This got snorts from us geezers in doctor's waiting area: "Say Something" by A Great Big World onGMA

[UTUSN]

Last edited Tue Jan 21, 2014, 04:21 PM - Edit history (1)

So settling in for a wait, I was pleased that my morning rut could continue since GMA was on the screen. Just about all of us 15 were up there in years and the bubbly GMA was comforting. Then Lara or whoever did a gushing intro of some group or duo or whatever debutting their new jams and jellies (as Carol CHANNING called such things).

Then this kid at the piano launched into this slow S.L.O.W. deal, fine. The elderly couple in front of me turned to each other and did eye rolls. The performer had a bit of Art GARFUNKEL hair and heavy black glasses, O.K., I might as well STEP ALL THE WAY INTO IT, he was geeky/dorky, mmKAY?!1 But the song was SO just NOT a morning coffee, and the lyrics, "Say something, I'm giving up on you," were, like, PLEASE give up on ME sooner than what this song is taking, PLEASE!1

But it's not really the personal appearance, but the OVERWRAUGHT OVERWROUGHT performance, the mountain out of a molehill, the self-indulgence of the entire production: They actually had orchestral strings, all of the performers dulceting out every note like every note was BEETHOVEN/TCHAIKOVSKY gold, with the synchronized arms and violin bows lingering in slow motion. And the pianist/singer was SO totally in love with himself that it was a heaving exercise. And he was SO exaggerated that when he emphasized the last note of a phrase he rose up off the bench and SAT down HARD.

There were a couple of audible snorts in the crowd. The GMA website has the verbal intro with just the beginning of the song. This one has one Christina AGUILERA joining in the fun with a blurb that she was so enthralled by the song/performers she sent out a royal decree including her into it. Occasionally here when there are discussions of this or that song being great or not, somebody here has called "Hotel California" crap, so what would they say about this?!1 I'll be

[UTUSN]

1. Allow me to stop digging the hole a bit for myself with some context

I'm not mocking geeks, dorks, glasses, hair. The performance of all involved was something. I was in the band. I am in no way a professional musician or expert. We did, however, get a feeling for music, a taste of the ephemera of beauteous music, a belief in the possibility of profundity through music, an intro into performance of it through marching, concerts, recitals, ensembles -- adding up to a concept of AUTHENTICITY, of both material and performance.

The 3rd place suppressed giggling can occur is at a musical performance (others being in church and at a funeral). My pals and I got the giggles when we were asked to perform by relatives. Some meta thing going on, some Existential thing, like, here we are PERFORMING LIKE CIRCUS ANIMALS. "I won't be your monkey." But the other time, the quartet of us had just won some "gold" medals in an ensemble contest and the school ladies club had asked several of the ensembles to provide entertainment at their club meeting. So our group performed. Then we were in the other room, luckily. Luckily because a brass ensemble had a clinker of a baritone player who kept hitting the wazzoo note, and we got the giggles. The band director came over to us with a sober, concerned face and didn't chew us out but asked us intently and intensely what was wrong.

Oh, at the regional competition, where we were first timers and from a small school, one of the Seniors from a big school was playing the Maestro of the bordello concert hall, accepting obeissances and then strolling with his band jacket over his shoulders.

What I'm talking about is absurd AFFECTATIONS, overblown, exaggerated. I can super relate to other young groups, like "fun." that I regard as AUTHENTIC. But this A Great Big World was hilarious.

[Arugula Latte]

2. Yeah, the whole thing is hilariously overwrought.

I think if the song were toned down a bit, the delivery more relaxed, and you didn't see any visuals to go along with it, it wouldn't be half bad.

[UTUSN]

3. Thanks for understanding and for being tactful of my misspelling. I thought something

about "overwraught" didn't look right, but decided to shrug it off.