Watch-for-it Wednesday: "She Looks So Perfect" - 5 Seconds of Summer

I honestly never thought we'd come to a time when a potential pop hit would be a commercial for American Apparel underwear. And you know what? I'm not even mad about it.

When I saw these pretty boys and their band name and the song title, I thought that this could be anything from a sappy love ballad to... a sappy love ballad. In other words, I wasn't expecting a pop rock revival.

Lately, we've had indie rock hits here and there, but pop rock has died off, most likely thanks to Hot Chelle Rae, one of the worst bands I've heard in recent memory. But maybe these guys from New Zealand are the ones to bring it back.

I'm not even going to lie: I think this song is awesome. Is it goofy? Almost offensively so, yes. But it's so much fun as well. It has a beating pulse that's bound to beat right out of the wrist. Every time they go "heeeey, hey", I'm tempted to sing along. Of course, it would sound pretty strange to do so with headphones in, but that's the curse of living with other people.

I'm honestly not even sure what else to say here. I've spent so much time lately reviewing stuff I hate that I'm kind of floored when I hear something I really, really like. If you're going to do a silly pop song, this is how you do it. Heeeey, hey!

Billboard Success:

Will they have it?

Could go either way. They're good-looking enough for the shallower pop music listeners, but I'm not sure if people are quite ready for pop rock to come back. 

Should they have it?

Yes. For the love of God, yes. I don't have anything against Bastille or Lorde, but we need a good silly song in there to balance out the seriousness and bad silly songs.

CanTunes Tuesday: "We Are Stars" - Virginia to Vegas ft. Alyssa Reid

You know, there comes a time when you just need to listen to a tune that can lift you up. A tune that reminds you that you are special, and important, and unique, and no one can take you down except yourself. And sometimes those types of tunes don't work at all.

We are stars and
We are open-hearted

Yes, you are stars. You are open-hearted. Whaaaatever.

Look, there was a time when Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful"- wait, is that two entries in a row where I bring up this song? Anyway, there was a time when Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful" was all the rage. It touched the hearts of many and inspired even more. Hell, it's still popular today, and there's a very good reason for that: "Beautiful" is a damn good song.

You are beautiful no matter what they say
Words can't bring you down

The song promotes acceptance and self-empowerment of all people. It has been hailed as the LGBT anthem of the 2000s, and for good reason. "Beautiful" is... well, a truly beautiful song. So why do I have such praise for "Beautiful", but such contempt for this song?

To understand where I'm coming from, you have to understand that lately, Canadian music has latched onto the "self-empowerment" bandwagon and never really let go. Which, to be fair, is a very Canadian attitude. We're always looking to support our fellow Canadian in their quest to gain self-confidence to maintain our identity as a peace-loving nation. God knows we need all the PR we can get after Rob Ford was let loose.

But god damn, do these songs have to be so clichéd and dull?

Bringing the topic back to "Beautiful" for a second, that song worked so well because it came from a real, heartfelt place. Compare this:

Every day is so wonderful
Then suddenly it's hard to breathe
Now and then I get insecure
From all the pain, I'm so ashamed

to this, Hedley's entry in the Canadian self-empowerment brigade:

Be a movie star or rock a main stage,
An Xbox tester, or an astronaut in space,
If they tell you that you can't,
You can shove it in their face,
I can, I can, I can, so

Now then, which one sounds honest and which one sounds like an overly optimistic, yet immature song for kindergartners? I'm praying you chose the same ones I chose.

That's exactly the problem with Canada's recent influx of self-empowerment songs: They don't sound real. They sound horribly, horribly manufactured and clichéd. And it's exactly those problems that are prevalent in "We Are Stars".

Everything's so small when you're on top of the world

This is the opening line. Really? Really, song? Where's the journey? Where's the struggle? Hell, at least when Drake did "Started From the Bottom", he mentioned that he started from the bottom! Who wants to hear about somebody who starts on the top and stays there? There's no story arc!

