Are you more forgiving of the schmaltz of your youth now?

If you don’t ever think to check out the articles, you should. Anyway, one of my favorite articles was from back in June when Ira describes an mp3 he got of a station and dj’s he used to listen to as a kid. His enthusiasm reminded me of my own love of AM radio. And it brought to light something I’ve noticed in myself ... I’m starting to rediscover, reassess and enjoy the schmaltz of my youth.

I’ll listen to the local oldies station and find myself thinking ‘wow, Barry Manilow and the carpenters were really masters of their craft. How did they make these incredible records? They were designed to rip apart your heart’ Ferrante and Teicher anyone?

In my teens, I certainly thumbed my nose at ‘70s MOR crap’ as I discovered Devo and Black Flag. But now I hear it in a different, more empathetic light. I know, i know...it’s pathetic.

But I’m wondering if it’s a common arc. Regardless of your age— Are you more forgiving of the shlock of your early youth than you used to be?

You say schmaltz as if there's something wrong with that. Have you ever had any of Harry Getzov's schmaltz? He makes perhaps the best schmaltz I’ve ever had!

_____________________________
"Well, Joey sick of Christina - light a bonfire under her..."

On the thread about old people's lousy taste in music, I mentioned a big cache of records I recently acquired. A lot of them were artists I would've dismissed as "schmaltz," not too long ago. The above-mentioned Ferrante & Teicher were there, along with Mantovani. The crates included Perry Como, Pat Boone, Paul Anka, Tom Jones, Tony Bennett ... along with Joanie Somers, Ed Ames and a lot of other singers I'd never heard of (but that my parents sure had).

Except for Pat Boone, I didn't dismiss any of it without at least giving it a quick listen. Most of the vinyl, as I mentioned, was too shoddy to keep. But I took notes on quite a few of those records. Better copies may well turn up in the used bins someday, during one of my shopping jaunts.

Speaking of shopping: in the past year or two, I've grown more eager to pick up music from my parents' teenage days. I've acquired some nice vinyl sides by Elvis, Bill Haley & the Comets, Chuck Berry, Roy Orbison, and a few others. Most of these aren't collectibles, just reissues in good shape. I sure hope travel becomes safe enough, soon, for my parents to sit in my music room and listen to a few of them.

I’ve never renounced the mashed potato schmaltz of my youth. I still have great affection for such songs as “Rhinestone Cowboy,” “Convoy,” “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” “Devil Woman,” and all the great disco hits of the Seventies, from “The Hustle” to “A Fifth of Beethoven.” Plus I’ve always admired Abba. Jon Young noted in one of his “Hit and Run” columns that the band “is criticized frequently for what they’re not (i.e. hip). What they are is breathtaking.” I can’t say it any better than that. The sonic architecture of “Dancing Queen” is a wonder to behold.

I love Ferrante & Teicher’s rendition of John Barry’s Midnight Cowboy theme, as well as great instrumentals like Mason Williams’ “Classical Gas” and Floyd Cramer’s “Last Date.”

When I was twelve, I bought the 45 of Foreigner’s “Hot Blooded.” (This remains the only Foreigner record I’ve ever purchased.) I was quite familiar with the A-side, which was being played seemingly everywhere in the Summer of ’78. But what really knocked me out was the instrumental B-side “Tramontane,” which I spun incessantly. I thought at the time that it would have made a fantastic theme for a horror film. Years later, when I finally got to see the movies that Goblin scored for Dario Argento, I decided that the band must have seen either Deep Red or Suspiria, and were trying to capture that amazing Goblin sound. Has anyone else noticed the similarity between “Tramontane” and the Argento soundtracks? To the best of my knowledge, Foreigner never recorded anything else like it again. More's the pity.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/15/2020 01:38PM by Middle C.

Middle C Wrote:
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> I’ve never renounced the mashed potato schmaltz of
> my youth. I still have great affection for such
> songs as “Rhinestone Cowboy,” “Convoy,” “The Wreck
> of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” “Devil Woman,” and all
> the great disco hits of the Seventies, from “The
> Hustle” to “A Fifth of Beethoven.”

I never found the depressing, minor-key folk tune "The Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald" to be schmaltzy. It was too weird for that. And Gordon Lightfoot didn't have much range but I could listen to his voice all day. He sang with a dignity I appreciated.

Funny you should say that. Today, the song coursing through my skull the second half of the day [the first half of the day was "The Dance" by John Foxx + The Maths] has been "Sky High" by Jigsaw. I've not heard it in 40+ years but my cells remember it pretty well, I think. Quite a production - Alan Parson's prog chops meet pure pop, but the lyrics still leave much to be desired! "Dancing Queen?" Pretty campy, but if you're talking "Knowing Me, Knowing You" that's brilliance! I think I'm more impressed by the music of my childhood that was truly astonishing even then. Things like "Fight The Power" by the Isley Brothers are only even better 40+ years later.

Some years back I found myself drifting towards feeling conciliatory towards musicians I've always hated [like Steve Miller] just because they were "professionals" with a long career. Then I snapped out of it!

Former TP subscriber [81, 82, 83, 84]

[postpunkmonk.com]
For further rumination on the Fresh New Sound of Yesterday®



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/16/2020 12:22PM by Post-Punk Monk.

I can't think of an artist in the US who has the status Lightfoot has to Canadians.
And on a similar note: Burton Cummings.
Oh Canada, oh but you're weird and wonderful.

Nope, not more forgiving for schmaltz.
But good pop...

Zeppelin recorded in ABBA's studio.
Their fabric is studied today in production classes.
The topic is usually "How did they get away with flying in dozens of overdubs and bounces, and not get mud?"

EDIT:: confusing typohs



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/13/2020 04:37AM by Paganizer.