So, the other night I'm at a local (Toronto, STILL) restaurant with the family. Nice place, fine chef and menu, good value, and just got one of those TV show renovations done. Looked nice, too. Anyway, we sit down and I start to notice the music. It's some Tony Bennett-like crooner, which can be fine as far as it goes, only he's singing modern songs. VERY modern songs.
It began (appropriately) with REM's "Everybody Hurts," which was certainly true by song's end. Unfotunately, it continued. Ever heard Oasis' "Wonderwall" as it would sound when performed by a Vegas lounge singer? Truly, your fevered imaginings cannot do the reality of it justice. Like Saddam's Shi'ite victims being fed through plastic shredders by their feet, song after song was pushed screaming into the grinder. When he got to Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit," my sense of honour and proper respect for the dead finally forced me to intervene. The rest of the meal was pleasant, and Kurt... you're welcome.
Why am I writing this? Therapy, man, therapy. Unlike the rest of you, I had to LISTEN to it. With help and understanding, however, I believe I can recover in time....
It's not as bad as it could be.
Paul Anka, perhaps?
Mike Flowers I bet.
http://www.mikeflowerspops.com/
Saw him in a gig in London, long before he was famous (supporting John Otway, another act you need to hear) and in the UK he was huuuuge.
His version of Wonderwall was a bigger hit than Oasis’ own. Number 1 for weeks.
It’s all very kitsch, tongue in cheek, even post-modern ironic. I mean the album set was called:
"KITSCH LOUNGE RIOT"
My sympathies. I once heard Flight of the Bumblebee on an elevator, sounded kind of like a music box background. Got buzzed, I guarantee.
The thankfully defunct Good Earth Restaurant in Berkeley used to have a blind folksinger with a wreath on her head who sang a medley of the Sixties' corniest songs, eg, If I Had a Hammer, Puff the Magic Dragon, Where Have All the Flowers Gone. She had a jar with a sign on it, TIPS FOR THE SINGER. I dropped a note in: KILL THE WREATH
Still in Toronto, Joe?
Just to uh.. let you know, it's a nice 72 degree day here in CA :) Cheers!
I'm 56,and I know a great melody when I hear one. I've always said that we will hear Nirvana in elevators soon.
I'm going to have to guess the dark influence of Richard Cheese on this one - his samba version of Nirvana's "Rape Me", & the lounge version of "Smack my bitch up" is truly too awesome/gruesome for tender ears.
I ddon't know, I still like "1001 Strings Play Led Zeppalin"
I'm putting my bet on Paul Aanka. The list of songs sounds like what I'm seeing in iTunes Music Store. Of course, if we knew that "Eye of the Tiger", "Black Hole Sun", and "Eyes Without a Face" were on the menu, we'd know for sure...
A quick listen to the demo songs had me giggling. Funny stuff.
Yea it is a tad weird when you first start to listen to it. But if you really listen to you it you can hear that it was actually produced pretty well I think.