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28 Apr 06 - 03:50 PM (#1729407) Subject: BS: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Little Hawk I was surprised to discover on the "worst song" thread that the song "Afternoon Delight" usually scores high on worst song lists. That made me wonder...is it really that bad? I didn't think so, from what I remembered, so I have looked it up and listened to it carefully, and with a critical ear. I can now say simply to all those people who think it's one of the worst songs ever...Ha! You must be joking. You must have fallen and busted your ear or something. Or maybe you are just jumping on the bandwagon with other people who have a tin ear...? Musically it is downright superb. Terrific tune, great chord changes and neat rythmic stuff happening, good instrumentation, great harmonizing vocals...hell, this song is an almost perfect popular songs in the musical sense. It could hardly be better. As for the lyrics, they are perfectly all right. Nothing to complain about there. What is wrong with some people in the glorious days of their youthful 20's writing a song about the joys of making love in the afternoon? And it's done tastefully too...a very upbeat, enthusiastic, friendly song. It's not corny. It isn't badly written. It isn't poorly performed. There is frickin' NOTHING wrong with the song "Afternoon Delight" except that you probably heard it on the radio too many times between 1976 and whenever...and you got sick of it merely because of repetition. Or you heard someone else say "it sucks" and jumped on the bandwagon. When there are so many abysmal, wretchedly badly written songs out there...stuff like "Billy, Don't Be A Hero", for god's sake, or "My Baby Does The Hanky-Panky", there is no reason on earth to go after a very well written and played song like this one just because you figure you heard it once too often. So there ya go. That song won awards and got a lot of airplay. You know why? Cos it's damn good, that's why. Most people only wish they could write an arrangement that good. |
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28 Apr 06 - 03:50 PM (#1729408) Subject: RE: BS: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Little Hawk Sorry. Should be in the Music section. Please move it there, clones. |
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28 Apr 06 - 03:55 PM (#1729413) Subject: RE: BS: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Little Hawk And, yes, I am serious. That is a good song, better than most, ought to be on the list of 20 or so neatest pop music arrangements of all time. |
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28 Apr 06 - 03:57 PM (#1729416) Subject: RE: BS: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Morticia Actually, I agree with you. |
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28 Apr 06 - 04:28 PM (#1729427) Subject: RE: BS: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Stilly River Sage Do you rate it above or below "Midnight at the Oasis" and "Brand New Key" in your reckoning? :) SRS |
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28 Apr 06 - 04:33 PM (#1729429) Subject: RE: BS: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Teresa At least it doesn't attempt to contain commentary from a chair, like some songs I know. I always liked it. But then, I was 12 when it came out, and understood the harmony better than the lyrics ... and being a science-fiction fan, my kid-brain loved the "sky rockets in flight" part. Teresa |
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28 Apr 06 - 04:35 PM (#1729432) Subject: RE: BS: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: TheBigPinkLad I looked at that 'worst song' thread and decided it could only be populated by subjective contributions, so I agree (I think). Personally, Afternoon Delight makes me chuck*, but 30 million housewives can't be wrong. * I am, however, a big fan of afternoon delight ... |
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28 Apr 06 - 04:37 PM (#1729433) Subject: RE: BS: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Once Famous by far, it is not the worst song. It is a better song than Honey. |
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28 Apr 06 - 04:38 PM (#1729436) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: The Shambles This is BS. |
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28 Apr 06 - 04:40 PM (#1729438) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: jacqui.c For UK Mudcatters - this one is a lot better than 'Grandad' or 'Shuduppa Your Face'. I always liked the song, couldn't understand why it got such bad press. |
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28 Apr 06 - 04:40 PM (#1729439) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Joe Offer Well, ya know, it makes me feel good. It's not a masterpiece, but it's an enjoyable song to listen to - and it brings back memories of a good time in my life. "Yummy, Yummy, Yummy" brings back memories, too - but I still can't forgive that song for being as stupid as it is. (as Chief of the Mudcat Editing Team," can I get in trouble for calling a song "stupid"? -Joe Offer- |
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28 Apr 06 - 04:50 PM (#1729448) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: M.Ted Well, to be honest, LH, it is a bit "cutesy", and they threw everything into the arrangement but the kitchen sink--but it is fun, which is more than I can say for some. "Midnight at the Oasis" is a great song, SRS-not your typical three chorder--As, as to "Honey", Martin, it is in a class of its own--Bobby Goldsboro really had a gift-- |
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28 Apr 06 - 04:51 PM (#1729449) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Peace Call it awful instead. However, if y'all want the winner in the 'why did it ever get on the radio' category, here it is: That Monday morning choo-choo Is leaving with my shoo shoo Taking all my everything away |
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28 Apr 06 - 05:40 PM (#1729496) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Joe Offer Damn, that sounds familiar, Peace. What's th ename of that song? -joe- |
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28 Apr 06 - 06:35 PM (#1729534) Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: MIDNIGHT AT THE OASIS From: Little Hawk This is not BS, Shambles, this is music commentary. I genuinely think "Afternoon Delight" is a very well written and performed song, and I launched it as a BS thread orginally through sheer force of habit...accidentally in other words. Stilly - I think "Midnight At the Oasis" is also a darned good song. Super good, in fact. It sounds great, and it's a cool arrangement. Maria Muldaur sings it great. She deserved to get a hit with that song. Midnight At The Oasis Words & Music by David Nichtern Recorded by Maria Muldaur, 1974 DM7 G7 C7/9 Am7 Midnight at the o - a - sis -- DM7 G7 C7/9 Bb9 Send your camel to bed DM7 G7 C7/9 Shadows paintin' our fa -ces, F7 Bb9 Em7 G/B A7 Tra - ces of romance in our heads. DM7 G7 C7/9 Am7 Heaven's holdin' a half-moon DM7 G7 C7/9 Bb9 Shinin' just for us; DM7 G7 C7/9 F7 Bb9 Let's slip off to a sand dune, real soon Em7 G/B A7 And kick up a little dust. Refrain: Cm7 F7 G#7 Gm7 Come on, Cactus is our friend; Cm7 F7 G#7 Gm7 He'll point us out the way. Cm7 F7 G#7 Gm7 Come on, till the evenin' ends, C7/9 Bb9 DM7 Till the evenin' ends. DM7 G7 C7/9 Am7 You don't have to an - swer -- DM7 G7 C7/9 Bb9 There's no need to speak DM7 G7 C7/9 F7 Bb9 I'll be your belly dan - cer, pran - cer, Em7 G/B A7 And you can be my sheik. (Instrumental Interlude - 1 Verse & 1 Refrain) DM7 G7 C7/9 Am7 I know your Daddy's a sul -tan, DM7 G7 C7/9 Bb9 A nomad known to all, DM7 G7 C7/9 F7 Bb9 With fifty girls to attend him, they all send him, Em7 G/B A7 Jump at his beck and call. DM7 G7 C7/9 Am7 But you won't need no harem, honey, DM7 G7 C7/9 Bb9 When I am by your side; DM7 G7 C7/9 F7 Bb9 And you won't need no cam - el, no no, Em7 G/B A7 When I take you for a ride. Repeat Refrain: DM7 G7 C7/9 Am7 Midnight at the o - a - sis -- DM7 G7 C7/9 Bb9 Send your camel to bed; DM7 G7 C7/9 Got shadows paintin' our fa - ces, F7 Bb9 Em7 G/B A7 And tra - ces of romance in our heads. There are some neat lines in there. Why would anyone possibly object to a flirtatious song with a few double entendres in it and a great tune? Is there some law against musical flirtation that uses slightly offbeat metaphors in the lyrics? Not for me there isn't. Regarding both "Midnight at..." and "Afternoon Delight", I think it is people's sheer lack of imagination and habitual literal-mindedness that prejudices them against the lyrics in those 2 songs. They're both a bit whimsical, a bit flirty, and they're fun...which is all they were meant to be. Hey, I like "Gates of Eden". I like "It's All Right, Ma". I like "Acadian Driftwood". I love serious songs on weighty themes. But there is a place for light-hearted flirtation too, and these 2 songs have got it right. Now, "Brand New Key"...you know, there was a time when that song was a lotta fun too. Again, what is Melanie doing in the song? She's being a bit flirtatious, and using a slightly offbeat metaphor to do it. So? Same point as the above 2. I don't rate it as high as Midnight or Afternoon, musically speaking, but it's fine as far as it goes. I'd call it a likeable song. I give it a "6". I give Midnight a "10", and Afternoon a "9 1/2"....I took off the "1/2" point for the "cutsey" aspect, as pointed out by M. Ted. You want "awful"? You want "makes me want to rip out jugular veins with my teeth"? Listen to Sheena Easton singing "Morning Train". That has no clever metaphors in it at all. It's just plain relentless, dimwittedly literal, and totally obnoxious...both in the musical and the lyrical sense. |
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28 Apr 06 - 06:40 PM (#1729537) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Peace Joe, I went looking for the lyrics and couldn't find them. It was done decades ago by The Stampeders, a group out of Winnipeg. I think the title of it was "Monday Morning Choo Choo". Considering that they did so much good stuff, it blew me away that that song would make the charts. It was in the top twenty for weeks. Maybe months. It is sad (so as to avoid 'stupid', lol). |
