Originally Posted by Fdemetrio
Originally Posted by Michael Zaneski
Originally Posted by Fdemetrio


But as i said before, singers play the character.





I think this is definitely a debatable topic because I question that it holds true for the average person in all cases. But giving that debate it's due is honestly beyond my scope right now.

That topic being "hearing the singer as playing a character or as himself."

There's an unwritten "code" I'm sure, such as the singer's personal history (are his/her songs usually pulled from his/her/life, the plausibility of the scenario, etc.)

But even then, I can imagine there are singers and older singers in particular who wouldn't "choose" to sing the song cuz they object to the lyric's content.

And I don't think it's an unnatural reaction to hear an older man singing "Tonight's The Night" and get a little creeped-out by it, even though, as you say, we're "supposed" to remember that "the singer is playing a character" --but why must we, isn't that up to the listener? Certainly you don't think the average listener should have a set of instructions to go with any given song.

The litmus test for me, with the Rod Stewart song is that I cannot imagine the song working even when sung by an age appropriate man. The song sets it up that this guy is older and flaunts that to some degree, and I find it icky. At best, it's an "R" rated version of "You Are 16 Going On 17" from "The Sound of Music" in which the guy tells the girl "you need someone older and wiser/telling you what to do" and honestly, I think THAT line has aged poorly as well.

And ultimately for me, even IF I keep it in my head Rod is playing a character, I am STILL creeped-out by the song.

Mike


its certainly open for debate. and im not saying your wrong either. it would be totally creepy if a man in his mid to late 20's was singing this to a teenage girl. But its not clear what the case is.

SIngers use first person "I" alot. seems to be the most powerful tense.

When Bruce sang "Hey little girl is your daddy home, did he go and leave you all alone, I got a bad desire" he was a 35 year old man singing that. Was it Bruce, bruce protraying the feelings of a pedofile his age, or was it a kid the same age as the girl?

When he sang about a construction worker who marries a teen girl, and takes her across state lines. was that HIM? was it him from persective of somebody else.

He certainly wasnt the serial killer he sang "I" in in Nebraska

Was Alice cooper in school when he released "Schools out? LOL

Was David Lee Roth in grammar school when he wrote and sang Hot for Teacher?

There are alot of songs about school and school love, the 50's were full of teen love songs that were song by older men.

Its a good topic to start just from a writing POV, the word "I" has ramifications.



"little red riding hood," "little girl," "baby," etc..all fine, with me, in the contexts they get used, 99% of the time.


"Virgin child" to me, though, is a little much. Too explicit. The word "virgin" is used because "tonight's the night" and it's too much for me. That combined with asking her to let her "inhibitions run wild" --yuck..

As I said, even if I imagine Rod playing a character..still creeped-out..and the music is pretty lame to me as well..

Whereas arguably darker things are going on in "Don't Fear the Reaper" and it's one of my favorite songs of all-time..go figure!!

Last edited by Michael Zaneski; 07/18/19 05:51 PM.
Fate doesn't hang on a wrong or right choice
Fortune depends on the tone of your voice

-The Divine Comedy (Neil Hannon)
from the song "Songs of Love"
from the album "Casanova" (1996)