The song does eventually get to some "struggles" that the listener may or may not be experiencing, but these struggles are so vaguely and confusingly worded that I just cannot bring myself to care.

It's hard to see the light when you're caught up in your life
You're scared and insecure cause now it's fight or flight

"It's fight or flight", huh? Tell me, which defense mechanism is appropriate for dealing with clichéd lyrics like these?

Keep dreaming, keep dreaming, keep dreaming
Keep on, keep believing

Don't you mean "don't stop believing"?

Oh, I wish. Oh boy, do I wish.

No, that's another comparison that illustrates why other songs are good and this one sucks. "Don't Stop Believin'" has a pulse, but this slogs along like it's leftover reverb from some drunken indie pop jam session. I already posted part of the chorus earlier, but I didn't really convey in the text how it sounded. This should do the trick:

Weeee aaaaarrrrrreeee staaaaars and
Weeee aaaaarrrrrreeee oooopeen-hearted

"Beautiful" had kind of a slow pace too, but god damn if Christina Aguilera wasn't giving it everything she had with her vocals. This guy sounds like he's trying to save his voice for a big concert later. The problem is, this is your big concert, buddy. Own it, don't moan it.

Speaking of moaning, did I mention Alyssa Reid yet?

We are the kings and queens of hearts that break
We may fall in between the cracks
Living life like it's just a game of blackjack
I don't know how but we always find our way back

Admittedly, Alyssa Reid's lyrics are by far the best lyrics of this song, but I've never liked her singing voice, and this song isn't about to prove me otherwise. I don't know if she's trying to sound like she's on the verge of bursting into tears, but it ends up sounding like she's constipated. Now there's a self-empowerment image. I am worthy of the laxative!

I don't know, guys. This song just doesn't do it for me. I would feel bad, though, if this was somebody's personal strength anthem, and I took it away from them like this. So this would be a good time for me to remind you all that this is only my opinion. I'm not a music scholar; heck, I'm not even a music student. This is just my little writing niche, okay? Remember: you are beautiful, no matter what I've said. Words can't bring you down...

Seriously, just listen to "Beautiful", okay?

Monday Musings: Why Katy Perry?

On this Monday Musing, I'm going to tackle a topic that I'm sure everyone has wondered about at some point ever since 2008: Why the hell is Katy Perry so popular?

I mean, yeah. Her songs are catchy enough to be popular... but does she have enough of a personality to justify her presence in pop music? You look at Lady Gaga, and you can't deny that she has a personality. Taylor Swift has a defined personality. Ke$ha has one. Beyoncé has one. Like it or not, Miley Cyrus has certainly established a personality for herself as well. But at the end of the day, it always seems to be Katy Perry that the general public flocks back to. Almost all of her singles have been in the Top 10 - hell, a good chunk of her singles have held the number one spot at some point. So what's the deal with Katy Perry? Well, to understand Katy Perry, let's go back to her first successful single, "I Kissed a Girl".

Now, this song definitely got people talking, because OH MY GOD SHE KISSED A GIRL AM I RIGHT??? But love it or hate it, I believe that this song is the only reason Katy Perry is famous.

If she had released "Hot n Cold" first, no one would have cared. While I think "Hot n Cold" is a better song than "I Kissed a Girl", it's mostly just a disposable pop song. "I Kissed a Girl" is different. It hit a nation growing in tolerance of the LGBT community at the right time. People wanted to hear a heartfelt, romantic love ballad from the point of a female ostracized from society for having intimate relations with another female.

Okay, who am I kidding. People wanted to hear Katy Perry girl-on-girl action.

This song made it big, and quickly established Katy Perry as a sex symbol, something that none of her other singles could have done as successfully. Even "California Gurls" kind of relies on Katy Perry already being established as a sex symbol. So in short, Katy Perry's success rests on her first single exploiting her sexuality, and having it dominate her personality for a while. Now I guess she's trying on a "Beautiful"-era Christina Aguilera and "Bad Romance"-era Lady Gaga hybrid personality for size, but maybe she should just go back to doing what she does best: tasting cherry chapstick.

