All Around the World, people want to be loved

Eric, I haven't finished responding to your Justin Bieber questions for one reason--I'm still in shock that I'm the one who introduced Bye Bye Birdie to a Boomer. Seriously, how could you have survived in this culture and not heard of it?

~Chas'88

Originally Posted by Chas'88

Eric, I haven't finished responding to your Justin Bieber questions for one reason--I'm still in shock that I'm the one who introduced Bye Bye Birdie to a Boomer. Seriously, how could you have survived in this culture and not heard of it?

~Chas'88

I had heard of it; but it was really a bit early for a boomer. 1963 was still childhood for boomers. I was not (and generally AM not) into musicals at all, let alone during childhood. The title was just a familiar name; I had never seen it, or known what it was about. Of course I did know My Fair Lady though; it was taught to us in school, and I saw the movie in 1964. That one was much more of a society-wide phenomenon. It interesting how well JB fits the pattern (of Bye Bye Birdie), but I am sure that he also transcends it.

Current @Sweden owner disses Bieber!

Now, this just warms my heart. A fellow Swede even. To quote "We don't call him 'gay' if we mean 'he sucks'. We say 'he sucks.' "

Originally Posted by Ragnarök_62

Current @Sweden owner disses Bieber!

Now, this just warms my heart. A fellow Swede even. To quote "We don't call him 'gay' if we mean 'he sucks'. We say 'he sucks.' "

Not the dissing, but the using proper terminology, warms my heart as well. Kids, get it straight --- Elton John is gay, but he doesn't suck. Vanilla Ice sucks, but is not gay. Hooray for your Swede.

It continues to strike me just how amazing Justin Bieber is, in so many ways too. Just the fact that he can rattle off in two and a half years such a list of certified-by-eric "good" songs:

Pray (the greatest song in a generation), All I Want Is You, One Less Lonely Girl, Love Me, Never Say Never, Born to Be Somebody, One Time, Mistletoe, Baby, Uh Oh, U Smile, Somebody to Love, Never Let You Go, All Around the World, Up, Turn to You.....

in a time in which it is almost impossible for anyone in pop culture to create and sell even one good song; a time in which such a thing is a rare gem indeed, almost non-existent. At a time when pop culture is dominated by a few big companies that only care about selling to the lowest common denominator, and by cultural aspirations consisting of rapping off rhymes fast in an angry voice, or looking like you're having fun at a sexy party, or making sounds as loud and brash as possible, or taking attitudes that are as cynical and destructive as possible in order to be "real," etc. Or the prevalence that JDFP demonstrates, that many Americans can only relate to the literal level of reality, to words, and can't experience anything of a deeper aesthetic level. That one artist with a good team can produce over a dozen good songs in this climate, and then to have them slip through to top-level popularity, is nothing short of a miracle.

(sorry there are so many ads on these videos now; but if this is my temple, I guess I'd better add the music!)

And then there's the fact that this artist is only 15-18 years old when he does it; a miracle that most people are jealous of, and consequently put him down just because he's young and "sings like a girl," or because he's a pop artist, when that's just the miracle of it; that a young pop artist can be this good, and that someone this good can be popular. It's unbeliebable, and so can't be true.

And then the fact that he is also adorable, fun, funny, entertaining, authentic....

as here http://youtu.be/gDXaXg3G9RU

and is there another pop star who would do this?

http://youtu.be/AKEQwvaYI_k

and also that he gives back, to his fans, and raising money for charity like no artist since Bono or Sting, and teaches us how to Pray too.

Yes I do like Justin Bieber. He is a master. And I'm grateful that the internet has allowed a different pop culture to break through.

Originally Posted by Eric the Green

Or the prevalence that JDFP demonstrates, that many Americans can only relate to the literal level of reality, to words, and can't experience anything of a deeper aesthetic level.

Most of the rest of your post here was Bieber-drivel so I skipped over it but I wanted to respond to mention of my initials/screen-name. I don't presume to speak on behalf of all Americans although I am somewhat humbled, honored, and baffled all at the same time (in equal measure) in your mentioning that my individual thoughts somehow represents the prevalence of American groupthink regarding music today. I just express my opinions on the matter. I don't imagine I speak for anyone else except for myself (and half the time I don't even speak for myself all that great - friends should never allow friends to post while intoxicated thanks to the wonderful folks over at Anheiser-Busch of which I have great respect).