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28 Apr 06 - 06:49 PM (#1729546) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Peace Joe, I just went to refresh what's left of my memory. They also did Ramona; Sweet City Woman; Oh My Lady; Carry Me (which I think is their best). They were a rock group, but softer than hard if ya know what I mean. I think also that they did Squeeze Box, but I'm not sure on that. BUT, MMCC??? Good Lord! |
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28 Apr 06 - 06:57 PM (#1729551) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Peace Don't mean to sidetrack this discussion, sorry LH: Link to the bio of the Stampeders. BIO here. (And as usual, I got some stuff wrong.) |
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28 Apr 06 - 08:07 PM (#1729583) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: gnu Winnepeg... hmmm... did Winnepeg ever produce any good musicians besides the Stampeders? Cumming on now! |
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28 Apr 06 - 08:14 PM (#1729585) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: M.Ted The chords that I had are slightly different, LH, and in a different key--Chord Request: Midnight at the Oasis David Nichtern's original version was in a different key than Maria's version--and I remember hearing her do it live before the record came out, without Amos Garrett's legendary guitar solo-- |
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28 Apr 06 - 08:16 PM (#1729587) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Leadfingers Afternoon Delight was used as a Sig Tune on Commercial Radio in UK a few years back ! They called the afternoon Pop programme 'Afternoon Delight' - Overkill doesnt do a song any good at all !! |
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28 Apr 06 - 08:53 PM (#1729606) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: katlaughing I've always liked it, esp. as I was at an age when I could listen to it AND practise it...in the afternoon.:-) Loved the Hanky-Panky, too.:-) |
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28 Apr 06 - 09:16 PM (#1729627) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Little Hawk It's a tragedy when a good popular song gets used in an ad as far as I'm concerned. Yeah, Leadfingers, overkill can ruin anything...look what it did to Springsteen in the late 80's...after "Born in the USA" and the big boxed set came out. For about 6 years or longer just about nobody wanted to buy another Bruce Springsteen record. Too much success at one time can be deadly. Same deal with Michael Jackson after "Thriller" too...although I was never much interested in his music. |
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28 Apr 06 - 09:17 PM (#1729628) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: John Hardly My friend's dog, "Vinnie" is sort of cute. Cute is, I believe, the highest compliment he could aspire to. He'll never be "beautiful", "regal", "dignified". Cute is about it for Vin Tin Tin (as I've taken to calling him). I was looking at Vinnie the other day and wondering just what it was that was wrong with his looks. Each of his elements are actually pretty darn stiking. He's got those great, deep brown, clear, inquisitive eyes, dotted above by those mahogany "eyebrows" -- sort of marked like a rotty or a dobe. His legs are long and well-muscled. His coat is beautiful. He has the baseball bat of a tail like a lab. But the way it's all put together is just........all wrong. Afternoon Delight is cute. |
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28 Apr 06 - 09:26 PM (#1729642) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Little Hawk I agree, John. It is cute. It's also one hell of a good piece of music, with a very original tune. Cute is okay for this one. Now for beautiful songs, regal songs, songs with gravity and dignity...well, there are plenty of those in the catalogs of Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Emmy Lou Harris, Van Morrison, Dire Straits, and many others, and I love 'em. But cute is okay now and then. It does not deserve to be on a "worst song" list, and I think the reason it's there is that a lot of people are just too damned literal...or else they don't like anything that's happy...or cute. A bit of cynicism, perhaps? A bit of world-weariness? |
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28 Apr 06 - 09:27 PM (#1729643) Subject: Lyr Add: AFTERNOON DELIGHT (Danoff) From: Peace I am speechless after reading these lyrics. Ya done it again, LH. AFTERNOON DELIGHT Words and music by Bill Danoff; ©1976. ( Starland Vocal Band ) Gonna find my baby, gonna hold her tight Gonna grab some afternoon delight My motto's always been 'when it's right, it's right' Why wait until the middle of a cold dark night? When everything's a little clearer in the light of day And we know the night is always gonna be there any way Thinkin' of you's workin' up my appetite Looking forward to a little afternoon delight Rubbin' sticks and stones together makes the sparks ingite And the thought of lovin' you is getting so exciting Skyrockets in flight Afternoon delight Afternoon delight Afternoon delight Started out this morning feeling so polite I always thought a fish could not be caught who wouldn't bite But you've got some bait a-waitin' and I think I might try nibbling A little afternoon delight Skyrockets in flight Afternoon delight Afternoon delight Afternoon delight Please be waiting for me, baby, when I come around We could make a lot of lovin' 'for the sun goes down Thinkin' of you's workin' up my appetite Looking forward to a little afternoon delight Rubbin' sticks and stones together makes the sparks ingite And the thought of lovin' you is getting so exciting Skyrockets in flight Afternoon delight Afternoon delight Afternoon delight Afternoon delight |
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28 Apr 06 - 10:21 PM (#1729674) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Little Hawk Yup. Cute, catchy, and cool. I can remember feeling exactly like that with various girlfriends I had....and I'm sure you can too. I specially like the "skyrockets in flight" line. Perfect. ;-) I truly think that a lot of people just hate happy-sounding songs on principle. They're hung up on angst. |
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28 Apr 06 - 10:24 PM (#1729678) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: M.Ted I don't know about this at all--I just listened to "Midnight at the Oasis"--still great, after all these years. I also listened to "Afternoon Delight"--All I will say, out of deference to LH, and speaking of dogs, is that the intro sounds a lot like "Me and You and a Dog Named Boo"-- |
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28 Apr 06 - 10:27 PM (#1729681) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Little Hawk Don't say that! ;-) ARgh! You may be right about the intro, but the rest of it sure doesn't. I never did much care for "Me and You and a Dog Named Boo"...way too sentimental. And, sheesh, talk about a pathetically bad way of concocting a rhyme to end a phrase. "Boo"? Gimme a break. I sure wish I could beam back to then and watch Maria sing "Oasis" live...mmmm....mmmm! |
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28 Apr 06 - 10:33 PM (#1729684) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Peace Boo was a euphemism for marijuana in NYC. Was used for about two years--1964 and 1965. Then it fell out of vogue because it frightened too many people. Or everyone just forgot it. I can't remember. |
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28 Apr 06 - 10:43 PM (#1729690) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Anonny Mouse "Afternoon Delight" is not one of my favs-but among the worst ever? Dunno about that. Seems every year or so another one of these so-called polls come out. About 5 or 6 years ago "Rolling Stone" mag did one. I believe "(She's)Havin'My Baby" by Paul Anka won as the worst song ever. That I won't argue with. (What a WONDERFUL way of sayin' how much ya love me!!-awwwwwwwwwwww). |
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28 Apr 06 - 10:47 PM (#1729696) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Little Hawk Yes, "Havin' My Baby" generally takes the crown. It is the Big Daddy of all truly BAAAAAAAAAD songs! Whooo-Hah! I won't argue with that either. Note that Shatner has never done a cover of it. That is no accident. ;-) |
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28 Apr 06 - 10:52 PM (#1729699) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Stilly River Sage LH, I was yanking your chain with "Midnight at the Oasis." I always liked it also. I picked a couple of songs from the same era for points of reference. No one said anything about Melanie's "Brand New Key." A genunine odd-ball that did serve to define "cute." I was looking for one I couldn't remember the name, I am teasing the tune out of the ether of time, and came across this list of hits from 1970: 1. Venus - The Shocking Blue 2. Mama Told Me (Not To Come) - Three Dog Night 3. I Think I Love You - The Partridge Family 4. The Tears Of A Clown - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles 5. The Rapper - The Jaggerz 6. I Want You Back - The Jackson 5 7. Spirit In The Sky - Norman Greenbaum 8. Vehicle - The Ides Of March 9. War - Edwin Starr 10. Green-Eyed Lady - Sugarloaf I was, in fact, looking for "Spill the Wine" (War). I heard that a lot one summer when I was in high school, and since I didn't have a job I was reading several Classics. I'd sit up late at night when it was cool in my attic bedroom, window open, radio on in the background, and read. And the songs that came on were an odd array that when I hear them today they transport me back to that really rather marvelous summer. SRS |
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28 Apr 06 - 11:02 PM (#1729704) Subject: Lyr Add: HAVIN' MY BABY From: Little Hawk Havin' My Baby - Paul Anka Havin' my baby, what a lovely way of sayin' how much you love me. Havin' my baby, what a lovely way of sayin' what you're thinkin' of me. I can see it Your face is glowin' I can see it in your eyes I'm happy in knowin'... That your havin' my baby, you're the woman I love and I love what it's doing to ya. Havin' my baby, you're a woman in love and I love what's goin' through ya. The need inside you I see it showin' Oh, the seed inside ya baby do you feel it growin'. Are you happy in knowin'... That you're havin' my baby, I'm a woman in love and I love what it's doin' to me. Havin' my baby, I'm a woman in love and I love what's goin' through me. Didn't have to keep it Wouldn't put you through it You could have swept it from your life but ya wouldn't do it. No, you wouldn't do it... And you're havin' my baby, I'm a woman in love and I love what it's doin' to me. Havin' my baby, I'm a woman in love and I love what's goin' through me. Hoo, boy. Just listened to the whole dang thing and I'm sort of beyond words. Sort of... Gahhh! If you wanna listen to it too, go here: Havin' My Baby |
