Billy Bragg: The Short Answer
[out of pint]
Well, apparently yesterday's selection was a real stinker. No comments and almost no downloads. (Compare to Neil Diamond which nobody would admit to liking, but which still generated a heavy amount of downloads.) Remember, we want NEGATIVE comments too, if you are so inclined.
Anyway, today's fine tune is our attempt at redemption.
"If she wanted to be a farmer's wife, I would endure that muddy life..."
Discuss (please)...
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Thursday
Posted by Paul at 12:00 AM
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8 comments:
I just don't have a strong feeling one way or the other about David & David.
Now, Billy Bragg...I admit I haven't heard a lot of his stuff, but my impression from the dozen or so songs of his that I've heard is that he's preachy. And I detect the aroma of holier-than-thou emanating from him.
On the other hand, I really like some of the songs he did with Wilco on the Woody Guthrie project, and I'm not a huge Wilco fan either. "Way Over Yonder in a Minor Key" is just a beautiful song, made even better by the limitations in Bragg's voice. It's very human, boastfulness cloaking vulnerability.
Out of pint is funny.
Billy Bragg is a cool guy. New England, Milkman Of Human Kindness...
Great story about the number of Neil Diamond downloads. I didn´t do it. Honest.
Like rockrobster23, I've not heard much Billy Bragg, though my appreciation of him (Bragg, that is) is a tad higher. So thanks for sharing this number.
As for David and David... I dunno if I'd consider it such a stinker of a post. It was one of the first songs I tracked down when I got online, since it held such memories for me from my high-school years, and maybe other folks were the same? Still, thanks for sharing.
I always get a kick out of those who accuse artists of being preachy as I've always found it a lame excuse to decry someone more intelligent than they are. Billy Bragg writes smart, tuneful songs. Why not just accept that?
I think it's possible (and laudible) to be smart and write songs with a message without being preachy (i.e., songs that overtly tell you what to think). For the most part, I find Billy Bragg to be on the right side of that line. He definitely takes his art seriously, but he also has a sense of humor which I appreciate. I came a bit late to Billy Bragg's stuff, but have really enjoyed catching up.
It was the Mermaid Avenue album that opened up my eyes. I bought it because I like Wilco and came away more impressed with Billy Bragg's material than Wilco's.
I always get a kick out of those who take potshots at others anonymously.
But what a mind reader anonymous is! I was looking for a lame excuse to decry Billy Bragg, but anonymous saw right through my ploy. I'll try harder next time.
I wasn't taking potshots, just stating the way it is. If you knew any better, you'd know better. I am just tired of those who diminish those who speak their mind. Again, if you knew better, you'd know the difference between attacking a position and a person.
Well, I guess that wraps it up. I have learned that A) Bragg must be good because he "speaks his mind" and B) I don't know any better. Because how can you argue against "the way it is"? Shame on me, bringing mere opinions into a fight about facts.
"There is Power in a Union"
"Ideology"
"Accident Waiting to Happen"
"Between the Wars"
Political tracts disguised (barely) as songs, so excuse me if I'm not buying it. The Clash did this kind of thing with much more subtlety.
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