The phrase "literal level of reality" sounds like mental masturbation to me (I spent four years as a triple-major in history, philosophy, and theology so I am an expert of sorts when it comes to mental masturbation and the fine art of bullshit). Care to extrapolate this statement? As opposed to the abstract level of reality (which would be non-reality?) or the literal level of non-reality perhaps?

I can certainly appreciate good music apart from lyrics and poetry (not mere words, my good man) - note: Wagner - but I've merely stated that in my personal tastes the lyrics are essential to a great song. As far as "experience" - the experiencing of experience (aha, I can employ mental masturbation tactics too!) is a subjective matter (a posteriori) and while a priori reality may be objective we can only experience it through our limited perceptions. I do believe that good music (of which I certainly and unequivocally include lyrics as being part of this) can transcend just a posteriori.

j.p.

Originally Posted by JDFP

Most of the rest of your post here was Bieber-drivel so I skipped over it but I wanted to respond to mention of my initials/screen-name. I don't presume to speak on behalf of all Americans although I am somewhat humbled, honored, and baffled all at the same time (in equal measure) in your mentioning that my individual thoughts somehow represents the prevalence of American groupthink regarding music today. I just express my opinions on the matter. I don't imagine I speak for anyone else except for myself (and half the time I don't even speak for myself all that great - friends should never allow friends to post while intoxicated thanks to the wonderful folks over at Anheiser-Busch of which I have great respect).

The phrase "literal level of reality" sounds like mental masturbation to me (I spent four years as a triple-major in history, philosophy, and theology so I am an expert of sorts when it comes to mental masturbation and the fine art of bullshit). Care to extrapolate this statement? As opposed to the abstract level of reality (which would be non-reality?) or the literal level of non-reality perhaps?

I can certainly appreciate good music apart from lyrics and poetry (not mere words, my good man) - note: Wagner - but I've merely stated that in my personal tastes the lyrics are essential to a great song. As far as "experience" - the experiencing of experience (aha, I can employ mental masturbation tactics too!) is a subjective matter (a posteriori) and while a priori reality may be objective we can only experience it through our limited perceptions. I do believe that good music (of which I certainly and unequivocally include lyrics as being part of this) can transcend just a posteriori.

j.p.

It's true that you talked about "story-telling," and yes I understand that is significant. Just in general, you say it's the words that matter, and I observe this among many others to whom I try to point out musical beauty, and they just criticize the lyrics, as if they have no idea what I'm talking about. You seem to be among these folks. The literal reality being the verbal level, the words, as opposed to sounds, melodies, harmonies, rhythms, feelings; any good instrumental demonstrates that these exist apart from words, and indeed can tell stories too. A good lyric can be part of the beauty of a song though, I agree. But to those like me who are interested primarily in music, it is not essential.

And so those to whom I say, "Justin Bieber makes good music," and they say "Oh yeah? 'Baby Baby Baby Ooh,' that's good? What superficial tripe!" They are only looking at the song on the literal level.

Originally Posted by JDFP

Most of the rest of your post here was Bieber-drivel
<snip

This thread is Eric's virtual temple to Justin Bieber. The only issue I have is that Eric has contaminated other threads with said drivel. I suppose after a while, he'll have completed his temple here, such that all he has to do is post the URL of this thread on other threads... Or. , hell, why not, Eric can just save the trouble all together and stash the URL of this thead in his .sig.

friends should never allow friends to post while intoxicated thanks to the wonderful folks over at Anheiser-Busch of which I have great respect).

Quite so. Intoxicated posters are more likely to start flamewars.

Originally Posted by Ragnarök_62

This thread is Eric's virtual temple to Justin Bieber. The only issue I have is that Eric has contaminated other threads with said drivel. I suppose after a while, he'll have completed his temple here, such that all he has to do is post the URL of this thread on other threads... Or. , hell, why not, Eric can just save the trouble all together and stash the URL of this thead in his .sig.

