples that's OK by me and if they don't feel the same way that is their problem. Kendall has much narrower musical tastes than I and I do enjoy, on occasion, getting together with SINSULL and doing a bit of doowap, just to aggravate him.

And yes, I like and still listen to the Corries, Spinners, Steeleye Span etc - my introduction to folk music and still with some damn good tunes.