The sad decline of music: Billy Strayhorn vs. Drake

http://wmbriggs.com/blog/?p=779 ^ | William Briggs

[mattstat]

Inarguably, hip hop (rap) is one of the leading pop music genres; at least, it is one of the loudest. I did not know which hip hop singer to choose (I do not know any), so I queried Billboard magazine and found, at the time of this writing, a man named “Drake” to hold the top spot in that category, indicating his popularity, at least currently. I searched for “Drake lyrics” and was directed to this site (it was first in the listings), where I navigated to the album that came up first on a YouTube search. Feel free to search for other, perhaps superior, lyrics. The one below appears representative.

In our last contest (well, in name: Cole Porter won in a romp), there were ample blows scored by Cole Porter for lyricism; however, the battle never ranged over the staff. We correct the mistake this time. Here are the links for today’s songs. Both should be listened to before commenting.

Warning: I have censored the language below; however, the lyrics are not censored at YouTube.

Strayhorn: Lush Life.

Drake: Best I Ever Had

In my ever-expanding service to humanity, I listed to the Drake song in its entirety. Thanks to the miracle of alcohol, I am now fully recovered. Now, I did not actually see the Four Horseman as I listened to Mr Drake, nor could I hear their hoof beats over the cacophony, but I could feel the ominous vibrations of the ground that surely presaged their arrival. I suggest that now is the time to go on that vacation before it is too late.

Strayhorn did not sing his own song. I chose, perhaps unfairly, The Voice That Is, Johnny Hartman, to fill in for Mr Strayhorn. But if you’re going to war, ...

[Jemian]

Musician ping!

[ClearCase_guy]

I don't see how black America really recovers at this point -- the culture is too dysfunctional. Clearly, with examples like Thomas Sowell, Walter Williams, Clarence Thomas and others, there is nothing inherently wrong with black people. They can achieve great things. But for about 30 million of them, they are living in a terrible culture that virtually ensures them of failure. And that culture is the thing they cling to with absolute pride.

I just don't see how that cultural damage gets undone.

[sushiman]

Thanks for sharing .

[sushiman]

Great - thanks !

[sushiman]

Problem is a lot of whites are following them into the pit ...

[pieceofthepuzzle]

In all fairness, it’s not only black America that is making talentless and disgusting jerks like the Drake guy rich. There are plenty of whites buying hip hop music, and other low level ‘entertainment’. Just look at the plethora of disgusting reality shows that exist. Our culture has taken a huge hit. I don’t have any cable or broadcast television at home, and haven’t for about 10 years. When I do see TV these days it is really shocking how what is acceptable to show has changed over the last decade. It’s very disheartening. We are redefining society down to the most unethical, base levels.

[Willie Green]

Motown died and lost its soul when it moved to the West Coast in the early ‘70s.

[bigbob]

When will we realize that kids who grow up listening to this crap turn out to be gang members, unemployed thugs who father multiple children, school teachers who molest their students, etc.?

Rap is not the only cause, but it’s one influence.

[eCSMaster]

What’s really weird here is that African music, I mean traditional African music is incredibly rich and beautiful.

Complex and engaging rhythms, harmonies, melodies and tone color predominate. Sometimes it takes one’s breath away.

It is so much better than that rap, hip-hop shit. Americans of African descent would be proud to have inherited such music.

Instead the pop culture drags them into the sewers with today’s crap.

[relictele]

Even hip hop that can be considered landmark, classic, etc uses drum loops, machines, sequencers - repetitions of IDENTICAL sounds.

Music is by its very nature supposed to be expressive and in turn that expression is interpreted, appreciated and affects the listener.

IDENTICAL sounds cannot build in scope, complexity or emotion. There are no dynamics, no crescendos - only layers of the same thing with the gain turned up a bit.

Producers’ infatuation with compression and ‘red-lining’ the EQ on all bands also has a lot to do with taking the soul out of music (see also: post-grunge bands all playing through the same Mesa amps).

Use of electronics in music - be it hip-hop, dance/disco, or other more experimental types - is nothing new and can add a lot to the recipe. Relying on all seasoning and no steak is a recipe for mindless boredom however.

[driftless2]

I'm not the first to remark on this, but it appears we have reached the end of music. I don't mean nobody will play music anymore, but that it seems all the great pieces of music have been written. When the Beatles were still making great music along with other musicians (musicians, not "artists"), some people were then saying that we had approached the limits. Some groups and musicians still made good records in the succeeding years, but the era of the Beatles gave way to disco and super-loud, unmelodic "music".

Then the final sledgehammer blow to creative music took place: the rise of rap. Here "music" had finally been deconstructed down to it's most minimalist, anti-intellectual form: little or no music and lyrics that never went anywhere besides primitive growls for slutty women and other teen male desires. Rap, unlike disco, refuses to go away. It is absolutely the worst and most primitive form of music ever concocted. We are finally at the end.