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28 Apr 06 - 11:15 PM (#1729708) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Ron Davies You tell 'em, LH. I like "Afternoon Delight"--but I have great associations with it--and as I said earlier, that definitely colors your view of a song. So it's not wonderful poetry--are we surprised? There are other things. And it's probably not as good a song as "Midnight at the Oasis"--especially the way Maria purred it. Now there's one that belongs on a list of top songs--never "Worst Songs". |
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28 Apr 06 - 11:24 PM (#1729710) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Anonny Mouse Ooooh-Hawk; I read the lyrics while the damn tune played in my head. Now I have to clean up puke on my Laz-y-Boy. GAWDAWFUL!!! I may never read another thread by you LH. "Spill the Wine" (wasn't that Eric Burden formerly from the "Animals"?) played one blissful summer when I was dating my fiance-soon-to-be-wife, working in a hospital, and living in a Frat House for "accomdations" provided by the hospital rent free. Fortunately, the brothers were all gone for the summer-except a couple, and they were righteous dudes, even though this was the "animal house." So, I have pleasant associations with that song, quirky as it was...and it was. |
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28 Apr 06 - 11:27 PM (#1729711) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Little Hawk It's incredible that Midnight at the Oasis would show up on a list of worst songs. I figure it's due to clueless people who just don't ever listen to lyrics with any real attention, getting the vague notion that she's going to bed with her camel or something... God help us. |
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28 Apr 06 - 11:27 PM (#1729712) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Peace No one has mentioned Equus Anonymous Deserticus. Thank you for that. |
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28 Apr 06 - 11:29 PM (#1729714) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Little Hawk I take it you're referring to "Havin' My Baby", Mouse? ;-D |
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28 Apr 06 - 11:34 PM (#1729716) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Stilly River Sage In a rare concurrence, I have to once again agree with Martin Gibson. Goldsboro's "Honey" was the most saccharine, awful song out there. Had to turn the radio off when that came on. "She's Having My Baby" is a close second. They used to play "Flowers on the Wall" way too much (but it was a better song), in my opinion. There ways playlist overkill for "One Tin Soldier"--it was pretty awful (was that the name of it?) SRS |
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28 Apr 06 - 11:46 PM (#1729726) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Peace It was the theme from the movie, "Billy Jack". |
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28 Apr 06 - 11:55 PM (#1729730) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Little Hawk Yeah, that was the name of it, Stilly. "One Tin Soldier". Godawful piece of pretentious psudeo-peace movement self-righteous crap! It came from the soundtrack of the movie "Billy Jack" by Tom Laughlin, and the movie is godawful too...but it was the most successful independently financed film in American history. It was perfect for the militant mood of a lot of young long-haired people in 1973 (I think that was the year). The film was intense and terribly earnest, but also dreadfully overstated in its preachy presentation of "absolute good" (ass-kicking Indian martial arts hero and saintly nonviolent counterculture kids) vs "absolute evil" (rednecks, straights, cops, people in suits and short hair, the media, the military, the government, the middle class, the Man). Curiously enough, I spent a good deal of time at Rolling Thunder's Camp near Carlin, Nevada in the 70's. It was a sort of hippy/American Indian commune, and it had been partially funded by Tom Laughlin and other pals of Rolling Thunder (John Pope). RT was an interesting character. I never did meet Tom Laughlin, but there was a truck there that he had donated to the camp when I was there, and it had his famous Billy Jack hat logo on the doors. I have a friend who still plays "One Tin Soldier". I cringe inside when I hear it, but she doesn't know that. |
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29 Apr 06 - 12:34 AM (#1729756) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: M.Ted One bizarre thing about "One Tin Soldier", is that the melody borrows a bit from Pachelbel's "Canon in D"-- |
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29 Apr 06 - 04:11 AM (#1729788) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: GUEST,Cluin "Afternoon Delight" was written and performed by Bill Danoff & Taffy Nivert, the main talent in Starland Vocal Band and good friends of John Denver. They wrote a lot of the better songs that JD recorded (sometimes co-wrote with John Denver), like "Country Roads", "Guess He'd Rather Be in Colorado", "Please Daddy Don't Get Drunk This Christmas", "Late Night Radio", "Readjustment Blues" and "She Won't Let Me Fly Away".... a lot of my favourites. And I've always liked "Afternoon Delight". Oh, yeah, the song too. |
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29 Apr 06 - 08:24 AM (#1729853) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: John O'L I guess I'll add my voice to the chorus of "sky - rockets in flight..." I thought it was OK. Certainly not offensive enough to be called worst ever. Not nearly as offensive as "Grease". Grease was not and is not the word, nor did it or does it have groove, or meaning, it is a crappy word from a crappy song from a crappy movie and has my vote for worst song ever. Speaking of crappy movies, I guess none of you ever saw "Billy Jack Goes To Washington"? Worst movie of all. Worse than "Grease". |
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29 Apr 06 - 08:38 AM (#1729856) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: John O'L Now this is anoying me. What was that other movie that came out about the same time as Billy Jack, about two young guys in the desert, something about a silver bullet, although the Lone Ranger wasn't involved, Country Joe & The Fish were in it, I think the James Gang, Doug Kershaw...Zachariah. That's what it was. That was a good movie. Although I've answered my own question I've invested too much in this message not to post it. Hope I don't get bailed up by the Bandwidth Police. Sorry for the thread-drift Little Hawk |
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29 Apr 06 - 12:02 PM (#1729982) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: John Hardly The other bizarre thing about "One Tin Soldier" is that anyone could stand to listen to it. Go ahead. Hate your neighbor. I don't. Just that song. |
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29 Apr 06 - 01:00 PM (#1730014) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Cruiser Man, the vagaries of musical tastes! I like 'Afternoon Delight' and 'One Tin Soldier' Like most music, good or bad, it brings back good or bad memories depending somewhat on one's mood or position at the time. Now 'Midnight At The Oasis' is a terrible song and on my worst list. This song reminds me of my military service (good memory; bad song) as 'Brand New Key' does when I was at boot camp (good memory; okay song) All I can say to Mr. Little Hawk (and others) regarding opinions on 'One Tin Soldier' is "Dipwallow!, Dipwallow"! Cruiser |
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29 Apr 06 - 01:07 PM (#1730022) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: The Shambles Songs that esacpe the censors How did this one escape? |
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29 Apr 06 - 02:44 PM (#1730069) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Stilly River Sage If you want one that didn't escape the censors, look at "Squeezebox." link) Mama's got a squeezebox Daddy doesn't sleep at night Well, duh! :) SRS |
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29 Apr 06 - 02:52 PM (#1730073) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Ron Davies Cruiser--Boot camp was a "good memory?". I'm afraid I would disagree. |
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29 Apr 06 - 07:02 PM (#1730215) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Cruiser Yes sir, I actually enjoyed boot camp. I had just gotten out of 4 years of college and working hard to pay the bills. "Camp" gave me a chance to focus on getting in great physical shape at Ft. Ord. |
