Music Podcasters interpretations of songs

IrishEyes

IrishEyes

Sharon
Location
Midwest
I was listening to my hubby's podcaster doing a 1st time listening to Buffalo Springfield's
"What It's Worth" It became very clear real quickly this lady had no idea what was going on
in that time of the song - at all.
She described this verse as "like an adult telling children to Shhhhh, listen to the sounds of the street,
cars, people, shuffling of feet, on and on.
I think it's time we stop
Children, what's that sound?
Everybody look, what's going down?
I get it, she was mentally visualizing hundreds of people on a normal day in a busy city or something.

Now that you can maybe see where her mind is at -
without knowing the reference to this section, tell me how you think she described it, repeatedly.

What a field day for the heat (Ooh ooh ooh)
A thousand people in the street (Ooh ooh ooh)
Singing songs and they carrying signs (Ooh ooh ooh)
Mostly say, "Hooray for our side" (Ooh ooh ooh)
 
What a field day for the heat
A thousand people in the street
Sipping drinks and they carrying fans (Ooh ooh ooh)
Mostly say, 'God, I need a tan' (Ooh ooh ooh)"

Taking pics and they carrying bags (Ooh ooh ooh)
Mostly say, 'Check out these new tags' (Ooh ooh ooh)"

Humming tunes and they carrying signs (Ooh ooh ooh)
Mostly say, 'I love my zodiac lines' (Ooh ooh ooh)"

:)
 
Paco Dennis said:
What a field day for the heat
A thousand people in the street
Sipping drinks and they carrying fans (Ooh ooh ooh)
Mostly say, 'God, I need a tan' (Ooh ooh ooh)"

Taking pics and they carrying bags (Ooh ooh ooh)
Mostly say, 'Check out these new tags' (Ooh ooh ooh)"

Humming tunes and they carrying signs (Ooh ooh ooh)
Mostly say, 'I love my zodiac lines' (Ooh ooh ooh)"

:)
Click to expand...
You are pretty darn close! I think she had this song mixed up with "Summer In The City"
 
I think my hubby took offense to me laughing at her describing that one verse
over and over adding more detail. He says "Well she played in orchestras and does
quite well describing the instrumental changes within a song."
Well, then she maybe should read up what a song is about and say "This is my visualization of it"
I honestly felt like her review was almost sacrilegious of that song. I was hurt how badly she messed it up.
 
I doubt I would have an issue with it. These type of song reactions are deliberately first listening, from someone who knows noting about the song. And therefore they will say how the song seems to them as they are listening to each song line.

When we all here songs for the first time, they initially mean different thinks to all of us.

Why would that be worthy of laughing at.
 
Magna-Carta said:
I doubt I would have an issue with it. These type of song reactions are deliberately first listening, from someone who knows noting about the song. And therefore they will say how the song seems to them as they are listening to each song line.

When we all here songs for the first time, they initially mean different thinks to all of us.

Why would that be worthy of laughing at.
Click to expand...
I agree with nearly all of what you said and in that, I also in my listening to her and knowing the song is not about a lovely summer day
in the city found it funny. Not sure worthy even comes into play.
 
I'm not sure I've ever thought of songs in quite that way exactly, but maybe [?]

I've heard songs where a deep hurt seems to come from way inside the heart of the performer - examples like "Hurt" (Timi Yuro) or "Misty Blue" (Cyndi Lauper) or some of Dolly Parton's sentimental songs like "Rockin' Years."

I've heard Christian music when it seems the performer is just doing the hymn without a clue, and I get nothing much from those, or when I feel they're trying to just show off their vocal abilities more than delivering the real message of the song, but then there are others where I sense a worshhipful manner of delivery, and it really speaks to my heart.
 
I am one who listens closely to the wording in most all songs, exception - bubble gum music.
That song was an important one to many at the time it came out. The instrumentals were deliberate
and softly forceful because of the meaning of the song.
If the singer takes those words and their heart is in it, it hits me deeply also and I am more prone to want
to keep hearing them.
I guess when you do podcasts like that even though it may be your 1st time hearing it, maybe without listening to
the song itself, get a bit of history about it is all I am thinking. This podcaster is not the 1st one I have heard do this.
They do influence other people about these older songs who have never heard them before, so once again....
Educate with truth not some made up version of their feelings over the song.
 
IrishEyes said:
I am one who listens closely to the wording in most all songs, exception - bubble gum music.
That song was an important one to many at the time it came out. The instrumentals were deliberate
and softly forceful because of the meaning of the song.
If the singer takes those words and their heart is in it, it hits me deeply also and I am more prone to want
to keep hearing them.
I guess when you do podcasts like that even though it may be your 1st time hearing it, maybe without listening to
the song itself, get a bit of history about it is all I am thinking. This podcaster is not the 1st one I have heard do this.
They do influence other people about these older songs who have never heard them before, so once again....
Educate with truth not some made up version of their feelings over the song.
Click to expand...
From the little I know of the song, it was quickly written as a observation of rioting in Los Angeles. Others saw it as a Vietnam protest song, even though it wasn't written as such.

The beauty of popular songs is that different people see something different in them-- something that might be personal to them. Many people focus into a few words of a song, which then gives them a different sense of what the song is about.

Evey Breath You Take, by the Police, is played at some weddings as a romantic song, yet the song is about a man stalking a woman after a break up.

Who was the podcaster of the For What It's Worth song?
 
Last edited:
I am a sucker for those type of podcasts and I kick myself for being such a sucker. There is a "Gen Z producer" who just finished going through all of the Beatles albums. He enjoyed them but what struck me was that he had never heard of some of their songs such as Yesterday and Help. I find it hard to believe that someone even in their early 20's have never heard of the songs.

