the best songs ever

[Eric the Green]

(06-22-2016, 03:10 PM)taramarie Wrote:

(06-22-2016, 10:02 AM)Eric the Green Wrote: Pete Townshend and The Who's "Quadrophenia" (1973) is musical alchemy. This is most vividly presented in the 2 instrumentals; both equally great. Near the beginning is "Quadrophenia" which introduces the four main themes in succession. It is like an overture. Near the end is "The Rock" which does the same, but then combines them so that we hear 3 or 4 of the themes simultaneously. This kind of counterpoint is a rare feat in music, and you may remember that the only pop song since Quadrophenia that may have accomplished this, as far as I know, is "Pray" by Justin Bieber and the Messengers; also the best song in pop since then.







The premise of Quadrophenia is that Jimmy, the young protagonist, has mental illness. The popular idea of schizophrenia is "split personality," and although that's not actually what it is, it serves as a good idea for the opera, except that Jimmy's personality is further split into four. Furthermore, there's an "as above, so below" scenario, because Jimmy identifies with The Who, so that Pete designs four themes representing both one aspect of Jimmy's personality, and at the same time a member of The Who. Each theme appears in several places in the opera, including in the two instrumentals, and also is presented individually as a song from the opera.

The tough guy and desperate, angry-protester theme is "Helpless Dancer" (Roger's theme) which appears on side 2 of the 4 LP sides. The romantic is open to wonder and self-discovery, and is represented by "Is It Me? (for a moment)," (John Entwhistle's theme), heard as part of "Dr. Jimmy" on side 4. John had written and performed a song called "Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde" on an earlier album. The heroic but manic "Bell Boy" (Keith's theme, sung by Keith) is the final track on side 3. The lost seeker of redemption is "Love Reign O'er Me" (Pete's theme), which follows "The Rock" to conclude the album in a blaze of passion and glory with a unique, intense, rumbling, blizzard-like climax of drumming, chords, and a guitar-glissade.

The Rock represents the potential for transformation through integration of the four parts of our being, and of Jimmy's personality. Maybe we all are kind-of like Jimmy. I go on to compare the four themes in one to The World, the final card of tarot, which pictures the throne of God image in Revelation, and to the four elements in alchemical and neo-pagan/esoteric philosophy which are represented by the four beasts in the picture around the goddess of wisdom in the center. "The Rock" is the alchemical philosopher's stone of rock! Picture the 4 members of The Who on the world card: Keith is the Bull (earth/Faith), Roger is the Lion (fire/Strength), Pete is the Eagle (water/Love), and John is the Man (air/Temperance).



In the Bible, of course, the four beasts also symbolize the four main gospel writers. The four generational archetypes obviously come to mind too. But which is which? And can they come together?

Yes can they come together. In order for that to happen we need to listen, comrpomise and be respecful. Something you  skip over when speaking of the 3T. I would leave you alone with this if you were respectful of the fact others have different tastes to you. Leave the poor 3T alone and we will have no trouble. I do not insult what music you like. Can we come together on this?

From the post you made on the other thread, it appears not.

I am not insulting anyone or anything; just expressing my honest opinions. You can disagree; I expect you to. If you want to learn and experience what I have to share, that is your priviledge. If you post something I like that's new to me, I can say so (as I did). But you don't give the slightest evidence that you are willing to discover that you like something you didn't know before, that I posted. Let's see that happen. Until then, you are still on ignore and I probably won't listen to what you post anymore.

Your excuse for not listening to the songs that I think are the best, is that I am arrogant. That doesn't wash. The music speaks for itself, and its greatness has nothing to do with me. Either you have ears to hear, or you don't.

If I appreciate something new to me that you post, but you never appreciate something I post that is new to you, who is arrogant and not listening?

You could have posted something about this remarkable work by The Who. Instead, it's just about me being arrogant.

[Eric the Green]

(06-22-2016, 03:39 PM)taramarie Wrote:

(06-22-2016, 03:31 PM)Eric the Green Wrote:

(06-22-2016, 03:10 PM)taramarie Wrote:

(06-22-2016, 10:02 AM)Eric the Green Wrote: Pete Townshend and The Who's "Quadrophenia" (1973) is musical alchemy. This is most vividly presented in the 2 instrumentals; both equally great. Near the beginning is "Quadrophenia" which introduces the four main themes in succession. It is like an overture. Near the end is "The Rock" which does the same, but then combines them so that we hear 3 or 4 of the themes simultaneously. This kind of counterpoint is a rare feat in music, and you may remember that the only pop song since Quadrophenia that may have accomplished this, as far as I know, is "Pray" by Justin Bieber and the Messengers; also the best song in pop since then.







The premise of Quadrophenia is that Jimmy, the young protagonist, has mental illness. The popular idea of schizophrenia is "split personality," and although that's not actually what it is, it serves as a good idea for the opera, except that Jimmy's personality is further split into four. Furthermore, there's an "as above, so below" scenario, because Jimmy identifies with The Who, so that Pete designs four themes representing both one aspect of Jimmy's personality, and at the same time a member of The Who. Each theme appears in several places in the opera, including in the two instrumentals, and also is presented individually as a song from the opera.