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29 Apr 06 - 08:16 PM (#1730244) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Little Hawk Well, it's just a matter of individual taste about "Midnight", right, Cruiser? ;-P Anyway, I'm glad you remember my Dipwallow poem after all this time. As for the other Billy Jack movies...I think they went in this order: "Born Losers" - Billy Jack defends innocent hippies, women, children and other living things, takes on vicious local motorcycle gang and kicks ass! Movie gets little attention. "Billy Jack" - Billy Jack defends innocent hippies, women, children and other living things, takes on vicious local rednecks and cops and other evil white men like that, kicks ass! Movie becomes gigantic box-office counterculture hit!!! (it was exactly the right moment in history...Kent State had happened...fear and loathing in Washington as Watergate approached...perfect timing) "The Trial of Billy Jack" - Billy Jack defends innocent hippies, women, children and other living things, takes on vicious government, cop, and military evil white men, kicks ass! But mostly gets day in court. Looooooong day in court. Serious contender for worst movie in history. Did not do well at the box office. The moment had passed. "Billy Jack Goes to Washington" - Billy Jack defends innocent hippies, women, children and other living things, takes on vicious governmental and societal organized evil of almost incomprehensible dimensions...all done by evil white men...kicks ass! I have it on good authority that this, yes this amazing cinematic abomination may be...and probably is...the WORST MOVIE EVER MADE!!!!! Wow, eh? "Go ahead and hate your neighbour..." (Don't you wish you were good and noble like me and my young freaky idealistic friends, and not totally evil and disgusting like all you straights really are?) "Go ahead and cheat your friend..." (You know you establishment types can't resist being evil and sick, so go ahead. You'll be sorry in the end. It just proves how good I am, how cool the Grateful Dead are, and how awful people like you are.) "Do it in the name of heaven..." (Yeah, I know you're one of those crazy Christian Baptist Bible thumpers. Fah! You disgust me. I do ceremonies with rattlesnakes in the mountains and I communicate with the nature spirits daily. I talk to eagles and they tell me secrets you will never know. Death is my friend. He stands right by my shoulder, but you can't see him. Nyahh! Nyahh! Nyahh! You are soooo totally unhip that it just is pathetic, really.) "You can justify it in the end..." (But you'll be sooooorrrry.) "There won't be any trumpets blowing, come the Judgement Day, on the bloody morning after....One Tin Soldier Rides Away..." (Yeah. Boy are YOU establishment fuckers gonna be sorry when the shit hits the fan. Your whole awful antihuman power structure is going to be destroyed. The Great Purification will kill all of you and wipe out your disgusting civilization. The cool people, like me and my friends, will have gone back to the land and we will survive and prosper, but you straights will all die in your suburban hell like the miserable rats you are. We will have free love and grow flowers and live in freedom, love, and peace, and you will all rot. Ha! Ha! Ha! Like I said....you'll be sorry. Very sorry.) It's official now. This thread has been totally hijacked. It just got ass-kicked by Billy Jack and his pals...people I was hanging out with in 1973-79. Boy, were we a righteous lot! ;-D By the way, you can find out what Billy Jack is up to right now by going to his site: http://www.billyjack.com/ He's as radical as ever, and I have to say I still agree with a lot of what he stands for, but I do think those were pretty bad movies...although the man does have some very strong ideals and good intentions, no doubt. |
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29 Apr 06 - 08:20 PM (#1730246) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: John Hardly madness, madness I tell you. |
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29 Apr 06 - 10:07 PM (#1730304) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: bobad SRS How could anyone sleep at night with a damn accordian playing? |
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29 Apr 06 - 10:10 PM (#1730308) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Little Hawk Excellent point! |
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30 Apr 06 - 01:05 AM (#1730354) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Stilly River Sage So you think the "squeeze box" is an accordian? I think Freud would have enjoyed that song. :) She goes in and out and in and out and in and out and in and out There was typo in that earlier link. Try this. It has a oouple of typos itself once you get there. SRS |
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30 Apr 06 - 01:52 AM (#1730368) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Little Hawk Yeah, that's a cute song. Looks like you survived the tornados fine, eh, Stilly? |
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30 Apr 06 - 10:38 AM (#1730514) Subject: Folklore: In Defense of 'My Baby Does the Hanky Pa From: GUEST,AR282 >>When there are so many abysmal, wretchedly badly written songs out there...stuff like "Billy, Don't Be A Hero", for god's sake, or "My Baby Does The Hanky-Panky", there is no reason on earth to go after a very well written and played song like this one just because you figure you heard it once too often.<< Now Little Hawk is really starting to piss me off. Not a mention of Terry Jacks' "Seasons in the Sun." I suppose he'll be defending that turd of turds in his next post. And FYI, Tommy James and Shondells are a thousand times more preferable than the Starlight Vocal Band or whatever their name was. Don't knock the rock, "Hanky Panky" beats the shit out of "Afternoon Delight" which is just a studio creation of producers looking to cash in on that craze of the 70s--I don't know what to call it--that craze of crappy commercial songs and artists who were basically one-hit wonders (although I wonder how they managed even one hit) such as Sammy Johns' "Chevy Van" and R. Dean Taylor's "Indiana Wants Me" or Lobo's "Me and You and a Dog Named Boo" or Andrew Gold's "Lonely Boy" or Henry Gross's "Shannon" (although he actually kicked ass and was a real rocknroller--wasn't he from Sha-Na-Na?--but that's the only song of the poor guy that ever got any play--no justice--listen to his "Plug Me Into Something" or "Dixie Spiderman" those fuckin' rocked, baby!), or Looking Glass's "Brandy" or Abba's "Roxy Roller" (I think that was Abba)or Minnie Ripperton's "Loving You" or England Dan & John Ford Colley "I'd Really Love to See You Tonight" or Player's "Baby Come Back" or anything by Christopher Cross (whatever happened to him? On second thought I don't care), etc etc etc. With the exception of Mr. Gross none of these others held a candle to Tommy James and the Shondells. In addition to that there was the immortal "Crimson & Clover" so butchered and hackneyed by Joan Jett. And of course, "I Think We're Alone Now" so degraded by Tiffany or somebody. Then there was "Mony Mony" so beloved of middleaged barhoppers who love to shriek, "Get Laid Get Fucked" cuz it remionds them of high school. Then there was "I Like the Waves." See, what did the Starlight Vocal Band ever do that could match that string of pearls, eh? "My Baby Does the Hanky Panky" harks back to its rockabilly roots in the 50s when music was music and rocknroll was rocknroll because you could see TJ&tSh had a lot of knowledge and respect for those roots. Not exactly Gene Vincent, Johnny Burnette or Eddie Cochran calibre but then who is? The Starlight Vocal Band wouldn't know rocknroll if they were caught in a avalanche--which wouldn't have been a bad fate for them. So DON'T KNOCK THE ROCK, MISTER!!!! Tommy James was the man. Does my baby do the hanky-panky? If she wants to be with me, you bet she does! |
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01 May 06 - 08:38 AM (#1731181) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: JJ Cruiser, if you were at Ft. Ord, you weren't in boot camp. You were in basic training. That's what the Army calls it. So says the former company clerk in a basic training unit, A-7-2, Ft. Jackson, SC. AR282, you argue the case for Tommy James so vehemently you must be from Greensburg, PA, Tommy's home town! PS. I like "Afternoon Delight." |
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01 May 06 - 09:41 AM (#1731206) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Peace I think Afternoon Delight ranks up there with Muskrat Love. |
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01 May 06 - 10:14 AM (#1731221) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Stilly River Sage How about Barry Manilow? "Mandy." Ugg. Prototype non-feminist, a real throwback at the time. Put it opposite the beefy "Love By the Dashboard Light" (link) for an interesting contrast. :) I think you have to give AR282 the point he was trying to make. |
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01 May 06 - 11:00 AM (#1731253) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Little Hawk I'd rather chew on broken glass than hear "My Baby Does The Hanky Panky" one more time. Fuck that song! It sucks and sucks and sucks eternally and to the final outer limits of putrescent, vile, worthless crap. And so does "Seasons in the Sun". Happy now? "I Think We're Alone Now" was a rather good song, I'd say. I like the cover of it by Lene Lovich in the early 80's, and I like the original. I don't particularly care if most songs "rock" or not, but I do care if they have reasonably good lyrics that say something, that indicate some original power of thought and grasp of poetry, and if they have a well-crafted tune, chord arrangement, performance, that sort of thing. "Hanky Panky" has none of those, unless you like the performance. I don't. It's relentless, dumb, and obnoxious. Some songs are meant to rock. That's fine. Some aren't. That's also fine. That a song "rocks" is not necessarily a compliment, it's just a description of its rythmic nature. Big deal. Lots of godawful BAAAAAAD songs rock. Ask me if I care. |
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01 May 06 - 11:04 AM (#1731259) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Little Hawk "Love By The Dashboard Light" was quite a piece of dramatic theatre...cool to listen to...even better to see done live by Meat Loaf and his female vocalist (forgot her name)....WHOA! Now that one rocked, all right, and in a good way. |
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01 May 06 - 12:50 PM (#1731308) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Stilly River Sage Yeah--I found a used CD last year and picked it up and let the kids listen to that one (they're a fan of Meatloaf on a limited basis--they know him from Rocky Horror Picture Show). They were intrigued. A friend of mine in New York knew I didn't know a lot about the current songs of the day, being mostly into classical and folk, so when that came out and he bought a copy he had me sit and listen and read the liner notes as it went, he was so impressed. I have to agree, that's a pretty dramatic and highly entertaining song. And like I say, pair it up with something wishy washy and it blows away the competition. SRS (Why would Google be advertising "cure laziness forever" on this thread?) |
