Wednesday, January 02, 2008

Political Science

Rolling Stone just picked Randy Newman's "A Few Words in Defense of Our Country" as the number two song of 2007.



Alas, I'm of two minds about this. Granted, it's a great song, and obviously relevant to our historical moment, but really -- what the fuck does Rollng Stone know? Their choice for number three is that fricking "Umbrella" piece of crap by Rihanna. Memo to Rolling Stone: Did the world really need a remake of the Hollies' "Bus Stop," only without the seductive melody, the gorgeous harmonies, or the cool guitar break? Not to mention stretching the titular accessory into a four syllable word? I don't think so...



Okay, so she's a babe, but sorry -- the song is still butt ugly....

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I loved the nose-thumbing given to Rolling Stone in "Almost Famous" ...

Anonymous said...

Proof once again that Rolling Stone has gone deaf in its old age (though I'm not too sure how well it heard in its middle age, either). Maybe they mistook the Newman song for a new form of rap or something.

TMink said...

A lovely young lady, but who told her that nasal squeak was singing?

Sorry for the harshness, but please.

Trey

Anonymous said...

"A Few Words in Defense" is not a song, it's a speech. And not even that interesting a speech.

The best thing about "Umbrella": Rihanna's mile long legs!!!!! Oh is it also a song?

Re: Rolling Stone: Rolling Stone lost it's way back in 1977 when it had no idea how to deal with Punk! There was little to no coverage of Punk until Punk had mutated into New Wave and even then the coverage was minimal if it wasn't Elvis Costello or the Cars. Disco it understood. Oh there was something happening but you didn't know what it was..., did you Mr. Jann?

Joni Mitchell and James Taylor they understood!

TJWood said...

I checked that Rolling Stone list out--as always, a mixed bag. You can't completely dismiss a list that has Lucinda Williams, Fountains of Wayne, and Robert Plant and Alison Krauss on it (although I would have different song choices for each). Then again, there's Nickelback, Maroon 5, yes, that irritating Rhianna song, and that beyond irritating Fergie song. I won't include the Britney song because it is good for a couple of guilty pleasure listens. At least they left off the Plain White Ts and Colbie Caillat songs that set new standards for the word "twee". But no Richard Thompson?

steve simels said...

At least they left off the Plain White Ts and Colbie Caillat songs that set new standards for the word "twee".

That Colbie Caillat song makes "Umbrella" sound like Bach's Mass in B Minor...

God, is that awful...

TJWood said...

That Colbie Caillat song makes "Umbrella" sound like Bach's Mass in B Minor...

Thanks, Steve, that makes my night...I don't know the name of that song, and I have to say that it takes a lot for me to truly despise a song, but lines like "Starts in my toes/Makes me crinkle my nose"...Jeesh!

And as for the Randy Newman, that line--as well as the delivery of the line-- "and as for the brother/Well, Pluto's not a planet anymore, either" was worth the price of admission of me