Those hardlines ("disco sucks!" "I like anything but country" ) are so easy to draw. You're right though; in the end it means possibly missing out on some great music. I certainly did.
I'd extend that to include guilty pleasures. We're (collectively) good at turning our noses up at what we think might be a silly song, but if it brings someone joy, what's the fuss?
I'm not claiming any moral high ground here--there are still a couple of songs that make me reflexively annoyed--but I'm much more open to hearing a song/style I used to shut out. And if a track moves someone (or makes 'em move), that's a good thing.
P.S. Not for nothing, The original Portland Timbers were still playing Kool & The Gang's 'Celebration' at games after 1979.
Oh yeah, there’s a lot of music that annoys me to this day - modern “bro country” being a primary offender - but that’s okay. There’s still more good stuff out there than I’ll ever get the chance to hear, so I’d rather put my energy into finding and enjoying music that makes me happy than fixating on music that doesn’t. And excellent point about “Celebration” – that song topped the charts in Feb 1981, so a whole lotta US radio stations were clearly playing it a year and a half after disco’s supposed death.
Great post. I’ll add to the Popcorn covers list that I’ve got a 70s school band LP from somewhere in the US (I’m thinking Pennsylvania, but don’t quote me) that has a full-band version, yes with Moog (must’ve been a well off school!) - will send you a transfer once I find the album within my school band collection…
Funny side note about Popcorn: Stan Free, a jazz pianist, arranger and composer who was in Hot Butter was the high school music teacher at my school (Walden in NYC, now defunct) and would play Popcorn at the drop of a hat. While my brother got to work with him and played in a well-drilled jazz band that Free organized, by the time I got to HS, Free had left or retired.
Of course, i love Disco, Country, Rock, Soul, Hip-Hop. Not every thing by everybody, but the truly joyous music from imaginative artists who want to tell stories, help us dance, and fill us with something greater than pure mundanity.
Those hardlines ("disco sucks!" "I like anything but country" ) are so easy to draw. You're right though; in the end it means possibly missing out on some great music. I certainly did.
I'd extend that to include guilty pleasures. We're (collectively) good at turning our noses up at what we think might be a silly song, but if it brings someone joy, what's the fuss?
I'm not claiming any moral high ground here--there are still a couple of songs that make me reflexively annoyed--but I'm much more open to hearing a song/style I used to shut out. And if a track moves someone (or makes 'em move), that's a good thing.
P.S. Not for nothing, The original Portland Timbers were still playing Kool & The Gang's 'Celebration' at games after 1979.
Oh yeah, there’s a lot of music that annoys me to this day - modern “bro country” being a primary offender - but that’s okay. There’s still more good stuff out there than I’ll ever get the chance to hear, so I’d rather put my energy into finding and enjoying music that makes me happy than fixating on music that doesn’t. And excellent point about “Celebration” – that song topped the charts in Feb 1981, so a whole lotta US radio stations were clearly playing it a year and a half after disco’s supposed death.
Great post. I’ll add to the Popcorn covers list that I’ve got a 70s school band LP from somewhere in the US (I’m thinking Pennsylvania, but don’t quote me) that has a full-band version, yes with Moog (must’ve been a well off school!) - will send you a transfer once I find the album within my school band collection…
Oh yeah - I’d love to hear that!
Funny side note about Popcorn: Stan Free, a jazz pianist, arranger and composer who was in Hot Butter was the high school music teacher at my school (Walden in NYC, now defunct) and would play Popcorn at the drop of a hat. While my brother got to work with him and played in a well-drilled jazz band that Free organized, by the time I got to HS, Free had left or retired.
Amazing!
Terrific reading, Dan.
Thank you!
Excellent piece
Thanks, Matt!
Of course, i love Disco, Country, Rock, Soul, Hip-Hop. Not every thing by everybody, but the truly joyous music from imaginative artists who want to tell stories, help us dance, and fill us with something greater than pure mundanity.
Amen to that!