Guilty pleasures. We all have ‘em. Albums that we listen to that may veer far away from what we know to be “good” music. Those cd’s that we keep hidden under the seats of our cars and only listen to when we’re sure no one else is within earshot. Like some tacky porn mag we’re horrified that somebody will discover under our bed, musical guilty pleasures are something no self respecting music snob is willing to admit to owning.
But we do.
We own LOTS of them! And we probably listen to them more than we would like to admit. Are Hall and Oats, STYX, and Creed on constant rotation in your car stereo? How about the Counting Crows, Def Leppard and America. Do they have their own “special” place on your ipod, perhaps it’s own play list folder entitled ‘TOP SECRET‘?
Admitting that you have this affliction is half the battle. There can be no growth without full disclosure, people. Admit it, roll in it, be PROUD of it and feel the shame just wash away. I’ll be the first to offer my personal list for you to sneer and thumb your nose at. Have at it, brothers and sisters. I can take it!
#1. The Car Wash OST, by Rose Royce. Sure, the movie was awful but Rose Royce, with the help of producer/ arranger/ master songwriter Norman Whitfield (of Papa Was A Rolling Stone, fame), made some funky-ass music that, for the most part, still holds up today!
#2. Anything by Queen. Except ‘Jesus’ from their first album. That just may be the worst song in the history of recorded music!
#3. Supertramp, Breakfast In America. Sappy, insipid stuff, I know I know. But the music itself ended up being pretty influential. Try to listen to the great Moon Safari from AIR and not hear the homage to the ‘Tramp!
#4. T-REX. Sure Marc Bolan was a pretentious twat-gnome with a penchant for unicorns and rainbows, but some of his stuff was pretty cool!
#5. Kula Shaker, K. You probably do not know them, but I used to listen to this album a lot! The son of British actress Hayley Mills, Crispin Mills and co. specialized in making unabashed 60’s psychedelia based around mysticism and eastern spirituality. Sound like a pretentious stew not fit for your dog? To most people it is, but to me it’s just plain fun!
OK, that’s all I’m willing to admit for now. I feel better already.
Your turn…
6 hours ago
4 comments:
You got me with this one, Uncle E! Here are some records I've hid from friends and family in my "Secret Stash."
Neil Diamond's Greatest Hits: The ultimate Mom's With Minivan record. I find myself humming "Song Sung Blue" at the kids' soccer games. Yikes!
Leo Sayer's "Just A Boy": I can almost feel the testosterone evaporate from my bloodstream whenever I play this. Might explain the monthly cramps I've been suffering.
The Monkees' Greatest Hits: The PreFab Four actually put out some decent sides. They're much better from the distance of time, though.
Bob Dylan said in 1966, "I can tell by the way you hold your cigarette if you dig Ricky Nelson." Dylan later covered "Lonesome Town" in live performances in 1986. New Riders of the Purple Sage had a hit with "Hello Mary Lou" too. I feel some vindication in being a charter member of the Ricky Nelson Fan Club. His version of "Unchained Melody" from '59 just slays me.
Nilsson Schmilsson: Harry could be really dippy but somehow he managed to retain some "cool factor." Maybe from hanging around with John Lennon. But I love this record.
Cat Stevens: I really liked his first 4 albums... but he epitomized the denim, patches, sensitive, hokey, pussy-ass singer songwriter of the era. Catchy tunes though, especially from a future terrorist.
Elton John: I liked "Tumbleweed Connection" and "Madman Across The Water," but it's trite, English puffery. Smoke and mirrors. The fact that he had to hire a lyricist to write the drivel he sings just amazes me. But, alas, I find myself a-hoppin' and a-boppin' to the crocodile rock every once in awhile. I have to counter an Elton session with a Bukowski type bender to regain my balance. A heroin binge works too, but I'm getting too old for that shit.
Wow, Queen made your "Guilty Pleasure" list??? Wow, how times have changed. Let me hop in to my "way back machine" to a time when I would walk down into a smoke filled, neon lit (sometimes strobe light) basement and hear the bass rift to "Another One Bites the Dust". No everyone, that wasn't John Deacon on vinyl, that was our good friend, Uncle E jamming.
And what would a (insert any sport here) event be without them!!!! Gotta disagree with you on this one bro, you should listen to them proudly and pull them out from under your car seat.
Ok on with the list. I realize this opens me up to a world of ridicule but here we go. Acutally, my picks fall under the category.."music you blast in the car but immediately roll up the windows when at a stop light".
Let the ridicule begin.....
1. Prince - Greatest Hits. Give the man his due. A 5'3", effeminate 49 year old stills manages to attract hot women...
2. Journey - They rock when you listen to them at 11:30pm while killing a 12 pack of Guiness!! Kinda brings a tear to my just thinkning of it!!
3. The Monkees - Greatest Hits. Wow, did I just write that. Yep, sure did. But tell me you don't sing along when "Daydream Believer" comes on!! That's right, I thought so!
4. Supertramp - Lyrics make no sense at all, but hey, gotta love em. I blame you for this one!!!
Ok, deep breath.....here it is, the Grand Finale!!!
5. Air Supply or FireHouse...take your pick. Ok, let me explain. You know those songs you hear when flipping through the radio dial, and you hear them at just the right time, in just the right frame of mind with just the right memories in your head!!! To quote Forrest Gump, "That's all I have to say about that"!!
Now if you excuse me, "Mr. Roboto" is coming on the radio and I'd like to listen to it proudly!!
Okay - here's my guilty pleasure.
Barry Manilow
Kenny Rogers
ABBA
Peter Paul & Mary
Justin Timberlake
I feel so much better now.
Oh
And come to think of it,
Barbara Streisand and Barry Gibb "Guilty".
"We got nothing to be guilty of our love..."
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