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01 May 06 - 01:57 PM (#1731340) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: BuckMulligan "Afternoon Delight" is neither here nor there, really, but it did serve to give the SVB an undeserved bad reputation. Anyone in doubt aobut their musical talents should listen to their a cappella rendition of Paul Simon's "American Tune" on their (only, I think) LP. Truly amazing. Bill & Taffy (Nivert) Danoff very talented folk indeed. |
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01 May 06 - 03:42 PM (#1731399) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: John Hardly "Afternoon Delight" was written and performed by Bill Danoff & Taffy Nivert, the main talent in Starland Vocal Band and good friends of John Denver. They wrote a lot of the better songs that JD recorded (sometimes co-wrote with John Denver), like "Country Roads", "Guess He'd Rather Be in Colorado", "Please Daddy Don't Get Drunk This Christmas", "Late Night Radio", "Readjustment Blues" and "She Won't Let Me Fly Away".... a lot of my favourites. |
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01 May 06 - 05:30 PM (#1731477) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Little Hawk The only reason people are down on that song (Afternoon Delight) is...it's VERY recognizable and it's a bit quirky and unusual at the same time, so you can spot it instantly if you have a dull mind that only responds to strong and really obvious stimuli. It's an easy target for abuse, in other words. The same thing is basically true of a number of other quirky and unusual songs, such as "Muskrat Love", "Midnight at the Oasis", "McArthur Park", "Brand New Key"... People's criticism of these songs is not genuine musical criticism or genuine unbiased criticism of the lyrical content either. It's a kneejerk reaction of instantaneous prejudice to the "unusual" and a jumping on a popular bandwagon (Oh boy! Let's all get together and make fun of this unusual-sounding song and agree that it sucks). The whole thing becomes a sort of feeding frenzy, like picking on the unusual looking kid at school. As some Guest pointed out awhile back, for instance, the fact that some people appear to believe that McArthur Park is a song about a cake melting in the rain speaks volumes about the dumbass state of mind those people are in. McArthur Park is not a song about a cake at all. It's a metaphor for a lost love. You don't have to get far beyond songwriting 101 to figure that out. But it's a really quirky metaphor, and the song is superdramatic, so it makes a marvelous target for ridicule. Do you really think that Richard Harris thought he was singing about a cake????????? If so, the joke is on you, and Richard Harris should be the one laughing at you. |
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01 May 06 - 05:32 PM (#1731478) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Peace "McArthur Park is not a song about a cake at all. It's a metaphor for a lost love." I thought it was a poetically put song about never having an unbrella when ya need one. |
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01 May 06 - 05:41 PM (#1731488) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Little Hawk Heh! I always thought..."what a bizarre song" when I'd hear McArthur Park. I could see why a singer with a really powerful voice would just love to belt that one out. I found it kind of amusing, but the meaning was crystal clear. Other people seemed to just want to bitch about the "cake in the rain"...as though, hey, THEY were smart enough to figure out that that is a really dumb thing to get dramatic about in a song...a cake melting in the rain...like, duh! that's kinda silly, isn't it? Well, GOSH, how smart must they be to figure that out! Whoo-hoo. Impressive. Musically speaking, the song works. It's superdramatic, so much so that one can't really take it seriously, but it works. It's enjoyable in that sense. It implies a degree of imagination on the part of whoever wrote it. "My Baby Does the Hanky Panky" implies nothing of the sort whatsoever. An idiot could have written that song, and quite possibly did. |
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01 May 06 - 05:47 PM (#1731496) Subject: Lyr Add: MACARTHUR PARK (Richard Harris) From: Peace The ultimate has to be Bird as in "bird, bird, bird is the word". However, here is MacArthur Park to speak for itself. MacArthur Park - Richard Harris Spring was never waiting for us, girl It ran one step ahead As we followed in the dance Between the parted pages and were pressed In love's hot, fevered iron Like a striped pair of pants MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark All the sweet, green icing flowing down Someone left the cake out in the rain I don't think that I can take it 'Cause it took so long to bake it And I'll never have that recipe again Oh, no! I recall the yellow cotton dress Foaming like a wave On the ground around your knees The birds, like tender babies in your hands And the old men playing checkers by the trees MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark All the sweet, green icing flowing down Someone left the cake out in the rain I don't think that I can take it 'Cause it took so long to bake it And I'll never have that recipe again Oh, no! [break] There will be another song for me For I will sing it There will be another dream for me Someone will bring it I will drink the wine while it is warm And never let you catch me looking at the sun And after all the loves of my life After all the loves of my life You'll still be the one I will take my life into my hands and I will use it I will win the worship in their eyes and I will lose it I will have the things that I desire And my passion flow like rivers through the sky And after all the loves of my life After all the loves of my life I'll be thinking of you And wondering why [extended break] MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark All the sweet, green icing flowing down Someone left the cake out in the rain I don't think that I can take it 'Cause it took so long to bake it And I'll never have that recipe again Oh, no! Oh, no No, no Oh no!! |
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01 May 06 - 06:10 PM (#1731508) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Little Hawk Exactly. Those are lyrics with a bit of depth and passion in them, some nice images, some hinting at a story that remains a partial mystery, and the sheer overblown melodrama of it all is exactly why some singers must have loved to belt it out, as I said. As for "Bird is the Word", yeah...that's even worse than "My Baby Does The Hanky Panky", and for much the same reason. It has zero content, zero imagination, it's just a relentless assault on the senses pasted onto a heavy rythm track. It doesn't even merit Shakespeare's devastating comment: "A tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." |
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01 May 06 - 06:22 PM (#1731518) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Peace A basic truth (IMO) about music and songs: Ya like what ya like, and ya don't what ya don't. I could critique a given song from a number of perspectives, but despite that, I would still argue on behalf of certain songs, no matter how schmaltzy and no matter how many people with Music PhDs said it was poor. "Donna" comes to mind--the song by Richard Steven Valenzuela that was released as the B side to "La Bamba". I know the song's syrupy and sweet. It is also one of the best damned songs ever written, and I make no apologies to anyone for saying that. Can I prove it? Hell, no. Why is it one of the best songs ever written? Because I really like it. Do I expect anyone else to agree? Certainly not. It is, in the final analysis, about what we like. And old music prof of mine was absolutely in love with Mahler's Ninth Symphony. In his educated opinion, it was the greatest piece of music EVER written. Me, I could take it or leave it. Did I recognize it as being great? YES!. I just didn't want to listen to it all that much. Donna, on the other hand . . . . |
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01 May 06 - 07:14 PM (#1731550) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Little Hawk Well said. |
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01 May 06 - 07:27 PM (#1731559) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: GUEST,Jaze All in all, I think I'd take "Boo" over Afternoon Delight. |
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01 May 06 - 07:36 PM (#1731566) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Little Hawk Well, it's a question of individual taste when it comes to that sort of thing. |
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01 May 06 - 07:50 PM (#1731575) Subject: Lyr Add: ME AND YOU AND A DOG NAMED BOO (Lobo) From: Peace Just fer Jaze: LOBO ยป ME AND YOU AND A DOG NAMED BOO I remember to this day, the bright red Georgia clay And how it stuck to the tires after the summer rain Will power made that old car go, a woman's mind told me that's so Oh how I wish we were back on the road again Me and you and a dog named Boo Travelin' and livin' off the land Me and you and a dog named Boo How I love bein', a free man I can still recall, the wheat fields of St Paul And the mornin' we got caught robin' from an old hen O MacDonald he made us work, But then he paid us for what it was worth Another tank of gas and back on the road again Me and you and a dog named Boo Travelin' and livin' off the land Me and you and a dog named Boo How I love bein', a free man I'll never forget the day We motored stately into big LA The lights of the City put settlin' down into my brain Though it's only been a month or so That ol' cars buggin' us to go We gotta get away and get back on the road again Me and you and a dog named Boo Travelin' and livin' off the land Me and you and a dog named Boo How I love bein', a free man Me and you and a dog named Boo Travelin' and livin' off the land Me and you and a dog named Boo How I love bein', a free man |
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01 May 06 - 08:21 PM (#1731604) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Little Hawk It sounds too much like one of those hippy fantasies to me. There were a lot of people caught up in that mystique, and I was one of them, to some extent. That song is so typical of the mindset that was in style then that I find it kind of embarrassing. It seems too contrived. |