The tough guy and desperate, angry-protester theme is "Helpless Dancer" (Roger's theme) which appears on side 2 of the 4 LP sides. The romantic is open to wonder and self-discovery, and is represented by "Is It Me? (for a moment)," (John Entwhistle's theme), heard as part of "Dr. Jimmy" on side 4. John had written and performed a song called "Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde" on an earlier album. The heroic but manic "Bell Boy" (Keith's theme, sung by Keith) is the final track on side 3. The lost seeker of redemption is "Love Reign O'er Me" (Pete's theme), which follows "The Rock" to conclude the album in a blaze of passion and glory with a unique, intense, rumbling, blizzard-like climax of drumming, chords, and a guitar-glissade.

The Rock represents the potential for transformation through integration of the four parts of our being, and of Jimmy's personality. Maybe we all are kind-of like Jimmy. I go on to compare the four themes in one to The World, the final card of tarot, which pictures the throne of God image in Revelation, and to the four elements in alchemical and neo-pagan/esoteric philosophy which are represented by the four beasts in the picture around the goddess of wisdom in the center. "The Rock" is the alchemical philosopher's stone of rock! Picture the 4 members of The Who on the world card: Keith is the Bull (earth/Faith), Roger is the Lion (fire/Strength), Pete is the Eagle (water/Love), and John is the Man (air/Temperance).



In the Bible, of course, the four beasts also symbolize the four main gospel writers. The four generational archetypes obviously come to mind too. But which is which? And can they come together?

Yes can they come together. In order for that to happen we need to listen, comrpomise and be respecful. Something you  skip over when speaking of the 3T. I would leave you alone with this if you were respectful of the fact others have different tastes to you. Leave the poor 3T alone and we will have no trouble. I do not insult what music you like. Can we come together on this?

From the post you made on the other thread, it appears not.

I am not insulting anyone or anything; just expressing my honest opinions. You can disagree; I expect you to. If you want to learn and experience what I have to share, that is your priviledge. If you post something I like that's new to me, I can say so (as I did). But you don't give the slightest evidence that you are willing to discover that you like something you didn't know before, that I posted. Let's see that happen. Until then, you are still on ignore and I probably won't listen to what you post anymore.

Your excuse for not listening to the songs that I think are the best, is that I am arrogant. That doesn't wash. The music speaks for itself, and its greatness has nothing to do with me. Either you have ears to hear, or you don't.

If I appreciate something new to me that you post, but you never appreciate something I post that is new to you, who is arrogant and not listening?

You could have posted something about this remarkable work by The Who. Instead, it's just about me being arrogant.

Eric, you call 3T music shit. That is insulting. You call it garbage. That is insulting.

That is not an insult. In any case I qualify it. You seem to ignore that and fix your attention on what I say that you are personally insulted by, even though it is not personally insulting to anybody.

Quote: Ok howabout you think of it this way. Think of your mot fave music. Got it? Its shit. Does that feel insulting? Think of something you have an emotional connection to. Got it? Its shit. It is a personal attack Eric. You need to hear me on this IF we are to come together on this. All you have to do is leave it alone.

Sorry, no can do. Just as you do, if I don't like something, I say so. Your attempt to tell other people what to say, is doomed to fail. Give up on it.

Quote: I am not attacking your music and I am listening to your music. If we are to come together just post something you like and leave the personal attacks on music you hate alone. I would be way more eager to listen to all of your music if you let alone the attacks on music i adore. Keep in mind a certain 3T song was played at my nanas funeral. So when you say 3T is shit that stings. That was my nanas favourite song. Angel Eyes by Wet Wet Wet.

I am not dwelling on knocking other music on THIS thread. I may do it on occasion a bit. So, just live and let live. Stop taking things personally. If I think Angel Eyes is shit (although I don't know whether it is or not, IMO), that has NO relationship to your nana's funeral. You don't get this. That is YOUR problem, and not mine.

Galen disagrees with gabrielle and I that we like the Edmund Fitzgerald song. I liked some other songs that Galen likes, even though he thought I wouldn't. Where's the personal insult in any of that? It's not there. Get over it.

[Eric the Green]

(06-22-2016, 04:00 PM)taramarie Wrote: To live and let live we need to be able to see eye to eye on this. We need to be respectful of others. I cannot be respectful to someone who wants to continue to bash music i have a personal connection with. This is not about me not allowing you freedom. This is about respect for others and their differences.

It's up to you if you want to be respectful or not. That is on your conscience. Myself, I think I am being respectful.

[Eric the Green]

(06-22-2016, 04:04 PM)taramarie Wrote: I did not see that post to have any thought on that.

If you are not following the thread, why comment on it?

[Eric the Green]

Discussion with Taramarie about insults of music she has a personal connection with, is distracting from the thread. That's her purpose I guess; to distract and disrupt the thread.