Then again, what do I know? She's still as popular as ever. I'm pretty sure an audio recording of her talking to plants would reach the Top 10 at this point. So keep on doing what you're doing, Katy Perry. It appears to be working for you, although I'm not sure what it is. *hums chorus to Dark Horse*

"Loyal" - Chris Brown ft. Lil Wayne & Tyga

On Easter, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Saviour.

But unfortunately, today I also have to deal with another chapter in the perpetual and perplexing resurrection that is Chris Brown's career.

These hoes ain’t loyal
These hoes ain’t loyal

Oh, your "hoes" aren't loyal, Chris Brown? Your "hoes" aren't loyal? Well, I wouldn't be either, after being punched in the face repeatedly!

Okay, I tried to ignore the elephant in the room on the last review I did with Chris Brown in it, but no. This cannot be ignored any longer.

On February 8th, 2009, Chris Brown violently beat up and threatened to kill then-girlfriend Rihanna. Since then, he turned from dreamboat Usher wannabe to insufferable jackoff, never justifying why we still choose to accept him into pop culture. Look! Here he is with a tattoo of a battered woman! Here he is attacking Frank Ocean with a side of homophobic comments! Here he is being a twat on Twitter! The levels of douchebaggery in this man are endless!

Yet, somehow... he still has fans. And the fans he has deeply, deeply disturb me. But they're enough that he can still manage to get into the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100. So it looks like, whether I want to or not, I have to review a Chris Brown song.

I wasn't born last night

Oh, hi there Lil Wayne. You weren't born last night, eh? You could've fooled me.

Lil Wayne kind of frustrates me. He can be really talented when he wants to be, but most of the time he just goes bare minimum and starts to sound like a parody of today's rap music. Here, Lil Wayne introduces the song's thesis: Don't trust gold diggin' hoes.

Nigga, that’s that nerve
Why give a bitch your heart
When she rather have a purse?

I'm sorry, "give a bitch your heart"? I'm expected to believe that Lil Wayne is this big softie underneath it all? Well, I don't. So whatever this song is doing, it's not enough.

Lil Wayne's verse is mostly a wash, but let's see if *shudder* Chris Brown does anything to make this song better.

Just got rich
Took a broke nigga’s bitch
I can make a broke bitch rich
But I don’t fuck with broke bitches

Okay, so let's count all the things wrong with this set of "lyrics":

1. Rhyming "rich" with "bitch" with "rich" with "bitches".
2. "Broke", "bitch" and "rich" are used entirely too much as a whole.
3. You can't complain about gold digging girls if you are specifically singling out gold digging girls to date.
4. I want to punch Chris Brown in his ugly face every time I see him.

Okay, that last one strayed a bit. But there's so much wrong here, and we're barely into the song. To quote "Pompeii", how am I gonna be an optimist about this? Oh, that I were listening to that song.

Actually, that's not a bad idea. Yeah. You listen to "Loyal", then review it for yourself, while I get my faith restored in popular music by listening to a little Bastille! No? Worth a try.

Where this song fails hardest is that we're expected to sympathize with Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, and Tyga. I can't bring myself to sympathize with one of them, let alone all of them. It's just an ugly song throughout, and I can't bring myself to bother pointing out anything else about this song. I'd just like to encourage everyone to stop giving Chris Brown support. He does not deserve it. Not for his music, and not for his attitude.

Also, WHAT THE HELL IS THIS THING

Bear... head.. man? Okay, I've had enough. Bear-head-man is where I absolutely draw the line. Go die in a fire, Chris Brown.