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01 May 06 - 08:28 PM (#1731609) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Peace That it does. Great melody, though. It was really neato for the time. I recall listening to it in a country hotel and having fed about 5$ of quarters into the juke box. Every second song was that one. I got told never to do it again or I would be 86ed. The next day it was every THIRD one. Ya have to have a little fun in life, ya know? |
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01 May 06 - 08:47 PM (#1731633) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Little Hawk Yeah, it did have a good tune for sure. |
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01 May 06 - 10:40 PM (#1731716) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: MAG erggh, you know, Little Hawk, more often than not, I agree with you on stuff, but defending Macarthur Park?? Sure the cake is a metaphor, and the metaphor sucks. just sucks. calling it overblown melodrama does not do justice to how bad it is. On the lother hand, I always kinda liked AD. The style reminded me of those big ol' choir-y choruses which would never, ever sing about afternoon sex. Something real that people actually do. M.A. |
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02 May 06 - 12:11 AM (#1731791) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Ron Davies To go back to Paradise by the Dashboard Light--hell that's a damn opera--it pulverizes the competition. And even has a moral--don't make rash promises. It's one of the best things ever put out in the 70's. The baseball metaphor is perfect--it's a true classic. Please don't say it's on a "worst song" list. |
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02 May 06 - 12:18 AM (#1731794) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Ron Davies I should have said the ball game broadcast is perfect--it's obviously more than an analogy. |
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02 May 06 - 12:59 AM (#1731813) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Stilly River Sage Ron, I didn't suggest it for the worst songs list, I used it as counterpoint to a trite song like "Mandy" (or you could use the equally trite "Brandy") to blow it out of the water. It's what you call passing one text over another in literary circles. It gives you a way to compare and contrast, and in this instance it is No Contest. Some of the songs mentioned aren't bad, and they weren't all mentioned because they were bad. Some just simply suffered from extreme over exposure. Too much of anything isn't good for you, and that includes some songs. It's why my days of falling back on classical music were so refreshing. They can only play Beethoven's Ninth Symphony so many times in a month, let alone a week or a day. But "One Tin Soldier" and many others that got dissed much more than "Afternoon Delight" seemed to turn up all over the place all of the time for a while. Gag. SRS |
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02 May 06 - 01:57 AM (#1731823) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Little Hawk Indeed. That is half the problem. Overexposure of a perfectly agreeable song can cause 20 million people to end up hating it after awhile. And don't worry, Ron, we all seem to agree that "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" was a triumph. As Stilly said, this is not a "worst song" list we're working on here...though a few come up now and then. MAG - I get you. Yeah, McArthur Park is outrageous melodrama. It's so far over the top that I kind of like it...sort of like a Clint Eastwood spaghetti western...you KNOW it's just a bizarre fantasy. I'm not saying it's any favorite of mine, I'm just saying that people who hate that song generally hate it for rather superficial reasons and perhaps the wrong reasons. It's not a song to hate. It's a song to make you chuckle when you hear it and say, "My, that IS dramatic, isn't it. Hmmm...nice high note there!" |
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02 May 06 - 09:52 AM (#1732031) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: MAG The song takes itself way too seriously. (Mac Park) I knew people who liked it. SOMEbody had to, to make it a hit. I guess it was a hit. or somebody took payola to play it. and it's LONG. I insulate myself from pop radio by spending way too much on CDs. Too much listening to too much crap when I was much younger. |
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02 May 06 - 10:11 AM (#1732050) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Little Hawk I'm not quite sure if Richard Harris took it seriously at the time or if he was doing a sendup...if not, he should have been. I also insulate myself from pop music. I never listen to the radio at all...except unwillingly when I'm in restaurants, malls, etc. ;-) Like you, I listen to CDs. |
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02 May 06 - 11:25 AM (#1732114) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: jaze Thanks, Peace. Yes, it was a song of it's time, and just brings back nostalgic memories of wanting to travel across the country like that. Never got to, but the song was fun anyway. |
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02 May 06 - 01:03 PM (#1732194) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: clueless don I have to confess to a bias toward The Starland Vocal Band, since they were from the Washington DC area. Years earlier, I used to hear Bill Danoff and Taffy Nivert singing together as "Fat City" in Washington venues. "Afternoon Delight" is not my favorite Starland song by any means, but I think it is okay. But there is loads of wonderful music, IMO, on the three albums of theirs that I have ("Starland Vocal Band", Rear View Mirror", and "Late Nite Radio".) But I will say this: Their (mercifully) short-lived TV series (featuring David Letterman!) might be a candidate for worst TV show. Don |
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02 May 06 - 03:23 PM (#1732298) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: M.Ted If Richard Harris thought it was a joke, and the radio only played his recording because of payola, how do you explain the huge crowd response on the famous Donna Summer live version? And the faact that there were fifty odd other versions? Face it, "MacArthur Park" speaks to people--Jimmy Webb, even in his more oblique moments, is a hellava songwriter-- |
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02 May 06 - 03:27 PM (#1732301) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: John Hardly Witchita Lineman makes up for MacArthur Park. Barely. |
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02 May 06 - 04:08 PM (#1732336) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: M.Ted Check out the Donna Summer version, John Hardly--pm me your e-mail address, and I will send you a copy--*for educational purpose only*-- |
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02 May 06 - 08:11 PM (#1732499) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Little Hawk Yes, McArthur Park no doubt speaks to a lot of people. It never spoke to me, but I could immediately grasp why it might speak to someone else...if they go for that sort of dramatic overkill...and a whole lot of people do. It's anything but a folksong. ;-) Whether people will react positively or negatively to a song like that is decided in one instant, by the twitch of a neuron. Either the "cake" metaphor will seem silly to them or it won't. Either the dramatic emoting will seem silly to them or it won't. If they've already heard from someone else that it's "silly", though, then the odds are stacked in favor of them thinking it is. That's why I regard some of these songs as simply victims of feeding frenzies by people who are jumping on the bandwagon that is popular among their friends. "Muskrat Love" is detested because it's a love song about muskrats! So? What is the problem with someone writing a love song in which the characters are muskrats? It's a little fantasy, that's all. What's wrong with it? Is cuteness automatically bad? I thought so when I was 16. I hated anything and everything that was cute on principle. Does that say anything about the relative merits of cuteness or does it say more about my state of mind at age 16? Muskrat Love has a neat tune. I like it. I don't find the words objectionable. I am not bothered by a cute tune about 2 muskrats who are in love. |
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02 May 06 - 09:12 PM (#1732544) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: John Hardly It's not about muskrats. That's just the imagery, the symbolism. It's really about hamsters. Problem was, it just would have sounded so silly as "Hamster Love". Surely you can see that. |
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02 May 06 - 09:23 PM (#1732545) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Little Hawk LoL! That's brilliant, John. I feel somewhat embarrassed not to have twigged to that obvious metaphor right from the first listening. |
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02 May 06 - 09:38 PM (#1732549) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: John Hardly Don't be too hard on yourself, LH. Writing about hamsters can be tricky. Muskrats may be even harder. I thinnk this is because muskrats, being dark, brooding, emotional animals full of animal angst, they seem to take more out of a writer. I've heard of writers who have tried to pen lyrics about muskrats being given to bouts of severe depression. Hardest of ALL is superheroes. Almost no pop songs about superheroes. Oh sure, they're alluded to -- "....don't tug on superman's cape" comes to mind. And note: "Sunshine Superman" isn't really about the big guy. Again, just as with the muskrat, it is, like, symbolic. And sure there's a theme to "Batman", but the lyrics are just so innane... na na na na na na na na na na....Batman!..... na na na na na na na na na....and so on. |
