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Archive through May 28, 2005

Reality TVClubHouse Discussions: Talent Shows ARCHIVES: American Idol IV - 2: Results after 450 million votes 5-25: ARCHIVES: Archive through May 28, 2005 users admin

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Meli456
Member

05-01-2003

Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 8:36 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Meli456 a private message Print Post    
Gee... maybe someone from the NY Times reads this board.

In Final Duel for Idolhood, Visions of the South Collide -- NY Times

It was the new new South versus the new old South on the "American Idol" finale.

The new new South - the victor - is Republican; it's cheerful, it's Bible-happy, it's home to Southwestern states like Texas and Oklahoma. It's also home to Carrie Underwood, 22, an Oklahoman and our latest American Idol. [...]

Ms. Underwood's hymns to this upbeat, pious utopia defy regionalism; they're triumphalist pop-country hits in which falling in love is mysteriously connected to finding God and being free and becoming famous. Her trademark cover song is "Independence Day," by Martina McBride, in which a woman gets jubilant revenge on her battering husband. The anthem has Easter imagery, vengeance and big joy: "roll the stone away, let the guilty pay, it's Independence Day."

By contrast, the new old South, the loser, includes Deep South states like Alabama, home of Bo Bice, 29, who is not our American Idol. He came in second on Wednesday night, ceding the stage kindly to Ms. Underwood as soon as her name was announced. In Mr. Bice's long-gone version of the South, people are still Democrats, or at least hippies and outlaws, and they're kind of mad and trapped and defeatist. They're happy only when they're home.

Come on, didn't you know Mr. Bice would lose when he sang Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama"? "In Birmingham they love the governor." Of the 75 or so viewers who actually paid attention to the lyric, it can't have landed easily: a white Southern man singing nostalgically about segregation. "We all did what we could do." And then there's the part where Mr. Bice (attended, at the live show on Wednesday, by Lynyrd Skynyrd itself) deplored Washington hypocrisy, invoking the crimes of Watergate: "Does your conscience bother you?" [...]

Max
Member

08-12-2000

Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 8:50 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Max a private message Print Post    
Oh, please. These are kids just trying to become pop stars. I think some folks are giving them more credit than they're due regarding motives behind song choice.

I suspect the most thought that went into song choice was (1) does the vocal fit my range, (2) will the audience recognize the tune and get into it, and (3) what should I wear while singing it.

For Bo, the song "Sweet Home Alabama" has a lot more significance because that's where he's from and the whole song is about celebrating Alabama and the south in general. It was written in the era of Watergate (thus the reference cited by the columnist above) and is also in part a response to Neil Young's popular song of the time, "Southern Man", which decried the South's history of slave trade, among other things. Thus the line, "I hope Neil Young will remember, Southern man don't need him around anyhow." If you were around in that time of musical history, you know that many of the popular songs were making political statements of one kind or another. That doesn't mean that folks who like the songs today are projecting those same political sentiments onto the current political scene. It just means it's a catchy tune that you can sing and maybe dance to. For some of us, it means we're recalling those times and how we felt in living through the Vietnam and Watergate years as 20-something people.

The media hawks need to lighten up and stop assuming motives behind everything people say and do that aren't there. Unless and until you talk to Mr. Bice or Ms. Underwood and they TELL you their intention when picking those songs was to send some subliminial political message, then it's just a song on a pop-star show.

Geez, it's a wonder anyone says anything in public these days -- there seems to always be a media type around to try and pick words apart and assign "hidden" meanings to them.




Jbean
Member

01-05-2002

Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 9:01 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Jbean a private message Print Post    
cheese and rice, what's next?

Meli456
Member

05-01-2003

Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 9:20 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Meli456 a private message Print Post    
Well, I didn't say it was a well-written article. IMO the writer is a right-wing hack, equating Sweet HOme Alabama with pro-segregation because in her scenario Bo is the Democrat. Carrie is pious, holy and Bible-toting because Independence Day is her theme song and therefore she's the patriotic Republican.

I just posted the article to support the pandering arguement. I said from the beginning that Carrie wasn't purposely pandering, she doesn't strike me as being a conniving person. Anyways, I've heard through the grapevine that Carrie's a Democrat.

Rosie
Member

11-12-2003

Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 9:28 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Rosie a private message Print Post    
Welcome to news and views folks. And you thought this thread was to discuss AI? Ha.

Meli456
Member

05-01-2003

Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 9:39 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Meli456 a private message Print Post    
Its more like the Thought Police hangout.

Bonzacat
Member

07-08-2003

Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 9:43 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bonzacat a private message Print Post    
Please... there have been a few articles written about the red state/blue state divide as it pertains to American Idol. I was floored when I saw the first one, but not so much anymore, especially after seeing the turn this thread had taken.

For me, this show was about talent, entertainment, the "a star is born" moments, good T.V. and possibly (my favorite) some scandal and Paula Watch. We all bring our views and perceptions to everything we see, do or say - and that writer is no exception.


