View Full Version : Will future generation have anthems ...
Listened to this Gillian Welch set of Rocky Grass --
http://www.bluegrassbox.com/bgb-con....-18.txt (http://www.bluegrassbox.com/bgb-contents/Telluride-2005/gwelch2005-06-18.flac16/gwelch2005-06-18.txt)
A few songs, The Weight, Dear Mr. Fantasy, are what I'd call anthems of the boomer generation. GW, born 1967, is technically an x-gen.
Makes me wonder, are there any post-boomer anthems? Maybe there are but we don't which songs yet? Will future generations just adopt our anthems or have some of their own?
Just some Friday, too much coffee rambling.
Manda-mando content: some guy name Thile is listed as playing mando on that set.
Oh, I should that by "our", I mean music that was popular when people my age were growing up, 60s and 70s.
JEStanek
Jun-12-2006, 2:43pm
Maybe... I was born in '69. Some of those classic rock tunes really have become identified with a time and space and get associated with a group of people.
Perhaps one of the most identifiable with my generation is
"Smells Like teen Spirit" - Nirvana.
Then again, the age of a music anthem to identify a generation may be over as the groups of people in the generation seem more diverse and music that is available is even more so. #An anthem for college attending white males may be different than one for non-college attending white males. #The Anthems for African American males may be a tune by Public Enemy "Fight the Power" is a good example (and a fine tune to boot).
I like the Weight but it doesn't speak to me and my friends in an identifiable manner so I doubt we'll adopt it as our anthem.
Interesting question...
Jamie
Michael H Geimer
Jun-12-2006, 5:06pm
Ahhh the X-ers ... forever stuck behind the shock-wave of a Baby Boom.
There have been many, many anthems since The Band broke up. Trouble is ... Boomers can't hear them!
They all sound like noise, can't make out the lyrics, besides ... you wouldn't understand a word of that slang talk anyways. ;)
"Smells Like Teen Spirit" sure makes a great example.
JEStanek
Jun-12-2006, 8:04pm
Hard to say if the X-gen is stuck behind the shock wave or bored by it, or numb from it to the point of feeling entitled to averything... #but this is far afield from mando content.
Will a Boomer please post the lyrics to Louie Louie? I can't understand the words. ;)
Jamie
Ahhh the X-ers ... forever stuck behind the shock-wave of a Baby Boom.
There have been many, many anthems since The Band broke up. Trouble is ... Boomers can't hear them!
They all sound like noise, can't make out the lyrics, besides ... you wouldn't understand a word of that slang talk anyways. ;)
"Smells Like Teen Spirit" sure makes a great example.
Looked it up and found http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smells_Like_Teen_Spirit
Interesting read. I remember seeing the album cover with the swimming baby but I'm not familiar with the tune. Listened to the 30sec clip on Amazon. Not very melodic. Stuff that ain't melodic doesn't really stick in yer head. Don't stick in yer head, don't stick around as anthem.
Maybe I'm an ol' futz but I think I agree with you. I'm not saying music like that is bad, just that it may not be memorable 50 years from now.
Okay, how about the eighties? Springsteen's "Downbound Train"? Prince's "Purple Rain"? Dire Straits' "Brothers in Arms"? (I love every one of those tracks, incidently). Go to '91 and you've got REM's "Losing My Religion."
There will be anthems ("London Calling"?). There will even be rap anthems. I just wish they'd stop turning them into TV commercials.
I always thought Jer and the boyze could do a wicked "Purple Rain" coming out of Drums/Space. Really, it has that feel. It would have been a great song for them to cover.
Ken Sager
Jun-13-2006, 4:15pm
With the "American Idolization" TM of American music we are less likely to see new anthems than rehashed, repackaged, remarketed anthems whose rights are owned by large labels who are willing to whore themselves for more CD sales. Sure, anthems take time to develop their... uh... anthemness, but can anybody suggest any music from the current decade that reaches the level of meaningfullness as any of the other tunes suggested here to be anthems from past decades?
Anybody?
Ken Sager
Jun-13-2006, 4:24pm
Maybe the "whore themselves" comment was a bit over the top. My point is that there is no new music coming from America's most popular musical variety show.
Sorry if I offended.
Love to all,
KS
John Flynn
Jun-13-2006, 4:43pm
I think new "anthems" are coming out all the time. There are two related problems though, that are two sides of the same coin: 1) The cycle time for Gen-X anthems are getting shorter and shorter. What Gen-X is interested in today, will be "out" in six months. 2) Most of the anthems mentioned above just don't have the "legs" that the old anthems did. I'm not really saying that they aren't as good as tunes. It isn't a quality issue. But they just don't seem to be as memorable.
