whatz so bad about "Brown Eyed Girl" anyway

[Shaster]

When I'm playing solo, I only play Brown Eyed Girl as a request, and I rarely (maybe once a year) get a request for it. I'm tired of the tune, and for me, it's only worth playing if people are going to sing, dance, whoop and holler.

Before I quit playing the tune (as a solo) I got into quite the discussion a few years back with a guy who was really upset that I had played the song. He liked what I was doing but ragged on me for being so pedestrian in calling B.E.G.. I realized then and there that I shouldn't play a tune I didn't like, in the hopes that others might. Because it could very well backfire, and other folks might be just as tired as I am of hearing the same old stuff.

Frankly, if I'm out somewhere, the last thing I want to hear is Brown Eyed Girl. However, if you like the tune and want to play it - more power to you. It's catchy, it's got clever lyrics, a good beat and it actually has a bass solo in the middle. Maybe that's why it's still hanging around.

Now I've probably jinxed myself, and I'll get a request for Brown Eyed Girl and Mustang Sally!

[dparr]

You could kill two stones at once and play Brown Eyed Sally.

[daddymack]

or three, and play Proud Eyed Sally...I'm jus'sayin'...

[Tomm Williams]

I think there is FAR more worry about what is "overplayed" by musicians than the audience. As my band gigs (and gets older) we see more younger folks out. Those people have not heard Mustang Sally or Brown Eyed Girl or whatever 10,000 times. To them, it's not that worn out. Play what you want and enjoy the moment, it will end way faster than you imagine.

[dparr]

 

Originally Posted by daddymack

or three, and play Proud Eyed Sally...I'm jus'sayin'...

 

[mr3lions]

Don't mind it. Played it when I was gigging regular and now that I'm a "campfire player" I play it when asked. Interesting to note how some peoples perceptions have changed in last couple of years;

From "Backstage..."
http://acapella.harmony-central.com/...rown+eyed+girl

http://acapella.harmony-central.com/...rown+eyed+girl

[Tomm Williams]

Beethovens 5th and 9th symphonys have been performed how many times? Still brings the house down when done well and that {censored} is really old. Good music is just that.

[Notes_Norton]

And my favorite Beethoven symphonies are #4 and #7 which don't get played as often. I drove 100 miles to hear Shostakovitch's #4 when they were playing the more common #5 about 50 miles away.

On the other hand I love Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet, 4th symphony and 6th which get played often. Dvorak's #9 is one of my favorites and it often gets performed.

You see, we listen with musician's ears and the public doesn't. I wouldn't get turned on by Brown Eyed Girl if I went to hear someone else play. On the other hand, I wouldn't reject it either. Instead I'd do what I always do, evaluate what is the band doing wrong (IMHO), what are they doing right (what can I steal -- oops -- I mean adopt), and how the audience is reacting to it. Occupational hazard I suppose.

When I go to listen to music to please my ears, it's either symphonic or jazz. I don't play symphonic and only light jazz (I used to do a jazz jam but we only worked one day a week).

You can play for yourself ... you can play for other musicians ... or you can play for the general public. And if you are good enough, you will get the audience you asked for.

I enjoy playing music, whether it is an old "war horse" like Margaritaville, Brown Eyed Girl, Mustang Sally or whether it is anything else in our song list (which is quite extensive) http://www.nortonmusic.com/cats/songlist.html

Perhaps the most worn out song I do is Yakety Sax and only play that when requested. Calling it is the only problem. Funny thing happens as soon as I start playing it, I enjoy doing it in spite of myself.

My favorites are usually the most recently learned because there is more room for exploration in them and I haven't settled down to what I think works best.

But while I'm playing for myself, I'm also playing for the audience. I've been playing for the general public since the 1960s and they haven't let me down yet. It's been fun and it's still fun.

For those who hate to play this song, and refuse to play another, and can't stand to do yet another, I wonder why they are musicians. Seems to me either you like playing or not.

But then I'm looking through my eyes. We're all different and that's OK.

Notes

[TIMKEYS]

we play it. In fact we got a request for it last night. I use steel drums to give it the island flavor. After you have played margaritagrill 250 times a year for a few years, you can deal with anything.

Nibblin on sponge cake

[tim_7string]

I have my favorites and I have ones I don't look forward to playing. Brown Eyed Girl kind of falls inbetween. I'm not burnt out on it, but it isn't a song I'm dying to play either.

I enjoy watching people dance, have fun and singing along, but if I'm playing songs I don't care for and I'm only playing them to get those results AND it doesn't work (they just sit there or leave the dance floor until it's done), that sucks. Because then it's a fail all around. I don't like it, they don't like it, so why is it being played? Sometimes that happens. Thankfully, not that often.

I'm not a big Van Morrison fan. I never understood the appeal of his voice or his songs. But some people can't understand why I like the music I like too. So it's all good.

[Potts]

Originally Posted by TIMKEYS

we play it. In fact we got a request for it last night. I use steel drums to give it the island flavor. After you have played margaritagrill 250 times a year for a few years, you can deal with anything.

Nibblin on sponge cake

See Buffett...

[TIMKEYS]

Originally Posted by Potts

See Buffett...

LOL ,,, yup thats pretty much what our crowd looks like only a ton smaller. It just means they have to dring more to make up for size.

[BEMUSofNthAmrca]

Originally Posted by J.Paul

I don't get it.
It's got a nice little riff
a good hook
tells a story
isn't slow and brooding
chicks dance to it


fire away

If those are your reasons for thinking it's good, you'll never "get it".

[Potts]

 

Originally Posted by BEMUSofNthAmrca

If those are your reasons for thinking it's good, you'll never "get it".

 

LOL.. Really? He's a touring player with a top country act silly.