The other threads mostly opened the doors to me; they are obviously connected. "It's drivel" is just the same sort of comment I saw on all those you tube videos that made me wonder why people feel the need to knock this guy. It took me over a year to get up the energy to check him out. That's because I sure didn't expect to like him. Boy am I surprised at what I have discovered! I am not so surprised that you and others can't see it, though, given the comments I had seen.

Real songs, with good melodies, harmonies, rhythms, and great vocals and sounds; not the lousy guitar noise and lousy vocals like that lousy song The Rani posted; like most of the songs before JB, and after Yes, U2, The Police......

This one is hilarious; at the same time I have to admire the work, energy and imagination that went into it:

Santa Claus is Coming to Town
I didn't know the ol man was so hip, did you?

But, I guess, I like to contaminate as many threads as I can.

And that means, among other things, spreading Bieber fever. It CAN be contagious! A lot of immunity around here though....

DO YOU LIKE JUSTIN BIEBER?

Millies: Yes.
Xers: No.
Boomers: "not much there there."
Silent: "Who's Justin Bieber?"

Running and hiding under the cat....

Originally Posted by Ghost Echo

For years I have either heard of him or seen him stuffed into every show on my TV, including the Daily Show. Yet, I have yet to identify a single song of his, and I listen to top 40. I did think he was (on) "Owltown" once, but it wasn't the case. He seems to be one of today's "Mirage" celebrities, famous because certain people tell us he's famous. According to all the exposure he's being given, you'd think he'd be as prolific as the Beatles or Elvis. But all I see is some dude suddenly show up, and people stop the show and start bowing down to him.

I linked all his good songs above, so there's no reason for anyone to say that. He is indeed prolific. But a lot of folks say a lot of strange things about him, here and elsewhere, that just aren't true. That's one thing I've noticed.

As for Top 40 radio, in many places, such as here in the SF Bay Area, it doesn't even exist. I know there is a billboard top 100, but it seems to be based mostly on itunes. Bieber seems indeed to do better with CD sales than "single" sales, whatever that means. Bieber is mainly an internet youtube sensation, and maybe that's some kind of "mirage." Personally though, I missed him on all those TV shows; I only have seen them on youtube.

some boy beliebers sing JB songs

Originally Posted by The Rani

Don't forget the lousy lyrics that Bieber ripped off.

All Around the World, though, is a great new song from Bieber. It's one of those that once it gets into your head, it's hard to get it out and you want to hear it again. And even the rap part by Ludacris (of "Baby" fame) is better than usual. It is, so far, the only song from his new album Believe that I really like, and I have already listed it among his "good" songs above.

Along with Call Me Maybe and iYiYi and a few other Bieber songs, it is the catchiest tune around today; anyone suggest another one I missed?

Well I admit, this one is pretty good in the "catchy" department. The video won't make it onto JPT's clean-up page tho.
And I might as well EDIT and add this one to this post. Maybe the most catchy of all.

All Around the World is part of the genre that harkens back to the 1990s, and has many names: house, techno, electronica, rave music, ambient, groove, trance-dance, and influences today's "party rock" and "dance pop." Obviously, this genre also influenced the most popular song of 2011, and the only one to get more likes on you tube than Bieber's Baby: LMFAO's Party Rock Anthem, which I don't like much. But even the name of that group suggests they are part of this "techno" genre, in so far as "technology" is part of its appeal.

But actually, this is a genre that I often like in some of its aspects, and have even played it on my own radio show. Here is an example, a European piece I played just last week on my show: http://youtu.be/BrFbIHrHtU4. It is an example of this genre's "psychedelic" or psycho-active qualities, and thus is descended from the psychedelic music of the late sixties. But this style comes directly from the music people danced to at rave parties in the early 1990s. Originally it was little more than fast electronic beats, but the psychedelic sounds and electronic effects were soon added. This style was in turn influenced by the German new age style called cosmic rock or Berlin-school electronic space music, which still heavily influences European contemporary music in many styles, and whose most famous exponent is Tangerine Dream. The first piece in this earlier style, which virtually created it, and which has been cited as influential on the house/techno style, is Totem, by Klaus Schulze, at first a member of Tangerine Dream. Created in 1972-73, it is still my all-time favorite piece in the new age/ambient/electronica genre, the mainstay of my radio show. (The melody line of All Around the World could almost be taken right out of this piece.) The early space music of Pink Floyd was in turn an influence on Schulze and TD (and the Beatles' Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds furnished the name for the Tangerine Dream group). Now Bieber has put out a song that is the direct descendant of these genres.

