Sorry if there is a delay in responses. Sometimes life gets in the way. As John Lennon said, life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.
Modern music is rubbish, I declare,
as I sit drinking a beer with my work-mates
in the busy city-centre bar, the pop music blaring.
Just a tinny, tuneless racket.
At least bands in the 90’s played their own instruments.
A few days later, I pick my dad up
to take him for the weekly food-shop.
As we set off the 90’s radio station kicks in.
My dad shakes his head in disgust.
Call that music? It’s just a noise.
The Beatles, now there was a band!
As we’re pushing the trolley up and down
the supermarket aisles, a question occurs to me.
Did grandad like the Beatles? I ask, referring to his father.
My father laughs as the memories come back to him.
Did he heck! He always said they were far too loud and couldn’t sing.
He forced me to listen to Sinatra, Dean Martin and Bing.
On the drive home I smile at the realisation.
I can’t stand today’s music, but then
my father feels exactly the same
about the soundtrack of my youth,
and in turn, his father thought the Fab Four
were Far From It.
Modern music might not be rubbish after all.
It might just be that modern music is
Modern.
-
Author:
Tom Dylan (
Offline) - Published: June 11th, 2025 06:13
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 31
- Users favorite of this poem: Cheeky Missy
Offline)
Comments9
The old hate change and I imagine a caveman beating on a log drum hating the music of Beethoven and Mozart. Yet I consider myself open minded as to style, genre and country of origin and still I find myself bothered with autotune, pitch correction, micro speakers in ear buds that take the soul out of soul, the blues out of blues and the pop out of pop. If less is more then soon then any fool with an off pitch voice and a tire iron to beat a beat will be a star and maybe we will go back to beating on logs and letting AI transpose it into a top 40 hit.
Thanks so much for your comments, Soren. Yes, maybe the next global star will be AI! What a terrifying thought!
That’s what really bothers me Soren, is that music across every single genre before now was all actually real, created by real people playing real instruments, but now it’s all artificially produced, in terms of mechanics and more and more in terms of the composition process itself as well. It feels soulless to me. 🥀
Very true, more often than not when we get older we start to like some of the stuff we used to hate, enjoyed the read
I know what you mean, PL. My mother didn't care for Madonna's music in the 80's but now really likes her old songs. Thanks so much for your comments, as always.
You are very welcome, but Madonna might be going to far!!!, enjoy the rest of your day
Excellent write
Thanks a lot, mate. Really appreciated.
You're welcome
Re: music. There's a ghastly saying where in some churches they attempt to sing a Psalm, and only the choir knows the tune, and they don't tell the rest of us. They may laugh up their sleeve and say 'Heehee, time for the congregation to murder a Psalm again!'
Haha, yeah, I get that, Orchi. We used to have a school orchestra who, when they played, it was like Name That Tune. Bright Eyes, maybe? Nope, it was actually Greensleeves! 😀
I know what you mean about Modern Music.
People may have hated Rock and Roll and Beat Music; but they were still Songs. Now it's a repetitive Noise. As for Madonna: I don't mind but give me Dusty Springfield any day.
AI - as Paul Simon would say 'You can call me AI', or maybe not.
Yeah, it really is quite a debate. I must admit, I've seen clips of Robbie Williams on his current UK tour, and I have to say, at least he is putting on a show. And you can call me AI made me smile. Nice one, Kevin.
Nice, I've been thinking the same thing too, but I just wrote something on pop I'll publish tonight. I've grown in my appreciation for many kinds of music, and often we want to stay put with what is comfortable and what we grew up around, but I do think some music is healthier to listen to than others. I think every aspect of a song tells us something, and forms us, so we need to be careful
Thanks for your comments, Spencer. Really appreciated. And now you mention it, I have to be in a certain frame of mind to listen to some music, whereas others, actually helps chill me out. Cheers, Tom.
Nice one Tom
Good music Is good music
Some transcends the rubbish
Madonnas Ray of Light
Is an electro pop mystical masterpiece
That Is still modern with some sweet tunes
Air's Moon safari Is a classic modern masterpiece
Liz phairs Soberish has some sweet tunes
And soundscapes on par with some of her
early albums
Beatles and Oasis are classic and modern
Alot of great music In the 60s and 90s
Yes, good point. Good music is good music. There is a modern song, Stick Season by Noah Kahan. That just blows me away every time. And while we are on the subject, RIP Brian Wilson. Now there was a genius. Thanks for your comments.
Oh! Reminds me of my own late father and my teens. Guess dads must trounce our music, in return teaching us to listen to theirs, as you do eloquently described. Ergo, I love the Fab Four and the "oldies but goodies" or " the golden oldies," though I've never learned to appreciate the King like seems I should have--too far removed from my generation?! Gorgeously rendered with nigh exquisite imagery and a delightful poignancy. Thank you so very much for sharing. I love it.
I completely agree about the Beatles. I would say them and Oasis are my faves. Oasis are from my decade and my city, but the Beatles just kinda transcend everything. Thanks as always for your comments, Missy. Really appreciated.
Now I gotta look up Oasis!
Have you heard of them? They are a 90s band from Manchester. They reformed last year and are about to perform gigs in the UK. I'm not going to the gigs. Seen them back in the day and don't have hundreds of pounds to waste. 😀
Actually, you, yes you, are the first to introduce me to them. And I thank you.
Hello Tom,
a very interesting poem. I think it is all to do with the business of music, what we are forced to listen to, as it were - like the stock market, business people watching the charts - play more, make more, in your face and advertised to the hilt, it is what you should be listening to, to be cool and of course a little bit of controversy to keep it in the public eye. Of course there are always the genuine talented musicians of all ages who can inthrall on their own merits. I have enjoyed this poem, very much so. I like your style, down to earth, honest and poetically expressed with a sound balance.
Kind regards,
Tony.
Thanks so much, Tony. Really appreciate your comments.
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