Writer's Block: Over the top

[royalmarriage]

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We-e-e-e-ll - and this may (or may not?) alienate some folks on my Flist, but I'll say it anyway - the people who I think are really overrated are the ones who sing and dance to songs that other people have written and played and produced. That's not real music, it's karaoke.

But then, effectively, they're not musicians.

So, looking up the first person that springs to mind, and checking whether he actually counts as a musician by that critera - and he does - Michael Jackson. He was okay, I suppose, a good entertainer, but none of his songs really grabbed me at an emotional level, and I could never really understand the level of his success.

Still, to each their own.

Comments

[miss-next.livejournal.com]

Overrated musician? Depends how you define "musician", really. I can think of one or two who I think are somewhat overrated, but since I tend to know the sort of people who know them, I will not mention any names. :-)

[kattahj.livejournal.com]

But then, effectively, they're not musicians.

You do realize that by those standards, symphonic orchestras aren't musicians either?

I have the highest respect for musicians who specialize in singing - as long as they do it well. The trouble with a lot of studio-engineered bands is that they can't even handle that part.

[phoebesmum.livejournal.com]

I don't think I consider any musician overrated, though there are some I like and many I don't. I consider a lot of performers overrated.

[(Anonymous)]

"People who I think are really overrated are the ones who sing and dance to songs that other people have written and played and produced. That's not real music, it's karaoke."


Elvis then, and countless many MANY of the greatest stars of our time have never been writers or composers. Many writers and composers don't want to perform, either they don't want the pressure, or don't like performance, or just (in my other half's case), are quite fond of hassle-free cash. The other big reason is that just because you can write a song, doesn't mean you have a talent for singing. Equally, some people who have a talent for providing voice might not be able to write songs, it's not easy.

I've played instruments for years, can't write lyrics for love nor money. I can't really sing that well either, but that's not stopped me making an album *ahem*.