Why do you hate America, some dude?
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g-HfIkCzJ7c/TeOQ_z-s0eI/AAAAAAAAFfc/_wJzb8DS-zo/s1600/statue-of-liberty-crying.jpg
― Suede - the fabric, not the band (DL), Thursday, 23 February 2012 15:25 (twelve years ago) link
not that we need to keep re-visiting this but to clarify my earlier statements in a brief and only semi-trolling way:
1 Several female people I know focus on Bruno Mars' doo-wop voice and old-school trappings (vocal harmonies, dancing, hair) and see him as more original than, say, the average person on ILX or this thread
2 I have seen people actively angry at him for these things here, don't know what's different between the way he does this and say the retro thing of Raphael Saadiq / Janelle Monae / etc.
3 People also seem hurt that he is a very successful singer and songwriter and producer; I don't care if people don't like his songs -- I obv don't mind a few of them and actively like others -- but are we really going back to days of "fuck that guy he's a sellout" or "authenticity check" or the like?
4 I would hope people (and esp that tall drink of water some dude) wd know the minor facetiousness of my earlier comment about America but I still don't know if this is actively not liking the song or passively being pissed about success of said song
5 Repeat point 4 except substitute "Bruno Mars" for "the song"
― Display Name (this cannot be changed):, Thursday, 23 February 2012 18:11 (twelve years ago) link
how do you focus on his retro aesthetic AND see him as original? idgi
also i don't think what people dislike about him or his songs, here or elsewhere, has much to do with the old school aesthetic. the songs that get the most hate ("The Lazy Song," "Billionaire," etc.) aren't particularly old fashioned.
― some dude, Thursday, 23 February 2012 18:20 (twelve years ago) link
also where is the sellout/authenticity thing even coming from? strawmen galore over here. i think people are in general agreement that dude is talented, has a nice voice and can write a catchy tune, the dischord mainly has to do with what he actually does with that talent.
― some dude, Thursday, 23 February 2012 18:21 (twelve years ago) link
XP In re: "originality": because instead of doing what most other people are doing (hard-ass Chris Brown aggressive dancing etc) he's doing something different and not seen as much(James Brown / Sam Cooke influence) etc. Not everyone has to be Bjork to seem original yknow.
That's a fair point about "Lazy Song" and "Billionaire" (the crappiness of which is as much about Travis McCoy's basic unlikability), but doesn't address what I think is the main think people (except you!) like about "Fuck You": it sounds like an old kind of song, but it has profanities in the chorus (Lily Allen callback) AND the bridge where Cee-Lo gets E-mo in an Old-schoo way
― Display Name (this cannot be changed):, Thursday, 23 February 2012 18:27 (twelve years ago) link
I have also just reached the limit of me caring about all this
― Display Name (this cannot be changed):, Thursday, 23 February 2012 18:30 (twelve years ago) link
BUT AMERICA WILL CARRY THE TORCH FOR ME
fair enough. i don't even see where any of those bullet points even ties into the thing about women liking him more than men, but i'm not gonna drag it out if your interest in this is even more quickly evaporating than mine.
― some dude, Thursday, 23 February 2012 18:31 (twelve years ago) link
point #1 was the relevant one here. to WAY overgeneralize (like I have already done so why not continue down that path) I don't hear/see/read any women in the real world talking about "I hate that guy's guts" or "he's shitting all over his own talent" or "Grenade? more like Lemonade haha am I right?" instead, they buy the records, they actually enjoy his performances on TV, etc.
― Display Name (this cannot be changed):, Thursday, 23 February 2012 18:36 (twelve years ago) link
funny thing is i WANT to like him more than i do, he reminds me of a lot of people i'm a fan of, like he could be a less R&B ne-yo or a more pop patrick stump, and he seems likable enough, but his music just has very low hit rate for me.
― some dude, Thursday, 23 February 2012 18:42 (twelve years ago) link
Well, he's pretty young, right? Plenty of time for him.
― Display Name (this cannot be changed):, Thursday, 23 February 2012 18:44 (twelve years ago) link
yeah he could improve with time. i guess there's a bit of a suspicion that people who are THAT successful that early in their career tend not to mess with the formula from there, whether or not that's really true.
― some dude, Thursday, 23 February 2012 18:45 (twelve years ago) link
man i really dislike this bruno mars person
― goole, Thursday, 23 February 2012 18:51 (twelve years ago) link
I mostly like him, except "The Lazy Song" make me want to watch him die a slow, incredibly painful and brutal death, preferably in front of all of his loved ones
― (thinks and smiles) (DJP), Thursday, 23 February 2012 18:52 (twelve years ago) link
"yound wild & free" is ok, and yes it is more than superficially similar to "toot it & boot it."
otherwise i really can't stand all of these.
― goole, Thursday, 23 February 2012 18:53 (twelve years ago) link
I love Grenade because it is so ridiculous and floridly melodramatic, but that's because it is funny to me.
