Buddha
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Need help with my homework fo Mr. Marks' column.
bifcake
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My take on this is that it's the former. List your songs that tell a story.

Buddha
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Thanks, AlexO, that made me feel better.

Off to work!

Cheers!

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I'm working on my writing assignment for Mr. Marks' 'Fifth Element' project, but I am flummoxed....I await further instruction.

Think Smoke on the Water; think Back in Black; then think the opposite -- as opposite as you can get from either. That should get you in the ballpark.

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

Buddha
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Dang, too late! I already submitted my answers.

Shoot. Smoke on the Water...it tells a story, it has a beginning, a middle, and end, and an authroial point of view. It would also sound great performed by an a cappella choir. Why didn't I think of that?

Maybe I can go back and add War Pigs and Radar Love, too!

No way any of those can top "They call Alabama the Crimson Tide," though.

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Shoot. Smoke on the Water...it tells a story, it has a beginning, a middle, and end, and an authroial point of view. It would also sound great performed by an a cappella choir.

Or even a whole enormous, awesome, screaming, plucking Japanese orchestra.

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Quote:

Quote:
Shoot. Smoke on the Water...it tells a story, it has a beginning, a middle, and end, and an authroial point of view. It would also sound great performed by an a cappella choir.

Or even a whole enormous, awesome, screaming, plucking Japanese orchestra.

That is killer good!

Thank heaven they had subtitles.

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Quote:

Quote:
Shoot. Smoke on the Water...it tells a story, it has a beginning, a middle, and end, and an authroial point of view. It would also sound great performed by an a cappella choir.

Or even a whole enormous, awesome, screaming, plucking Japanese orchestra.

Did Blackmore or anyone else from Deep Purple get a royalty check for that performance? And if so did they return it?

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I'm working on my list

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I just re-read JM's article and don't think I can appreciate his choices. Jackson Browne as a great "example" of what he's looking for makes me cough. JB is/was an mediocre-to-good songwriter whose popularity was a little too dependent on his looks and non-threatening manner and not because he was actually deep or insightful. Gordon Lightfoot pleasant but not a major figure. Dan Fogelberg - my goodness, a lightweight! I respect JM but I think I've found a weak spot - his taste in "pop" or "rock" is not sophisticated. I know, that's just my opinion. There's no accounting for taste. Without even cherry-picking, I would toss some Roxy Music, Lou Reed, Smith, Lloyd Cole, Stephin Merritt, Otis Redding, etc in there, and IN MY OPINION JM's lightweight picks would wither away into triviality. I mean, come on! At least he's right on Leonard Cohen, though.

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I just re-read JM's article and don't think I can appreciate his choices. Jackson Browne as a great "example" of what he's looking for makes me cough. JB is/was an mediocre-to-good songwriter whose popularity was a little too dependent on his looks and non-threatening manner and not because he was actually deep or insightful. Gordon Lightfoot pleasant but not a major figure. Dan Fogelberg - my goodness, a lightweight! I respect JM but I think I've found a weak spot - his taste in "pop" or "rock" is not sophisticated. I know, that's just my opinion. There's no accounting for taste. Without even cherry-picking, I would toss some Roxy Music, Lou Reed, Smith, Lloyd Cole, Stephin Merritt, Otis Redding, etc in there, and IN MY OPINION JM's lightweight picks would wither away into triviality. I mean, come on! At least he's right on Leonard Cohen, though.

Well, then, you better get working on your list! It's due Friday!

I look forward to your choices. We should post our lists after the due date!

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Quote:

Quote:
I just re-read JM's article and don't think I can appreciate his choices. Jackson Browne as a great "example" of what he's looking for makes me cough. JB is/was an mediocre-to-good songwriter whose popularity was a little too dependent on his looks and non-threatening manner and not because he was actually deep or insightful. Gordon Lightfoot pleasant but not a major figure. Dan Fogelberg - my goodness, a lightweight! I respect JM but I think I've found a weak spot - his taste in "pop" or "rock" is not sophisticated. I know, that's just my opinion. There's no accounting for taste. Without even cherry-picking, I would toss some Roxy Music, Lou Reed, the Smiths, Lloyd Cole, Stephin Merritt, Otis Redding, etc in there, and IN MY OPINION JM's lightweight picks would wither away into triviality. I mean, come on! At least he's right on Leonard Cohen, though.

Well, then, you better get working on your list! It's due Friday!

I look forward to your choices. We should post our lists after the due date!

You're right, Buddha, ideally I'd submit a list too but don't think I'll get around to it. Would be interested in reading others' lists.
Altho it's not a list - I've been turning on friends to The Drones lately. Superb intense (and literate) band. Probably not to John Marks' taste but that's ok, I'm digging them deeply. Also on heavy rotation these days, Nicole Atkins and the Sea; Destroyer; and most of the Neil Young catalog, including Living With War (which comes with a DVD containing hi-rez 24/96 audio)

smejias
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The winners have been announced.

Buddha
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Yup. Mine went nowhere.

My answers:

Buddha

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Yup. Mine went nowhere.

It must've been because of the Bob Dylan thing.

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It must've been because of the Bob Dylan thing.


Good one, Stephen!

Great list Buddha, but even better commentary.

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