Weekend Wrap-Up (Apr. 13-19 2014): Coachella. Coachella, And More Coachella (And Other Stuff)

Welcome to another Weekend Wrap-Up! This week's news mostly focuses on the Coachella festival, which just finished up its first weekend last week and is currently in the middle of its second. There was a little something for everyone at this festival, from Pet Shop Boys to Lorde to Beyoncé. 

Pharrell, along with Lorde and Beyoncé, were among the most tweeted artists on Saturday's show. Pharrell's performance featured surprise guests such as Busta Rhymes, Tyler The Creator and Gwen Stefani.

This year's Coachella festival is one of its most mainstream, featuring more current Hot 100 artists than ever before.

In other festival news, The Budweiser Made in America Festival will be expanding to Los Angeles, as well as remaining in Philadelphia, making it a bi-coastal event. Los Angeles' festival will take place at Grand Park.

Sharon Jones says that there is "enough material" for her band, The Dap-Kings, "to work on another album". Their last album, Give the People What They Want, was delayed when Jones went through surgery and chemotherapy for second stage pancreatic cancer. Now she and the band are more ready than ever for the busy schedule ahead of them, including multiple concerts in North America and Europe.

Finally, after 18 years, Prince has returned to Warner Bros. Records. In the 1990s, Prince had an infamous debacle with the record company, feeling like a slave to the company. He changed his name to a symbol to express his distaste with his treatment, and left the contract and the company in 1996. Why he's returning is unknown, and Warner Bros Records has declined to comment on the details of the record deal. But CEO Cameron Strang has expressed that "Everyone at Warner Bros. Records is delighted to be working with Prince again".

Flashback Friday: "Signs" - Tesla (1991)

This one goes out to all you long-haired freaky people.

By which I mean, in the case of 80's and early 90's, metal bands.

This is Tesla. They formed in 1982, and went on to sell 14 million album in the United States. One of their biggest hits was their cover of the Five Man Electrical Band song, "Signs".

Now back in 1971, the "long-haired freaky people" were hippies. And this song definitely cements itself as an anthem for that era. Attacking everything from business corporations to dress codes to churches, it truly fueled the anti-establishment movement's fire. Now, how does that fit in with Tesla?

Well, when long-haired, do as the long-haired do, I guess. I don't think that the cover works terribly well, as some of the values expressed in the song just don't seem like metal values:

And the sign said anybody caught trespassin' would be shot on sight
So I jumped on the fence and yelled at the house, "Hey! What gives you the right?"
"To put up a fence to keep me out or to keep Mother Nature in

If God was here he'd tell you to your face, man, you're some kinda sinner"

I just don't think that many metal bands were getting their hair in a frizz about people putting up fences. But there is a sense of counterculture in Tesla; I just don't think it's the same kind of counterculture that Five Man Electrical Band were going for. As an example, in live versions of the song, Tesla would often replace words in the song with expletives.

So I got me a pen and a paper and I made up my own little sign

becomes

So I got me a pen and a paper and I made up my own fuckin' sign

It just doesn't work for me. Five Man Electrical Band's version was cheeky, but it wasn't angry. It was just kind of the narrator laughing at the world around him. It also doesn't work with the lyric that follows:

I said, "Thank you, Lord, for thinkin' 'bout me. I'm alive and doin' fine."

I'LL MAKE MY OWN FUCKING SIGN thank you jesus

The song's just not very timeless. The same problem came with Kylie Minogue's version of "The Loco-Motion", which I reviewed a while back. It's not "a brand new dance", you're doing a dance people did in the sixties!

I love the original song, but the cover kind of flops for me. Sorry. Call it a counterculture to the counterculture or what have you. Tesla seem like a decent band, but this would probably be a misstep for anybody in that era.

Top 10 Thursday: Top 10 Most Tragic Deaths in Music

So I've decided to change my Top 5 Lists to Top 10 Lists. Because five just isn't enough, really. Especially since this Top 10 list is dealing with a heavier subject. Today, we look at the tragic deaths of musicians' lives cut short. Now of course, this list is entirely subjective, and other musicians' deaths may affect other people more in different ways. I tried not to go by just how much I like the musician (although that did come into play), but rather factor in the circumstances of the death, the age, and the potential for the musician. With those ideas in mind, let's take a look at my list of the Top 10 Most Tragic Deaths in Music.

