Where is the Substance of Lyric?

I went to see Sarah Brightman last Tuesday night-- it was incredible. As a true lover of voice and song this woman knocked me out-- starting with the obvious--she has a 3 octave range! Insane-she not only is killer with the classical genre she can mold her voice around a pop tune-not easy to do without sounding utterly ridiculous. She has the voice of an angel. Her tunes are superbly arranged and well thought out. Substance, my friends(I sound like John MCain) substance. I totally go for over the top performances and high octane drama! Theatre in all it's splendid grandour. The thrill of it! I love it.

I saw an ad the other night for the 'American Music Awards' to be broadcast Sunday night... there was a time I would not have missed this show--I was like any other red blooded American girl-- I wanted to be hip to the scene and have my finger on the pulse of American pop culture-- well yuck, pooh and blahh not anymore! I am afraid I am "outdated"!!! oh, God I am 40!!!! I hearken back to the time I sat listening to records with my Mom and Dad-- they introduced me to folks like Dylan, John Prine, Buffy Saint-Marie the list goes on... these people transformed songwriting like at no other time in the history of music-and it just happened to coincide with them coming of age as young adults-- the Baby Boomers making some noise and rattling cages! The 60's! It was impeccable timing--almost like an Immaculate Conception of thought, expression and idealism- Substance... something worth thinking about and pondering in one's mind. In many ways-- to borrow Tom Brokaw's phrase-they were also the 'Greatest Generation' -caring and passionate about the issues of the day. Watching a war on t.v. every night that shook them to their very core. Waking them out of the slumber that was the idyllic 1950's. It was and had to have been a very rude awakening. But so many wonderful writers channeled that 'innocence lost' into some of the greatest music of our time. Substance..... please.. will many of you get over the fact that you think Dylan can't carry a tune?-- and listen... really listen to 'Blowin' in the Wind'--- it's not some left wing hippie anthem-it is a commentary to our times then and our times NOW! It is relevant- it has, dare I say, substance! So many people today are all about the quick fix, the sound bite buzz they can all pop a chubby over-pleassssse! I know rap is an art form--and I'm all for self expression-but it is killing the English language and sacrificing well thought expression like a lamb to the slaughter. It saddens me. So, I make it a point, albeit for some folks inconsequential-- to expose my children, to what I believe to be quality. I don't want them walking around at age 30, saying, "Who the hell is Bob Dylan?"Then by the very same token I would not want them asking "Who is William Faulkner?" Bearing in mind we are all products of our time and influences.

As as young child I sat many an hour at my Grandfather's knee--literally- listening with him to his extensive collection of music. Pete Fountain, The Mills Brothers, Count Basie and Judy Garland to name a few---my Grandfather was an excellent musician. He could play by ear and have it down cold! He was a proud member of the University of Georgia Redcoat Marching Band and the UGA Symphony and Orchestra(Back in the day when dances..... were well.... DANCES!!!) He loved melody and lyric....those moments are frozen in time for me. I knew I was listening to greatness--no one... I mean NO ONE turns a phrase like Sinatra or Rosemary Clooney- Dean Martin and Perry Como---ahhh, Forget about it!!! The lyrics, yes, the lyrics. Sweeeet! I am a child born of Savannah-and so was Johnny Mercer- whew.... this man makes all others pale in comparison-Substance! Tapping into that 'inner knowing and longing' that we all have-but many never attain it-- ahhhh... yes, they don't write 'em like that anymore.