Comments on: “Tik Tok”: The Blues Version http://www.overthinkingit.com/2010/02/23/kehas-tik-tok-blues/ Overthinking It subjects the popular culture to a level of scrutiny it probably doesn't deserve. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:05:13 +0000 hourly 1 By: saltobello http://www.overthinkingit.com/2010/02/23/kehas-tik-tok-blues/#comment-15715 saltobello Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:15:17 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=13485#comment-15715 Wow, this is brilliant! And your example makes it crystal clear. For a long time I've thought that (as Nick Tosches put it) "there's no new thing under the sun." (I don't know why when he transformed "nothing new" to "no new thing" it made is sound like he coined it himself.) Every new strain of music, new artist, etc. that's labeled "revolutionary" tends to have an antecedent that's pretty clear--and I don't think there's anything unusual about that. But as you and Fenzel show, breaking those things down can be enormously entertaining--and they tend to put the newer artist in a better light. Thanks! I'm new to this website and it looks like I have a lot of catching up to do! Wow, this is brilliant! And your example makes it crystal clear. For a long time I’ve thought that (as Nick Tosches put it) “there’s no new thing under the sun.” (I don’t know why when he transformed “nothing new” to “no new thing” it made is sound like he coined it himself.) Every new strain of music, new artist, etc. that’s labeled “revolutionary” tends to have an antecedent that’s pretty clear–and I don’t think there’s anything unusual about that. But as you and Fenzel show, breaking those things down can be enormously entertaining–and they tend to put the newer artist in a better light.

Thanks! I’m new to this website and it looks like I have a lot of catching up to do!

]]> By: Brimstone http://www.overthinkingit.com/2010/02/23/kehas-tik-tok-blues/#comment-15412 Brimstone Fri, 26 Feb 2010 03:41:46 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=13485#comment-15412 Wow... I'm proud of inspiring that. That's a great cover! and yeah you see lots of 'big upping' in classical mythology again, i don't really follow rap but rock and rollers have lots of mythical aspects to them, even if its not as obvious as a Led Zep/Tolkien thing. they're shamanistic Wow… I’m proud of inspiring that. That’s a great cover!
and yeah you see lots of ‘big upping’ in classical mythology
again, i don’t really follow rap but rock and rollers have lots of mythical aspects to them, even if its not as obvious as a Led Zep/Tolkien thing. they’re shamanistic

]]> By: Jon Eric http://www.overthinkingit.com/2010/02/23/kehas-tik-tok-blues/#comment-15387 Jon Eric Thu, 25 Feb 2010 01:38:11 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=13485#comment-15387 I'm impressed with the quality of the vocals in this recording. Very well-done. Makes me wish I had thought to cover "Tik Tok" in this style. I’m impressed with the quality of the vocals in this recording. Very well-done. Makes me wish I had thought to cover “Tik Tok” in this style.