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02 May 06 - 09:50 PM (#1732554) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Little Hawk You are so right about muskrats, John. They are extremely deep animals. Hamsters are far less complex. The obvious sunny, open, guileless innocence of the hamster is the main reason that causes serious songwriters to avoid hamster metaphors, specially in love songs. They're just too straighforward and cute. Muskrats are another story! I'm sure that James Joyce would have written a lengthy novel based on Muskrats, had he lived long enough, not to mention Joseph Conrad. The lyrics in the Batman theme, as you say, are almost the height of inanity and repetitiveness, surpassed only, I think, by the aforementioned "My Baby Does the Hanky Panky" and "Bird Is The Word". Despite this the Batman theme has remained popular with pre-schoolers to this day. It's innately hummable. And it sounds a fair bit like the old taunt "Na Na Na Na Naaaaah Nah!" which children have been inflicting on other children since pre-Cambrian times if not before. That explains its appeal to the younger age groups. |
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02 May 06 - 10:02 PM (#1732563) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Once Famous I have followed country music for many years. MacArthur Park was actually a minor country hit by Waylon Jennings in the late 1960s. Even though I was a big fan of his for a long time, I could never get into the song other than as a parady Jimmy Webb's Wichita Lineman and By the Time I Get to Phoenix were just more listenable. |
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02 May 06 - 10:02 PM (#1732565) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: John Hardly I've really enjoyed this discussion. It's so hard to find people who really understand the muskrat. I had a pre-Cambrian shirt. I loved that thing. That soft denim blue belied its true toughness. That shirt wore like iron. Probably lasted me years before it finally frayed apart. Sad? 'Frayed so. |
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02 May 06 - 10:05 PM (#1732566) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Little Hawk It's interesting to me that the same person would have written all three of those, because MacArthur Park is really different from the other two. Damn shame Shatner never covered it. It would have suited his overdramatic approach to a "T". |
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02 May 06 - 10:06 PM (#1732567) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Little Hawk I'll be darned. I got the 100th post, and I wasn't even trying to. |
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02 May 06 - 11:42 PM (#1732629) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: M.Ted The Wichita Lineman went to Phoenix, on his way to MacArthur Park. |
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03 May 06 - 06:36 AM (#1732737) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: John Hardly Well, in this "True Confessions" thread wherein we're admitting to liking the unlikeable... I loved Jimmy Webb's writing -- probably Glen Campbell's take on them the best -- but back in the 60's the Fifth Dimension released "Magic Garden" that was full of Webb stuff. There was a song on there called "The Girl's Song" (...if he hasn't changed his number, if he hasn't changed his mi-i-i-i-i-i-i-ind...) that may be my favorite Webb song. Maybe it's because it never got airplay and therefore never wore out its welcome with me, but a favorite nonetheless. |
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03 May 06 - 07:01 AM (#1732742) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: The Fooles Troupe "Hardest of ALL is superheroes. Almost no pop songs about superheroes." - John Hardly Well there was the TV show about the guy (who had a CIA or something mate?) who found the suit and became an accidental superhero - can't remember the title, but the song was something like "look at me I'm walking on air".... which I suppose probably proves your point somehow, as the song created such an underwhelming impression on me I can't even remember the words, let alone the title... |
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03 May 06 - 09:56 AM (#1732847) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: John Hardly Greatest American Hero. Starring William Katz. Eye candy provided by Connie Selleca. Theme sung by Joey Scarborough. Believe it or not (I'm walking on air, I never thought I could feel so free.....) |
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03 May 06 - 12:01 PM (#1732916) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Stilly River Sage Yes, I remember that. Strange program. Katt (not Katz) was the son of a TV eye candy original, Barbara Hale (Della Street on Perry Mason). And Perry Mason had one of the most memorable themes (no words that I know of) in TV history (beaten no doubt by Hawaii Five-O). It sounds like a chunk of Gershwin's Concerto in F to me. (No words to that one, either!) As to hamsters being light and airy things compared to muskrats, I beg to differ, or at least add an exception to that rule. My daughter is caring for* a hamster of some variety for a friend whose mother is afraid of small furry mice-like objects. This little thing lives in a terrarium of sorts on a bookshelf in my daughter's dark bedroom at her father's house. My two cats would not be good companions, so it stays over there. It must be a very lonely, depressed, dark hamster--I don't think it even gets much light from the window. This sounds like a creature who will need drugs or psychotherapy if he is ever moved back to his original home. SRS *one begins to think that a complete transfer has actually happened, but I hope not, because I hate to think of this little critter being warehoused on a bookshelf all by itself with no external stimulation of any sort. |
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03 May 06 - 12:20 PM (#1732927) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: GUEST,saulgoldie Fools, I am embarassed to admit that I remember it, but... "The Greatest American Hero" Believe it or not, I'm walking on air; Never thought I could feel so free; Flying away on a wing and a prayer Who would have believed?... Believe it or not, it's just me. He never fully mastered flying and other powers. He was always flying into things, and landing very awkwardly. Oh goody, perhaps the memory is still working (although it does fail me quite often). |
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03 May 06 - 12:40 PM (#1732937) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Little Hawk So that's what that song was about. I always wondered. |
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03 May 06 - 01:16 PM (#1732965) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Bee-dubya-ell To return briefly to the original topic... I think the public's relationship with some songs is analagous to romantic infatuation. There's an appeal to something that feels good, but when it's over many of us tend to look back on it somewhat shamefacedly. Just like that girl/guy we once had the hots for about whom we now ask ourselves "What in the hell was I thinking?", many people genuinely liked many of the songs mentioned in this thread only to find later that there was something about the songs that just didn't fit. Maybe it's just part of growing up. Just as most of us ultimately choose mates who provide something deeper than mere titillation, most of us wind up appreciating music that appeals on more levels than "Afternoon Delight" or "Chevy Van". Now, that's not to say that all of us reach that point. There are still lots of fifty-year-old men who think "Free Bird" is the greatest song in the world. They also think the girl working the beer concession at the Lynnard Skynnard concert is an angel incarnate. There's nothing wrong with that. There's no law that says everybody has to grow up. |
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03 May 06 - 01:50 PM (#1733001) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Kaleea The Starland Vocal Band helped to remind us that the voice is an instrument during a time when techno & disco were all the rage. I quite enjoyed the song, Afternoon Delight, especially considering that I had recently become single & discovered that my exhusband was quite, shall we say, more than a bit of a clumsy ox in the delight department. If one considers the vast amount of scaryness of the disco era, one might have a listen to the "Ethel Merman Disco Album" before waxing nasty at the Starland Vocal Band. By the way--I have great respect for Ethel Merman & her terrific talent to entertain. |
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05 May 06 - 11:53 AM (#1733447) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Cruiser Geewillikers JJ! {Quote} "Cruiser, if you were at Ft. Ord, you weren't in boot camp. You were in basic training. That's what the Army calls it. So says the former company clerk in a basic training unit, A-7-2, Ft. Jackson, SC." {End Quote} Boot camp is an overall general term for ALL branches of training camps for military recruits just as basic training is the initial period of training of a recruit in ALL the armed forces. Sure, the Marines may call theirs Recruit Training while the Army calls it Basic Training, but it is all "recruit-basic-boot camp" training. So says just about any dictionary you care to look at. Army Company clerks are picky! So says Cruiser. Since this is a music thread and not a military one, I guess I should suggest a new version of a well known song by Ms. Sinatra...'These Boots Are Made For Marching' |
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05 May 06 - 12:12 PM (#1733466) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Little Hawk Good comments there, Bee-Dub and Kaleea... I loved "Like A Rolling Stone" when I was in my 20's and 30's, and I loved singing it. I don't sing it anymore, because it doesn't fit my mindset nearly as well now as it did when I was an "angry young man". Yes, our tastes change as the decades go by. |
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05 May 06 - 01:01 PM (#1733496) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: John Hardly And I don't sing superhero songs as much as I did back when I had super powers. |
