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Civilizations are defined by their architecture and music
by Joseph Earnest December 21, 2011
Newscast Media HOUSTON, Texas — A couple of years ago, I decided to start collecting vinyl records or LPs (Long Play) as they are usually referred to. One of the reasons among many, is that we live in the information age and everything is being digitized. With the government moving to regulate the Internet, soon music lovers will not be able to access free songs on sites like YouTube, because the feds are drafting laws to restrict sharing of digital media.
Right now, if you want to listen to a song from the 80s that you may not have in your collection, all you have to do is go to YouTube or even Rhapsody, simply type in the name of the song, and you're set.
In order to preserve some of the music that can only be found on LPs, I decided I would start an LP collection, since I already have a serious CD collection that is solid. I started with George Benson's Twice The Love album that I purchased on eBay since I could not find it on CD anywhere. The experience of collecting rare classics is quite satisfying though I only do it as a hobby.
Every culture is defined by its music and architecture. Even the nomads who move from place to place still have their distinct music that defines them. The same applies to buildings or architectural styles; for example, Japanese traditional buildings are different from Indians. That's what defines them. Even indigenous tribes like the Masai of Africa build differently than the Eskimos in North America.
In my quest to collect music that I suspect might become extremely hard to come by within the next decade, it is undeniable from the evidence I have on hand that the 80s produced that best quality of music. Some reading this may beg to differ, and you are free to add your input in the 'comments' section. What makes music from the 80s stand out is that the musicians took time to write meaningful lyrics that had stories behind them and also depth. Their music had substance.
There are some who listen to music for the melody. Others listen to the beat, while some listen to the lyrics. Everyone has an aspect of music that captivates the listener. In regard to melody, I have found that the violin creates the sweetest melody of any musical piece, whether it is used as a background or lead instrument. However, the bass guitar seems to be the most hypnotizing instrument, and has always captivated me.
As far as sensuality, the piano will always reign supreme, but is rivaled by the flamenco guitar, if one really knows how to pluck it. The two leading flamenco guitarists being Armik and Ottmar Liebert. Some musicians can almost make their instruments speak. When you listen to Paul Young's Everytime You Go Away, the bass guitarist makes that instrument speak, even in a hip-hop song like Reckless by Ice-T from movie Breakin' soundtrack—whoever plucks that bass guitar is a virtuoso.
Other genres like Rock also have the ability to fuse the electric guitar and the bass guitar into something sensational like the song Fly Away by Lenny Kravitz that has a catchy bassline amalgamated with the electric guitar. Just as the electric guitar is the hallmark of Rock, while the violin defines classical music, Dancehall Reggae is defined by the bass guitar.
The musician whose style took me the longest to understand was Anita Baker. I couldn't get into her music for almost half a decade. I finally got to appreciate her unique style, yet she is still one of the most underrated singers in the music industry. Another underrated singer who belongs in the same sentence as Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross and Patti LaBelle, is Roberta Flack, who has a very distinctive voice and an impressive collaboration track record.
We currently have singers who almost sound alike and haven't been able to distinguish themselves from the pack. When you look back to the divas like SADE, her voice defines her, not her dance videos or how much skin she reveals. Even Bonnie Tyler's husky voice in Total Eclipse Of The Heart, is her unique trademark, while Patti LaBelle is known for her artful screaming, yet staying true to form.
You have to love Mizz LaBelle in her classics New Attitude, and also Stir It Up, a track that was part of Eddie Murphy's Beverly Hills Cop I soundtrack. She has mastered the art of screaming while she sings, that even in her ballad If You Asked Me To that she did in 1989, and was later duplicated by Celine Dion in 1992, maintains the intended sensuality as she hits the major and minor notes in the song.
As I mentioned earlier, lyrics do play a major part in terms of delivering the intended message in a song. My listening experience reveals that by far, the greatest lyricist of our time is Charles Hart, who wrote the lyrics to The Phantom of The Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber. His lyrics have made The Phantom the highest-grossing entertainment event of all time; the most financially successful theatrical show ever; and the most successful entertainment project in history.
The lyrics to The Phantom Of The Opera are so compelling, believe it or not, this journalist memorized the entire musical by heart.
An effective musician is one who creates music that resonates with, and enthralls the listener, whereby both become one. This is not limited to just listening, it also applies to dance, where the rhythm is what moves the dancer. Being in such a state of oneness—between the dancer and music, or listener and melody, is what is referred to in slang as being hyped.
A perfect example of a song in which the listener becomes one with the music, is Andre Rieu's rendition of the song Ben originally performed by Michael Jackson. Such, is an example of a musician who can make his instrument speak. You simply have to listen for yourself to how intoxicating the violin is. Watch below:
There is no doubt that music has a therapeutic element to it
With legislation under consideration in Congress, such as the Stop Internet Piracy Act (SOPA) and PROTECT IP, 10-second clips to full-length documentaries are subject to removal from platforms like YouTube or Facebook under the terms of the proposed legislation. That is why a physical collection of music is more practical to own, to complement a digital musical library. Add Comments>>
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