Sunday 11 May 2008

My Guilty Music Secret



We were sitting in my living room recently and my mate suddenly pulled out a CD from my CD shelves.
'What you got to say to this, Crushed?'

The CD in question was 'We are the Pipettes'

'Yeah, it's mine' I admitted. Couldn't really deny it. It was stuck under 'P' in the Year 2000+ (Non Dance) section. It wasn't accidentally sitting there, it was definitely filed where it belonged.
'And you have a go at me for having INXS' he said.

I say to you now, what I said to him 'Yeah, OK, it's not exactly high quality music. It's not stuff you play to stimulate your mind, not stuff you play to conceptualise, not stuff you play to unwind. And no, it ain't going to impress anyone, you having it on your shelves. But I do find them uplifting sometimes.'



Why? Because they're real women. I mean, I listen to Dido, or Garbage, or Shakespeare's Sister to hear the finer details of female emotions expressed in song. Listening to the combination of lyrics and vocal expression in female vocalists of their calibre, provides an insight in to the inner workings of the female mind.

And I listen to Rihanna for pure erotic quality.
Yeah, a steamy weekend with Rihanna would be lovely.
But any more than that would, let's face it, be a bit much.

Not sure I could actually live up to that particular challenge.



But the Pipettes are real women. Real women, who bear a fairly definite resemblance to the actual women you'd actually want to settle down with, as opposed to fantasy women.
They are the sort of women, you'd actually chat up down the pub. They belong to the exact social background and age group that IN REALITY, you're comfortable with. The oldest is twenty-seven, the youngest (Rosay), is maybe a little too young, at twenty-two. But they'd all fit in down The Star, where maybe Siobhain Fahey might not. Or certainly, Siobhain Fahey in reality might well have most men for breakfast.

Yes, in a sense they're manufactured tack. But most manufactured tack consists of unreal plastic pin ups, who just do nothing for me. Not so The Pipettes.

They look like girls you'd want to settle down with. Girls who'd fit in nicely in the life you actually lead, not a dream life.

And they sing like girls you know would. It's not melodious, it's real. And it's about real stuff. You listen to their songs and you think, yeah, that's the voice of the ordinary woman of my generation. They are the admin girls, the barmaids, the girl at the supermarket, the girl in the newsagents, the one you flirt with and she blushes.

And when I listen to the lyrics, I feel re-assured. Because I know that most people really don't want to sit around analysing their emotions, unless they're songwriters. The Pipettes sing about life and love, the way our generation actually live it, and it's nice to hear real women singing it the way it is.



And it helps I think to be reminded of reality, to put your feet back on the ground and realise that neither Rihanna, nor Siobhain Fahey would really make you happy.

A Pipette would.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

I know what you mean, they are girls just having fun together which has that feel good factor. It reminds me of some of the 70's bands!

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I grew up listening to Abba (I think I was their only US fan), and I still like to hear them now and then, but only in moderation.

I'm with you on Dido and Garbage, I also like Sophie B Hawkins, and I'm off to YouTube to check out Rihanna. You're the second person to mention her in two days, I can take a hint...

Anonymous said...

Totally OT, but commiserations.

Those of us at the civilized end of the Seven Sisters Road know that it should have been Spurs.

See you in a couple of years

Anonymous said...

CherryPie- Yes, I guess that's it, isn't it?
Whatever older generations say about women of our generation, their criticism of 'ladettes', I just think girls today know how to have fun in their own right. And good on them!

Fusion- Abba were number one when I was born...
'Hunter', by Dido, beautiful track. It's about a woman wanting to be single again. Powerful, because it's a slap in the face to the idea that a woman- or anyone- is 'completed' by having a partner.

Rihanna has just the right level of sexuality, seductive, without being sleazy.

Grendel- What a wounder? If we'd played the way we did today, three weeks ago, well, no use crying over spilt milk.
It just worries me, I can't see where we'll get the funds to come back up. Last time round, there was a sense relegation was just a blip. But we blew this season, we blew it.

Still, supporting the City, teaches a lot about being a footie fan. I think Arsenal fans must find it hard come World Cup time to get their heads around loving a national team that will ALWAYS let them down. Easier for us bluenoses to get our heads round :)

Anonymous said...

Depends which vintage of gooner one is. Having grown up in the Terry Neill / Don Howe era I can be slightly more empathetic than would initially appear to be case.

Anonymous said...

Fun music absolutely has its place on my shelves, and (don't tell) I love square dancing to a caller, it's really so fun and a great workout, but has the same 'never admit it in polite society' reputation. Totally American, I know.

Anonymous said...

When I seen the title of the post, I thought you was going to say something like Abba Or Billy Ray Cyrus....don't mind me lol :-)

Anonymous said...

Is this where we all go "Hi Crushed" and confess our own dirty little music secrets?




Yeah, I don't wanna... :(




:D

Anonymous said...

Umm.. is it just me.. or did anyone else get to 27 seconds into the second vid and have an overwhelming urge for silence..??

Good Lord Crushie.. Good Lord..

Anonymous said...

I must be getting old or set in my ways... or both. I had not heard of teh Pipettes before.

I shall kncukle off and get back to Hawkwind!

Anonymous said...

Grendel- I came into office today to find a stack of empty Coca Cola cans on my desk- the office Villa fans idea of a joke. I wasn't really in the mood for it.

Helen- :) There was a brief line dancing craze over here a few years back.
There are certain tracks which by tradition are played off at office Xmas parties or weddings at ten to one- the most common ones being 'Come on Eileen' by Dexy's Midnight Runners and 'YMCA' by The Village People- guaranteed to pack the floor with even the drunkest.

Nunyaa- I do have the odd skeleton in my collection. Most of it I can own up to, but a thorough itenery would reveal some shameful lapses :(

Heart- :) Not Barbie Girl! Please, not Barbie Girl!

Kimba- Look, I admitted it wasn't quality music.
But they do come across as the sort of girls you'd like to have your arm round whilst watching Sky Sports in your local.

Jams- To be honest, I don't listen to chart stations- or the radio much full stop. If I do, it's mainly Heart FM. But I do watch Music Channels a fair bit.

Anonymous said...

Nope, not Barbie Girl


I was always prone to play with cars and GI Joes instead... :P

Anonymous said...

Awww bless ya Crushed.. a bit of a cuddle while watching the snooker in the pub.. :)

Anonymous said...

Nice post, Crushed.

Anonymous said...

Heart- Don't say Peter Andre!

No- I'm guesing...
I think you might have a soft spot for Robbie Williams...?

Kimba- Well, football usually. Never quite seen the excitement in watching snooker. I do play pool- averagely.

But yes, I'm the sort of bloke who basically wants a girl he can take to his local.

Welshcakes- I have my nice moments :)
In fact I'm nice most of the time!:)