[Potts]

Originally Posted by BEMUSofNthAmrca

If those are your reasons for thinking it's good, you'll never "get it".

And what the heck are you talking about? I'm not sure if YOU get it my friend.

These are absolutley the key components to a good song:

• Good riff
• Good hook
• Tells a story
• Isn't slow and brooding
• Chicks dance to it

[Notes_Norton]

Originally Posted by Potts

And what the heck are you talking about? I'm not sure if YOU get it my friend.

These are absolutley the key components to a good song:

• Good riff
• Good hook
• Tells a story
• Isn't slow and brooding
• Chicks dance to it

+1

Writing a song with all of the above seems simple when it's done, but it's deceptively simple. There is quite an art to it. I wish I could crank out a million like that.

Just because the song is simple, doesn't mean it's bad. Sure B.E.G. isn't nearly as complex as a Prokofiev ballet (chicks do dance to a Prokofiev ballet though and they have good hooks - called themes), and I wouldn't say it rises to nearly the same level of artistic merit, but that doesn't make it bad. Hamburgers aren't as good as Filet Mignon, but they are still good and I like them both.

Again, we listen with musician's ears, but most of us play for the non-trained so we have to accommodate their level of understanding. IMHO That shouldn't mean we are playing down to them, just having fun with them.

I've played music by Morrison and Moussorgsky, and quite a bit in-between, and enjoyed it all. You can cop an elitist attitude if you like, and if it suits you, that's just fine, but that doesn't make either your way or my way the definitive right answer. As long as our music has listeners, we must be doing something right.

On last night's gig we had a request for "Elvira" so we played it and packed the dance floor. They did some kind of line dance to it, and when the oom-pap-pa.... part came, they all sang at the top of their lungs. While Elvira will never be on my iPod, I must admit it was fun playing it.

Notes

[pogo97]

We did BEG for SNAGs last night. Really slow and wistful. Transformed it and people listened and liked.

[Shaster]

Originally Posted by tim_7string

I enjoy watching people dance, have fun and singing along, but if I'm playing songs I don't care for and I'm only playing them to get those results AND it doesn't work (they just sit there or leave the dance floor until it's done), that sucks. Because then it's a fail all around. I don't like it, they don't like it, so why is it being played? Sometimes that happens. Thankfully, not that often.

.

That is basically my point of view. For instance, when I'm playing in a party band, I have no shame whatsoever. My function is to provide a party atmosphere, so out comes B.E.G., Shout, Takin' Care Of Business, Red Red Wine and so on. But currently most of my solo venues don't want, and wouldn't much tolerate that kind of music - so I don't play those tunes unless requested.

Last night I started pandering to the audience, or at least I thought I was. I played Stand By Me, Route 66, some Bob Marley and so on. Nothing too much was happening. But then I played a slow blues, Affirmation (Benson), and OGD (Wes Montgomery) and got a much bigger response. So for that night anyway, most of the audience didn't want tired tried and true.

But as I said before, if people are screaming and dancing, or just have a particular song need, then I play what works - no need to educate anyone, especially when it all comes down to opinions, not fact. When it's their night out it's their party.

[Potts]

Originally Posted by Shaster

Last night I started pandering to the audience, or at least I thought I was. I played Stand By Me, Route 66, some Bob Marley and so on. Nothing too much was happening. But then I played a slow blues, Affirmation (Benson), and OGD (Wes Montgomery) and got a much bigger response. So for that night anyway, most of the audience didn't want tired tried and true.

Nice! That doesn't happen too much.

I have an audience at a venue that I play at the first Saturday of the month that is receptive to literally anything I play. It's awesome being able to drop tunes like Margarittaville, BEG, Feelin Alright and Blister, and replace them with stuff that may have more depth to it.

[Piano Whore]

 

Originally Posted by pogo97

We did BEG for SNAGs last night. Really slow and wistful. Transformed it and people listened and liked.

 

BEG slow and wistful? I've done it reggae or island ala Jimmy Buffet but never like that.

[Piano Whore]

 

Originally Posted by Shaster

But then I played a slow blues, Affirmation (Benson), and OGD (Wes Montgomery) and got a much bigger response.

 

"Affirmation" is great tune IMO- WAY mo better than Breezin' which is the low hanging fruit of smoov jazzz (also IMO). Got a clip of that one?

[Notes_Norton]

IMO, Playing to the audience you have in front of you is very important. If you have a jazz audience, play jazz, if you have a pop audience, play pop.

I used to be a regular at a Sunday Jazz Jam many years ago. If we played B.E.G. there it would have been totally inappropriate -- that is unless we made a jazz tune out of it. But that gig was a long time ago, only one day a week, and it really didn't pay that well

[Shaster]

Originally Posted by Piano Whore

"Affirmation" is great tune IMO- WAY mo better than Breezin' which is the low hanging fruit of smoov jazzz (also IMO). Got a clip of that one?

Affirmation, is a fine tune but I also do Breezin' because that's the one people know... which can translate into tips

I don't have a clip of Affirmation but I've got a short band clip of Dinorah Dinorah which is an Ivan Lines tune that Benson covered. It's actually a song about a prositute, which is maybe why Benson did it as an instrumental!

Excuse the poor cell phone audio quality...

[Vito Corleone]

Musicians hate BEG because they feel it's worn-out and it's a song that "every band" does. The public --- especially the young pretty girls -- still loves it.

Personally, I'm playing for the crowd because, ultimately, they are the ones both writing my paycheck and writing the reviews. And I'd much rather play BEG for a packed dance-floor than play, say, Deacon Blues (I song I personally LOVE) for crickets every time.

YMMV.

And, for what it's worth, I very rarely play BEG because we've found other songs we personally like better that fill the same spot in the set. But for any act that's doing it? I get it 100%.