So, anyone who has been willing to read this post, do you like any aspect of the techno style? Do you have a favorite piece in this style?

"I'm not a huge fan of Justin but I say good music is good music. and this is awesome"
Lillian Elsey

"I'm the last person on the planet to be a Justin Bieber fan, but this song is fucking amazing."
Sexybttm19

"MUCH BETTER THAN THE OLD JUSTIN"
1212hjb


OH, and "all around the world" is Scott Pelley's signature sign-off line on the CBS Evening News. I don't know if there's any connection to the song.

Well I finally get to see my idol (?!) JB in a TV special, Justin Bieber All Around the World

Edit: o gooddie, it's now on Utube:
part one
part two

I don't know if there was any more than short excerpts from that song on the show; I tuned in a few minutes late. I didn't even know the show was coming on; it came on after a ballgame here in SF. (edit) But there was also part two the next night (6/21/12). In part 1 he did Never Say Never and Baby, then brought on Carly Jepsen to do Call Me Maybe. How can Rags say I contaminated JPT's thread about pop music cleaning up, when JB is so closely associated with the artist in the OP? Come on Rags, get with it. Realize that JB is good. Just because he doesn't do your heavy metal sh*t.... (yet)... but of course, now he does techno house... (which I like).... he did a very nice romantic song, and then the episode ends with him passing out because he bumped into another glass wall. This is a pattern for him (I've seen him do that in two other videos); maybe because he's an unworldly Pisces. Of course, the official motto of Pisces is "I believe," and I don't think Justin knows that. He also has Pluto in Scorpio rising; now that's the sign of one dynamic dude, which he sure as hell is-- and he don't sing like a girl anymore! He works hard at what he does.

In part two toward the end of the show we saw a performance of All Around the World; good!

And on the Today Show

"I'm not particularly fond of Justin Bieber, but this song is actually a really good club song!"
---sakura3syaoron

"I actually HATED HIM SOOO MUCH , but now I can't get enough of this song and I actually think I'm Turning into a belieber !"
---xSomethingSpecial14x

Plus earlier, we heard As Long As You Love Me; pretty good too.

"Haters are becoming fans as we speak!"
---Dee97G 2 hours ago (28 likes for this comment)


Why is he so popular? Maybe because he is the only one consistently making decent songs, after 30 years of Gen X dredge..... go millies, bringing pop music back!

That's a good suggestion tho Rags; I think I will. Not a link to this thread, but just this quote:

I am SO happy with my new signature line!

Pretty good new Motown-style song: Die in Your Arms
(no, not as good as the old 60s motown)

Also his new title track is good: Believe (liking this one more and more; let's edit out the "pretty")

"The song Believe is about my fans, and only for my fans. If you're not my fan, don't listen to the song." - Justin Bieber
(don't worry, you can still listen)

"For some reason this reminds me of Pray"
-- StanTy100

btw, Believe is the only song on the album that has the same writers and producers (Bieber, Atweh, Messinger, Lambroza) as All Around the World (my 2 faves on the CD); and Bieber, Atweh, Messinger are also the main writers/producers of Pray.

Edit: Rumor has it, his new CD is #1 now and breaking records; so much for his "star fading." And I enjoyed catching him last night (6/27) as a guest on a TV show for the first time.

I sampled Conor Maynard, and Justin Timberlake; so far I think Bieber is better. Maybe not surprising from me, but I think I'm willing to admit it if I hear a better pop artist out there. After all, I was not expecting to like JB. It would be nice to discover another one too. Bieber is better than the others, so far; it's just not cool for some people to admit it. His songs just have more musical substance than those by others today. And I know he has a lot of help writing and producing them.


((((Dare I say it; the screaming girls are right?!!))))

