Gord versus muzak

[geodeticman]

Hey friends I am writing while I am away from home, attending to family matters. I read Rona's post about hearing Gord on two stations while driving in California. This, followed by a reply from Charlene including her remark about hearing Gord over the speakers at a restaurant I believe, led me to the following.

I could have easily replied in context with that thread, but the main point raised in Rona's was clear. My question for you all here would have muddied her thread, so I think it warrants its own. I hope you find it worthy of responses.

I'm sure you've all heard Gord on Muzak piped in to department stores, doctors offices, and....... elevators (arggghhh).

Here is my question for you all. As cloying, smarmy, and generally annoying as Muzak or various proprietary equivalents can be, is Gord's music on Muzak or the like:

a. a statement of the timeless nature of his
music, and testament to the intstrumental
-only stand-alone quality of his memorable
melodies as the case may be; and full "as
-recorded" songs on musak ?

b. or is it complete debasement and debauchery
of his music by virtue of being couched
in the company of Liberace, The Love Boat
Theme, and the like of less progressive
pre-recorded music packages for stores and
offices etc. ?

I am curious to here any responses on this. I will offer one example where it came through well in Muzak: the song "Beautiful" in intrumental version only. I have heard it many times while grocery shopping, and I have to admit it is a breath of fresh air and plays well as instrumental-only. On the other hand, the whole thought of his music played in the midst of, well, much *lesser* music, generally speaking, bothers me at the same time. You ?
GM Steve

[Jesse Joe]

Originally posted by Jessi -Joe:
Hey geodeticman, for me it doesn't bother me at all. The only thing I can ad here is I was in a lobby of a Montreal motel in 1990, and "Carefree Highway" was playing very lightly in the background, only music violins etc. Thats the first I was introduced to muzak. I had to stop and really listen, and told my brother thats a Gordon Lightfoot song playing there. It was enjoyable enough to listen to, different anyway.

[Cathy]

I think it's robbery to play Gord's music in instrumental form. You don't get a chance to hear his beautiful lyrics.
Given the choice between the two, I'd much rather hear the original recordings.
The owner of Smythe's IGA in Presque Isle must be a Lightfoot fan, because I hear original Gord tunes at least once a month in that store.

[SilverHeels]

I agree with Cathy.

[charlene]

I hate Muzak of any sort. It's horrid and bastardizes the original masterpieces. Especially Lightfoot stuff.
I usually put up with it but when it comes to hearing a MUZAK version of Lightfoot I get a tad upset....

Some MUZAK should not be heard at all but that is true of the original recording that is horrid too!
lol

[SilverHeels]

I tried to be calm and controlled about MUZAK then along comes Char and says it all for me.
LOL

[charlene]

you're welcome Bru...
lol

[geodeticman]

Key to responses thus far; perhaps premature:
FOR = any positive comment in absence of any
negative comment.
AGIN = any negative in absence of any
positive
SORTA = any mix of + & - , or, ambivolent/not certain. Even a microscopic spec of inferred negative or positive in the midst of a generally opposite context. Really picky on my part. Actually, pain in the a** disection of the responder's one-armed jugglers: the ego and the id. There is no rhyme or reason, just a time for... ok you get the idea.

preliminary results w/o Price-Waterhouse substantiation. Florida is not in yet; 'ole Jeb is having tabulation problems with ambiguous/cra**y analogue voting cards,etc. Your rights may vary from state to state. Void where prohibited. mumobum jumbororum to whit, thenceforth, and insofarasmuch and nevertheless:

temporary results including my opener:

FOR: 1 "is the loneliest number that you'll ever see, two is the saddest experience"....er wait thats the Guess Who not GL.

AGIN: 3

SORTA: 2

Hopefully more will respond for a sorta longitudinal study
geo-man

[Borderstone]

I don't mind Muzak so much...I just start sing- ing the song myself and then it's not so bad.

At least they only Muzak the "hits". I'd be really put off if they touched any of his LP tracks! ....and!...I know I've never heard a Muzak of "Wreck" and I hope I never do!

[Jesse Joe]

As long as its Lightfoot's music its good gives you a totaly different outlook of the song . HEY at least its not DISCOOOOOOOOOOOOO. On this very site you can listen to THE WRECK OF THE FITZ IN 4or5 different ways keyboard , did any of you ever listen to it DO tell

[Borderstone]

Awww,Jessie. Does this mean you're not going to buy Time-Life's new 147 song disco-CD set,off the TV?? :D :D LOL!

