Self-centered songs

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Quaco
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Self-centered songs

Postby Quaco » 11 Sep 2018, 22:39

Here's one:



There is much I don't like about this one, but the singer's attitude is off-putting. She's the one having the abortion, but it's all about his feelings of being bummed out, being held back and brought down. I'm not saying a song about her feelings would be better, but the way it's presented, it seems really self-centered to me. Also, the "childlike" piano and general '90s epic-ness cliches give it a preciousness that emphasizes this is a sensitive male and what he feels is so important. Even though she's the one who's got to deal with it all.
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sloopjohnc
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Re: Self-centered songs

Postby sloopjohnc » 11 Sep 2018, 23:16

Don't fake the funk on a nasty dunk!

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Re: Self-centered songs

Postby bobzilla77 » 11 Sep 2018, 23:34

"I Am, I Said"

He talks to himself and then sings a song about having done so. It's always me, me, me with that guy.
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Re: Self-centered songs

Postby Bent Fabric » 11 Sep 2018, 23:39

bobzilla77 wrote:It's always me, me, me with that guy.


You said it.

Even "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" is misleadingly vague about the relevant percentages.

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Loki
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Re: Self-centered songs

Postby Loki » 12 Sep 2018, 00:39

This one's gotta be the worst~

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Re: Self-centered songs

Postby toomanyhatz » 12 Sep 2018, 00:54

Billy Joel's the king.

"Man, what are you doing here?"

"Don't go changin'...I wouldn't want to work that hard."

"We didn't start the fire" (he really means "I").
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Re: Self-centered songs

Postby fange » 12 Sep 2018, 01:30

Quaco wrote:Here's one:



There is much I don't like about this one, but the singer's attitude is off-putting. She's the one having the abortion, but it's all about his feelings of being bummed out, being held back and brought down. I'm not saying a song about her feelings would be better, but the way it's presented, it seems really self-centered to me. Also, the "childlike" piano and general '90s epic-ness cliches give it a preciousness that emphasizes this is a sensitive male and what he feels is so important. Even though she's the one who's got to deal with it all.


To be honest, i don't mind this one so much, Q. I hear what you're saying, especially about the earnestness with which these kind of confessional songs are generally presented. But to give BF the benefit of the doubt, at least in this case, the song seems to be about 2 very young people, probably still in their teens, and deciding on an abortion and dealing with the consequences of that can be a minefield for even the most well-adjusted person or couple. I'm not a huge fan of the group or this song, but listening again to the lyrics i think it's not too bad - there's a lot I, she, I, they, I, she; alone-ness, but it goes with the territory. And of course while the girl has to deal with the physical as well as mental issues in cases like this, it's not really fair to say a guy wouldn't have anything to deal with. Again, a hard situation for even the best of us.

If you want self-centred BF, check out 'Rockin The Suburbs'. Urgh.



Is he being tongue-in-cheek or not? Hard to tell...
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George P. Smackers
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Re: Self-centered songs

Postby George P. Smackers » 12 Sep 2018, 02:15

Such a feelin's comin' over me
There is wonder in 'most ev'ry thing I see
Not a cloud in the sky, got the sun in my eyes
And I won't be surprised if it's a dream
Everything I want the world to be
Is now comin' true especially for me
And the reason is clear, it's because you are here
You're the nearest thing to heaven that I've seen
I'm on the top of the world lookin' down on creation
And the only explanation I can find
Is the love that I've found ever since you've been around
Your love's put me at the top of the world
Somethin' in the wind has learned my name
And it's tellin' me that things are not the same
In the leaves on the trees and the touch of the breeze
There's a pleasin' sense of happiness for me
There is only one wish on my mind
When this day is through I hope that I will find
That tomorrow will be just the same for you and me
All I need will be mine if you are here
I'm on the top of the world lookin' down on creation
And the only explanation I can find
Is the love that I've found ever since you've been around
Your love's put me at the top of the world
I'm on the top of the world lookin' down on creation
And the only explanation I can find
Is the love that I've found ever since you've been around
Your love's put me at the top of the world


Always loved this one for its maniacal self-absorption. Yes it's supposed to be about falling in love. But the other person is an afterthought: I'm really happy and the only explanation I can find is the love that I've found ever since you've "been around" (me). Gee thanks.

Your love has put me on top of the world. Emphatically not us. Ha ha ha.

