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I think one of the things about life is that most all of us do not do everything well. Some of us have special talents that bring us fame and fortune, such as a lot of the musical artists we know. But those same superstars likely also have shortcomings that are difficult for them and for the people around them, to navigate.
When thinking about this topic, there was a split on exactly what this category was asking. After all, we could be talking about the musician/band's typical music. Or we could be talking about the musician or band or lead singer's reputation, actions or personality.
When viewed through that spectrum, it's difficult not to think of John Phillips, the creator of The Mamas and The Papas, and what appeared to be some odd stories about a group that went through a lot of oddities during their time on the charts. I mean, the backstory of "I Saw Her Again" is truly bizarre in ways no fiction writer could have ever imagined.
But then, his daughter MacKenzie went on Oprah after John died, to tell the horrific story of forced incest, patriarchal rape. She couldn't even share this heinous tale with anyone until she was sure he couldn't come back and do more damage. It was devastating and heartbreaking and that was just hearing the watered down accounts that they were allowed to share on a television program with broadcast standards.
I can never listen to any of those songs again in the same way.
A lot of people feel similarly about Frank Sinatra, based on reports of behavior he exhibited toward people he didn't know or didn't care about or sometimes the behavior towards people he did know and care about. Sometimes you just can't separate the music from the performer. It really depends on what strikes you as valuable and meaningful.
And I kind of have to go with that as the determining factor, because it really does change the perception to that which you are listening.
The tragedy of Whitney Houston can't be underestimated. Cousin of pop superstar Dionne Warwick and daughter of gospel great Cissy Houston, Whitney had a leg up on a career in music from the very start. And her career indeed skyrocketed, with her four octave vocal range and her video ready good looks, the timing was perfect. She was another MTV smash.
Enter Bobby Brown. The member of New Edition split off to a solo career about the same time as Whitney's meteoric rise and the two of them began a whirlwind relationship which dominated the gossip columns and entertainment magazines, right up until their wedding in 1992. With both of their careers soaring, it seemed like everything was going great for the two of them, who welcomed their daughter Bobbi Kristina the following year.
The story of what happened next was told, then retold from Bobby's perspective, where he claimed that Whitney introduced HIM to drugs. I'm not certain how many people bought that concept.
No matter how it happened, the combination of these two personalities proved to be disaster, and that cannot be denied. So, I had to select a song that I can stomach hearing this guy perform and for me, one where he is begging for mercy seems to fit the bill. A song where he is asking to be treated with respect, with thoughtfulness, with kindness, sums up the story of a life where he apparently didn't do any of that with the people he should have cared about the most.
My selection for Day 12 is: Bobby Brown - "Don't Be Cruel."
When thinking about this topic, there was a split on exactly what this category was asking. After all, we could be talking about the musician/band's typical music. Or we could be talking about the musician or band or lead singer's reputation, actions or personality.
When viewed through that spectrum, it's difficult not to think of John Phillips, the creator of The Mamas and The Papas, and what appeared to be some odd stories about a group that went through a lot of oddities during their time on the charts. I mean, the backstory of "I Saw Her Again" is truly bizarre in ways no fiction writer could have ever imagined.
But then, his daughter MacKenzie went on Oprah after John died, to tell the horrific story of forced incest, patriarchal rape. She couldn't even share this heinous tale with anyone until she was sure he couldn't come back and do more damage. It was devastating and heartbreaking and that was just hearing the watered down accounts that they were allowed to share on a television program with broadcast standards.
I can never listen to any of those songs again in the same way.
A lot of people feel similarly about Frank Sinatra, based on reports of behavior he exhibited toward people he didn't know or didn't care about or sometimes the behavior towards people he did know and care about. Sometimes you just can't separate the music from the performer. It really depends on what strikes you as valuable and meaningful.
And I kind of have to go with that as the determining factor, because it really does change the perception to that which you are listening.
The tragedy of Whitney Houston can't be underestimated. Cousin of pop superstar Dionne Warwick and daughter of gospel great Cissy Houston, Whitney had a leg up on a career in music from the very start. And her career indeed skyrocketed, with her four octave vocal range and her video ready good looks, the timing was perfect. She was another MTV smash.
Enter Bobby Brown. The member of New Edition split off to a solo career about the same time as Whitney's meteoric rise and the two of them began a whirlwind relationship which dominated the gossip columns and entertainment magazines, right up until their wedding in 1992. With both of their careers soaring, it seemed like everything was going great for the two of them, who welcomed their daughter Bobbi Kristina the following year.
The story of what happened next was told, then retold from Bobby's perspective, where he claimed that Whitney introduced HIM to drugs. I'm not certain how many people bought that concept.
No matter how it happened, the combination of these two personalities proved to be disaster, and that cannot be denied. So, I had to select a song that I can stomach hearing this guy perform and for me, one where he is begging for mercy seems to fit the bill. A song where he is asking to be treated with respect, with thoughtfulness, with kindness, sums up the story of a life where he apparently didn't do any of that with the people he should have cared about the most.
My selection for Day 12 is: Bobby Brown - "Don't Be Cruel."