― Nicole, Thursday, 23 February 2012 19:03 (twelve years ago) link
He's the thinking-man's Jason DeRulo.
― Fonz Hour (Eazy), Thursday, 23 February 2012 19:04 (twelve years ago) link
"Fuck You" - This is just a fun, bitter song. It hits all the same buttons as "Hey Ya!" so I understand why so many people here hate it.
"Right Round" - This song is pretty much wholly indefensible but the chorus cracks me up like a mug so I like it more than I normally would.
"It Will Rain" - This is slightly melodramatic but a good enough song.
"Grenade" - I unreservedly love this song. It's so ridiculously wounded and earnest.
"Just The Way You Are" - This song describes perfectly how I feel about my wife. I pretty much pity anyone who can't share in the sunny joy shooting out of this song; life is too short to not appreciate someone else's uncomplicated happiness.
"Nothin' On You" - see "Just The Way You Are"
"Rocketeer" - I've heard this song maybe three times. It has a nice melody but beyond that I have zero opinion on it.
"Billionaire" - I am not sure how a song that says "if I had a shit-ton of money, I would feed a bunch of people, try to help disaster victims, then split the rest with family and friends after I bought myself a couple of cars" is worthy of criticism on a socio-economic level; are you maybe overthinking this?
"Young Wild & Free" - I have heard this song three times. I don't remember how it goes at all but I remember that I loved it every time I heard it.
"The Lazy Song" - This song is Bieber-level irritating. Fucking pustulent unforgivable bullshit raghr fuck everyone for listening to this kill you in yr sleep
I have not heard any of the other songs.
― (thinks and smiles) (DJP), Thursday, 23 February 2012 19:06 (twelve years ago) link
otm about "Just The Way" and "Nothin'," i never really got the hate for those songs because they're so effectively sunny and sweet
― some dude, Thursday, 23 February 2012 19:12 (twelve years ago) link
well i for one am perfectly okay with hating bruno mars and janelle monae the same amount
― pre-tennis ball head-era chris brown (J0rdan S.), Thursday, 23 February 2012 19:31 (twelve years ago) link
"Fuck You" -- done to death on these boards but i'm just sick of it and the sentiment is nasty
"Right Round" -- you'd think a shuffley beat would be up my alley. the bright jokey trancey kind of aesthetic that runs through a lot of pop right now is just not for me. what are we europe? the fuck is with this stuff. (incidentally i think there's a youtube troll meme going on this song where there are dozens of videos with different or deliberately garbage audio)
"It Will Rain" -- smarmy, treacly, plodding, can't stand it
"Grenade" -- see above
"Just The Way You Are" -- see above
"Nothin' On You" -- this has some light charm but in the context of already hating mars it's not enough of a lift i guess. BOB is chattering and grating.
"Wavin' Flag" -- didn't know he was behind this tbh. really bad.
"Mirror" -- i kind of like the beat on this
"Marry You" -- really cheap and cynical
"Lighters" -- just no
"The Lazy Song" -- i'm getting a really heavy private college talent show vibe from this. like i can already hear a million bad covers contained in the original, kind of a thing
"Bow Chicka Wow Wow" -- ha the one bit of fake neal schon almost saves this for a second
"Rocketeer" -- at this point these are like http://www.theonion.com/articles/taco-bells-five-ingredients-combined-in-totally-ne,3781/
"Billionaire" -- see above
"Get Sexy" -- really forced and weak.
"Young, Wild & Free" -- i like this!
― goole, Thursday, 23 February 2012 19:37 (twelve years ago) link
the bright jokey trancey kind of aesthetic that runs through a lot of pop right now is just not for me. what are we europe? the fuck is with this stuff.
this is probably overstated considering how much i've liked plenty of gaga, k8y perry and kesha singles. it's the 'jokey' part that gets on my nerves instantly.
― goole, Thursday, 23 February 2012 19:40 (twelve years ago) link
― pre-tennis ball head-era chris brown (J0rdan S.), Thursday, February 23, 2012 2:31 PM (9 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
her pompadour alone makes me hate her so much more than bruno and his pompadour
― some dude, Thursday, 23 February 2012 19:40 (twelve years ago) link
you leave my spiritual little sister alone, dicks
― (thinks and smiles) (DJP), Thursday, 23 February 2012 19:41 (twelve years ago) link
"young, wild & free" would be either no 1 or 2 on my list
― pre-tennis ball head-era chris brown (J0rdan S.), Friday, 24 February 2012 04:47 (twelve years ago) link
does bruno mars sing the hook on this?? can barely tell it's him, thank god
― pre-tennis ball head-era chris brown (J0rdan S.), Friday, 24 February 2012 04:48 (twelve years ago) link
I've heard "Count on You" a few times in the past 48 hours and I'm wondering why it's missing from this list. Unmistakably Mars.
