In Pain Too Long When Pain Becomes A Song

Back in the day when the music was really good but still fun, we had tunes like Smokey Robinson's 'Tears of a Clown', then we had Teddy Pendergrass' 'Love TKO', and even further Gladys Knight & The Pips 'Neither One of Us' and other songs similar to this. Wait, how about Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On?' Now wasn't that tune politically/socially correct BUT fun?? Ok, ok...I'm sure you can think of more as you read but follow along with me here while I explain the title of this message. Those songs could have been that artist's own experience laid out in melodic form but we really never knew, did we?? Actually, I don't think we really cared nor took the time to think about it because we could relate or we just loved the tune for what we thought it was... a simple feel good song. We could dance and have fun while said artist could have been home bawlin' their eyes out. Years later, we still love the song no matter the pain it came from. Classic songs like this never die, but today... they sure not multiply.

Which brings me to another point... where has all the feel good music gone?? Why are the songs today created which such pain for personal gain? The painful songs of yesteryears have left some of those artist damn near broke. Today's songs of pain and even on into war words are seeing these so called artist set for life. But... will they be truly remembered?? Will the word "classic' ever be attached to such claimed "music" from 2007 even?? What made me come to all this deep thought about it is Xzibit has a tune on his last album entitled 'Scandalous B*****s and then the recent song by Katt entitled 'The Baby'. These songs were derived from a place where pain lead to financial gain - most apparent. So when I questioned Xzibit's need for a song like this on an album he claims is of "personal growth", I was told "artist need to release their stress too" and "this is how they do it". Uhmmmmmmm, isn't what you did with said individual you are hatin' on in song between you and said individual?? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out you're in pain if you've said ANY THING about the song laced victim in past interviews, routines, etc. But is that something we need to pay for?? Again, whatever happened to the fun music of yesterday? It's so far and few in-between the stuff they try to sell me called "music" that I revert to vocal LESS songs now.

I hate to say it, but I am all for these download sources like torrents and free post Blogs. Unfortunately for the artist and/or production companies, they're losing a rapid fast upload battle with people who take the one album and splash across the net in mere miliseconds. This hurts in many ways as we all know because not only are the fun songs gone but the days of album cover collecting are slim to none. The music scene today could careless about all the hard work the artist puts into creating fancy cover art, thanks you's to over 100 people nor the people who assisted in the making the album possible while earning a paycheck for it. When the pirated music scene began to hear the voices of people who actually did collect cover art, oh the digital printer boom was on. I made the sad mistake of purchasing a CD by BeBe Winans and thinking how happy I was to have it only to learn it was a copy. The cover art AND the CD art was so good, it took a real, real good look to even detect the flaw. Actually, the high tech CD player in my then car detected it but you see my point. For the record, I did buy his CD straight because I still want my real cover art... yes, even today. But thanks to free-Blog posts, I can forgo the waste of $$ put out on stuff people call "music". I'm not sorry as I know the artist/production people have bills to pay, kids to raise, Bentley's and oodles of clunky jewelry to buy. Put some real music out... but until then I'm still saving for my BMW on a half a BMW price and less salary.

So anyhow, back to the sadly personal music. So I'm listening to Katt's song 'The Baby' and I no longer feel good. I start to feel so sorry for the kid in the song that he's talking about. Whether this song is from personal experience or not is not known to me but I am just sad for no apparent reason. You can call me super sensitive if you like and you'd be right but I am entitled to chat about what ever I like. Now peep this, child grows up and hears this song of Daddy's just hatin' on Mommy. How does it affect the child and her/his views of each parent? I'm not a parent, so I can't image how hard it is to contain hurt and/or anger with the person whom you've had a child with when whatever you two had goes wrong. And you know what, it's one of several reasons I never had children but this ain't about me, so onwards. So I ask, when does your pain go away personally and PUBLICLY? When do you just look at what you have and be grateful like your preach to us?? When do you stop using the child to cover for the pain or love you still feel for said person in song?? Hmmm...

Wrapping this up, I know I chose men to talk about with this subject but I am sure there are women songs too so don't spam me with that correction. I listen to about 6 female songs a year so I can only dialogue on what I have in my collection. On track again, isn't whatever happened between you two is just that - between you two? Whatever happened to 'Let Go and Let GOD'? What if the female in the song could retaliate - in song? Do we get her version of this continual pain? Oh I hope not because this might never end, you know. I know what it does for me, it makes me stay away from people who have any kind of voice talent as for a real relationship. We break up and dude making $$'s off what we did or didn't do. Oh hecks no - I'm staying far, far away from recording artist. Seriously though, I'll stick to my favorite MUSIC from Boney James, Mindi Abair and other instrumentalists for now. The saxophone has yet to kiss and tell. ;)

BTW - I'm not hatin' on Xzibit nor Katt whom I've used as examples. I actually respect their ability to have put themselves out like this while dealing with the very real of it - ever single day of their private and public lives.