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Re: Self-centered songs

Postby Bent Fabric » 12 Sep 2018, 02:36


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pcqgod
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Re: Self-centered songs

Postby pcqgod » 12 Sep 2018, 03:11

I don't care what you say anymore
this is my life
Go ahead with your own life
Leave me alone!
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Re: Self-centered songs

Postby Sneelock » 12 Sep 2018, 03:59

Put another log on the fire
Cook me up some bacon and some beans
And go out to the car and change the tire
Wash my socks and sew my old blue jeans
Come on baby you can fill my pipe and then go fetch my slippers
And boil me up another pot of tea
Then put another log on the fire, babe
And come and tell me why you're leaving me

Now don't I let you wash the car on Sunday?
And don't I warn you when you're gettin' fat?
Ain't I a-gonna take you fishin' with me someday?
Well, a man can't love a woman more than that
Ain't I always nice to your kid sister?
Don't I take her drivin’ every night?
So sit here at my feet cause I like you when you're sweet
And you know it ain't feminine to fight
So put another log on the fire etc...
Last edited by Sneelock on 12 Sep 2018, 05:21, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Self-centered songs

Postby Jimbo » 12 Sep 2018, 05:11

Any song (except for Season of the Witch) which begins with "When I look out the window," or "When I look in the mirror."
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Re: Self-centered songs

Postby Davey the Fat Boy » 12 Sep 2018, 05:46

Brick is a character study of a self- centered guy. I don’t think Folds completely admires the guy, much as he sympathizes with him.
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Ranking Ted
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Re: Self-centered songs

Postby Ranking Ted » 12 Sep 2018, 06:30

fange wrote:
Quaco wrote:Here's one:



There is much I don't like about this one, but the singer's attitude is off-putting. She's the one having the abortion, but it's all about his feelings of being bummed out, being held back and brought down. I'm not saying a song about her feelings would be better, but the way it's presented, it seems really self-centered to me. Also, the "childlike" piano and general '90s epic-ness cliches give it a preciousness that emphasizes this is a sensitive male and what he feels is so important. Even though she's the one who's got to deal with it all.


To be honest, i don't mind this one so much, Q. I hear what you're saying, especially about the earnestness with which these kind of confessional songs are generally presented. But to give BF the benefit of the doubt, at least in this case, the song seems to be about 2 very young people, probably still in their teens, and deciding on an abortion and dealing with the consequences of that can be a minefield for even the most well-adjusted person or couple. I'm not a huge fan of the group or this song, but listening again to the lyrics i think it's not too bad - there's a lot I, she, I, they, I, she; alone-ness, but it goes with the territory. And of course while the girl has to deal with the physical as well as mental issues in cases like this, it's not really fair to say a guy wouldn't have anything to deal with. Again, a hard situation for even the best of us.

If you want self-centred BF, check out 'Rockin The Suburbs'. Urgh.



Is he being tongue-in-cheek or not? Hard to tell...

I’ve always thought Rockin The Suburbs is a direct take down of Fred Durst, absolutely written in character.

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fange
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Re: Self-centered songs

Postby fange » 12 Sep 2018, 06:42

Ranking Ted wrote:I’ve always thought Rockin The Suburbs is a direct take down of Fred Durst, absolutely written in character.

I'm not sure! I'll take your word on it, Ted; i've always had a bit of an issue with it though, so it may not change my mind anyway in the end. :)
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Re: Self-centered songs

Postby Bent Fabric » 12 Sep 2018, 16:02

fange wrote: i've always had a bit of an issue with it though, so it may not change my mind anyway in the end. :)


So many of the things that make it "what it is" (cause me to hate it) have nothing to do with the man's motivations or intentions (which I just generally find suspect even when he's rescuing babies from a burning building).

One of the things I will say about songwriting and songwriters is that - in my belief - many a creative person is initially moved or motivated by some self-involved or self-serving impulse, but that one of many things which ultimately (I searched for some other way to put this, I really did) "separates the men from the boys" is a tendency to just sound more generous and universal, to ring some bell that others might respond to, to strike some chord that doesn't reek of whatever petty little thing might have initially gotten the ball rolling.

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Quaco
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Re: Self-centered songs

Postby Quaco » 12 Sep 2018, 16:22

A couple good lines in that one, but he sounds like he has a speech impediment. Maybe he's trying to sound like a slacker, but I suspect he does this on every song. To be fair it was something everybody did in that decade.

Reading about the "Brick" song, it seems it was intended to convey his feelings from a real-life experience, and the chorus was something the drummer wrote that brought it to a new, more mysterious level. I don't know if it's a character study so much, though any self-analysis is, I suppose, if you have any awareness.
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The Modernist
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Re: Self-centered songs

Postby The Modernist » 12 Sep 2018, 18:46

I heard a rap song that seemed very self-centred. He talked about himself a lot and claimed all the bitches loved him too. But I forget the name right now.

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Loki
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Re: Self-centered songs

Postby Loki » 13 Sep 2018, 00:29

This one might be just horny. It's a slippery slope.

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Re: Self-centered songs

Postby Bent Fabric » 13 Sep 2018, 00:53

Loki wrote:This one might be just horny. It's a slippery slope.



Nothing about this song suggests that the narrator was an especially generous lover.


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