10. Selena

Selena's death was so young and so unexpected. When she was shot in early 1995 over a financial dispute, it struck the American community with shock and caused across-the-country mourning. In addition to being an influential and popular artist, she was also a great person, visiting school to speak to kids about the importance of education. At only 23, Selena was taken way too soon.

9. Kurt Cobain

To say Kurt Cobain revolutionized music is an understatement. After the release of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" in 1991, rock music changed forever. And in the middle of all the attention and notoriety, Kurt tragically cut his life short in 1994. His suicide note stated that it was "better to burn out than to fade away", but I can't help but be struck by all the music that Cobain had yet to offer. Sadly, he became another member of The 27 Club, a club with a disturbing amount of talented members.

8. Sam Cooke

Known as the "king of soul", Cooke was indeed one of the most influential artists in soul music. His music led to the likes of Aretha Franklin, James Brown, and many more to become popular. Sadly, Cooke's life was ended by a fatal shooting at a motel. The details are unclear on whether the shooting was in self-defense or not, but it was still a tragic loss to the music industry. He was such an influential performer and person.

7. Aaliyah

Aaliyah marks the youngest death on my list, which just makes it all the more tragic. At the time, Aaliyah was nothing short of a superstar, making hit after hit after hit. Then that fateful plane crash came, killing her and eight others. At only 22, we could have seen Aaliyah become as much of a superstar as Beyoncé, or J. Lo. But unfortunately, the world was not given this opportunity. At least we had her for a little while.

6. Doug Hopkins

Another victim to depression, Hopkins was the original lead guitarist and co-founder of the Gin Blossoms. He wrote two of the band's biggest hits, "Hey Jealousy" and "Found Out About You", but unfortunately wasn't with the band to experience their success. He was fired by the band due to his crippling problems with alcohol, and had to give up his share of the songwriting royalties as well. As the Gin Blossoms grew more popular, Hopkins grew more despondent, and tragically took his own life in December 1993.

5. Janis Joplin

Janis Joplin is another member of the 27 Club, and I put her on the list for what may be a superficial reason, but I feel makes the early death more tragic: In every photo I see of Janis Joplin, she has the happiest smile on her face, making her look like the absolute sweetest person in music. Her death of a heroin overdose in 1970 is not only tragic for this reason, but also because it caused her to miss some of her biggest successes, such as "Mercedes Benz" and "Me and Bobby McGee", her only number 1 hit.

4. Marvin Gaye

One of the biggest influences in R&B, gone in 1984 after being shot by his father. Marvin Gaye has recorded some of the most enduring songs of the 70's, and it just doesn't seem fair that he had to die so early, especially under such terrible circumstances. Marvin Gaye's death shocked his audience and his celebrity friends alike. One of the most shocking deaths in music history, truly.

3. John Lennon

John Lennon's legacy will live on forever as one of the most inspirational musicians out there. Unfortunately, his life was cut short by Mark David Chapman. The fact that someone would want to murder such a peaceful, loving man strikes me as crazy. If I was alive at the time of John's death, I think I would have been crying. Such an unfair and tragic way to go.

2. Freddie Mercury

Very few songs literally send chills down my spine, but god damn if Freddie Mercury doesn't do it every time I hear his voice. A brilliant and talented performer, Mercury's life ended in 1991 from complications of AIDS. This is the type of performer that you hope sticks around forever. No one lives forever, but it's such a shame that he had to go so early. Long live Mercury's legacy.

