Skip to main content
The Folly of Dismissing the Mainstream and Popular in Music
Let me begin this by saying that I despise musical snobbery. By this, I do not mean an appreciation for the high art involved in constructing music, nor an understanding of the language of music, nor a dogged appreciation of one style or genre of music. Rather, I mean an a priori rejection of a musical form or performer simply because it/he/she is popular. I do not say that popularity equates with quality, nor do I deny the possibility (cherished by music snobs) that truly great music is buried underneath piles of mindless dreck. But I do say that even buried within the art of those whose music we revile, the music which zooms up the charts inexplicably like funky swamp gas into your nostrils, is gold waiting to be mined. Maybe it's just a song that needed to bake in the oven of the AC charts for a time; maybe they wait while we mature, leaving the petty cliques of our youth (and their distinct sonic identities) behind. In at least one case, it's happened to me.
I hate the music of Celine Dion. Or at least I thought I did. She sang melodramatically, her lyrics usually don't make sense, (or too much sense) she's vaguely French, she married a (seemingly) creepy old guy, and you couldn't entirely be male and like Celine unless you were a foreigner (non-American). Most of her songs tempt me to throw away the supernatural virtue of hope. "Titanic" theme, I am looking squarely in your direction. Anyway, deep in my Celine closet, there are the 3 exceptions. Songs I like so much that it cancels out the other 20 or so that make me have ill will toward women. I really need to admit this. I'm not going to say all three. But this is the main one. I'm still not sure what this song is about, but I can say I adore this song. I keep waiting for one of today's stars to remake it. There's probably some poor fool who didn't know it was her, and I ruined it for him. Ah, well.
Dear Celine: most of your songs sound like rejects for a horrid "Beaches 2" soundtrack, with Renee Zellweger and Rosie O'Donnell in the lead roles for the movie. But those three I cherish are so great that I forgive you, I really do.
With Appreciation,
Jason Kettinger
Pete's sake, I need a drink, before I start liking Coldplay and Nickelback.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

My Thoughts On The Harrison Butker Commencement Speech

Update: I read the whole thing. I’m sorry, but what a weirdo. I thought you [Tom Darrow, of Denver, CO] made a trenchant case for why lockdowns are bad, and I definitely appreciated it. But a graduation speech is *not* the place for that. Secondly, this is an august event. It always is. I would never address the President of the United States in this manner. Never. Even the previous president, though he deserves it, if anyone does. Thirdly, the affirmations of Catholic identity should be more general. He has no authority to propound with specificity on all matters of great consequence. It has all the hallmarks of a culture war broadside, and again, a layman shouldn’t speak like this. The respect and reverence due the clergy is *always due,* even if they are weak, and outright wrong. We just don’t brush them aside like corrupt Mafia dons, to make a point. Fourthly, I don’t know where anyone gets the idea that the TLM is how God demands to be worshipped. The Church doesn’t teach that. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Dear Alyse

 Today, you’re 35. Or at least you would be, in this place. You probably know this, but we’re OK. Not great, but OK. We know you wouldn’t want us moping around and weeping all the time. We try not to. Actually, I guess part of the problem is that you didn’t know how much we loved you. And that you didn’t know how to love yourself. I hope you have gotten to Love by now. Not a place, but fills everything in every way. I’m not Him, but he probably said, “Dear daughter/sister, you have been terribly hard on yourself. Rest now, and be at peace.” Anyway, teaching is going well, and I tell the kids all about you. They all say you are pretty. I usually can keep the boys from saying something gross for a few seconds. Mom and I are going to the game tonight. And like 6 more times, before I go back to South Carolina. I have seen Nicky twice, but I myself haven’t seen your younger kids. Bob took pictures of the day we said goodbye, and we did a family picture at the Abbey. I literally almost a...
Post a Comment
Read more

A Friend I Once Had, And The Dogmatic Principle

 I once had a friend, a dear friend, who helped me with personal care needs in college. Reformed Presbyterian to the core. When I was a Reformed Presbyterian, I visited their church many times. We were close. I still consider his siblings my friends. (And siblings in the Lord.) Nevertheless, when I began to consider the claims of the Catholic Church to be the Church Christ founded, he took me out to breakfast. He implied--but never quite stated--that we would not be brothers, if I sought full communion with the Catholic Church. That came true; a couple years later, I called him on his birthday, as I'd done every year for close to ten of them. He didn't recognize my number, and it was the most strained, awkward phone call I have ever had. We haven't spoken since. We were close enough that I attended the rehearsal dinner for his wedding. His wife's uncle is a Catholic priest. I remember reading a blog post of theirs, that early in their relationship, she told him of the p...
Post a Comment
Read more