CloudHands Posted June 19, 2015 Hi CloudHands, I'm not going to speak to your question as it is pointed to Silent Thunder but I do want to speak to things you said in the post. (Frogs) I am assuming to be French. The first time I was stationed in Germany (1960 - 1964) I enjoyed listening to French music, especially performed by females. I even bought one LP, a female, can't recall her name, All the songs were covers of Elvis' more popular songs, and many of them were rearranged into French. Many years later I started listening to (and collecting) French Cajun and Zydeco music. There are significant differences between the three styles of music. I don't understand French but I do love the way the lyrics flow so well with the instrumentation. Funny thing though, after a few years of listening to Cajun and Zydeco music sung in French I felt like the true French music was missing something: soul. Sure, the heart is there but the soul seems to be missing. I had the same feeling with German music. It was an exception where a song (and the performance) had soul. Soul in music, as far as European based music goes, seems to be a unique American thing. (Yes, it can be found in music from the Middle East though.) What you call soul ? If you speak about soul that came from blues for sure we haven't that. Now as American culture spreads worldwide we may borrow/copy that music. The following singers are really great names in french chanson, I appreciate them but if when you listen to them you can obviously tell they put poems on music more than they sing song's lyrics. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4Q7urIVYAE Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted June 19, 2015 Okay, by "soul" I mean that the artists are "feeling", "living", the music while they are performing. A performance can be good but if the artists are not "feeling" the music then I say it doesn't have soul even though it was a good performance. To your links above, I could feel the soul in the first two but it seemed to be missing in the third one even though it was a good performance. I know that "soul" is normally linked to black blues music but I use the word in a much broader sense. I listen to Bluegrass music and that is as far from Black Blues as one can get but yet soul can be found when listening to many of the artists. Bluegrass religious and inspirational music can be very soulful depending on the artist. For me, if I can't "feel" the music then it doesn't have soul. And it doesn't matter if I can understand the language the lyrics are being sung with. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CloudHands Posted June 19, 2015 As we speak about generalities and consider them as it, I agree with you. Just a note about Brassens, the man isn't a good musician, nor a showman and not even a genius. Actually he was kind of taoish as his music was very modest : no display of virtuosity, nothing dazzling but the guy was able to write his soul, a very warm loving anarchist one. You won't hear it in his way of singing (which is mediocre) but in his voice alone. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted June 19, 2015 As we speak about generalities and consider them as it, I agree with you. Just a note about Brassens, the man isn't a good musician, nor a showman and not even a genius. Actually he was kind of taoish as his music was very modest : no display of virtuosity, nothing dazzling but the guy was able to write his soul, a very warm loving anarchist one. You won't hear it in his way of singing (which is mediocre) but in his voice alone. Yes, I can hear what you are saying in that last song. But then, I would have to perfectly understand French to actually "know" what you are saying. Interesting how he rolled his tongue with certain words. I think that's not typical in the French language so I would think there is a specific purpose for doing it. Try this one on for size: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
silent thunder Posted June 20, 2015 Actually I'm questioning an awful cliché. For us (Frogs) we tend to consider in matter of songs, you (English speaking people) have the music while we have the lyrics. (I know Dylan, Cohen, etc but we talk awful generalities). I'm asking if Englishes songs are in fact easily understandable for you. When I listen to your music, it seems to me like you play a lot with the sound of the words to value the music, well... more than we do. I give you an example : whatever the language opera is fucking hard to understand. When you listen to the verve or nirvana or oasis or the stones, do you get the lyrics the first time you listen to the song or not ? Most of the time I have to focus to get the words of most music with lyrics, unless it's of a more folk oriented vein, or similar where the mixing is focused on bringing the voice to the fore. Incidentally, in music in general, my least favorite instrument is the human voice, I often find it and the lyrics distracting to the experience. I much prefer instrumental music, or lyrics in foreign languages as I then am not obligated to follow a storyline and can just flow in the sounds. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CloudHands Posted June 20, 2015 Interesting how your song is related to the conversation MH. I enjoyed it and understand it but they have that strong cajun accent. About the rolling tongue it's not made on purpose there's lots french accents, he sings with his own. So ST that difficulty to understand English in music is a real thing it's not only you ? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CloudHands Posted June 20, 2015 Not sure you appreciate that music but that's someway related... I like the despair turned into something trashy and funny. Well produced too. Have a nice day folks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted June 20, 2015 Interesting how your song is related to the conversation MH. I enjoyed it and understand it but they have that strong cajun accent. Yes, that is a common criticism by "French" people who visit the Cajun world. Yeah, I know the song and know the English words. The best cover I have ever heard of the song is from a white Country Cajun named Johnny Paycheck (haven't found an upload on the internet) even though there have been some excellent covers by Traditional Cajun artists. About the rolling tongue it's not made on purpose there's lots french accents, he sings with his own. Okay. It caught my attention as I had never heard it used before. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted June 20, 2015 Not sure you appreciate that music but that's someway related... I like the despair turned into something trashy and funny. Well produced too. Have a nice day folks. Video not available in my country. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CloudHands Posted June 20, 2015 Video not available in my country. Surprising... nothing really shocking in that video. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CloudHands Posted June 20, 2015 and I prove it, here it is : https://uk.proxfree.com/permalink.php?url=s54aaHA%2FaGsaD5vHs0QZLcUclS%2FcUxrnNZwEMCiA0I8z8pEvY5jSGUyRh%2Ffq3I00EE4qgPOymb2bSkgZHPhDqw%3D%3D&bit=1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted June 20, 2015 No, nothing worse tan what is produced here in the states. But Albert Camus would be disappointed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CloudHands Posted June 21, 2015 (edited) He made his time. But yep you can't get that tune, that's not to take at the first degree and you probably don't realize how nervous are people around Paris, but this track is actually quiet smart. Edited June 21, 2015 by CloudHands Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CloudHands Posted June 21, 2015 Soul in music, as far as European based music goes, seems to be a unique American thing. (Yes, it can be found in music from the Middle East though.) Not so sure about that... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CloudHands Posted June 21, 2015 But to be honest, I think only an American could say so. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted June 21, 2015 He made his time. But yep you can't get that tune, that's not to take at the first degree and you probably don't realize how nervous are people around Paris, but this track is actually quiet smart. Yes, I took it as a protest song. My days of being in Paris and other parts of France are in the early 1970s. Life was good then. I'm sure things have changed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted June 21, 2015 Not so sure about that... I was speaking mostly of Classical (Traditional) music of Mediterranean Africa and Asia. Of modern music from that area I find that only the Rai style of music allows the freedom for soul to be expressed. Here's a pretty good example: 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted June 21, 2015 But to be honest, I think only an American could say so. Hehehe. Come on. Other peoples have soul too. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted June 22, 2015 These guys are waking me up this morning: 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted June 22, 2015 Not only would that wake me up, it would drive me up the wall. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
non local Posted June 24, 2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3e_BghB0XU Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
