[Bleeding Purist]

First, my reaction to the song sonically is it's not bad. I don't find it earth shattering either and I'm not convinced an electric studio version would be much different. I just found it somewhat mundane without any real twists to keep it interesting. So my response was.."nice song." I'd rather react with "oh damn that's the sh**!!!" but it just didn't do that. I think it just needs something more. There is another problem with it though.

I have to admit I'm bugged by the 2nd verse line "So keep your pseudo-punk, hip-hop, j-lo junk, And your digital downloads." Yeah, it's been bought up alot on this board..but I haven't seen anyone who is actually offended by it speaking up. Most people here automatically cheer with a line like that since they have no interest in any of those forms of music.

I doubt I'm the only one that gets the sense that there is just something wrong about that line. The worst aspect of it is naming J-Lo directly, which was pretty poor in taste. On one hand I completely understand. The trend of making "musicians" out of movie stars or other types of celebrities is annoying and discredits the music industry as a whole, but it is also nothing new either. You can go back to the 70s and find instances of this, let me re-phrase that..better instances to be scorned than J-Lo, who actually started as a dancer and is not without her own talent.

The other problem is his dismissal of hip hop. Rock and Roll is just as guilty of the kind of pure commercialism you find in Hip Hop that I'm certain the song is referring to as the basis for being "junk". But neither genre is entirely composed of that type. Both pretty much involve some pretty hungry individuals who expressing their own souls through music. For every guy on a corner with a guitar, you'll also find a guy with a beat box rhyming about his life. Whether you recognize it or not...both take skill and dedication, if they are to be done well and get people's attention.

That one lyric line makes it hard for me to take the song's message seriously when it's discrediting others who have the same drive and ambition Jon once had. It doesn't seem that sincere when you consider the band is just as guilty of the sort of crass commercialism you'll find in other forms of music.

Personally, I feel Jon is insulting his audience' intelligence.

[magicbigp]

I think the message of the song is that guys standing up with only a guitar and their talent are a dying breed.
The trend is more hip hop, rap and lots of other crap that i too cant stand.
I certainly dont think the lyrics are offensive, people are getting too politicaly correct these days, whats wrong with stating your own opinion?
As for naming j lo in the song, i dont mind some of her stuff, wouldnt buy it, but if jon wants to sing that, big deal, its, his opinion and it doesnt bother me.{ also maybe he couldnt think of another word after hiphop that fitted as well}

[donnanj]

I wasn't offended at all. I think the song is great.

[Living_on_my_Hair]

Yeh..im surpised to say i agree with you.. naming Jlo was uncalled for! lol..but im serious.. I may not like rap or hiphop or wotever, but by no means is it talantless or easier to break into the scene. Watch 8mile for a bit of a taster..

Maybe they shoodnt have name dropped and signled hophop out in general..


ktf
andi

[RichieW2001]

the strange thing about the hip-hop quote is that jon likes eminem....

[ponrauil]

I don't like that line either, I like the song, but that line has no coherence.

And overall I also think it's still early and pretentious from Jon to consider himself or his band as one of the last "real" men/band in the business, among with the other artists he mentions on the DVD, which are miles ahead of BJ in terms of respectability.

Ponrauil

[Neurotica80]

Im not offended, I thinks its a honest song. I can relate to it too, im only 23 but I already find myself thinking the charts are made up of manufactored/covers/ and artisits who are here one minute gone the next, I def think it needed writing. As for the J lo comment, i dont think its too harsh. Almost every song Eminem writes he slags someone off.

[Raine]

I loved that line. Mainly because I hate J.Lo with the passion of a thousand fiery nuns. And secondly, I thought it was meant to be a comment on how all types of music are blending now to become this big mess of sounds. There are no rock stars anymore. It's just pop stars. There are no bands like The Beatles, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Dr Hook, or the Stones. It's just.... I'm not even sure what it is but I don't like it anymore than Jon does.

I'd also like to point out that the line does say "So keep your pseudo punk hip-hop J.Lo junk/Your digital downloads".... so, I don't think he's just taking a shot at hip hop, which by the way, doesn't include Eminem, but also, J.Lo (duh!), those stupid shitty punk bands (ahem - coughGoodCharolettecough) and Metallica (Napster anyone?).

[RichieW2001]

Originally Posted by Raine

which by the way, doesn't include Eminem,

yes it does. just because he's mainstream doesn't mean his genre changes.

[Jag]

Originally Posted by RichieW2001

yes it does. just because he's mainstream doesn't mean his genre changes.

i would put M&M with gansta rap then hip hop but i see yr point