Is Elvis Presleys in the ghetto the whitest song ever ?

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But he didn't.

― Lynskey (Lynskey), Sunday, 29 June 2003 22:26 (twenty years ago) link

DON'T RAIN ON MY PARADE, MR GLOOMYGUTS

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Sunday, 29 June 2003 22:27 (twenty years ago) link

Who's that marine guy who sand some ballad for the armed forces back in the 60's? Whatever that song was... that's the one.

― maria b (maria b), Sunday, 29 June 2003 22:38 (twenty years ago) link

Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler's "Ballad of the Green Berets."

He looks like what everyone imagines Millar to look like.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Sunday, 29 June 2003 22:47 (twenty years ago) link

at the risk of betraying my literal-mindedness, is it just the liberal's-sociology-project quality of the lyrics that makes this "the whitest song ever"?

i want to know what this thread is abt.

― amateurist (amateurist), Sunday, 29 June 2003 22:48 (twenty years ago) link

i thought it would be whitest = uncoolest

― stevem (blueski), Monday, 30 June 2003 02:10 (twenty years ago) link

I think they mean "not-blackest"

:::beams:::

― M Matos (M Matos), Monday, 30 June 2003 03:28 (twenty years ago) link

The winner is the theme song from Caddyshack, anyway.

― Ally (mlescaut), Monday, 30 June 2003 03:32 (twenty years ago) link

all we need is trife and another amateurist post to derail this lil thread completely.

― oops (Oops), Monday, 30 June 2003 03:38 (twenty years ago) link

close but no cigar ally - the winner is the theme song from caddyshack II

― James Blount (James Blount), Monday, 30 June 2003 04:09 (twenty years ago) link

what about "Holiday Road," the theme from National Lampoon's Vacation?

― M Matos (M Matos), Monday, 30 June 2003 04:11 (twenty years ago) link

Lindsey Buckingham glares in your direction Mr. Matos

― James Blount (James Blount), Monday, 30 June 2003 04:14 (twenty years ago) link

i dislike the direction of this thread, i.e. the conflation of uncoolness and whiteness. (reminds me of homer watching "def comedy jam" and exclaiming, "he's right! we're so laaaame.)" the other side of this equation is the idea that blacks are to funkiness (or coolness) born, which is one of those ostenibly positive sterotypes which is actually pretty awful.

yes yes derailing, trife, blah blah blah, reading too much into it... but there you have it.

"holiday road" is great. i learned the harmonies to that when i was a little kid.

― amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 30 June 2003 04:24 (twenty years ago) link

"white power" by skrewdriver is probably extrememly white but i never heard it

― unknown or illegal user (doorag), Monday, 30 June 2003 04:27 (twenty years ago) link

amateurist - I think everyone recognized the central conceit as obv. lame, and hence didn't bother to bother with it. (not to mention the notion that the 'whitest song ever' would be recorded by elvis)

― James Blount (James Blount), Monday, 30 June 2003 04:30 (twenty years ago) link

ok but i still want to vomit when a bunch of white people trade witty remarks about how "white" (aka lame) a given song is. been there, done that, etc. [/impossibly snobby]

― amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 30 June 2003 04:32 (twenty years ago) link

bobby hill's already won the case brutha!

― James Blount (James Blount), Monday, 30 June 2003 04:34 (twenty years ago) link

It certainly wouldn't be Elvis, and it certainly wouldn't be this song.

― Sean (Sean), Monday, 30 June 2003 04:35 (twenty years ago) link

yeah for real theres a certain kind of nerd ass white pride poppin up now in the 20-something musically-geirish anime geek contingent nowadays, theyre SO proudly uncool theyre allowed to whine about disctinctive whiteness (good job, clean neighbourhood, economically secure)and use comedic hiphop slang (learned from dave chappelle and the mp3 of the 'gangsta' delta commercial) 'safely', its not racist cuz WE'RE THE UNCOOL ONES etc etc shut the fuck up you unfunny racist custos motherfuckers

― trife (simon_tr), Monday, 30 June 2003 04:44 (twenty years ago) link

fnord

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Monday, 30 June 2003 04:47 (twenty years ago) link

Word trife. You da man!!!

