Pop

["Andy Gough, x4-2906, pager 420-2284, CH2-59" <@hermes.intel.com:AGOUGH@AZ.intel.com>]

J. Drukman writes:
>From: jondr@sco.COM (Karen Silkwood's car)
>Subject: Re: This is pop?
>Organization: The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc.
>Date: Tue, 18 Feb 1992 19:35:58 GMT
>
>brownfld@mrcnext.cso.uiuc.EDU (Kenneth R Brownfield) writes:
>>cynthia@bsbbs.UUCP (Cynthia Rosas) writes:
>>     Pop as a genre would include RuTH, for instance, because it made it in
>>the top 40 pop charts.  I would not, however, call the song pop, because it
>>doesn't fit the degradatory stereotype that pop can represent as well.  It's
>>both, and pop arguments always get confusing that way.
>
>Sure it does - verse/chorus/verse/chorus/bridge/chorus ad infinitum.  What's
>missing?  You can even HUM the tune.  Not to mention that there's a dance
>remix, even.

Agreed, but RUTH fails at pop perfection.  In addition to the features you
mention, the perfect pop song is less than 3 minutes long and has a long 
instrumental introduction and ending--so that the pop DJ's can talk over both 
the beginning and end of the song.

RUTH has a long instrumental introduction, but ends with the "It's only good
if you're running up that hill" chant.  I don't remember how long it is, but
I think it's over 3 minutes.  The remix is about 5 minutes as I remember, and
has the chant at the beginning and the end--so it's kindof the anti-pop version
of RUTH.

>Embrace POP!  Love your POP!  Personally, I have an extreme weakness for
>incredibly overproduced girlpop of the Fuzzbox or recent Propaganda ilk.  I
>might even admit to liking a few bananarama songs if you were to pump me
>full of drugs (somebody please volunteer).

Pop is like bubblegum--you stop chewing when you get tired of it.  It doesn't
last.

KaTe's music is like false teeth--you need them for long-term survival.

>Nothing wrong with pop, as a basic concept.  It's just the purveyors of
>worthless, bland, cookie-cutter pop that need to die.

I don't like the 3 minute rule, though.  I'd like all songs to be 5 minutes or 
longer--provided that the time is filled with substance, not just an extra
long bridge.

-andy