1. Michael Jackson

I'm actually too young to say that I was around to witness most of these tragic deaths, but I know from experiencing the time that Michael Jackson's death made the world stop. One of the biggest stars in music, EVER, dead at 50. But it's not just my experience that makes this death sad; it's the fact that this happened right before Michael Jackson's massive comeback concert tour, This I It. We could have seen one of the biggest comebacks in music history, but instead, we saw the end to a troubled life and a firecracker of talent.

Watch-for-it Wednesday: "Mmm Yeah" - Austin Mahone ft. Pitbull

WE ALREADY HAVE A JUSTIN BIEBER!

Who thought Austin Mahone was a good idea? Do we really need another guy for the tweenage girl who doesn't know any better audience? Was this really necessary? Hmm?

Okay, seriously, listen to how freakin' skeevy this guy is:

But she turned away
As she walked
All that I can say was
Mmm mmm yeah yeah
Mmm mmm yeah yeah

So basically, he's the 18-year-old white boy equivalent of this:

Okay, I thought we learned our lesson with J-Biebs, everyone's favourite orange jumpsuit model. Or was that Chris Brown? Anyway, this guy's still not on the top half of the charts yet, but he's gaining ground fast. To his credit, this song is really catchy. To my dismay, it's also really, really, really, really stupid. Oh, did I mention it features Pitbull of all people?

Mmm mmm yeah yeah
She look so good but she bad bad
You can see that back from the front front
Booty like Kriss Kross, jump jump

Okay, Pitbull. Buddy. Pal. Compadre. Just because your douchebag friend tells you that a Kris Kross  reference is what you should go for doesn't mean you should take his advice! Whatever Austin Mahone does wrong in this song, Pitbull does wrong times a hundred.

There's just nothing here, except an 18-year-old boy and a 33-year-old man-child taking turns drooling over a woman's body. That is quite literally how I'm picturing Mahone during this song, what with his "mmm mmms" and "yeah yeahs".

All right, this is a bust. Let's just skip to the big questions:

Billboard Success:

Will he have it?

Even with Justin Bieber's lack of hits since 2012, I don't think this guy is going to be the heartthrob to replace him. Everything about him just screams "wannabe" to me. Maybe he'll get this one hit, but I don't really see him becoming big.

Should he have it?

He's an average singer, and I don't think he's a particularly gifted songwriter either. Mmm mmm nope nope.

CanTunes Tuesday: "Rude" - MAGIC!

This is stupid.

I mean, I hate this. I really, really really hate this. I used to weep for the Canadian music that makes its way across the border, but lately I've been realizing that the music that stays here can be just as bad, if not worse.

Well, I guess "stay here" isn't exactly accurate. The song has charted rather highly in Australia and New Zealand as well, but I really doubt many Americans know about these guys. Well, here's a little backstory: This is Nasri Atweh.

I've honestly never heard of the guy before doing this review, but apparently he's written and produced a lot of hit songs. Like this one:

Yep, you have this guy to thank for one of the stupidest songs of 2013. Anyway, in 2013 he also founded a pop-reggae band called MAGIC! At The Disco (not really, but it could get them sued, which I would be in favour of). No, the band's just called MAGIC!, but it's just as annoying. And here we are with their first single, "Rude".

Why you gotta be so rude?

Actually, that's a good point, Nasri. Why do I have to be so rude? It's just a song, after all. I shouldn't get too offended by it, should I? Well, let me tell you about a trend that needs to die off for good. Asking your girlfriend's father for his blessing to get married. That's some Romeo & Juliet shit up in there, seriously. And it's also what the song is all about.

You see, the person that is actually being "rude" is the father, for saying no, you can't marry my daughter. Hey, here's a thought. Did anyone think to ask the daughter in all this commotion?

I mean, doesn't she get a say in this matter? Is she even in the vicinity where this is happening? She pops up at the end of the video, but that's about it. Somehow I feel like it would be hilarious if the girl rejected him as well, because... well, the guy comes off as kind of a whiny douche.

Why you gotta be so rude?
Don't you know I'm human too?
Why you gotta be so rude?
I'm gonna marry her anyway

But... then why would you ask in the first place?