― oops (Oops), Monday, 30 June 2003 04:48 (twenty years ago) link

what foulness hath i invoked?

― amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 30 June 2003 04:51 (twenty years ago) link

the anti trifeness has a weird snowball effect where like if one person says shit everybody else wants to get in on it even if what im sayin is straight truth

― trife (simon_tr), Monday, 30 June 2003 04:56 (twenty years ago) link

and im not pretending this is some sorta divine revelation i posted but its not 'foulness' you shitlicks

― trife (simon_tr), Monday, 30 June 2003 04:58 (twenty years ago) link

my truth is queerer than your truth.

― amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 30 June 2003 04:59 (twenty years ago) link

we're saying the same thing!!! dont underestimate the underdog appeal of letting black people have 'cool', it allows white herb culture to foster, it lets racists be the disadvantaged ones because 'they' have natural rhythm and giant dicks!! sorta like a dumbed down version of the kkk on affirmative action being 'a threat to the white race'

― trife (simon_tr), Monday, 30 June 2003 05:03 (twenty years ago) link

haha "dumbed down version"

― M Matos (M Matos), Monday, 30 June 2003 05:06 (twenty years ago) link

(that's not a knock, btw, ethan)

― M Matos (M Matos), Monday, 30 June 2003 05:06 (twenty years ago) link

i know we're saying the same thing, or at least similar things, and in fact i for once used some trifean invective. it's the persistence and monomania of your shtick that causes my eyes to roll. but oh well.

― amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 30 June 2003 05:09 (twenty years ago) link

yes your superior elitist attitude about 'persistance' in anti-racist action is surely the answer, gee if only someone couldve told mlk to cut out the monomania maybe he wouldnt gotten shot

― trife (simon_tr), Monday, 30 June 2003 05:16 (twenty years ago) link

i agree w/everything you say trife.

― oops (Oops), Monday, 30 June 2003 05:17 (twenty years ago) link

trife must be excused for the air is thin on the mountaintop.

― amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 30 June 2003 05:19 (twenty years ago) link

trife - you can pretend amateurist's dismissal of you has something to do with anything besides you but it ain't so. not taking you seriously /= elitism. sub-momus at best.

― James Blount (James Blount), Monday, 30 June 2003 05:20 (twenty years ago) link

yes blount people in caddyshack are white i get it

― trife (simon_tr), Monday, 30 June 2003 05:24 (twenty years ago) link

yes everything on this thread was absolutely salient to its original subject line

― M Matos (M Matos), Monday, 30 June 2003 05:25 (twenty years ago) link

i havent read the thread or its subject line

― trife (simon_tr), Monday, 30 June 2003 05:27 (twenty years ago) link

yes trife thinking you're an asshole means thinking mlk deserved to get shot I get it

― James Blount (James Blount), Monday, 30 June 2003 05:27 (twenty years ago) link

then shut the fuck up, ethan

― M Matos (M Matos), Monday, 30 June 2003 05:28 (twenty years ago) link

I started a thread a while ago called something like "Why do white people criticize one another for being white" but then Sterling said I was making it up and someone else said "because everyone knows black people make better music" (those are the bits I remember) and than it sort of faded out.

― nabisco (nabisco), Monday, 30 June 2003 05:29 (twenty years ago) link

Then > than. "In the Ghetto" is a weird-ass song in today's context, obviously, with its weird picturesque touristic vibe, like "The Ghetto: An Emotional Part of Our Great Nation, Stop and Think About It Man."

― nabisco (nabisco), Monday, 30 June 2003 05:31 (twenty years ago) link

shut up nitsuh, stop being so persistant!!! just leave it alone man!!!!

― trife (simon_tr), Monday, 30 June 2003 05:33 (twenty years ago) link

Obviously there are the horses to reckon with, too.