I find that many of these type of podcasters don't pay as much attention to the lyrics as much as the sound. There is a podcast with two older musicians who do pay attention to the lyrics and will look the song up after listening to it to fully understand the meaning of the songs at the time. But even then, I find it hard to believe that they have never heard of some of the songs they claim they had never heard before.
 
Magna-Carta said:
From the little I know of the song, it was quickly written as a observation of rioting in Los Angeles. Others saw it as a Vietnam protest song, even though it wasn't written as such.

The beauty of popular songs is that different people see something different in it them-- something that might be personal to them. Many people focus into a few words of a song, which then gives them a different sense of what the song is about.

Evey Breath You Take, by the Police, is played at some weddings as a romantic song, yet the song is about a man stalking a woman after a break up.

Who was the podcaster of the For What It's Worth song?
Click to expand...
Hubby listens to so many of them, I can hear them when I am in the kitchen. I asked him and he can't recall it. She grew up on Classical and
was not allowed to listen to anything else. Her husband got her listening to popular music and she began these podcasts. I agree with hubby
I have heard her analyzing the instrumental parts and she does exceptional at that.
For What It's worth was very big hit in L.A. I grew up in that time and with those bands so yes that song was a major anthem of my time.
 
MarkinPhx said:
There is a podcast with two older musicians who do pay attention to the lyrics and will look the song up after listening to it to fully understand the meaning of the songs at the time. But even then, I find it hard to believe that they have never heard of some of the songs they claim they had never heard before.
Click to expand...

Yes, i to have my doubts on that. Especially when they constantly say they have never herd the songs they are now listening to as a 'first time reaction'. Even people in the comments are in disbelief, as its not as though the person doing the reaction is young.
 
Last edited:
MarkinPhx said:
I am a sucker for those type of podcasts and I kick myself for being such a sucker. There is a "Gen Z producer" who just finished going through all of the Beatles albums. He enjoyed them but what struck me was that he had never heard of some of their songs such as Yesterday and Help. I find it hard to believe that someone even in their early 20's have never heard of the songs.

I find that many of these type of podcasters don't pay as much attention to the lyrics as much as the sound. There is a podcast with two older musicians who do pay attention to the lyrics and will look the song up after listening to it to fully understand the meaning of the songs at the time. But even then, I find it hard to believe that they have never heard of some of the songs they claim they had never heard before.
Click to expand...
I have a hard time believing that too. Commercials, movies, TV, stores, etc and you never heard it before? I loved the one guy doing the Beatles and he was very excited and thrilled then he played "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" his reaction was hilarious!
What????? We go from a beautiful love song, maybe the best ever to MURDER??? WHat's up with this band?"
I couldn't stop laughing, he shut the song off and refused to play it all.
 
IrishEyes said:
Hubby listens to so many of them, I can hear them when I am in the kitchen. I asked him and he can't recall it. She grew up on Classical and
was not allowed to listen to anything else. Her husband got her listening to popular music and she began these podcasts. I agree with hubby
I have heard her analyzing the instrumental parts and she does exceptional at that.
For What It's worth was very big hit in L.A. I grew up in that time and with those bands so yes that song was a major anthem of my time.
Click to expand...

This person perhaps? Seems she was only ever brought up on classical. Ive not listened to it yet so I don't know if it ties in with your comments. Her husband very occasional appears in the videos, advising which song she might want to listen to next.

UPDATE: The reaction starts at 3:20


Admittedly, it can be annoying when someone comments on a song that is different to how it resonates with us. And especially if the song is something that has become ingrained in us. But then again, they might not have lived through the song in they way we have.
 
Last edited:
Magna-Carta said:
This person perhaps? Seems she was only ever brought up on classical. Ive not listened to it yet so I don't know if it ties in with your comments. Her husband very occasional appears in the videos, advising which song she might want to listen to next.

UPDATE: The reaction starts at 3:20

Click to expand...
She's close but not quite the one I heard. This one does mention it is a protest/antiwar song. The other didn't.
I will add I never go watch her, just hear her. Which would have helped. I will next time I hear him listening to her.
 
IrishEyes said:
She's close but not quite the one I heard. This one does mention it is a protest/antiwar song. The other didn't.
I will add I never go watch her, just hear her. Which would have helped. I will next time I hear him listening to her.
Click to expand...
Meaning Behind Buffalo Springfield's Protest Anthem "For What It's Worth"

(c/p):

“For What It’s Worth” was penned solely by Stills in response to the Sunset Strip curfew riots in Los Angeles in 1966.
It all started in the mid-1960s when hippies and young people associated with rock and roll culture would frequently gather on the famous street in West Hollywood.

In 1966, the local government put in place curfew and anti-loitering laws to stop people from congregating at the behest of local businesses.

This tension between the free-spirited culture and local government came to a head in November and December 1966 when protesters clashed with police, particularly on the night of November 12 when roughly 1,000 people showed up to protest the closing of Pandora’s Box, a popular nightclub for young people where the likes of the Beach Boys and Sonny & Cher performed over the years.
 
Sunkist said:
This tension between the free-spirited culture and local government came to a head in November and December 1966 when protesters clashed with police, particularly on the night of November 12 when roughly 1,000 people showed up to protest the closing of Pandora’s Box, a popular nightclub for young people where the likes of the Beach Boys and Sonny & Cher performed over the years.
Click to expand...

I think it's time we stop
Children, what's that sound?
Everybody look, what's going down?

Capture 01.JPG

Capture 02.JPG
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top