"I am a sensitive artist"

in honor of all of the much- maligned male and female sensitive songwriters and singers and those who skewer them.



with tongue slightly in cheek. Go for it! Honor and malign away. Only the most sensitive need fear.

I have to say, I really abhor the word "artist". It is overused and reminds me of the term "genius".
Everyone is an artist of some sort. I guess if someone thinks of themselves as an artist, then they can use the word. It just really gets on my nerves.
But, oh well....who am I? Just another one I guess.

Everybody that picks up a microphone thesze days, refers to themselves as an "artist"....how utterly presumptious.

I am degreed in Fine Art and still refer to myself as an art student.

What a degredation of a once noble term.

Oh, by the way, I have no qualms refering to myself as a genius...and I encourage others to, as well.



Genius

1 entry found for degreed.
de·greed ( P ) Pronunciation Key (d-grd)
adj.
Having or requiring an academic degree: a degreed biologist; a degreed profession.

:hi:

I guess I knee jerked a reaction :)

see the lyrics from King Missile further down the thread.

Love love love love love!!!

:loveya:

not bad, either.

Although he isn't English, of course.

say it isn't so!

Or are you mocking me.....hmmm

My love of Nick is well documented.

one of my old lovers introduced me to his music. Sigh.

I am a funky prophet!

an ecru-philiac

actually I was hoping to stimulate some discussion about why people tend to denigrate those who are " sensitive": either in life, music or art; everyone tends to make fun of these things ( and I am a little, too) and I am curious why - is it the fear of appearing pretentious - and is that how we label our emotions?

thanks for inspiring me to consider this, Chavez, with your Ani/Tori thread.

Sensitive Artist
by John S Hall
King Missile (dog fly religion) _Fluting On The Hump_ Shimmy Disc 1987

I am a sensitive artist...

I am a sensitive artist.
Nobody understands me because I am so deep.
In my work I make allusions to books that nobody else has read,
Music that nobody else has heard,
And art that nobody else has seen.
I can't help it
Because I am so much more intelligent
And well-rounded
Than everyone who surrounds me.

I stopped watching tv when I was six months old
Because it was so boring and stupid
And started reading books
And going to recitals
And art galleries.
I don't go to recitals anymore
Because my hearing is too sensitive
And I don't go to art galleries anymore
Because there are people there
And I can't deal with people
Because they don't understand me.

I don't mind if the sensitivity is backed up by something else!

I know PLENTY of sensitive people who can't write for shit, and can't play any instruments. They would be unlikely to make good music.

But someone who is a gifted composer, a talented lyricist, and a good musician -- and just happens to be sensitive as well -- that I like!

Sensitivity is a facet. You need more than JUST sensitivity to be good.

to paraphrase Billy Bragg

In days like these.

...that has been established.

It's unnecessary complication of words, overuse of florid language, psychobabble in songs (hello, Alanis Morrissette), use of unnecessarily obscure or long words, over-analysing.
I like my songs as reportage, rather than soulbaring, but that's another matter.

as producing psychobabble than guys? That is an off-shoot of the same question. And yes, she used to drive me nuts, too. I should send you some of my songs and you can tell me if they sound like psychobabble. Keeping in mind my professional connections. :)

...you may have an idea of what certain psychological concepts MEAN. ;)

a dance/music piece that was not well reviewed, although well-intentioned. The right kind of info doesn't always do the trick, either.

You do need SOME passion and sensitivity, you know.

You can't force yourself into a creative Skinner box.

You'd actually understand some of the terms for a start. As for guys who us bare their hearts, I never could 'get' Tears for Fears, I'm not a huge fan of the Plastic Ono Band LP. Yet, I love Blood on the Tracks, which is soulbaring, but at once-remove, with real poetic language. I want songs that flow, and often with artists like Morrissette, they drop some real lyrical clunkers in order to get across their message. Ani DiFranco also has a tendency to drop clunkers, to emphasise the wrong words, I find it distracting.

Frankly, I prefer the Song to the Artist. I don't want or need to experience the Artist's inner pain or their feeling, I want to be moved by the Song. This is possibly why I prefer Hejira to Blue, as Hejira's songs are reportage, Blue's more internal. For me, the Song is paramount, for others the Artist is most important.

Joni Mitchell uses the language well

also Lucinda Williams, the daughter or a poet and one in her own right!

Dylan, Patti Smith, Nick Drake...

A clunker lyric is like a clumsy brush stroke or a distracting signature. The work is paramount. The artist is not the work and the work must stand on its own. Personal biases are secondary considerations and indeterminant of the quality art. Can't argue opinion without becoming dogmatic.