― nabisco (nabisco), Monday, 30 June 2003 05:34 (twenty years ago) link

it actually reminds me of "tally's corner" or one of the other great society-era classix i read in sociology 101.

elvis presley: "major contributors to youth delinquency" b/w "the theatrical metaphor: form and function"

― amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 30 June 2003 05:35 (twenty years ago) link

all we need is trife and another amateurist post to derail this lil thread completely.
-- oops (don'temailmebitc...) (webmail), June 30th, 2003 11:38 PM

Just call me the White Moses

― oops (Oops), Monday, 30 June 2003 05:38 (twenty years ago) link

btw matos chill you ilm thread rockist, all with that 'read the subject line' yo WHATEVER!!

― trife (simon_tr), Monday, 30 June 2003 05:38 (twenty years ago) link

mammy how i love ya how i love ya.

― amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 30 June 2003 05:40 (twenty years ago) link

in nu ilm speak 'derail' means to turn a thread from braindead endless lists to a horrible music-killing, ugh, DISCUSSION

― trife (simon_tr), Monday, 30 June 2003 05:45 (twenty years ago) link

well fine, keep on talking to yourself and convincing yourself everyone disagrees with your stance.

― oops (Oops), Monday, 30 June 2003 05:47 (twenty years ago) link

like, why don't you start your own threads where you can spew your sanctimonious BS?

― oops (Oops), Monday, 30 June 2003 05:48 (twenty years ago) link

in trife speak 'braindead' = 'anyone not talking about ME', and 'discussion' = 'let's talk about ME'

― James Blount (James Blount), Monday, 30 June 2003 05:49 (twenty years ago) link

Skipping 45 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

http://www.templelooters.com/tv/wkrp/s3/wkrp49-003.jpg

― Josh (Josh), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 02:21 (twenty years ago) link

white herb culture

― trife (simon_tr), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 02:25 (twenty years ago) link

lord custos:
http://www.foodsubs.com/Photos/dill5.jpg

― trife (simon_tr), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 02:33 (twenty years ago) link

"Dillweed is a small flavorful herb best known for flavoring pickles. It is native to Asia, but is now used worldwide. Both the leaves and seeds are used to flavor foods."

― trife (simon_tr), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 02:38 (twenty years ago) link

Thank you, Beavis. We are all in awe of your herbalist acumen. Now go smoke some and chill out.

― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 10:58 (twenty years ago) link

'Seasons In the Sun' - Terry Jacks.

The Elvis tune sounds more like an over-produced Motown number to me.

― John Bullabaugh (John Bullabaugh), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 19:24 (twenty years ago) link

No votes for "Afternoon Delight"?

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 19:29 (twenty years ago) link

The Weezer catalog.

― Charles McCain (Charles McCain), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 19:39 (twenty years ago) link

god, you Americans are soooo hung up on what's "black" and what's "white". It kills me that you are stuck on deciding whether or not it can be an adjective to denote quality or shite. Quality is good, shite is shite. QED.

― darren (darren), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 19:57 (twenty years ago) link

yep, you get every single one of us pegged.

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 20:07 (twenty years ago) link

Darren is way white.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 2 July 2003 20:32 (twenty years ago) link

Carpenters, come on.

― Mark (MarkR), Thursday, 3 July 2003 03:06 (twenty years ago) link

Belle and Sebastian own this thread.

― Jacob (Jacob), Thursday, 3 July 2003 09:57 (twenty years ago) link

two months pass...

Seriously though, define "herb." Does it mean pseudo-enlightened white people? I'm not sure what you're getting at.

― Scott, Saturday, 6 September 2003 21:26 (twenty years ago) link

http://www.45-rpm.org.uk/herba.jpg

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 6 September 2003 21:36 (twenty years ago) link

ALL THESE SONGS MAKES ME WANNA GO OUT THERE AND BE SOMEBODY!
http://www.bikkit.com/bikkit/images/jerkscene.jpg

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Saturday, 6 September 2003 21:42 (twenty years ago) link

that should be "MAKE".
http://www.carolynsclinic.f2s.com/images/Steve_Martin_250.jpg

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Saturday, 6 September 2003 21:48 (twenty years ago) link

There is no such thing as white music anyway, apart from the title of XTC's debut album, that is....

