Why can't any of the contestants to American Idol* actually sing? They all "interpret" the song, which means that they won't sing and hold a note. Maybe none of them can stay on pitch.
Sing, people. And get off of my lawn.
* The Missus likes watching this, which means that I like watching it. Or so I'm told.
Songs today are not written to be sung for fun. That went away after the 1940's. The boy learned to sing by listening to our old Brunswick; mostly Al Jolson songs. A good singer can be heard from the back row of seats without the benefit of a microphone. That changed with Rudy Vallee, then other crooners after the microphone came along. Oh Well. Hoagy Carmichael was one of the last writers/performers who wrote music that was fun and easy to sing. He was greatly influenced by his mother, who was a pre-microphone performer. But, I do love Rudy Vallee, as did my Dad's mother. She always greeted us with a Heigh-Ho!
ReplyDeleteSam, Rudy Vallee wrote (or made famous) the school song from my alma mater - the Maine Stein Song. So I have a soft spot in my heart for him.
ReplyDeleteBut you're absolutely right that there was a big change in music brought on by the microphone. Enrico Caruso would probably never have become famous in an era where most music was amplified.
I'm half deaf, so I ignore those programs... :-)
ReplyDeleteGranted it's not a hard song, but I thought the girl who die "Baby it's cold outside" was pretty good.
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ReplyDeleteNo, they can't. A friend of mine auditioned and was told that she would win easily (is a professional background musician and does musical stage) but she doesn't have a "story" and that's what the producers are looking for.
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