]]> By: BluesLover http://www.overthinkingit.com/2010/02/23/kehas-tik-tok-blues/#comment-15376 BluesLover Wed, 24 Feb 2010 18:39:55 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=13485#comment-15376 I think there is a huge difference between the roots of a genre and the similarities in textual content to a different art form. For the Ke$ha song, though the text may possibly have some of the disparaging qualities of a blues songs of Muddy Waters and B.B. King you posted, it's Ke$ha's presentation of the material that makes the song not worthwhile. "Tik Tok" is a crap song. I think that is something at least everyone here can agree on. However, that does not make Lee's cover of it a crap song. Genre and sound are EVERYTHING when it comes to music. If we were to analyze the lyrics of a B.B. King song, for instance "Three O'clock Blues", we would find a similar lack of real content in the message: Well now it's three o'clock in the morning And I can't even close my eyes Three o'clock in the morning baby And I can't even close my eyes Can't find my baby And I can't be satisfied I've looked around me And my baby she can't be found I've looked all around me, people And my baby she can't be found You know if I don't find my baby I'm going down to the Golden Ground That's where the men hang out Goodbye, everybody I believe this is the end Oh goodbye everybody I believe this is the end I want you to tell my baby Tell her please please forgive me Forgive me for my sins There is not a lot there. It is a real situation much like in Gab's description of country music. However, I enjoy listening to it and I'm sure, as evidenced from Lee's extremely bluesy cover, Lee enjoys listening to it. Why? Because it meets a certain expectation; it has breadth and intent; and it is performed by musicians of caliber. That is my main complaint with Ke$ha: she is not a caliber musician or even a musician at all. Her song may be part of a lyrical tradition based in the blues but I doubt it is ACTUALLY because Ke$ha has heard B.B. King and Muddy Waters. We have to watch when we see a connection between things not to assume the connection is true. Maybe in some far off and impossible to prove way Lady Gaga is connected to Greek literature but it is not right to say it is so. The artist knows what influences them. Looking at the influences of their own influences and so on is only an exercise and gives little insight into the artists because they may not even be aware of that art. It's like what T.S. Eliot said: "Immature poets imitate; mature poets steal." All true art is based off of some other art and because the artist knows that that's what makes it art. Ke$ha's "Tik Tok" is not true art because it mocks the blues songs listed while not acknowledging their influence. I think there is a huge difference between the roots of a genre and the similarities in textual content to a different art form. For the Ke$ha song, though the text may possibly have some of the disparaging qualities of a blues songs of Muddy Waters and B.B. King you posted, it’s Ke$ha’s presentation of the material that makes the song not worthwhile. “Tik Tok” is a crap song. I think that is something at least everyone here can agree on. However, that does not make Lee’s cover of it a crap song. Genre and sound are EVERYTHING when it comes to music. If we were to analyze the lyrics of a B.B. King song, for instance “Three O’clock Blues”, we would find a similar lack of real content in the message:

Well now it’s three o’clock in the morning
And I can’t even close my eyes
Three o’clock in the morning baby
And I can’t even close my eyes
Can’t find my baby
And I can’t be satisfied

I’ve looked around me
And my baby she can’t be found
I’ve looked all around me, people
And my baby she can’t be found
You know if I don’t find my baby
I’m going down to the Golden Ground
That’s where the men hang out

Goodbye, everybody
I believe this is the end
Oh goodbye everybody
I believe this is the end
I want you to tell my baby
Tell her please please forgive me
Forgive me for my sins

There is not a lot there. It is a real situation much like in Gab’s description of country music. However, I enjoy listening to it and I’m sure, as evidenced from Lee’s extremely bluesy cover, Lee enjoys listening to it. Why? Because it meets a certain expectation; it has breadth and intent; and it is performed by musicians of caliber. That is my main complaint with Ke$ha: she is not a caliber musician or even a musician at all. Her song may be part of a lyrical tradition based in the blues but I doubt it is ACTUALLY because Ke$ha has heard B.B. King and Muddy Waters. We have to watch when we see a connection between things not to assume the connection is true. Maybe in some far off and impossible to prove way Lady Gaga is connected to Greek literature but it is not right to say it is so. The artist knows what influences them. Looking at the influences of their own influences and so on is only an exercise and gives little insight into the artists because they may not even be aware of that art. It’s like what T.S. Eliot said: “Immature poets imitate; mature poets steal.” All true art is based off of some other art and because the artist knows that that’s what makes it art. Ke$ha’s “Tik Tok” is not true art because it mocks the blues songs listed while not acknowledging their influence.

]]> By: Dan http://www.overthinkingit.com/2010/02/23/kehas-tik-tok-blues/#comment-15373 Dan Wed, 24 Feb 2010 02:59:23 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=13485#comment-15373 Sorry for the punctuation snark. That song is fucking brilliant. Sorry for the punctuation snark. That song is fucking brilliant.