― Fonz Hour (Eazy), Friday, 24 February 2012 04:54 (twelve years ago) link
Which buttons are those? "Hey Ya" was fresh-sounding the first time I heard it, and despite that it was so hugely overplayed, I never ended up actively hating it.. "Fuck You" made me angry the first time, and every time since.
I loved it the first time I heard it, and so did America. Define "America" please.
― billstevejim, Friday, 24 February 2012 05:57 (twelve years ago) link
"Hey Ya" also isn't bitter.
― billstevejim, Friday, 24 February 2012 05:58 (twelve years ago) link
― billstevejim
I guess it just means it was a big hit in Amur'rica. It's not the same thing as being a pop hit elsewhere, if America loves your song it features heavily on all sorts of ads and parodies through the year.
― Moka, Friday, 24 February 2012 07:49 (twelve years ago) link
I actually have no idea what he meant, just guessing.
― Moka, Friday, 24 February 2012 07:51 (twelve years ago) link
http://militaryresourcedirectory.com/resources/american-flag-heart-clip-art.png
― Moka, Friday, 24 February 2012 07:52 (twelve years ago) link
FYI while we're doing the anecdote-as-data thing i knew PLENTY of women who hate bruno mars and think he's pretty much irredeemable
― lex pretend, Friday, 24 February 2012 08:22 (twelve years ago) link
Include me in the list of women who hate him but I don't even see why gender should be a matter of discussion in here tho. The statement could hold true for all pop artists since the beginning of times. Women are generally more open in their love for dumb pop music and rarely hold guilty pleasures.
― Moka, Friday, 24 February 2012 08:44 (twelve years ago) link
― Fonz Hour (Eazy), Thursday, February 23, 2012 11:54 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
sorry i limited it to songs that were singles in the US ::shrugs::
― some dude, Friday, 24 February 2012 12:09 (twelve years ago) link
Which buttons are those?
Bright, cheery sounding retropop with angry lyrics about a breakup.
Have you never listened to the lyrics?
― robbery by sudden snatching (DJP), Friday, 24 February 2012 13:33 (twelve years ago) link
"y'all don't hear me you just wanna dance" is the only genuinely bitter lyric in "Hey Ya"
― DNRIYHM NATION 1814 (some dude), Friday, 24 February 2012 14:25 (twelve years ago) link
No prob some dude--maybe it's a new single this week.
Don't y'all think his reggae-ish songs (Lazy included) are more irritating than the R&B ones?
― Fonz Hour (Eazy), Friday, 24 February 2012 14:33 (twelve years ago) link
they're pretty cheesy, although i don't know if they're any cheesier than the retro R&B songs (and i'm fine with most of the contemporary R&B-sounding songs)
― DNRIYHM NATION 1814 (some dude), Friday, 24 February 2012 14:35 (twelve years ago) link
Bet a lot of dorm action has been underscored with "Just The Way You Are."
― Fonz Hour (Eazy), Friday, 24 February 2012 14:49 (twelve years ago) link
that seems like his most housewife-y song imo
― DNRIYHM NATION 1814 (some dude), Friday, 24 February 2012 14:54 (twelve years ago) link
this guy is completely indefensible and horrible and I don't know how you can think differently
― valleys of your mind (mh), Friday, 24 February 2012 15:21 (twelve years ago) link
this isn't the Bieber thread, dude
― robbery by sudden snatching (DJP), Friday, 24 February 2012 15:21 (twelve years ago) link
I'm not going to encounter Bieber songs on adult-targeted radio throughout my day as often, either, though! Not that I'm trying to listen to Lite FM stylings but urrrgh
― valleys of your mind (mh), Friday, 24 February 2012 15:24 (twelve years ago) link
― Fonz Hour (Eazy), Friday, February 24, 2012 6:33 AM Bookmark
totally
― marissa explains it all (The Reverend), Monday, 27 February 2012 21:29 (twelve years ago) link
every time i hear "it will rain" i expect him to break out into the "chasing pavements" chorus
― 3hunn O))) (J0rdan S.), Friday, 16 March 2012 15:39 (twelve years ago) link
ha i can kinda see that, althoguh i personally think "It Will Rain" is so much better. on the local pop-leaning R&B station it sounds so right in between Miguel and Trey Songz joints.
― some dude, Friday, 16 March 2012 15:41 (twelve years ago) link
the funny thing about that song is the one line where he says "i won't be your mom's favorite" or whatever when i'd venture to say he's in the top 3 of current pop stars that moms love/are even aware of
― 3hunn O))) (J0rdan S.), Friday, 16 March 2012 15:47 (twelve years ago) link
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h279/juicyfrt/brunomarssnuggie.jpg
― the endless white snow has never felt more textile (loves laboured breathing), Wednesday, 2 May 2012 16:11 (twelve years ago) link
haha
― hologram ned raggett (The Reverend), Wednesday, 2 May 2012 16:17 (twelve years ago) link