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popular song review

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andy5544

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« on: March 28, 2012, 01:22:14 AM »
Following the topic "just wondering" people seemed to think it a groovy idea to review a popular commercial song , which we'll change weekly .
If it's ok with y'all i'll put the first one up and get the ball rolling.
somehow we should organise a list of people wanting to put a song up which can be on a first come first serve basis.
message me if you like and i'll make the list,unless anyone else has a better idea?
here goes,

Christina Perri - Jar of Hearts

 
&feature=branded

I love this song , can't fault it ..... apart from it could do with some nice lead guitar going on. ( yes i always say that  ;D)
I wanted to be a hippy....but my mum wouldn't let me !!

Beware the JudDeRMan when the moon grows FAT !!!!!!!!

S.T.C

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« Reply #1 on: March 28, 2012, 09:27:57 AM »
 I like it also, but when you pull it apart,it`s not that complex...the lyrics are nothing special...but i wish i`d of wrote it.

estreet

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« Reply #2 on: March 28, 2012, 09:40:18 AM »
The trouble with reviewing songs like this is that we've all heard them dozens of times: when you review a member's tune, it's the first time you've heard it and that makes it a very different experience. Maybe it would be better if people chose their more obscure favourites. Anyway ...

Unfortunately this lyric falls into a category I absolutely loathe and which I'll call 'accusational songs' ie: 'you're a bastard/bitch (delete as necessary) because you did this, this this and this.' It turns me right off and I think it's a pointless energy to put out into the world. Nice tune and all but there you go.
« Last Edit: March 28, 2012, 10:02:49 AM by estreet »
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domj

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« Reply #3 on: March 28, 2012, 10:22:01 AM »
Never heard it before, don't really listen to popular music nor the radio.
Very simple song with basic easy to understand run of the mill lyrics. This song seems to rely more on production.
If one of us wrote this song and put it up for review... i'd say nice song... but i wouldn't listen to it again... 2 dimensional.
But then these songs have to be to catch a wider audience i spose.
Heard better songs here already.

hofnerite

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« Reply #4 on: March 28, 2012, 11:29:45 AM »
A really good commercial song. I agree with the above comments that it relies on production and the singer to create something more special than the sum of it's parts. the verse builds well into a memorable yet fairly common chorus melody.

Instead of elongating the chorus as the outro, I think I would have put in a middle 8 which soared a little more with it coming back to the last line of the chorus. The writing reminds me of Diane Warren with those open piano chords and simple melodies. Unlike her songs though, the lyrics here don't stand out as being timeless or particularly unique. Do I feel the singer is putting he heart into the lyrics, not really. Is it a timeless classic, no. but it is a good modern generic pop ballad. If I had written this I wouldn't be particularly happy with it until the royalties start rolling in. Then I'd appreciate it a little more. It's throwaway pop but the writing is competent and the delivery is good.

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« Reply #5 on: March 28, 2012, 11:35:47 AM »
A really good commercial song. I agree with the above comments that it relies on production and the singer to create something more special than the sum of it's parts. the verse builds well into a memorable yet fairly common chorus melody.

Instead of elongating the chorus as the outro, I think I would have put in a middle 8 which soared a little more with it coming back to the last line of the chorus. The writing reminds me of Diane Warren with those open piano chords and simple melodies. Unlike her songs though, the lyrics here don't stand out as being timeless or particularly unique. Do I feel the singer is putting he heart into the lyrics, not really. Is it a timeless classic, no. but it is a good modern generic pop ballad. If I had written this I wouldn't be particularly happy with it until the royalties start rolling in. Then I'd appreciate it a little more. It's throwaway pop but the writing is competent and the delivery is good.

I agree with a lot of what you said...."commercial success"..seems to be a dirty word around here?....it`s not easy to come up with catchy tunes...

hofnerite

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« Reply #6 on: March 28, 2012, 12:08:54 PM »
A really good commercial song. I agree with the above comments that it relies on production and the singer to create something more special than the sum of it's parts. the verse builds well into a memorable yet fairly common chorus melody.

Instead of elongating the chorus as the outro, I think I would have put in a middle 8 which soared a little more with it coming back to the last line of the chorus. The writing reminds me of Diane Warren with those open piano chords and simple melodies. Unlike her songs though, the lyrics here don't stand out as being timeless or particularly unique. Do I feel the singer is putting he heart into the lyrics, not really. Is it a timeless classic, no. but it is a good modern generic pop ballad. If I had written this I wouldn't be particularly happy with it until the royalties start rolling in. Then I'd appreciate it a little more. It's throwaway pop but the writing is competent and the delivery is good.

I agree with a lot of what you said...."commercial success"..seems to be a dirty word around here?....it`s not easy to come up with catchy tunes...


I agree. It feels wrong to say that I want to create songs like this because I feel a lot on here feel these kind of songs are worthless. It's still being creative, just in a different way. I'd rather put energy into creating something that will sell rather than putting energy into creating something unique that no-one will ever hear.

mihkay

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« Reply #7 on: March 28, 2012, 12:14:05 PM »
Firstly. I listened to this without watching the video. So no distraction there.
Secondly I'm reviewing this as the professional release it is.

Plodding Piano.
Limited vocal range until near the end with minimal expression.
Next to no development of a pretty basic progression.

So in a song with just piano vocal and a string pad......not really much to get hooked by. :(

So as a result I didn't even listen to the lyrics.