I went to a rock trivia night for the first time a few weeks ago. It was an eye-opener. You would expect boomers to do better on boomer tunes. But it seemed that even the gen-x'ers were scoring higher on boomer tunes. Sometimes they knew boomer music better than the boomers.
There are some great Gen-X and Gen-Y bands and tunes. But there are no Gen-X or Gen-Y groups that have composed, arranged and played at the level of the Beatles, Stones, Dylan, Elvis, Eagles, Beach Boys, etc. In fact, the most successful Gen-X and Gen-Y groups seem to be the ones that draw the most inspiration from the great boomer bands.
luckylarue
Jun-13-2006, 5:36pm
How Soon Is Now - The Smiths -1980's
Jeremy - Pearl Jam - 1990's
Don't Be Afraid of the Neo-Cons - Norman and Nancy - 21st Century (just kidding!)
holdenzdad
Jun-13-2006, 7:27pm
I think we live in a great time for anthems - they just are not getting a lot of airplay - hence, they never gain enough popularity to be so called - a lot, if not most, of the great tunes coming out today are on indie labels and just don't have the $$$/resources to get heard by the masses - as previously mentioned, the majority of today's popular tunes are written, produced, and performed by "the machine" - today's "formula music" is safer for the media giants and seems to be hammered into our kids from a really young age - there are exceptions, but they are becoming less and less available.
I guess for me the real question is less about anthems and more about the next "new" kind of music. It seems that every generation up to now has explored new territory. Without just some kind of obvious fusion of genres, what does everyone think will be the next "new" thing - I'm sure that when it happens, the mandolin will find a place in it. Good topic - lots to think about.
kvk- i actually had the same thought when i heard the tune years ago, but pictured brent singing it.
"Born in the USA" was released in 1984, and is commonly used as a patriotic anthem by nitwits that don't bother to read the verses, and can only sing the chorus.
JEStanek
Jun-14-2006, 9:00am
It's funny how songs can get co-opted into anthems inapropriately. I remember in the late 80's early 90's the Red Cross (an organization I support as much as possible) had recording artists in their TV spots (Randy Travis etc.) and one of their ads used Gimme Shelter by the Rolling Stones! I couldn't believe they hadn't read all the lyrics.
Jamie
taboot
Jun-14-2006, 11:25am
I think there are a few big shifts here: the model has become "here today, gone today." Bands (when they exist as bands, instead of grist for marketing machines) get one shot, and nobody seems to care about the second record, or the second single, even. Sure, there are a few exceptions, but the fact that we could likely agree on about six of them tells me that the bigger picture is one of flare up and fade out.
In addition to that, there's the ascendance of hip hop, some of which is fantastic music, but from the beginning these acts have had even less staying power (again, a few notable exceptions come to mind.) The last time I saw Gov't Mule, I remember very clearly thinking "these guys are the only big-time act playing rock and roll these days!" And when we're talking about "anthems" I think it's as much about a sound, as it is about having a huge hit. Witness the reluctance of some here to recognize Smells Like Teen Spirit as an anthem, which is a perfect example of an anthem if ever there was one, in my opinion.
Christian
"Born in the USA" was released in 1984, and is commonly used as a patriotic anthem by nitwits that don't bother to read the verses, and can only sing the chorus.
Robert Wuhl did a bit in his stand up act about when the NJ legislature was considering making "Born to Run" the NJ State song:
"Have they ever read the lyrics?
'This town rips the bones from your back/it's a death trap/it's a suicide rap/we gotta get out while we're young'
Yeah, that'll work great on the tourism brochure."
And for the person who asked:
Louie, Louie,
me gotta go.
Louie, Louie,
me gotta go.
A fine little girl, she wait for me;
me catch a ship across the sea.
I sailed the ship all alone;
I never think I'll make it home
Three nights and days we sailed the sea;
me think of girl constantly.
On the ship, I dream she there;
I smell the rose in her hair.
Me see Jamaica moon above;
It won't be long me see me love.
Me take her in my arms and then
I tell her I never leave again.
JEStanek
Jun-14-2006, 4:14pm
Thanks ApK.