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Sunday, 7 September 2003 07:57 (twenty years ago) link

Dude, you're not really Geir.

The *real* Geir would have put a ":-)" at the end of that post.

― Lewis J. Bateman (Lewis Bateman), Monday, 8 September 2003 06:07 (twenty years ago) link

I thought the first half of the statement a bit too important to put a :-) after the second half.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 8 September 2003 23:18 (twenty years ago) link

Article Response: I'll tell you what 'chutzpah' is. It's raising a foolish point about a song on an internet message board, having it beat down in a dozen different ways, and going on to write about the same song for an onliine publication.

In 1969 Elvis wasn't fat, btw.

― Sean (Sean), Tuesday, 9 September 2003 13:06 (twenty years ago) link

SAAAAAAAAVE THE GOOOORILLAAAAAAAAAAAS!!!

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Tuesday, 9 September 2003 13:16 (twenty years ago) link

ten months pass...

so fuck all the bullstink on the rest of this thread and get to this:

In the Ghetto: classic or dud?

― Bumfluff, Tuesday, 20 July 2004 19:28 (nineteen years ago) link

Uh dud.

― St. Nicholas (Nick A.), Tuesday, 20 July 2004 19:30 (nineteen years ago) link

i still don't understand what anthony easton meant by this thread and resent him for it.

classic.

― amateur!st (amateurist), Tuesday, 20 July 2004 19:37 (nineteen years ago) link

ihttp://www.play.com/covers/173022m.jpg

Disc 2, Track 6. Are you going to call Sammy "white" now?

― Pleasant Plains (Pleasant Plains), Tuesday, 20 July 2004 19:37 (nineteen years ago) link

Well it's the worst track on the Memphis album by a long way; so yeah dud. If "Suspicious Minds" was on there in its place it would be almost perfect. (or better yet "If I can Dream")

― de, Tuesday, 20 July 2004 19:38 (nineteen years ago) link

x-post
(So much for hyperlinking an image to a URL)

― Pleasant Plains (Pleasant Plains), Tuesday, 20 July 2004 19:39 (nineteen years ago) link

Jessica Hopper thinks the new Magnetic Fields is a contender.

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 20 July 2004 19:41 (nineteen years ago) link

Surely Nick Cave's version of "In the Ghetto" is whiter? Or paler?

― AaronHz (AaronHz), Tuesday, 20 July 2004 19:50 (nineteen years ago) link

I hear there's a bluegrass cover of Beach Boys "Surfin Safari" out there, somewhere.

― Thea (Thea), Tuesday, 20 July 2004 20:24 (nineteen years ago) link

I think Merritt's career trajectory is sort of like Truman Capote's: starts of young and weird and amazing and full of feeling, progressed into weird upscale non-reactive creature seemingly involved in invisible patronage system / making-people-giggle game. Except so far as I recall, Capote's actual creative production didn't take any downward turns quite so dramatic as this recent Merritt one.

― nabisco (nabisco), Tuesday, 20 July 2004 21:13 (nineteen years ago) link

"i" is not THAT bad, guys...

― AaronHz (AaronHz), Tuesday, 20 July 2004 21:15 (nineteen years ago) link

what do you mean by "invisible patronage program," nabisco?

― amateur!st (amateurist), Tuesday, 20 July 2004 21:30 (nineteen years ago) link

don't think it's one of Evlis' best, but not a dud. fairly standard late-'60s liberal consciousness move and all. not as good as the spinners' "ghetto child" by a longshot. yeah, ell was "white." the whitest song ever? kind of a dumb question.

― eddie hurt (ddduncan), Wednesday, 21 July 2004 00:46 (nineteen years ago) link

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