Well stone me ,I have heard that song hundreds of times over the years and the only lyrics I could understand were "something something just around midnight"! I can't believe how misogynistic and sexist and those lyrics really are.I'm totally jaggered!

Seriously,I am surprised that a woman would want to sing this song,especially a black woman.

I believe she's doing very well in the public opinion and she doesn't have to take any drastic risks.It will be interesting to see how the public backs up this performance.

STUPENDOUS post.. loved it. jaggered.... stone me.. witty one you!

Reading I see this is what she does ROCK boy you could have knocked me over with a feather.. so lets see if the chick can actually rock and lets see the guitar shall we, as she plays it so well, about time she used it on stage and made herself look a bit more credible....

GG

I don't get this "Maria's rock credentials" thing. Given that the Stones are one of the biggest rock groups ever (if not *the* biggest) and Brown Sugar is one of their most famous songs, how does anyone with "rock credentials" go:

"I've never heard of this song before"

like Maria did on 24/7

oh dear..! i didn't see 24/7 if she said that is does make a mockery of the whole "I'm a rock chick really" thing doesn't it!

Yes she did say that.. in fact I could not see why she is being called a rock chick, she does not look sound like one or even know what one is!

biggest *rock* band huhhummm okay you are *kidding* with me aren't you! have you heard of any others like.... mmm you know JBJ.. maybe you have led a sheltered life!

GG, you're the one who has to be kidding if you think Bon Jovi are bigger than the Rolling Stones. Besides no one said they were the biggest just one of the biggest but anyway the Stones are definitely up there in the reckoning by anyone's standards, even those who don't like them, in terms of fan base, record sales, sellout tours and longevity they ARE one of the biggest rock bands ever.
They figure on just about every top ten or twenty rock bands or acts of all time list from Rolling Stone magazine to Amazon along with the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Queen, The Doors, The Who.
The others are subject to change depending on the source comprising any 3 from Deep Purple, Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Springsteen, U2, Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Van Halen, Ramones, Clash, Allman Brothers, Eagles. Sorry to say Bon Jovi are conspicuous by their absence on every list I've seen.

The Stones are a ROCK band
Bon Jovi are a POP band
You cannot compare the two.

The Rolling Stones are one of the seminal rock bands & I don't think anyone who has any understanding of rock could doubt their place in rock history.

Whether you like them or don't like them is another story.

I still don't really understand this thread. The lyrics have a narrative feel about them... it's a bit like Ruth Rendall writing a book from a murderer's perspective. It doesn't mean she agrees or empathises with the murderer.

Well, this was my point but nobody listens to me....

Great point, ena.

However, how this is gonna come over with Maria singing it is yet to be experienced.

I must admit, I feel a bitty uncomfortable with it.

Ah yes THE WHO... could not see her covering one of theirs! I do not doubt there place no more than I doubt Elvis or the Beatles places in history of music. It was said tongue in cheek as it happens.. they were never my cup of tea... and this song I still think is the wrong one. Is it a song people of the younger generation will know.... a song I could see her singing oddly is Saturdays All Right for Fighting by Elton John.. I am listening to her now and it is not cutting it with me at all..

GG

I made the same point too and don't think anyone was listening to me either, so you're not alone . I think it's why the thread was started that is puzzling ena.

Well, I'm listening to you, Poodle.

Yes, Zip & GG, I think it's a strange choice of song for a woman. I think it probably might be more to do with Sharon wanting a rocker & deciding Maria will be the one to fit the bill. (I think someone has said this already).

After all, Brenda suits Motown, Andy is a ballads man, and Chico can't actually sing. Who else has she got to fill the Tabby vacancy?

It's the way the song was interpreted that confused me, Taitai, so i suppose you're right. I can see why most posters think it doesn't suit a woman, though.

I thought Brenda looked a little uncomfortable too, when she heard the lyrics, although she was encouraging to Maria. Maria's got herself snookered on this one, either to go for one that she's not comfortable with and is inappropriate or the other that has a flat and boring middle where she can't show off her vocals.

True, but it seemed as if it was Maria's choice to do a rock song. It might be that was mooted to her as a possibility and she thought that was a great idea rather than her suggesting it in the first place, though.

As for Brenda looking uncomfortable (s/o made this point); this was after Brenda suggested Maria sing it over 'Satisfaction'. Maybe she looked uncomfortable because she knows Maria is serious competition.

I love the Stones, I love Brown Sugar and I've never considered it even slightly racist. I always thought the lyrics were, if anything encouraging inter-racial relations.

The lyrics basically say that it's been going on for hundreds of years, it's still rockin' in 69 and Mick find it very enjoyable. ...Anything wrong with that?

That said, it is a weird choice for Maria but I'm prepared to be pleasantly surprised. I didn't rate her last week but clean slates for everyone this week. ...Except The Conway Sisters, who inherently suck.

It is an unusual choice. I think they have gone for an old (but well-known) rock song - rather than a more modern one - because they are pitching Maria to grown-up voters. They need to think about who would by her album because those are the people who will be motivated to vote for her who might not bother voting at all otherwise. I don't mean they need an old song for old folk, but it's a classic, adult song. If that makes any sense.

Bit off topic never knew Brown sugar was drugs or There she goes is ref to drugs

i wonder if the lyrics of the song will even affect how the public recieve her performance....if people realised what they were people might feel uncomfortable or find it strange that a black woman has chosen to sing this, but half the time people just listen to a song without even taking in the lyrics, like people on this thread who have heard the song many times without actually thinking what the song is about, myself included

I agree. It seems that way. But it could also be that Maria doesn't know any contemporary rock as she listens to pop or middle-of-the-road stuff. (Was James Blunt her choice, too?). And Shaz might have stopped listening to rock in 1976.

This whole thread has puzzled me. I'm not going back to the beginning to pick out names and quote the evidence, but for the first couple of pages it seemed to be taken as read that anyone singing a song about the abuse of slaves was condoning it, when I would assume that they were highlighting their plight!
Last edited by *Sparkle* : 12-11-2005 at 11:44

I don't think that Mick's motives for writing the song was to highlight the plight of slaves really, at the same time he wasn't condoning it, the song is more about imagery, hidden meanings and at the end of the day enjoying women & drugs! as were a lot of their songs I haven't got a problem witht the song at all, just the fact that it being sung by a black women seems a bit off kilter, I suppose you could see it as being cleverly ironic but I don't think that's what Maria was thinking.. at the end of the day its simply an all time great rock & roll song - a strange choice for Maria as she didn't even know the song.. but still she may pull it off..

I doubt it.

Judging by this thread, not many people listen to the lyrics.