Michael H Geimer
Jun-14-2006, 6:01pm
" But there are no Gen-X or Gen-Y groups that have composed, arranged and played at the level of the Beatles, Stones, Dylan, Elvis, Eagles, Beach Boys, etc. "
I agree, but also think it doesn't matter. No generation will be bound the 'old rules'. Musicianship as a general virtue was dropped along with the guitar solo. Plus, it doesn't take much musicianship to create an anthem ... Louie Louie.
I don't actually care for Nirvana, but I still think SLTS is the Gen-X Anthem. It speaks plainly to the disconnect between who the X'ers were (in their 'formative years' at least) vs. who the older "Nancy Regan" crowd felt we ought to be. The song painted youth 'angst' in a crude, rude, direct way. Too bad KC was such a nut-case.
Techincally, even I am young to be an X'er. My older sibilings fit the description more than I do. Per Copland's book, the mean Gen-X youth would have graduated HS in 1980.
So how 'bout "Life During Wartime" by The Peeping Heads? Thier music falls squarely within the Gen-X timeframe.
"This is not my beautiful house! This is not my beautiful wife!"
so if the mean would be 18ish in 1980: anthem= the wall by pink floyd. wasn't that in 78 or 79http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif what about some late 70s led zep tunes??? or a one of the many queen tunes (we are the champions/we will rock you was 78ish too if i remember?)
JEStanek
Jun-14-2006, 7:23pm
I was thinkiong of Another brick in the wall or Comfortably numb too. I would say Pink Floyd compose and arranged very good music. Echos is one of my favorite CDs of all time, more so than The Wall.
Queen definately wrote some Anthems. Good call Ira.
Jamie
taboot
Jun-15-2006, 12:54pm
I don't think Talking Heads can qualify, sadly (I love 'em,) they just don't quite have the pull... And you seem to have confused Once in a Lifetime with Life During Wartime, understandable, I suppose, but they're veeeery different songs.
Christian
Michael H Geimer
Jun-15-2006, 1:25pm
Ooops. I thought I might be mixing something up there ... I do agree the TH don't carry nearly 'the weight' of Floyd!
Michael H Geimer
Jun-15-2006, 1:27pm
OK. An anthem of sorts ...
KISS: I wanna Rock-n-Roll All Night (and Party Everyday)
jim simpson
Jun-15-2006, 5:08pm
pronounced "ev - a - ree - day!"
Michael H Geimer
Jun-15-2006, 5:55pm
" ... one of the many queen tunes ... "
Flash! Ahahhhhhhhhhh! (he'llsaveeveryoneofus)
Jim Broyles
Jun-15-2006, 7:44pm
Must be a Phillies' fan!
springsteen - pick any song on born to run- feels like an anthem.
mandocrucian
Jun-15-2006, 8:34pm
There are very popular hit songs, and then there are one which become anthems (which usually have some sort of social/political message, which can include the defiant "screw you" songs of personal independence). "Fortunate Son" (Creedence), "For What It's Worth" (Buffalo Springfield), "Born In The USA" (Springsteen), "My Generation" (Who), various things by The Wailers or Bob Marley...
God Gave Rock And Roll To You - Argent (Kiss covered the song later)
We Are The Champions - Queen
Rock and Roll High School - Ramones
Tubthumping - Chumbawamba
London Calling - The Clash
don't know the name of the song, but there's one on Green Day's American Idiot that sounds anthemic to me
There's probably a fair amount of songs that might qualify. But, unless you're plugged into a certain genre/time period, it's probably helpful if there's someone 10, 15, 20, 25 years younger to steer to right to the best stuff.
NH
DryBones
Jun-16-2006, 12:02am
Bay City Rollers! S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y Night!! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif
Well I'm sure you've all heard the Outkast tune "Hey Ya." If any song has been widely adopted an anthem by this generation, its this fine one. And in response to the previous posts about artiship declining, just listen too a few outkast albs for a take on the new pop geniuses.
Well, it's not as good as a mandolin orchestra, but here is the British Ukelele Orchestra performing "Smells Like Teen Spirit."
Smells Like Teen Spirit (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4559510005057780538)
JEStanek
Jun-17-2006, 2:00pm
kww,
That is awesome. If a rock song can become a uke standard it's an anthem! Put the lights out... Here we are now, entertain us. The dude with the long hair was really into it.
Jamie
GeoMandoAlex
Jun-18-2006, 10:34am
Well, it's not as good as a mandolin orchestra, but here is the British Ukelele Orchestra performing "Smells Like Teen Spirit."
Smells Like Teen Spirit (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4559510005057780538)
That was pretty good. Jamie, you're right about the long hair guy getting really into it. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
What about anything from U2?