RationalWiki: The Musical
I am offended[edit]
@Spud, I take exception to Spock's rendition of "The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins" being classified as 'not crapola', but to each their own. Is not Captain Kirk's rendition of "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds"[1] of equal quality? Bongolian (talk) 20:25, 28 February 2024 (UTC)
- @Bongolian Well, I'm glad you don't seem to think anything else I've added is "crapola". (Apart, perhaps, from Frank Sinatra's "Fly Me to the Moon". I can't imagine what your problem was with that, especially since you let his "Witchcraft" stay.) Spock's "The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins" is definitely silly. But it's supposed to be silly. It's also a bit of a grower. On the other hand, Kirk's "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" is just awful. And it stops being "so bad, it's funny" after a few seconds. To see if he got better over the years, I just listened to his cover of Pulp's "Common People"[2] and wish I hadn't! Spud (talk) 15:39, 29 February 2024 (UTC)
- At least that Shatner Pulp cover had Joe Jackson to help carry it. :)
- There are less silly songs that reference fantasy like Tolkien (e.g. Led Zeppelin's "Ramble On")[3]
- Of course, if you want your high fantasy mixed with a little bit of that over-the-top / cheesy je nais se quoi, IMHO nothing beats the "power metal" genre's obsession with epic fantasy (particularly the European Helloween-inspired branch of this genre.) For instance, the power metal band Blind Guardian wrote an entire album based on Tolkien's The Silmarillion.[4] As with most "subgenre" type stuff like this, "your mileage may vary" considerably on whether or not you think it is awesome or crap. BobJohnson (talk) 18:16, 29 February 2024 (UTC)
- Yes, if one accepts Kirk's hamminess as a strength, then it's a classic. There's a radio station that once had an annual "Sore Throat Special" that would play failed attempts by actors not known for their singing abilities who made records. Both Kirk and Spock were always featured. Yeah, I don't like Sinatra — too much schmaltz. Astrud Gilberto's cover version of Fly Me to the Moon is superior in my view.[5] Bongolian (talk) 18:24, 29 February 2024 (UTC)
Spinal Tap's Stonehenge[edit]
@Bongolian I don't mind, I'm just curious. Why did you change the version of "Stonehenge" I've posted a few months ago? GeeJayKWhere all evil dwells Where every lie is true 14:48, 22 March 2024 (UTC)
- I think it was because the YouTube video that you had put up was only showing audio when I looked at it.[6] Bongolian (talk) 17:10, 22 March 2024 (UTC)
Eastwood[edit]
@Spud, Is the idea of Clint Eastwood singing as bad as it sounds? I hesitate to listen. I imagine its down around Shatner's "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds". Bongolian (talk) 16:38, 1 April 2024 (UTC)
- @Bongolian Funnily enough, no. It's not that bad. He's a better singer than Captain Kirk. (Not that that's saying much.) Spud (talk) 16:54, 1 April 2024 (UTC)
- I saw 'Paint Your Wagon' on a bus trip to protest the Key stone XL pipeline. I am not a short man, a bus seat is not that great as it stands. A good friend of mine was on the trip and had recently lost his father, was prescribed Klonopin, and zonked out on me. I mean ON me. So here I am, on a 24 hour bus trip, with a man bigger than me using me as a pillow, and I'm supposed to suddenly enjoy musicals because Clint Eastwood is singing, but what am I supposed to focus on except watching the movie? They called the wind Mariah, fine, I call the bus ride... It's fine-a.... I dunno cut me some slack, I haven't thought about the movie in a while, we're talking Obama era activism. I'm not mad about it. But I still don't like musicals, and we beat the Keystone XL and I met Debra White Plume by accident and it's not like we rode home on a different bus under different circumstances. The worst part of the trip was Paint Your Wagon, by far. Homie can zoot out asleep on me in cramped quarters a million times before I care to suffer that movie again. Torrent (talk) 06:27, 17 March 2025 (UTC)
Controversial themes[edit]
