Me and J.P. ponder song lyrics Jan 22 '03    Write an essay on this topic. Tweet Popular Products in Music Jersey Boys [Original Broadway Cast Recording] by Original Broadway Cast From $8 Mai by Eri Sugai From $4 The Bottom Line J.P.'s usually right about these kinds of things, but I wonder how he rationalizes Donnie & Marie Osmond's popularity back in the '70's. "Hey, J.P. What do you reckon makes a song decent?" "Lots of guitars and big knockered babes in videos." "No, no, no. I mean, lyric-wise. Think there's a formula for musical lyrics that could consistently generate hits?" "No. It's like standing in front of a mirror with your eyes closed to see what you look like when you're asleep. Music, good music anyway, is more about spontaneity than anything else." "Still, there must be a number of elements that, from the start, would lead to a band having a better chance of scoring a hit." "I suppose. So what?" "Was just thinking." J.P. turned back to the paper he was working on and I figured the discussion was over. "Well, sex sells, of course." "Huh?" "Musically. Consider the hits of the past fourty years, at least. Whether it's sugary sweet lyrics for the babes or adolescent, frustrated lyrics for the guys who ain't gettin' any, both themes have generated lots of hit singles over the years." "Yeah." "And glorification of alcohol." "Say again?" "Well, I was just thinking about the best album ever recorded in the history of man kind." "Oh. Back in Black by AC/DC. Right?" "Yep. It's a simple album, really. And yet it's anthemic. But it's a great album for some readily identifiable reasons. Sex and booze." "Some might argue that Back in Black is, well, a good example of the misogyny prevalent in our culture." "Massage genie? What the f*ck are you talking about Don? There's no massage genie in Back in Black. It's all about getting drunk and getting laid." "Umm." "Is this more sh*t from that Literature by and about Women course that you took." "Uh, no. Just. Never mind. What about classical, though? Clearly classical music isn't driven by getting drunk and getting laid?" "You're kidding me, aren't you? Have you ever read anything at all about Mozart? Party animal. Big time. If he was alive today, we'd certainly want to have him rush Phi Delta Sigma." "Mozart?" "Yeah, man, I'm tellin' ya. Don't let the current presentation of classical music as a high brow, upper crust of society sort of consumable fool you. If Wolfgang A. Mozart were here right now, know what he'd probably say about your question about musical lyrics?" "Uh, what do you think?" "Big knockered babes and booze."

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