]]> By: Gab http://www.overthinkingit.com/2010/02/23/kehas-tik-tok-blues/#comment-15371 Gab Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:59:47 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=13485#comment-15371 The link between Ke$ha and blues reminds me of something I get sick of hearing, so I'm gonna rant a bit. Maybe I'm a freak, but there is often a pre-disposition for people around me to hate country music on principle. It's country, thereby it's sucky and automatically about how a dude is sitting on his porch while his dog sleeps at his feet and he hasn't seen his old lady in years or something. I've never really understood the difference between the storytelling in country music versus every other genre that does it in this way, meaning by portraying an image of a moment or general lifestyle of a person. Folk music does it, blues does it, rap does it- pretty much every genre does it in some way, or at least has songs classified within that genre that do it. I see no difference in premise between a guy singing about how he's a tough country boy and a guy rapping about how he's a tough thug. Or a hurt one (in either case). Etc. So, you could just as easily turn Ke$ha's song into a country ballad as this (made of awesome, btw) blues rendition, or a rap song. So why the hatin' on the country so often? (Note: general question, not aimed at Lee or anybody in particular.) (And I could answer it, but I don't want to do *all* the talking if anybody else is interested or has noticed the same thing.) @Hazbaz: "Perhaps “Poker Face” is a modern re-telling of “Lysistrata”" I died. Nice. Now I'm going to spend my evening contemplating who had the *best* "poker face" of the characters and such. The link between Ke$ha and blues reminds me of something I get sick of hearing, so I’m gonna rant a bit. Maybe I’m a freak, but there is often a pre-disposition for people around me to hate country music on principle. It’s country, thereby it’s sucky and automatically about how a dude is sitting on his porch while his dog sleeps at his feet and he hasn’t seen his old lady in years or something. I’ve never really understood the difference between the storytelling in country music versus every other genre that does it in this way, meaning by portraying an image of a moment or general lifestyle of a person. Folk music does it, blues does it, rap does it- pretty much every genre does it in some way, or at least has songs classified within that genre that do it. I see no difference in premise between a guy singing about how he’s a tough country boy and a guy rapping about how he’s a tough thug. Or a hurt one (in either case). Etc. So, you could just as easily turn Ke$ha’s song into a country ballad as this (made of awesome, btw) blues rendition, or a rap song. So why the hatin’ on the country so often? (Note: general question, not aimed at Lee or anybody in particular.) (And I could answer it, but I don’t want to do *all* the talking if anybody else is interested or has noticed the same thing.)

@Hazbaz: “Perhaps “Poker Face” is a modern re-telling of “Lysistrata””

I died. Nice. Now I’m going to spend my evening contemplating who had the *best* “poker face” of the characters and such.

]]> By: mlawski http://www.overthinkingit.com/2010/02/23/kehas-tik-tok-blues/#comment-15370 mlawski Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:20:33 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=13485#comment-15370 (Being Underthinking It) Mark: I just got around to listening and it is awesome!!!! Exclamation points! In other news, I, too, am unopposed to 8 minute blues jams with pompous guitar solos. (/Underthinking) (Being Underthinking It)

Mark: I just got around to listening and it is awesome!!!! Exclamation points!

In other news, I, too, am unopposed to 8 minute blues jams with pompous guitar solos.

(/Underthinking)

]]> By: lee http://www.overthinkingit.com/2010/02/23/kehas-tik-tok-blues/#comment-15367 lee Tue, 23 Feb 2010 20:30:14 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=13485#comment-15367 @Sean: I estimate it would have clocked in at around 7 minutes, 8 if you include obligatory pompous guitar solo. Not that I'm opposed to 8 minute blues jams with pompous guitar solos. @Sean: I estimate it would have clocked in at around 7 minutes, 8 if you include obligatory pompous guitar solo.

Not that I’m opposed to 8 minute blues jams with pompous guitar solos.

]]> By: Erdee http://www.overthinkingit.com/2010/02/23/kehas-tik-tok-blues/#comment-15365 Erdee Tue, 23 Feb 2010 19:27:05 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=13485#comment-15365 O my. Daniel is absolutely right on target, this needs to come back. Often. O my. Daniel is absolutely right on target, this needs to come back. Often.

]]> By: Sean Nixon http://www.overthinkingit.com/2010/02/23/kehas-tik-tok-blues/#comment-15364 Sean Nixon Tue, 23 Feb 2010 18:51:14 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=13485#comment-15364 The full song would be way to long at that pace. The full song would be way to long at that pace.

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