Fellow blogging friend Jeff posted a live performance of Fergie's "London Bridge" and wonders about the song's appeal. He asked: "How does anyone manage listening to the radio anymore?" My question is: how can anyone listen to this song, period? I can understand if this song was played in a dance club or a strip club, but what about on regular radio or MTV?
I've attempted to watch this video a few times, but it's difficult to watch it the whole way through. These are loud, moronic beats under a bland, monotone melody and ultra-skanky lyrics. The song's main hook sticks with you, but not in a pleasant way. How can you convince me this is a good song? Who is actually listening to this and liking this? Am I missing something in what I perceive as being Blender-like content set to a beat?
I have no problem with female singers being sexy, but I'm turned off when they act ultra-skanky. There's something very un-sexy about a sleazy tease and well, I'm not buying it. With Fergie, I pass this off as her playing another role in a long line of roles. As Stacy Ferguson, she appeared as a baseball player in a motivational/inspirational piece hosted by Mr. T, one of the many members of the house band on Kids Incorporated and a member of the all-female trio, Wild Orchid.
I think about what a 15-year-old might find appealing about "London Bridge." Then I start thinking about the people that were 27 when Toni Basil's "Mickey" came out as a single. I would not be surprised if they wondered what the hell this was. Cheerleader-like shouts under a stomping rhythm mixed with a descending keyboard line -- is this real music? Well, it was a big, popular hit and you still hear it on nostalgia channels. I don't mind the song, but it's not one of my favorites of the '80s.
So I think about the ones that find "London Bridge" appealing now -- will these people speak highly of it when they're older? I don't know, but a part of me thinks this is just flimsy music pure and simple. This isn't meant to make you think about a lot and well, despite shifts in how the mainstream gets their music, this will always be a mass appeal kind of thing. Now I feel really thankful for personal CD players, car CD players and iPods . . .
I've attempted to watch this video a few times, but it's difficult to watch it the whole way through. These are loud, moronic beats under a bland, monotone melody and ultra-skanky lyrics. The song's main hook sticks with you, but not in a pleasant way. How can you convince me this is a good song? Who is actually listening to this and liking this? Am I missing something in what I perceive as being Blender-like content set to a beat?
I have no problem with female singers being sexy, but I'm turned off when they act ultra-skanky. There's something very un-sexy about a sleazy tease and well, I'm not buying it. With Fergie, I pass this off as her playing another role in a long line of roles. As Stacy Ferguson, she appeared as a baseball player in a motivational/inspirational piece hosted by Mr. T, one of the many members of the house band on Kids Incorporated and a member of the all-female trio, Wild Orchid.
I think about what a 15-year-old might find appealing about "London Bridge." Then I start thinking about the people that were 27 when Toni Basil's "Mickey" came out as a single. I would not be surprised if they wondered what the hell this was. Cheerleader-like shouts under a stomping rhythm mixed with a descending keyboard line -- is this real music? Well, it was a big, popular hit and you still hear it on nostalgia channels. I don't mind the song, but it's not one of my favorites of the '80s.
So I think about the ones that find "London Bridge" appealing now -- will these people speak highly of it when they're older? I don't know, but a part of me thinks this is just flimsy music pure and simple. This isn't meant to make you think about a lot and well, despite shifts in how the mainstream gets their music, this will always be a mass appeal kind of thing. Now I feel really thankful for personal CD players, car CD players and iPods . . .
Comments
But I was wrong. It isn't sexy. It's just crass and pushy, like a 48-year-old hooker. And musically, the song is so clearly trying to evoke "Hollaback Girl" that it's sort of enraging.
I just don't understand what would prompt someone to buy this song. Or want to hear it again.
Just now, about 5 minutes ago, I heard that "Fergie won't say what she's singing about in this song." So you cant go off and assume its about skanks and crap.
holla