For a matter of comparison, "Angel of Death" was possibly my most controversial contribution to this page, but I've been thinking about adding songs about suicide and child abuse too for a while, though I'm not sure I should. My rule of thumb since I created my first account on a Wiki when I was in middle school, almost 20 years ago, was "if you're not sure, don't add it". What do you guys think? GeeJayKWhere all evil dwells Where every lie is true 13:27, 17 June 2024 (UTC)
- @GeeJayK I think you gave yourself some very good advice 20 or so years ago. I really think adding songs about those topics would be a bad idea. In fact, how are songs about hurting children even allowed on YouTube? Oh, wait! I guess Suzanne Vega's "Luka" would count. Spud (talk) 14:09, 17 June 2024 (UTC)
- Yep, I won't add them. Regarding your question, they are often released by mainstream labels (see for instance Korn's "Falling Away from Me
", so YouTube tends to allow them despite the controversial lyrics. GeeJayKWhere all evil dwells Where every lie is true 14:15, 17 June 2024 (UTC)
- Just because there is a song about an article that doesn't mean it should be here. GeeJayKWhere all evil dwells Where every lie is true 14:20, 17 June 2024 (UTC)
- I added "Rape Me"
by Nirvana, so I don't see why heavy topics can't be approached. Though one for "suicide" would need to be very particular so I would suggest discussions before adding any songs for that. Plutocow (talk) 00:00, 18 June 2024 (UTC)
- I played bass guitar on this track, it was an exploration of suicidal ideation, three members of the five piece were in really damaged emotional spots, myself included. So the lead, the drums, and I were all really into the track. The lead wrote it from the perspective of, well, himself, doing the Carbon Monoxide poison, but actually caring so much about his dogs that he just wishes somebody would tie him to the train tracks so he didn't have to do it himself. Which made me feel seen when working on it. I have attempted suicide by helium mask, but it didn't work because it sucked. My whole body started burning and I don't exactly remember removing the mask. Suicide is a hard topic, but it's a real human thing.[7]. It's human, and I can say both those guys are in better spots than when we made the song and I think making the song helped us. It is maybe a little specific and surreal to help anyone else, but I believe it can be helpful to know the rest of the world feels the things you feel. Torrent (talk) 06:52, 11 March 2025 (UTC)
- I added "Rape Me"
- Yep, I won't add them. Regarding your question, they are often released by mainstream labels (see for instance Korn's "Falling Away from Me
I am still offended[edit]
Duran Duran is crapola (pop rock). Bongolian (talk) 15:42, 1 July 2024 (UTC)
- I also take offense to Crapola. But I also think Rush is not that good, but I like Joyce Manor. If I never hear another hit Queen song again, it would be a relief. Being an absolute hater comes with the responsibility of being quiet when people enjoy crap, because generally what I enjoy is rough. It has to have something to do with cilantro. I just do not understand why anyone would put cilantro on anything. I can survive it, with silent effort, but I do not understand how anyone could enjoy cilantro, it tastes so stringent. And the people who like Cilantro don't even exalt it, they are just like 'Iunno, it's good.' So I dunno why I don't like Max Martin songs, but I think I do know why people like like them especially. I think taking normal English and pronouncing it a little weird creates an ear worm, Max Martin being Swedish might have stumbled into that. Britney Spears broke out with a Max Martin song, 'Hit me Baby' but she started with 'oh baybay baybay' and then Nsync had 'it's gonna be mayeuh' I don't think it's the only thing they did to create their massive stardom, but I think the first step is a strange ear worm that Max Martin is really good at. It tastes awful to me, but I have to get over the fact that it is fine and good to pretty much everybody else. I don't understand cilantro or Max Martin, but it apparently works well enough that it goes into everything popular. Can you imagine hating Pho? I have to quietly hate Pho because every time I've had it, it's all cilantro. I am entirely uninterested in Duran Duran. I also don't like Green Day, I don't like like Taylor