Young people who like 'oldie' songs
SirMickTravis
Posts: 2,607 Forum Member
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I'm quite shy of admitting my fondness for early pop records to people of my own generation. I often listen to the American Graffiti soundtrack, have been listening to a lot of the early Phil Spector hits this evening and just discovered this Skeeter Davis song from 1963.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpWu_V-3GLM
If I had to choose a period where pop music was at it's best I think I would go for 1960-65. But how many people born after 1970 would agree?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpWu_V-3GLM
If I had to choose a period where pop music was at it's best I think I would go for 1960-65. But how many people born after 1970 would agree?
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I'm quite proud that I've introduced him to The Who, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, Cream, BB King and Jimi Hendrix.
I've also got a neighbour whose teenage daughter is a huge fan of Matt Monroe.
I think radio does a disservice to younger people to assume that we only listen to whatever is in the top ten. Radio 1 for example should definitely incorporate some older music in with the current stuff and they could even mark it down as part of the BBC's educational remit - e.g. playing songs and artists who are influential to the current generation of stars. Easy example is this current Charlie Puth and Meghan Trainor hit, Marvin Gaye. As ghastly as that song is, it's trying to be a soul-pop record and references some of Gaye's best tracks so why not play a few of those as well so that say the youngest listeners who are only getting in to music actually understand the song. I mean, I'm sure there's a lot of 12 year olds singing a long to the line "Let's Marvin Gaye and get it on" without getting the reference at all.
I know I'm only speaking anecdotally but almost everyone I know likes at least some old songs and artists etc. even if they aren't really big music fans or whatever. It's all more accessible than ever before as well. People don't have to be lead along by radio, TV etc. any more and I think it would be smart for those mediums to reflect that in their programming.
I think the only people who would make you feel somehow embarrassed about what music you like aren't worth listening to anyway.
One of the newest comments on YouTube about Dreams by Fleetwood Mac is: "I must be the only 14 year old girl here haha."
You've made an oldie very happy by saying that song is ghastly! I don't think Radio 1 would expand their remit, even to play artists who are referenced by current ones, good idea though it may be. Contrary to what some people think, Radio 2 play a fair number of current artists including that Meghan Trainor/Charlie Puth song. Of course, youngsters probably wouldn't want to dent their credibility by listening to the station, but those into oldie music should give it a whirl, provided no-one catches them listening of course!
I increasingly feel I may be in the former category.
You have great taste ;-)
That Skeeter Davis song is superb. Goffin/King were the greatest 'pop' composers bar none. My favourite era is 1958-1963 and I am definitely 'Earth Angel' ;-)
I'm happy to oblige! It's horrendous.
As for Radio 2, I wouldn't mind having a good mix of oldies and newer stuff (though I think they pick rubbish modern songs) but the only chance I really get to hear it is in the morning, where the unbearable egomaniac Chris Evans is eternally ranting about how rich he is and all of his mates etc. while talking over all the songs!
Can I ask what sort of generation you are?
I don't hear Chris thank goodness, but I get to hear egomaniac Steve Wright instead! Love the show Steve. ;-)
I'm sensing a theme with these Radio 2 DJs...
Steve Wright has the wonderful combination of being egotistical AND thick! I don't mind Simon Mayo though.
Looks like I'm alone in liking that one then..
I have quite an eclectic taste in music. I'll listen to anything really.
My brother was a death metal vocalist, a close family friend was a putting out reggae tracks in the 60s (name has slipped my mind, but my uncles knew him), my dad is into queen, my mum loves Motown, my sister is into gangsta rap and r'n'b, and I'm a bit of a pop queen, but what I'm getting at is there was always music on in the house.
It's a bit of a mind**** simultaneously hearing Korn, Stevie Wonder and Tupac, whilst I was listening to the Vengaboys..
I can't say I listen to a huge amount of pre-60s music, but I've been to 50s, 40s and 20s parties and they were awesome. The best part was getting to dress up and dance to the awesome music.
I'm 23 years old, and my tastes in music aren't typical. Nor is my latecoming to the music scene....I was about 19 or 20 before I started listening to music at all, and previously most music was just background noise to me. Not sure what happened to change my mind, but I'm never without it now. My friends are also quite open-minded about what we listen to - in a big group we tend to settle for mostly 90's and 00's cheese because it's familiar to everyone and is easy to sing along to. My closer friends are happy to put on music from any decade when we're in the car, though they're a bit more conservative about rock music than I am and they tend to stick to pop. Though recently they've branched out and will listen to the classical music and scores I also have on my playlist (this thing is huge, seriously!) which is something they wouldn't have considered before.
So long story short, anything from anywhen I'm generally easily pleased. I listen to stuff from the 40's to the present, with a preference for 60's-90's mostly.
That's easy to avoid. Listen to it online while wearing headphones
I wish more people weren't so embarrassed by their taste in music. Then people like the OP wouldn't have to worry about being seen as sad.
The early 90s was mostly all about "alternative", which was the wishy-washiest of genres. I was in highschool at the time and I remember the local alternative station played everything from new wave to grunge to metal, all under the banner of "alternative".
That said, here are some songs that we liked in 90/91 that I think have held up fairly well (just from a quick scan of my library.. I've definitely left out the huge hits):
Peter Murphy - Cuts you up
Siouxsie and the Banshees - Kiss Them For Me
Jesus Jones - Right Here, Right Now
Ned's Atomic Dustbin - Happy
Jane's Addiction - Been Caught Stealing
Primus - Tommy the Cat
Back to the original post about oldies.. I'm sure the repurposing of older music into new mixes is helping expose young people to older music.
Here's an example:
Nina Simone - Feeling Good (Bassnectar Mix)
Don't worry, I grew up with ABBA and was laughed out of the class for still liking them in the 80s, yet now they're far more popular than Adam Ant, who was the big thing then.
I adore Matt Monro's voice! Radio 2 was playing music from the 50s and 60s when I was little in the 70s and 80s and mum had it on all the time, some of those songs stick with me. There's a 50s song called 'Freight Train' that makes me feel a bit sad, but I love it.
I was born in 1969, from the 60s I like all the 'uncool' stuff, Petula Clark, some of Cilla's, Glen Campbell, Neil Diamond. I never got into the Beatles and the Who type group, but just to stay uncool, I like Paul McCartney on his own!
Mmmm, ABBA! I mainly got this through my parents and The Mamas & the Papas. As well as The Carpenters and The Beach Boys. This coming through late 80s to early/mid 90s. You can imagine the roasting I would have had that I ended up keeping it to myself, a lot. Since the 90s were a lot of club/rave music.
What fascinated me about it then as well as part of my childhood on sunny mornings for so long that still exists to this day, the rich harmony. The warmth in the music. It is so rich.
Eagle
Does Your Mother Know https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2BosGFoWPo
Tiger
Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJtWwmt0cXM
Chiquitita
Money, Money, Money
Knowing Me, Knowing You
Its like that same rich sound from Motown/Quincy Jones. You just know that sound. Just like Michael Jackson/Jackson 5. Mmm that sound. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUcUS2cIieA
No phones back then. Everybody held their heads up.
Let alone Karen Carpenter. Feels like floating in the clouds to their music. There is something so pure and clean about their music. As if it sterilises your brain for complete positivity. Plus those voice tones. So incredibly rich.
Likewise for The Mamas & the Papas. I feel American everytime I hear them. Feels like you could get completely lost with their sound. It's so pure.
It's so sad you rarely get any of this style of harmony nowadays. Most sound alike or so many of them sound electronic with voice enhancers.