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05 May 06 - 05:23 PM (#1733571) Subject: Lyr Add: SUPERMAN'S SONG (Crash Test Dummies) From: Peace Crash Test Dummies LYRICS "SUPERMAN'S SONG" Tarzan wasn't a ladies' man He'd just come along and scoop 'em up under his arm Like that, quick as a cat in the jungle But Clark Kent, now there was a real gent He would not be caught sittin' around in no Junglescape, dumb as an ape doing nothing [Chorus:] Superman never made any money For saving the world from Solomon Grundy And sometimes I despair the world will never see Another man like him Hey Bob, Supe had a straight job Even though he could have smashed through any bank In the United States, he had the strength, but he would not Folks said his family were all dead Their planet crumbled but Superman, he forced himself To carry on, forget Krypton, and keep going. CHORUS Tarzan was king of the jungle and Lord over all the apes But he could hardly string together four words: "I Tarzan, You Jane." Sometimes when Supe was stopping crimes I'll bet that he was tempted to just quit and turn his back On man, join Tarzan in the forest But he stayed in the city and kept on changing clothes In dirty old phonebooths till his work was through And nothing to do but go on home. CHORUS |
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05 May 06 - 05:31 PM (#1733574) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: John Hardly My nine-year-old nephew made perfect sense. He mentioned that, of all the superheros in the world, he most admired Batman. "Hmmm. Why is that?" I asked him. "Look..." he said, "What those other guys do isn't heroic. It's no big deal to stop a speeding bullet that you know won't hurt you. But Batman's just, you know, human. He could actually get hurt saving someone" I like the way my nephew thinks. |
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05 May 06 - 07:44 PM (#1733656) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: The Fooles Troupe That has always been the main appeal of Batman for decades. Glad to see that nine-year-olds can still think for themselves... :-) |
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05 May 06 - 07:48 PM (#1733659) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Peace That came from a guy named Ro-- Ah, forget it. |
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05 May 06 - 08:34 PM (#1733688) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: The Fooles Troupe ;-) |
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05 May 06 - 08:57 PM (#1733702) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Divis Sweeney Afternoon delight is a great song, probably like many it just brings back great memories of a hot August in 1976. Remember buying it and another one, correct me if I am wrong, think it was by a female singer called Shandy Cinnimon. Song was called Rainbow in my heart, can anyone help an old man down memory lane ? |
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05 May 06 - 09:02 PM (#1733707) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Peace Julia Fordham? |
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05 May 06 - 09:05 PM (#1733708) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Peace Got it, sorry Divis. Shandi Sinnamon |
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05 May 06 - 09:09 PM (#1733709) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Divis Sweeney Thanks so much peace. Will search it out on limewire. Great song but never got anywhere in charts. Glad I just hopped on tonight, couldn't sleep, just got a spinal block injection for back which isn't working ! |
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05 May 06 - 09:10 PM (#1733711) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Peace Oh, man, you have my sympathy and empathy. |
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05 May 06 - 09:17 PM (#1733713) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Divis Sweeney Thanks buddy, now another cup of coffee and a morphine patch and lay down again. Take care and keep healthy Seamus |
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05 May 06 - 09:19 PM (#1733714) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Peace You too, Seamus. Easy man, easy. |
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05 May 06 - 09:22 PM (#1733716) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: John Hardly "That came from a guy named Ro--" Robomatic?! I haven't seen hide nor hair of him around here lately (of course that could be a result fo my absence, not his). So he agrees with my nephew, Mason? |
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05 May 06 - 09:25 PM (#1733718) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Peace Sorry, John. The reference to that is about Foolestroupe whose name is Robin. |
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05 May 06 - 09:27 PM (#1733720) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Peace Robo's last post was May 1. |
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05 May 06 - 10:18 PM (#1733747) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: John Hardly see? ...now if your allusions hadn't been so esoteric, more than one of us might have been able to fully appreciate your brilliant humor. As it stands, there is now one laughing (foolestroupe) and one embarrassed by ignorance (me). |
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05 May 06 - 10:22 PM (#1733751) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Peace Twist the knife; go ahead! |
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06 May 06 - 07:43 AM (#1733933) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: The Fooles Troupe Ah John - Fools rush in... join the Troupe! |
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06 May 06 - 11:23 AM (#1734037) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Stilly River Sage Little Hawk is branching out--he has started a Tiny Tim thread, totally ignoring the worthwhile discussion that could occur here regarding the widely dismissed "Tiptoe Through the Tulips." It was very popular, it was very silly, but behind it lurked someone who I think was a very serious musician and performer and probably had a very good voice. I think I've heard some of his other non-falsetto work and he was actually a baritone, wasn't he? SRS |
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06 May 06 - 08:00 PM (#1734187) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Little Hawk He was a killer talent, Stilly. Amazing, really. "Tiptoe" was what is called in the business a "novelty song", like "One-eyed One-horned Flying Purple People Eater" or "Winchester Cathedral" or "Itsy-Bitsy, Teeny Weeny, Yellow Polkadot Bikini" or "Monster Mash". Novelty songs are great for getting people's attention and getting lots of airplay. |
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07 May 06 - 01:06 AM (#1734373) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Stilly River Sage Apparently also good for suppressing the rest of one's life and career, if the response to his Laugh-In appearance is anything to go by. Much more exaggerated than for someone like Rick Nelson whose "Garden Party" took a shot at those who would keep him in one place singing all of the same songs. Tim didn't have that kind of rebuttal to "Tiptoe," did he? SRS |
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07 May 06 - 01:27 AM (#1734380) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Cluin But Pat Boone put out a whole album of heavy metal songs. Love letters in the coke. |
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07 May 06 - 01:33 AM (#1734383) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Cluin Honestly, you gotta listen to his version of Ozzy's "Crazy Train". Gives the Shatman a run for his money. |
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07 May 06 - 05:52 AM (#1734445) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: John O'L "No More Mister Nice Guy"? From the photo, I'd still trust him with my wallet. |
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07 May 06 - 11:25 AM (#1734514) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Stilly River Sage Customers who bought that album also bought: Lounge Against the Machine ~ Richard Cheese Spaced Out: The Best of Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner ~ Leonard Nimoy Tuxicity ~ Richard Cheese & Lounge Against the Machine Aperitif for Destruction ~ Richard Cheese Rock Swings ~ Paul Anka I'd Like a Virgin ~ Richard Cheese Diary of a Loungeman ~ Bud E. Luv Fade to Bluegrass: The Bluegrass Tribute to Metallica ~ Various Artists I'd guess that those numbers are based on such slim sales volume that if LH bought this and a couple of Shatner albums at the same time Shat would turn up on this list. SRS |
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07 May 06 - 02:32 PM (#1734633) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: Little Hawk I buy every Shatner album I can find. You'd be amazed at the rare Shatner stuff in my collection. It's priceless. I'll sell it all someday and buy myself an island somewhere. ;-) |
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13 May 06 - 12:32 AM (#1739583) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: GUEST |
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13 May 06 - 08:22 AM (#1739731) Subject: Lyr Add: AFTERNOON DELIGHT (Danoff) From: clairerise Gonna find my baby, gonna hold her tight gonna grab some afternoon delight. My motto's always been; when it's right, it's right. Why wait until the middle of a cold dark night. When everything's a little clearer in the light of day. And you know the night is always gonna be there any way. Sky rockets in flight. Afternoon delight. Afternoon delight. Thinkin' of you's workin' up my appetite looking forward to a little afternoon delight. Rubbin' sticks and stones together makes the sparks ingite and the thought of rubbin' you is getting so exciting. Sky rockets in flight. Afternoon delight. Afternoon delight. Started out this morning feeling so polite I always though a fish could not be caught who wouldn't bite But you've got some bait a waitin' and I think I might try nibbling a little afternoon delight. Sky rockets in flight. Afternoon delight. Afternoon delight. Please be waiting for me baby when I come around. We could make a lot of lovin' 'for the sun goes down. Sky rockets in flight. Afternoon delight. Afternoon delight. Repeat chorus. |
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13 May 06 - 08:23 AM (#1739732) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: clairerise what. i love this song. so happy. saw it on anchorman too. so funny |
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13 May 06 - 09:42 PM (#1740279) Subject: RE: In Defence of 'Afternoon Delight' From: GUEST I love this song too! Who cares if it's cheesy. Had some nice harmonies on it if I remember rightly (haven't heard it since the 70s I don't think). |