Swift, I don't like Beyonce, I don't like Imagine Dragons, I don't like Billie Eilish, and it's not because I don't have pop sensebilities. It's because if you pin me down, it actually sucks, in my opinion. But apparently everybody else likes it. To me, it's Cilantro. Not my fault I hate it, not their fault everybody else eats it up. Duran Duran was 'huongry' like the 'woholf' and I think those two pronunciations were just barely off enough, paired with just a weird use of English 'Smell like I sound' to create an ear worm. I mean, I like 'Zombie' by the Cranberries, but I couldn't do a karaoke of it without throwing a terrible Irish accent on it. 'With their tanks and their bumbs and their bumbs, ind their gohns.'. it is overselling, but when I hear it I can't separate it. Sia, who cares about Sia anymore, had a very popular song called 'Chandelier' with a lyric 'one two tree one two tree drink'. I guess she had tried to sell it to Rihanna. Sia is from Australia, she doesn't need to say 'three' like she is from Barbados. I think the pop market wants something simultaneously unique and familiar, and I think the fastest way is to either pronounce a word with a little extra exoticism, or to say something a little incomprehensible. But pop music is so boring otherwise. Torrent (talk) 09:17, 11 March 2025 (UTC)
Request for album art, and like, who gets to do that in the first place, and what are the conventions?[edit]
I think Neil Young and Crazy Horse's 'Zuma' is pretty tight. Iconic album, some of the least professional looking but most human art you'll ever see. I mean, I like Zappa, but Hot Rats has a better photo of the guy. Who is L7? I'm digging the music but who is L7? I need rules here or I'ma go nuts (NOTexactlySFW album art but you could talk your way out of it). The album is called 'Something Vicious for Tomorrow / Time Whore.' Seems somewhat cohesively appropriate to my question, altogether, even if it is from 1992. I forgot to sign, I know, I know. Torrent (talk) 11:47, 7 July 2025 (UTC)
- @Torrent I can answer one question. L7
are an American all-female punk band formed in 1985. They split in 2001 but reformed in 2014 and are still going. The 1992 single "Pretend We're Dead" is their biggest hit. Spud (talk) 13:53, 7 July 2025 (UTC)
- Via context, I think the answer is 'No, Torrent, you're not allowed to do that.' And so respected. but check out this album art on a record I own (I don't have a signed copy,) I'm not that type of collector, buta song I contributed that remains prescient but I get it too, if music ain't your bag. Life can be fun in many complicated ways, I actually own a broken record player. The lid came off but the tunes are still pretty solid, haha. Torrent (talk) 04:54, 17 July 2025 (UTC)
Petition to remove my first entry, and I hate this organization method[edit]
Look, my contribution rules as a song, but it isn't a great introduction to a playlist. However, the song https://youtu.be/bMq1PiUbf-M?feature=shared 9\11 building 7 is a great way to start and alphabetically correct. I'm just gonna remove my own contribution, I think it's still in 'human rights' anyway Torrent (talk) 08:30, 19 July 2025 (UTC)
- Keep in mind I also contributed that Sinead OConner song that only makes me cry if I'm not watching the video that absolutely confounds me with the horse because I don't get symbolism, and the Monty Python track, that only made me cry the one time, because jokes aRe funniest the first time you hear them. But that was also my contribution, I'm removing a link in good faith. Torrent (talk) 08:34, 19 July 2025 (UTC)
- We're generally pretty slack about rules for Funspace. Bongolian (talk) 01:53, 20 July 2025 (UTC)
