The U.S. really baffles me sometimes--what's with so many people (including two-thirds of the American Idol judging panel!) never having heard (Australian singer) John Farnham's "You're The Voice" before? I mean, my knowledge of pre-2000 music is abysmal (really, no exaggeration, it is) and even I know it (one of those songs you just grow up with a knowledge of, you know?)....and, as I think I may have mentioned before, love it. Think what you will of it and me, but don't care--I think it's a fantastic song.
I'm confused, though--it's an '80's song, yes? So it being used last night doesn't make sense (the theme was songs from the year of your birth and David Archuleta, born in 1990, performed it), unless they were counting a cover that was released in 1990.
Also, I am not endorsing David's actual performance of the song, but Paula asking "why couldn't you sing a song by an American composer?" may be the most ridiculous thing EVER. DID YOU ALL NOT JUST HAVE TWO STRAIGHT WEEKS OF BEATLES NIGHTS? What, are the Beatles American now? Should everyone take to singing "God Bless The USA"? Sheesh.
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Yeah well having moved from NYC to London 15 years ago everyone has taken it upon themselves to tell me their views of why Americans aren't aware of what's going on past their borders. Musically, have you ever heard something on a commercial station from France, from Italy? God forbid something in a foreign language? I think INXS were the last Australian band to be really popular in the US (Silverchair doesn't count, they suck, Kylie isn't really that much of a success, sorry)
Paula Abdul, however, is what's known as an 'idiot' in most languages.
You're The Voice ROCKS (as does its carbon copy 'Love In Stereo')
I'm not following American Idol this year, but, funnily enough, this was played on BBC Radio 2 yesterday too. For me, it's one of those songs that I forget about in between listenings, but when I hear it somewhere it really hits home just what a fantastic piece of music it is. And, yes, it probably is why I loved 'Love in Stereo'!
Yay, PG! That's one of my favorite posts from you of late! As I've now embarrassingly demonstrated in my entry from last night, I thought the original version was by Heart ... oops! ;-) A good song regardless of who did it first ... the truly profound songs are always the ones whose messages never go out of style.
-T
No...it's so frustrating. Thank goodness for the Internet, honestly. I'm so glad you like the song too--I was wondering if everyone would end up disagreeing with me!
I could definitely see that--I'm like that with some songs, too; I rarely play them on my own but it's always a pleasant surprise to hear them on the radio. And hurrah for its reincarnation!
Awww, thanks :) Don't be embarrassed, either--the Entertainment Weekly person thought it was originally by (first season Australian Idol winner) Guy Sebastian--how on Earth you can be American and actually know who Guy Sebastian is but never have heard of John Farnham or any other previous version of "You're The Voice," I have no idea--so you're way better off than them!
oooo I really enjoyed this performance. Stupid Paula. She was probably whacked out on goofballs again. The same goofballs Dannii so frequently took on the x factor. Anyway G4 do an amazing version of this too. Check your inbox shortly :)
Lol when Ryan said "...here's David Archuleta with You're The Voice" I was like wtf? How does he know this song?
I think you are all forgetting that John Farnham (as far as I know) never had a hit in the US? Therefore how would they know of the song?
I have to admit, PPG, that I'm not a David A. fan and hadn't heard the song before (at least the way he was singing it) that I could remember. Paula's fading in and out of consciouness to make insane-ass comments is funny, but how REALLY stupid that she said that! So true...the Beatles were Americans. They had to be, according to Paula.
God bless Paula... I'll have two of whatever she's having, thanks.
Another John Farnham song I would like to endorse is "Playing To Win," which was - probably - his most deliriously 80's moment.
I'm just amazed/disgusted no one is pushing my "Under my Archuleta/Under my Archuleta/eta/eta/ey/ey" joke, that I hoped would have caught on by now!
Alyson
Hurrah--thanks, Paul! :D
Arlen, see, that's what has me so baffled--obviously two people (Paula and Randy) who've spent the past few decades in the music industry are going to have way more knowledge of music here and, if "You're The Voice" was any sort of hit here, they'd know it...plus, I can't find any evidence that it was a hit. I swear, though, that it's one of those songs I've just "always known," and given my complete lack of awareness of '80's music, I don't know how on Earth that could have happened if it was never any sort of even minor hit here!
I figure she probably meant something along the line of "a song that was a hit in the U.S.," but that's definitely not what she just said. Like I said, I wasn't defending the performance, but there were a bunch of things about the performance she could have criticized, or she could have even said "maybe you should have chosen something the audience knows" (which would be silly, given Jason's success with "Hallelujah," which apparently people didn't know either, but at least there might have been some logic there), but her actual criticism, the words she chose, just harked back to an attitude towards music in the U.S. that really bothers me. Plus, she didn't even say "American singer" (which is probably what she meant, I'll admit)--loads of songs people sing on that show that are by American singers have non-American composers!
My John Farnham knowledge is sadly lacking--I just YouTubed it, and I love it! I could listen to that sort of music all day.
Alyson, I was typing up my huge comment while you wrote that one--I'm never going to be able to watch the show again without thinking of (and maybe chanting) that now!
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