I would at least think you'd like to see their 1/2 hour info-mercial on the subject,hosted by a somewhat scary looking KC (of the Sunshine Band! :D (F.D.LOL!! )

[Jesse Joe]

{LOL} Borderstone, Disco must be the worst thing that music has seen. If you can call it music , no if Time-Lifes put some thing out on Disco, Its dead before the first commercial runs. But then again there is also RAP music i call it RAP with a 'C' in front. I guess it's to each his own, one person likes something while another thinks nothing of it.
Cheers!! Borderstone.

[Jesse Joe]

Like Borderstone says you listen to Lightfoot on muzak in an elevator and you sing the words on top of it. Making as if you got a back-up band with your voice.

[LSH]

steve, from the longitude of 116° 57'W to 124° 48'W, washington state, I have to agree with those against. Robbery...the lyrics are as much a part of the man's artistry as the music...half of a whole....

[Rona]

I disagree with a lot of you. I think that any time any Gordon Lightfoot song is being played in any form and being heard by the public is great. I want everyone in the world to hear it and say, "Hey,what's that song? Who sings it? Who wrote that beautiful music?"

[Sheryl]

I dislike muzak by anyone. It's EXACTLY as Colorado Sue put it: it's like the music on Prozac. Sloooooowed down to a crawl and BOOOORING. Takes all the "juice" out of the song.

[brink-]

FOR: 1 "is the loneliest number that you'll ever see, two is the saddest experience"....er wait thats the Guess Who not GL.

geo-man [/QB]

That would be Three Dog Night.

I'll chime in here.

There have been numerous occasions that I have heard a Muzak version of a Lightfoot song and was reminded of the original, went home, and put the real version on.

RMD

[geodeticman]

tabulation thus far: (some interpretation needed to arrive at these #'s so they are subjective)

For:----------------------------------------- 2

against: -------------------------------------8

mixed/unsure/multiple posts: -----------------2

Many frequenters have responded, but not all. It need not remain a clear for/agin for a given respondant, one person offered 4 postings that produced a mixed response by definition, but 3 of the 4 were "for".

So, I think the poll numbers themselves are being eclipsed by the interesting multiple posts, and the evolving opinions are interesting to me. I also appreciate the humour where used, and respect the conviction of those who feel strongly.

Colorado Sue - the prozac equation cracks me up !

Brink - I stand corrected. And to think, me, stuck in the 70's, getting that one wrong !

LSH - hehe I especially appreciated the longitude humour as a mapper , but I meant the statistical usage of longitudinal as in longer time study. Of course, with the "other" longitudinal definition you expressed in fun for Washington State's range, you expressed to the nearest minute, which at that latitude is aproximately +/- one nautical mile; leaving a bit to the imagination

Keep 'em coming..... thanks you guys for all the responses.
- Steve

[ May 04, 2006, 04:08: Message edited by: geodeticman ]

[Rob1956]

Keep in mind that Muzak and other "environment"
suppliers are always cranking out their product.
Alot of the musicians who play on those "elevator music" sessions earn most of their living that way. Many of these musicians spend whole 40 hour work weeks in a studio turning this stuff out. Hey, it's a paycheck, and their union dues pay for their healthcare, 401K, etc. The producers need material to feed the machine, so to speak. So pretty much anyone who writes popular music and/or has charted some hits will find their work being processed into Muzak at some point. I don't think it's any kind of statement on the person who wrote or performed the origional. The people who run these music services just need material.

i heard a muzak version of "circle is small" one time in burger king a number of years ago

[Borderstone]

Actually,I think quite possibly (unless it's the same thing)wrse than Muzak is that old symphonic orcestra known as "100 (101?) Strings".

An orchestra that does light & airy versions of contemporary music! ...and believe it or not,they actually come in a CD box set now! guess some folks'll buy anything! :D

Hey Jessi,so right...to each his own,I really like Disco and just a little rap now & then (long as it's not beyond PG-13).

That reminds me,I caught a rerun of That 70s Show Thurs. night (local channel) and out came Eric Forman in full dork-o-rama/Roller-Disco wear! LOL! :D

I'm talking radio head phones w/antenna's,rainbow suspenders,ugly colored skates and way too short shorts for a skinny dud like him! LOL! x2!! :D :D I fell out of the chair! Hoo,boy! I like Disco,but I never would have roller-skated!

[Sheryl]

Borderstone, you will not believe it, but, that CD set you referred to of 101 Strings?? It's sitting in my radio cabinet!! Not by choice, mind you!!! Underline that!! A gift from my mother to EDUCATE AND ENLIGHTEN her grandchildren. Needless to say, I shudder when I think about it, but, don't have the heart to toss it out.

[Rona]

Sheryl, we had that too growing up! Along with "Sing Along with Mitch [Miller]" and the Singing Nun. Interesting taste my parents had . . .