- I still think it's worth some discussion if a link is moved or removed. I'm pretty slack about the fun space in general, but I want to define certain things. I am not itching to move anyone else's contributions, and would never. I just had to change an open fun space so that the very first track wasn't so spicy. imagine not being into art rock or metal but being curious about the musical page, and the first thing you click is a wild exhibition of tough to parse music. It's a killer track, but it's not the first track, and it isn't so important to me that it must be track one. I think it's better if the first track is more of an amuse bouche, the meat is all in there, but a track like that can be off putting to more sensitive palates. I corrected it once and it got reverted back to top billing, so this time I wanted everything clear, communicated, and understood, because I like the page and I want it to be welcoming. if somebody draws a connection between a song they love and their life, awesome, I really want to hear it, don't care how it works. "It's a fool who looks for logic in the chambers of the human heart." That's George Clooney in the Cohen Brothers' film 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?' I am willing to do my own part to keep my contributions cohesive. But that's a special responsibility because my brain works a little different. It's not your responsibility, and I'm not afraid of criticism. I just hate being glad handed or edited like I don't know what I'm talking about. Torrent (talk) 05:20, 20 July 2025 (UTC)
- You're not the only one whose additions to this page have been moved. Or removed. Mine have too. Get over it! And I think anyone prepared to click on a song about abortion isn't expecting The Carpenters. Spud (talk) 06:40, 20 July 2025 (UTC)
- This must be a test, right? Get over it? The first song is now a a bluegrass Mississippi style parody, I listened to it and joked in style. I don't think you want to talk to me about getting over things in sassy ways, so I'ma get over that comment real quick. We all got our boulders to push, Spud, fuck me if I ain't doing my best to help us all get up that hill. Torrent (talk) 08:53, 20 July 2025 (UTC)
- searched my soul, my deepest annoyed self, one apology would help, if I'm gonna be honest. Torrent (talk) 11:35, 20 July 2025 (UTC)
- @Torrent I didn't mean to upset you. I'm sorry. Spud (talk) 12:04, 20 July 2025 (UTC)
- @Spud nor I you, hope we can get both get over this. Thank you for the apology. I think I really needed it. I do listen to the songs, I wouldn't bother if I didn't. Another prescient song, Yo La Tengo's "Stockholm Syndome" Torrent (talk) 01:09, 21 July 2025 (UTC)
- @Torrent I didn't mean to upset you. I'm sorry. Spud (talk) 12:04, 20 July 2025 (UTC)
- You're not the only one whose additions to this page have been moved. Or removed. Mine have too. Get over it! And I think anyone prepared to click on a song about abortion isn't expecting The Carpenters. Spud (talk) 06:40, 20 July 2025 (UTC)
- I still think it's worth some discussion if a link is moved or removed. I'm pretty slack about the fun space in general, but I want to define certain things. I am not itching to move anyone else's contributions, and would never. I just had to change an open fun space so that the very first track wasn't so spicy. imagine not being into art rock or metal but being curious about the musical page, and the first thing you click is a wild exhibition of tough to parse music. It's a killer track, but it's not the first track, and it isn't so important to me that it must be track one. I think it's better if the first track is more of an amuse bouche, the meat is all in there, but a track like that can be off putting to more sensitive palates. I corrected it once and it got reverted back to top billing, so this time I wanted everything clear, communicated, and understood, because I like the page and I want it to be welcoming. if somebody draws a connection between a song they love and their life, awesome, I really want to hear it, don't care how it works. "It's a fool who looks for logic in the chambers of the human heart." That's George Clooney in the Cohen Brothers' film 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?' I am willing to do my own part to keep my contributions cohesive. But that's a special responsibility because my brain works a little different. It's not your responsibility, and I'm not afraid of criticism. I just hate being glad handed or edited like I don't know what I'm talking about. Torrent (talk) 05:20, 20 July 2025 (UTC)
- We're generally pretty slack about rules for Funspace. Bongolian (talk) 01:53, 20 July 2025 (UTC)
I didn't know this was somebody's pet page[edit]
What is the point of an open wiki if only established users can contribute to it? 71.1.227.139 (talk) 01:47, 11 August 2025 (UTC)