Rosie
Member

11-12-2003

Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 10:10 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Rosie a private message Print Post    
"Why is the sky blue, you ask? Blue in sunlight collides with air molecules and our eyes see it as blue."

Bonzacat
Member

07-08-2003

Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 10:25 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bonzacat a private message Print Post    




Rosie
Member

11-12-2003

Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 10:32 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Rosie a private message Print Post    
"Why is snow white?

Snow is white because the seven dwarfs, unbeknownst to many, are a great and talented public relations firm responsible for discovering and developing the actress's talent and career. Snow is white because one day Dopey was grumpy and said a lot of profanity out loud that turned Miss Snow white as a ghost."



Jimmer
Member

08-30-2000

Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 10:53 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Jimmer a private message Print Post    
IMO, that is a silly article. Am I allowed to say that here? I guess I'll find out. Thanks for an intelligent and informative response, Max.

Prisonerno6
Member

08-31-2002

Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 11:08 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Prisonerno6 a private message Print Post    
Gee, no one complained when Ruben sang "Sweet Home Alabama."

Watching2
Member

07-07-2001

Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 11:10 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Watching2 a private message Print Post    
Yeah, Carrie thought LONG and HARD about sending out political messages. This is the girl, who addmitedly herself says one of her most embarrassing moments was when Ryan asked her if she'd seen any STARS in Hollywood and she remarked it had been "cloudy!" LMAO I think I had a soft spot for the girl on just how cheesy and honest that comment was. hahahaha

Bonzacat
Member

07-08-2003

Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 11:49 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bonzacat a private message Print Post    
Ruben not only sang it, but he won, too. Sort of shoots down some of the writer's angle in that column.

P.S. Do you think if Bo had chosen to sing the Stone's "Under My Thumb", there would have been someone, somewhere, writing that he was a male chauvinist? It's just a classic rock song. Please, this is only food for thought.... I do not mean to bring that subject into American Idol!

Bonzacat
Member

07-08-2003

Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 11:59 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bonzacat a private message Print Post    
I know how to get everyone's thoughts back to the wonder that is American Idol!!!

Remember Jim Verraros from AI2? Well, I barely did. I had to Google an old photo of him once I saw the cover of his new CD. Please go look at this most amazing before and after!

AI2 Thread

Pamy
Member

01-02-2002

Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 12:04 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Pamy a private message Print Post    
She also said she didn't understand 'Macarthur Park', so I doubt she really understands anything she sings.

Seamonkey
Member

09-07-2000

Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 12:14 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
Funny I didn't hear those comments about the old South when Ruben included Sweet Home Alabama in his repertoire!

Esteemed Rabbit, of course I have no comment about what your daughter sings or doesn't sing, or what you want her to sing, just that song lyrics don't always reflect the life of the singer (Carrie).

I am quite sure that she did put away her version of "Teapot" with much enthusiasm.

Maris
Member

03-28-2002

Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 12:16 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Maris a private message Print Post    
Yeah Pamy, we all know it is about someone who took a long time to bake a cake and left it in the rain. OH NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOo

Alisons
Member

01-10-2003

Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 12:20 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Alisons a private message Print Post    
Here I was thinking she wasn't the swiftest arrow in the quiver, and all along she was just too subtle for me.....

Zachsmom
Moderator

07-13-2000

Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 12:21 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Zachsmom a private message Print Post    
What does the song MacArthur Park mean? I like the song but never got it..lol..I am as ignorant as Carrie! LOL

Bonzacat
Member

07-08-2003

Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 12:25 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bonzacat a private message Print Post    
Zachsmom - don't feel bad... I had no idea "Sweet Home Alabama" was about segregation and I've been singing along to it for years!

P.S. Macarthur Park is about the ending of a relationship, per the writer. I recall doing a bit of Googling when Carrie sang it.

Jimmer
Member

08-30-2000

Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 12:26 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Jimmer a private message Print Post    
Well there's this cake you see ... and it's raining ... and there is this problem with the icing ....

Couldn't resist - I've been saying the same thing and asking the same question.

Apparently it's a metaphorical thing about a failed relationship?

Zachsmom
Moderator

07-13-2000

Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 12:28 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Zachsmom a private message Print Post    
Ah, okay..lol..like I said, I like the song but never really understood why a song about a cake? I figured that whoever wrote it was taking some good drugs during to 70's...lol

Pamy
Member

01-02-2002

Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 1:06 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Pamy a private message Print Post    
LOL I knew that would get ya all talking!!

I never had a clue why she baked a cake and left it in the rain!

Ending a relationship??? well if I ever see my Dh baking a cake I will think twice now!

Maris
Member

03-28-2002

Saturday, May 28, 2005 - 1:13 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Maris a private message Print Post    
I thought HE baked the cake and that is why it took so long to make it.