Hey Eric, here's an awakening type song that was actually a huge pop hit around 9-11:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpYeekQkAdc

Originally Posted by 95 and alive

This song is the truth lol. But it came out in 2003 not around 2001 or am I just being a newbie

I'm sure you're right, I was in college, it's all a blur and I'm to lazy to check. Actually more like distracted by a crying baby (gotta go).

Post 9-11/ Iraq War spirit though. Or more like anti.

Originally Posted by 95 and alive

This song is the truth lol. But it came out in 2003 not around 2001 or am I just being a newbie

Yes, it did come out in 2003.

I don't like the rap parts. But the musical part of the song is pretty good, and it does remind me of JB's Pray, with a lot more in the lyrics. That's a lot of views for a relative oldie too.

I am stopped everywhere I go because people think I am Justin Bieber. Before I even knew who he was, no matter what I was wearing, I would be asked for photos, autographs, etc... This is my response to that. It expresses my initial confusion, the shock when I finally saw his face, the frustration with people ONLY seeing him when they see me, and the solution I've come to, as a way to balance what fate has delivered. I just want people to dig a little deeper.

Dani Shay plays Baby parody on America's Got Talent

Bieber clone in Brazil creates a stir

25 lesbians who look like Justin Bieber

Dani!! she rocks, she is like a thousand times better than bieber!!

good interview about his new album, etc., not the usual insipid questions:

http://youtu.be/-KoF1lEPdNo

Beauty and a Beat ft. Nicki Minaj

Originally Posted by Eric the Green

I had heard of it; but it was really a bit early for a boomer. 1963 was still childhood for boomers. I was not (and generally AM not) into musicals at all, let alone during childhood. The title was just a familiar name; I had never seen it, or known what it was about. Of course I did know My Fair Lady though; it was taught to us in school, and I saw the movie in 1964. That one was much more of a society-wide phenomenon. It interesting how well JB fits the pattern (of Bye Bye Birdie), but I am sure that he also transcends it.

Not so early. My parents had the soundtrack and I still remember most of the songs... BBB, along with My Fair Lady and The Sound Of Music, were part of the soundtrack of my early childhood. I, too, am amazed that Boomers older than I aren't familliar with it...being as it spoofed the hoopla surrounding Elvis' being drafted.

Originally Posted by Roadbldr '59

Not so early. My parents had the soundtrack and I still remember most of the songs... BBB, along with My Fair Lady and The Sound Of Music, were part of the soundtrack of my early childhood. I, too, am amazed that Boomers older than I aren't familliar with it...being as it spoofed the hoopla surrounding Elvis' being drafted.

That Elvis drafted hoopla was not even on my radar screen as a little boy. Didn't even hear of it until 6 years later. I think children are not necessarily involved in teenage culture, though some are. I was not.

Susan Brombacher wrote:

Originally Posted by JDFP
Adina would probably fall into the category for non-intentional humor. I'd also like to add Eric to our list for non-intentional humor. Listening to a grown man go on about He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named and being able to tell the world through astrological signs is very funny to me.

j.p.
Ditto. I think it's quite hilarious. Not because he likes He Who Shall Not Be Named, but because he's like the last person in the world I would expect to be a fan. If it were one of the young Millie girls posting here, it wouldn't be funny because you would expect it.

I wonder if you would still stereotype JB that way if you heard his latest album, which he calls "more mature music." There are plenty of links to the songs from it posted above; no need to repeat them in this post. But what I find both hilarious and baffling is how people can think they can forever cast him as the cute little boy singing baby baby baby ooh, as if he will never grow up, never change, and never do another song. Now that is lol lol!! I do like his earlier songs, and that may be hilarious (though I say why judge on the basis of age), but there's an older JB too. It's really quite unfair to go on treating him forever as a little boy who makes music for young girls.

Well OK, I guess they're a little hard to find now:

All Around the World
As Long As You Love Me
Die in Your Arms
Believe
Be Alright
Beauty and a Beat ft. Nicki Minaj

good interview about his new album, etc., not the usual insipid questions:
http://youtu.be/-KoF1lEPdNo

Oh my god, this topic is still going! :O

I mean I'm glad I got my two cents in six weeks ago, but I thought this would've died a while ago lol.