Obviously written for it's market. Not for me, I'm too old an cynical.  ;D

I have no authority or standing here, only opinions. :-)

tina m

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« Reply #8 on: March 28, 2012, 01:00:16 PM »
oh dear every cliche in modern pop recycled into one song...its music for people who cant feel & have no natural senses!
in a world of canned laughter cued emotions & X factor manipulation where we need to be told when to laugh & cry i think this cynical piece of marketing meets all the industry standards
but  worried thats not enuff this dead plastic white loaf of a song then gets a massive pretensious over the top emotion transplant from the totaly obese steroid pumped nonsense video!

ive wanted to rubbish a song on here for so long so this  was a perfect chance :)
 
hey why dont we have a thread where we review each others reviews ;D
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S.T.C

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« Reply #9 on: March 28, 2012, 01:09:25 PM »
oh dear every cliche in modern pop recycled into one song...its music for people who cant feel & have no natural senses!
in a world of canned laughter cued emotions & X factor manipulation where we need to be told when to laugh & cry i think this cynical piece of marketing meets all the industry standards
but  worried thats not enuff this dead plastic white loaf of a song then gets a massive pretensious over the top emotion transplant from the totaly obese steroid pumped nonsense video!

ive wanted to rubbish a song on here for so long so this  was a perfect chance :)
 
hey why dont we have a thread where we review each others reviews ;D

Yes, of course your right,but i applaud it for all that.....the music industry is just that, an industry, and this is a product, an Amstrad stereo system or a Ratners wedding ring......looks the part and it sells,it won`t last long but it`s chart material for a video generation...like i said , wish i`d wrote it.

mihkay

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« Reply #10 on: March 28, 2012, 01:15:01 PM »
Wish you'd wrote it?

If you just want to earn a living then fine, but artistically it seems to me that would be like saying

" I wish I'd grown those potatoes that these chips are made of"

or

"I wish I'd designed that new swing bin liner."

How long would you be happy for if you treated song-writing as just a job?

I have no authority or standing here, only opinions. :-)

tone

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« Reply #11 on: March 28, 2012, 01:31:47 PM »
It's funny this should be the first commercial song review. When I first heard this song it was someone else singing it, and I thought to myself "that's a good song".

But the more I listened to it, the less I liked it.

Here's what I think. It's a very strong melody and harmony. And some of the lyrics are pretty good. But it reeks of "professional songwriting". In other words I find it a bit contrived and slightly cynical. The space this song has for authentic emotional communication has been compromised slightly because one eye is firmly on the commercial appeal.

The mid 8 sticks out a bit too much for me - it doesn't necessarily sound like the same song, even though it "fits" technically.

If you are really picky, the chorus lyrics aren't really cutting it. Leaving scars, catch a cold. I can think of better punishments to be honest.

But like so much pop music, this one's all about the tune. And it's a good tune. Not strictly my cup of tea, but it's very singable. I don't like the middle 8 - and it reminds me of the mid 8 of "don't speak" by No doubt (a much better song than this in my opinion).

Keep the commercial song reviews coming - I think this is a really worthwhile exercise. :)
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S.T.C

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« Reply #12 on: March 28, 2012, 01:33:25 PM »
Wish you'd wrote it?

If you just want to earn a living then fine, but artistically it seems to me that would be like saying

" I wish I'd grown those potatoes that these chips are made of"

or

"I wish I'd designed that new swing bin liner."

How long would you be happy for if you treated song-writing as just a job?



What makes you think i`m happy doing it as an amateur?

Write good songs with commercial appeal,isn`t that what most songwriters would like to achieve .

This isn`t such a bad song,i think your being a bit to purist,and it`s made her a lot of money,if she asked you to help her, on her next song, would you refuse, would i..doubt it,

And i agree Tone,,the lyrics are simplistic,,scars and cold, soul, ice...these are for teenagers ..65 + million veiws on Youtube,they got something right.
« Last Edit: March 28, 2012, 01:36:56 PM by songsthatcry »

Ramshackles

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« Reply #13 on: March 28, 2012, 01:43:34 PM »
oh dear every cliche in modern pop recycled into one song...its music for people who cant feel & have no natural senses!
in a world of canned laughter cued emotions & X factor manipulation where we need to be told when to laugh & cry i think this cynical piece of marketing meets all the industry standards
but  worried thats not enuff this dead plastic white loaf of a song then gets a massive pretensious over the top emotion transplant from the totaly obese steroid pumped nonsense video!

ive wanted to rubbish a song on here for so long so this  was a perfect chance :)
 
hey why dont we have a thread where we review each others reviews ;D
Yes! I havent posted as I thought I was the only one who thought this song was turd.
I heard it the first time today and it is unimaginative in every respect. The lyrics are forced and uninteresting and I guess that informed the melody which is just bland and boring.
The production is dull aswell. I dont think saying things like 'well produced/played/performed' etc applies here at all as it will have been done in a pro studio with a successful an engineer at considerable cost. For that, you would expect something more imaginative than some standard piano plonking and the usual string backing.
Ticks every box for cliched and formulaic popular songwriting.
The only thing I liked was the tinkling piano at around 2:15...but it sounds fairly lifted from 'hushabye mountain' which I prefer :)

hofnerite

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« Reply #14 on: March 28, 2012, 01:57:24 PM »
Wish you'd wrote it?

If you just want to earn a living then fine, but artistically it seems to me that would be like saying

" I wish I'd grown those potatoes that these chips are made of"

or

"I wish I'd designed that new swing bin liner."

How long would you be happy for if you treated song-writing as just a job?

People enjoy eating crisps and billions of pounds are spent each year on bin liners! I'd rather have invented the bin liner and sold it to every home in the world than invent a single iPod and only I get to use it.

hey, each to their own, I just detect a little snobbery on this forum at times.  :'(

BTW, I'd be very happy if I could make a living from songwriting, even if it was 9-5.
« Last Edit: March 28, 2012, 02:00:26 PM by hofnerite »