I understand why it happens. It's common on forums - look at Gamergate.
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How did Madonna and Michael Jackson write their songs?
- Thread starter ElectroVibe
- Start date
I understand why it happens. It's common on forums - look at Gamergate.
One melodic line alone can take 1000 different directions and flavours depending on what the other instruments do. Including the drums. Be sure of that, Billie Jean without that bassline would have been another song.
It's possible that "Billie Jean" could have even been better with a different bass line too.
I've even been guilty of this. There are people who feel like pop music is vapid by nature and when there's a front person who isn't playing an instrument on the final production they just see a trained seal. But it's interesting that we don't see a lot of evidence presented on these opinions. Just "I think Michael" and "I doubt Madonna" even when we know that Madonna does, in fact, play instruments and did that in bands before she was famous. Whereas Michael's only instrument was his voice, which he used to convey his ideas well. I wouldn't dismiss any of them as props.
I hate to say it, but I think there is also a bias against women. Madonna can't write songs because she's a girl. Not truly "talented" like the overweight neckbeards playing blues or something to half-empty bars in strip malls. No, those are the "real" musicians. Not Taylor Swift.
I get it...really I do.
But it just comes off as a bit disingenuous when a big name, big selling artist has to "pretend" they were involved in the writing, or worse, pretend others weren't involved just to be paid what they're worth for performing the song.
Would Elvis, MJ, or Madonna have insisted on a credit if it hadn't effected their compensation?.
The imbalance between songwriting and performance compensation is so vast it forces this.
But it just comes off as a bit disingenuous when a big name, big selling artist has to "pretend" they were involved in the writing, or worse, pretend others weren't involved just to be paid what they're worth for performing the song.
Would Elvis, MJ, or Madonna have insisted on a credit if it hadn't effected their compensation?.
The imbalance between songwriting and performance compensation is so vast it forces this.
I always liked the singers who could play fairly, but just focused on singing, while letting the band members play everything. (Jagger, Bowie, etc)
Then there are singers like George Strait who couldn't play his way out of a paper bag, and doesn't write either, yet he brings so much LIFE to each song he records. In concert sometimes he'll only play the chord that he knows can play, and just hold the guitar the rest of the time, within one song. But does anyone really care? People are writing just in the hopes that he records their song.
Then there are singers like George Strait who couldn't play his way out of a paper bag, and doesn't write either, yet he brings so much LIFE to each song he records. In concert sometimes he'll only play the chord that he knows can play, and just hold the guitar the rest of the time, within one song. But does anyone really care? People are writing just in the hopes that he records their song.
I looking forward to your tell-all biography documenting all the time you spent in the studio with MJ and Madonna. Should be a real page-turner.
I really don't think Madonna and MJ used that legality the way that Elvis and his manager did.
I consider them both legitimate songwriters for the things they have credit on.
I can believe Madonna wrote "Lucky Star" and "Into the Groove". But not "Borderline" for example.
I'll refrain from editorializing and simply leave this video of Madge playing guitar on network television, something very few in this thread have likely done.
See what I did there?
See what I did there?
Madonna will not be remembered for writing all of her songs. She didn't write them all. Edit: Not the entire song with sole credit.
I like to think of Madonna and Britney as both being manufactured. In those two cases, the lines are forever blurred in terms of defining their actual talent vs. the contribution of the dozens (of people) that actually created the image/ songs/ choreography/ publicity, and the rest.
I like to think of Madonna and Britney as both being manufactured. In those two cases, the lines are forever blurred in terms of defining their actual talent vs. the contribution of the dozens (of people) that actually created the image/ songs/ choreography/ publicity, and the rest.
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It would have been the same song with a different, maybe inferior arrangement.
I think the bass part is perfect, but out of the context of a great song, a cool bass line is pretty inconsequential to most non bass players.
I have to wonder if Madonna really did play with that early band, or if she was just good at posing and playing air guitar.
Does anyone really believe Jack Nicholson is playing guitar here?
Does anyone really believe Jack Nicholson is playing guitar here?
I can't really see it "out of the context". It's a part of a song (one of the many parts), as much as the vocal line. No more, no less.
Madonna played drums in Breakfast Club. But maybe she was faking it, because you don't think she's capable of being an actual musician.
Come to think of it, I think Neil Peart was faking all that obnoxious drumming on the Rush albums and playing 'air drums' live because I think Rush as 'poopie'.