But I have no more to say on that. Peace So let's continue into another interesting year; 1972. I have not even posted my favorite Gordon Lightfoot song yet. So here it is! I thought it was from 1974, when it helped him win an award. But it was the title track on a 1972 album, and very appropo for this thread. Let's get out the old records! I may not even like jitter buggin' jive. But I love this song.

[Eric the Green]

Another brilliant song by The Who. As I hear it, they were the highlight of the years 1971-75. This was released in 1974 on an album of odds and ends recorded earlier, called Odds and Sods. This is my favorite from the album. Put the Money Down was recorded in 1972, and was also conceived as part of Pete's great but long-delayed Lifehouse project, from which his great songs from 1971-72 come from. Among other things, Lifehouse featured a lot of innovation with electronic music that other musicians learned from.





Before I walk on the water, put the money down!

[Eric the Green]

This one is huge. A prophetic masterpiece; #11 on my top 400. The main theme of Lifehouse, this is Pete's solo version, released in 1972 on the album Who Came First, which was also a reference to Who's Next of 1971, and to the fact that the last line of Song is Over (on Who's Next) is the first line of this song. "There once was a note, pure and easy..." It goes on, "Our love is enough to knock down any walls, and the future's been seen, as men try to realize the simple secret of the note in us all." The one note, which might be called the Ommm sound of creation, like the held-down pedal of a certain organ masterpiece, the drones of ambient music, or the powerful chord that continues under the synthesizer part at the start and the end of a certain famous Who song; Pete was certainly "attuned" to the music of the universe and the spirit. At the end the music become like surfing on the gigantic waves that might be coming upon us. The same wave that Lightfoot referred to, maybe? 

There once was a note; listen!

[Eric the Green]

The companion piece is just as great, IMO; #12 on my list; also from Lifehouse. It is also kind of a balance against Won't Get Fooled Again, in that the lyrics are hopeful that people in action can do things (if wistful too). It has two titles: "Nothing is Everything" and "Let's See Action." Nothing is Everything is Pete's solo version from Who Came First; Let's See Action is The Who's version, not released until later compilations. "Let's see action, let's see people, let's be free, and see who cares!" "Who cares" became a Who slogan. The music evokes for me the vision of a community of rather-radical or visionary people acting together, and not giving up!

[Eric the Green]

There's no better follow up to that one, than this one. My favorite by Carole King, but rather obscure too. It expresses the visionary hope of that era as well as any other song, including John Lennon's Imagine from the previous year. She evokes the words of another King. Peace in the Valley was also a gospel song, I believe, and was also referred to in the Rascals song "People Got to Be Free."

From Rhymes and Reasons, 1972





The dream seems to have turned to sand, but it's still there whenever we wish to remember.

Another great song from the album is The First Day in August. It's a great album from first to last, better IMO than the famous Tapestry.

[Eric the Green]

My favorite by Elton John is from 1972, the soft-rock year.

[Ragnarök_62]

(06-22-2016, 05:35 PM)Eric the Green Wrote: My favorite by Elton John is from 1972, the soft-rock year.

Yeah,  Summer Breeze cover in all its awesomeness!  





Eric needs a mellow take of the 3T, it's right here, man.

[gabrielle]

before we leave '73, i gotta post some things real quick

[gabrielle]

[gabrielle]

I like this whole album, but I guess I'll just post the first song.

[gabrielle]

(06-22-2016, 10:19 PM)taramarie Wrote: 1973?

I think the original was in 1968 or 69

[gabrielle]

(06-22-2016, 10:33 PM)taramarie Wrote:

(06-22-2016, 10:27 PM)gabrielle Wrote:

(06-22-2016, 10:19 PM)taramarie Wrote: 1973?

I think the original was in 1968 or 69

This version said 1973.

You're right!  I was thinking of a different song.

[Eric the Green]

It's good to have other picks besides mine. Hancock is worthy

We can't leave 1972 without the fount of the electronic music genre, and my #1 all-time pick of the new age, ambient, space music and electronica field. In fact, the first and original occupant of that #1 position, and it doesn't look like it will ever be surpassed. The entire cosmic rock and electronica field was influenced by this original and best example of what's called "the Berlin sound." It is spooky, haunting, brilliant, inspiring, psychedelic, relaxing and mystical music. Deep and passionate, but quiet and not too over-powering. The title "Totem" suggests that the music evokes pre-historic and magical times. The album title "Picture Music" indicates how this music stimulates the imagination. If you let the music transport you, no chemicals or smokes are needed. Just the skills of the music pioneer, Klaus Schulze. And your OWN imagination. What does it evoke for you?





In case you missed it, you might enjoy my bewitched music page
http://philosopherswheel.com/bewitched.html

[Eric the Green]

I like this one mostly for the psychedelic part in the last two minutes, and the neat flute melody line that interweaves it.





Evokes "Days Gone By;" how appropriate.

[Eric the Green]

(06-22-2016, 07:18 PM)Ragnarök_62 Wrote: Yeah,  Summer Breeze cover in all its awesomeness!  

The original was a favorite of mine.
https://youtu.be/MsW8rXPcnM0

[gabrielle]

1972