What are you currently reading?

[finnbow]

Somehow, I'm starting to get the impression that Pukka is a homely, coed English Lit major at Smith or Wellesley.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

There once was a girl from Nantucket,
who crossed the sea in a bucket....

Pete

I'm a Barnacle Bill fan myself.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barnacle_Bill_(song)

Chas

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Pukka Sahib

I wouldn't bet on it.

Is that a Rigby double you're holding?

And since I'm asking questions, I have one more.

What possible motive do you have for posting here?

Chas

[piece-itpete]

"open the door, you pox-ridden whore!" ROTFLMAO!!!

Pete

[d-ray657]

Originally Posted by Pukka Sahib

There are many forms of beauty, but not all appreciate them for their true worth. It is said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder; and yet there are some things that are universally beautiful. There is beauty in the line of the landscape at the break of day and in the twilight of the evening against the flaming sky at sunset. There is beauty in the flowers of spring and the cool shade of the trees on a summer’s day; or in the falling leaves of autumn and the crystalline blanket of the first winter snow. There is beauty in the swell of the ocean, the rising and falling of the tides, the wind and waves that sigh like the rhythmic breathing of the earth. There is beauty in the eyes of a woman, the silken touch of her hair, and the soft caress of her hand on your face that says, silently, “I love you.”

Interesting that everything you identified as universal beauty consists of examples of natural beauty - beauty that mankind had no hand in forming, yet has the capacity to destroy. Perhaps the thought that beauty is in the eye of the beholder is more aptly applied to human expressions, such as poetry, literature, art and music. As creations of humans they are likely to fall short of perfection, of at least to fall short of meeting the ideal of universally perceived beauty. That is also why the Bible as an historical account, and even more so as a law book, is flawed in its presentation; even accepting that the message delivered was perfect, it has been touched by the hand of man.

Regards,

D-Ray

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Pukka Sahib

1. Yes.

2. Spitting in the wind, I suppose. An old man once told me that the reason for keeping a journal of your thoughts is that you don’t have to trouble anyone else with them. The trouble with that is that unless to tell them to someone, you never really get them off your chest.

Interesting.

I was beginning to suspect you were Sandy returning under a different moniker, playing mind games.

Chas

[d-ray657]

Your post brings two things to mind. The first is one of my favorite movies - Amadeus. I believe it was the Duke who commented to the young Mozart that his composition had "too many notes." Maybe that was the Duke's attempt at an empirical comment on the music.

The other has to do with my obviously biased attitude about modern music. Using your denominator of Truth as the means for judging music, I find far too much music to be phony. It is sometimes obvious when music is written for commercial purposes - diminishing the art form to a commodity. The word that I have often used to describe music that strikes me as an honest effort is "authentic" - not too far from using "truth" as the measure of its worth.

In my anti-capitalist mind, music that is written solely to create commercial success is not true music. Music that appears to be written and performed for the sake of the music will more often ring true. I do confess to being more forgiving of music written to protest policies or ideas, even though it is written with an eye toward something other than the art.

I do not mean to say that all popular music is inauthentic. Sometimes a new approach to music will strike a chord with the public (pun intended) and find great commercial success. Some performers will simply find their voice in a style that is familiar and accessible. The unfortunate thing is what too often follows an innovator's commercial success. That success will give rise to several imitators, none of whom match the energy - the authenticity - of the originator. It is a simple-minded approach, but one that accurately describes my enjoyment of music.

Regards,

D-Ray

[Charles]

Originally Posted by d-ray657

Your post brings two things to mind. The first is one of my favorite movies - Amadeus. I believe it was the Duke who commented to the young Mozart that his composition had "too many notes." Maybe that was the Duke's attempt at an empirical comment on the music.

The other has to do with my obviously biased attitude about modern music. Using your denominator of Truth as the means for judging music, I find far too much music to be phony. It is sometimes obvious when music is written for commercial purposes - diminishing the art form to a commodity. The word that I have often used to describe music that strikes me as an honest effort is "authentic" - not too far from using "truth" as the measure of its worth.

In my anti-capitalist mind, music that is written solely to create commercial success is not true music. Music that appears to be written and performed for the sake of the music will more often ring true. I do confess to being more forgiving of music written to protest policies or ideas, even though it is written with an eye toward something other than the art.

I do not mean to say that all popular music is inauthentic. Sometimes a new approach to music will strike a chord with the public (pun intended) and find great commercial success. Some performers will simply find their voice in a style that is familiar and accessible. The unfortunate thing is what too often follows an innovator's commercial success. That success will give rise to several imitators, none of whom match the energy - the authenticity - of the originator. It is a simple-minded approach, but one that accurately describes my enjoyment of music.

Regards,

D-Ray

Simplicity is the key to all.

Almost anyone can appreciate the mountains, the ocean, the sunset, the faithful dog (provided it's not licking itself at the time) without thought. It simply is, more than a sum of it's parts, comforting.

You know when it's right.

Music with political messages, another rehash of "The Planet of the Apes", etc, doesn't bore me to tears...it gets on my nerves.

Kind of like a Daytona spoiler on a Tempo. It is simply an exercise in stupidity, irritating.

You know when it's the work of a cretin.

Without thinking.

Chas

[d-ray657]

Now, you're gonna tell me this gets on your nerves?

There's something happening here
What it is ain't exactly clear
There's a man with a gun over there
Telling me I got to beware
I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
There's battle lines being drawn
Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
Young people speaking their minds
Getting so much resistance from behind
I think it's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
What a field-day for the heat
A thousand people in the street
Singing songs and carrying signs
Mostly say, hooray for our side
It's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you're always afraid
You step out of line, the man come and take you away
We better stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, now, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

I feel young every time I hear that song.

Other times, music will reflect a musician's world view, even if it's not overtly political.

"Why I sing the Blues" BB King
"Busted" Ray Charles
"Satisfaction" Stones
"Respect" Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin
"Living in the USA" Steve Miller (Chuck Berry?)
"Margaritaville" Jimmy Buffett

Regards,

D-Ray

[BlueStreak]

Wow! Am I enjoying this thread.

Dave