Knocked on your door with heart in my hand
To ask you a question
'Cause I know that you're an old-fashioned man, yeah, yeah

Okay, he's got old-fashioned values, but it still does no good to blow off his answer... wait, what's that first line?

Knocked on your door with heart in my hand

With... heart in your hand? Okay, isn't the expression "heart on your sleeve"? I just get the impression of you grasping a human heart in your hand, blood gushing down your wrist onto the poor guy's front porch. I think I'm beginning to understand why he doesn't want you marrying his daughter.

Of course, it doesn't matter what he says, because as I said before, his response is

I'm gonna marry her anyway

What's the point of this song? It's just a guy being a pissy jackoff to his girlfriend's already uptight father. I mean, if you love her and she loves you, then yes. You should get married. But this song reads like you're rubbing it in his face, and if you're not careful, it might seem like the only reason you're getting married.

I hate to do this, you leave no choice

I can't live without her

Love me or hate me we will be both

"We will be both"? Okay, quit it with these awkward phrases. No one says that, and it doesn't even make sense. I know you probably think this is how those craaaaazy reggae people talk, but they have a better grasp on the English language than you ever will.

God, this sucks. Between the faux-Jamaican accent, the passive-aggressive narrator, and the stupid, stupid wording, this just has incompetence written all over it. Also, I hate to say it, but judging by this guy's previous work, he's always kind of been terrible. Either that, or he just picks terrible artists to work with. Justin Bieber and Chris Brown? If your taste in girls is as bad as your taste in music artists, then I don't think she's worth getting into a tizzy with her father over. Also it's not worth writing a song about. Please stop writing music. Thank you!

Why you gotta be so rude?

Well, I suppose it's my calling. Sorry it had to be this way.

Monday Musings: Serious vs. Silly

Sometimes, it feels as though pop music can be divided into two categories.

Actually, I'm joking. It never feels like that. But there are certainly ways of comparing pop songs to each other (it would be awfully hard to do my blog if there weren't), and one of those ways is judging how serious or silly a pop song is. Now, it's definitely a sliding scale, and sometimes you can't even tell if a pop song is supposed to be serious or silly. Take this, for instance:

This is R.E.M.'s "Shiny Happy People". It was released in mid-1991 and was embraced as a simple, catchy pop song from the decidedly complicated band. But the joke was on R.E.M., who intended the song to be a parody of a catchy pop song, really calling to mind the oppression maintained in China through propaganda, or, as put more eloquently by the Chinese government, "shiny happy people holding hands". The band hated the song since, not including it on their first greatest hits album and rarely playing it live. It just goes to show what can happen when you don't know how seriously, or maybe ironically, to take a song.

What if Alanis Morissette meant for "Ironic" not to have any irony in it, thereby making the song ironic? Who knows? Still hate the song.

Anyway, I suppose the degree to which you take certain pop songs seriously must come from the degree to which you take pop music seriously as a whole. I'm usually of the mind that you can't be too serious with pop music. If you had to be, then there would be no Weird Al to grace us with his formidable talent. That said, no one wants to necessarily see their sacred cows get taken down, either. As much as I don't understand Beliebers, I would understand them getting angry at me if I jibbed and jabbed at the twatsicle a few too many times. Yes, that would include calling him a twatsicle.

So when it comes down to "is this song serious" or "is this song silly", it's all very subjective. I haven't met anybody yet who feels a spiritual connection with "Gangnam Style", but if they do, then fine. More power to them. I've never met anybody who listens to "Hallelujah" for a laugh, either. If they do... uh, I don't know what's so funny, but keep doing your thing.

Overall, I guess this was more of a philosophy session than an opinion piece. But I think it's important to just back away from it all and think about why we like or dislike certain things, or why we find certain things funny, or serious. More in-depth reviews about my likes and dislikes coming this week. Stay tuned!