All joking aside, the only song I have heard her perform that I thought was good was her version of Gloomy Sunday. But it was a stroke of luck. By that I mean the song and it's purpose fit very well with the way she sings. Like fudloe, I too find most of her material just a bit too abstract for my tastes. The way I see it, If she was a painter, she would be one of those that just throws paint around and calls it "The demise of a nation" or whatever.
Uh! GOD! It's like when you burn the roof of your mouth in hot pizza, and you keep jamming your tongue against it, even though it hurts really badly! I listen to this song (well, like 30 seconds of it) over and over, simply to annoy myself! Still isn't growing on me in a positive way, however.
I retract all previous derisive comments about Ms. Galas. Having said that, I must qualify THIS statement by saying I still can't stand her...HOWEVER- While enjoying Tom Waits, it dawned on me that he, like Ms. Galas, has a polarizing effect on his listeners. It is a love 'em or hate 'em situation and although I still find this woman completely annoying and talentless, it is because she is simply not my cup of tea. Although I am still not a fan, I get it. Sorry to anyone I have annoyed.
While I understand the historical context of this song, I've never particularly interpreted Diamanda's version as speaking to slavery.
Given her other work (in particular "Plague Mass"), it seems she's using this song to express some of the despair, confusion, and frustration felt by members of communities affected by HIV/AIDS.
That's not to say that everyone should/will love Galas - simply that we should remember that part of art is recontextualizing what has alerady been made.
This song is a slave song. Greeks haven't had much experience in that arena in a few thousand years. So it's not profound, it's mocking. And she's just terrible. Just terrible. It's like a bad open mic night. As for "so soul", that would be "soulful" and this is a glorious example of NOT soulful. Being strange because you're strange is art. Being strange for the sake of being strange is pretense. There should be a picture of this terrible hack next to the word in the dictionary.
@fudloe so you're saying because she is greek she can't sing about slavery? How can you tell she is "being strange for the sake of being strange" - and in contrast, Can you say who is "strange because they're strange"?
@ojoroto In short, 1.)Yes, she has no basis to sing it from and it is insulting to descendants of actual slaves, 2.) Yes, Because I am familiar with pretense, 3.)Yes, because I can observe.
Finally, I am coming from my own opinion. Being mine, it is unavailable to your grasp.
And in that vein, allow me to put it as bluntly as possible, odd does not equal good. There are only two kinds of music, good and bad. This, by the simple definition of what is music, is bad. Maybe good art,bad music.
@fudloe If you say so. But really? Are we in 4th grade? I don't think you can convince anyone except those who already agree with you. And I bet you don't care.. so.. wow.. how useless it is to have a dialog with you. I still think she is amazing and that anyone can sing about whatever the fuck they want. Imagine that... That's why You are commenting on her video and not the other way around Maybe she is consciously being "strange" -- it works. she filters people like you out.
@ojoroto I am forever grateful to be filtered and separated from people who give this sort of self indulgent pap credence. Thank you, Diamanda for making my life unencumbered from those with bad taste. Oh, and I just posted an opinion. Your reply made it a dialogue. So, there you go.
@fudloe Whether or not the Greeks were enslaved is irrelevant. The context she has reinterpreted this song for is those who suffer from HIV/AIDS. Whether or not you appreciate that, it is certainly not mockery. She is simply speaking for the suffering of a different people than the original song.
Now, if you knew how much she meant to some of those people, I think you'd feel a little ridiculous accusing her of pretense or being "strange" for its own sake or whatever... I hope.
I didn't know sheep could play the piano.
All joking aside, the only song I have heard her perform that I thought was good was her version of Gloomy Sunday. But it was a stroke of luck. By that I mean the song and it's purpose fit very well with the way she sings. Like fudloe, I too find most of her material just a bit too abstract for my tastes. The way I see it, If she was a painter, she would be one of those that just throws paint around and calls it "The demise of a nation" or whatever.
CrabJock 2 months ago
Uh! GOD! It's like when you burn the roof of your mouth in hot pizza, and you keep jamming your tongue against it, even though it hurts really badly! I listen to this song (well, like 30 seconds of it) over and over, simply to annoy myself! Still isn't growing on me in a positive way, however.
fudloe 3 months ago
I retract all previous derisive comments about Ms. Galas. Having said that, I must qualify THIS statement by saying I still can't stand her...HOWEVER- While enjoying Tom Waits, it dawned on me that he, like Ms. Galas, has a polarizing effect on his listeners. It is a love 'em or hate 'em situation and although I still find this woman completely annoying and talentless, it is because she is simply not my cup of tea. Although I am still not a fan, I get it. Sorry to anyone I have annoyed.
fudloe 4 months ago
Comment removed
fudloe 4 months ago
While I understand the historical context of this song, I've never particularly interpreted Diamanda's version as speaking to slavery.
Given her other work (in particular "Plague Mass"), it seems she's using this song to express some of the despair, confusion, and frustration felt by members of communities affected by HIV/AIDS.
That's not to say that everyone should/will love Galas - simply that we should remember that part of art is recontextualizing what has alerady been made.
danilamorte 8 months ago 3
@danilamorte *already
danilamorte 8 months ago
@danilamorte , a fair and level headed assessment. Agreed.
fudloe 7 months ago
This song is a slave song. Greeks haven't had much experience in that arena in a few thousand years. So it's not profound, it's mocking. And she's just terrible. Just terrible. It's like a bad open mic night. As for "so soul", that would be "soulful" and this is a glorious example of NOT soulful. Being strange because you're strange is art. Being strange for the sake of being strange is pretense. There should be a picture of this terrible hack next to the word in the dictionary.
fudloe 1 year ago
@fudloe so you're saying because she is greek she can't sing about slavery? How can you tell she is "being strange for the sake of being strange" - and in contrast, Can you say who is "strange because they're strange"?
Just trying to grasp where you're coming from.
ojoroto 11 months ago
@ojoroto In short, 1.)Yes, she has no basis to sing it from and it is insulting to descendants of actual slaves, 2.) Yes, Because I am familiar with pretense, 3.)Yes, because I can observe.
Finally, I am coming from my own opinion. Being mine, it is unavailable to your grasp.
And in that vein, allow me to put it as bluntly as possible, odd does not equal good. There are only two kinds of music, good and bad. This, by the simple definition of what is music, is bad. Maybe good art,bad music.
fudloe 11 months ago
@fudloe If you say so. But really? Are we in 4th grade? I don't think you can convince anyone except those who already agree with you. And I bet you don't care.. so.. wow.. how useless it is to have a dialog with you. I still think she is amazing and that anyone can sing about whatever the fuck they want. Imagine that... That's why You are commenting on her video and not the other way around Maybe she is consciously being "strange" -- it works. she filters people like you out.
ojoroto 10 months ago
@ojoroto I am forever grateful to be filtered and separated from people who give this sort of self indulgent pap credence. Thank you, Diamanda for making my life unencumbered from those with bad taste. Oh, and I just posted an opinion. Your reply made it a dialogue. So, there you go.
fudloe 10 months ago
@fudloe Whether or not the Greeks were enslaved is irrelevant. The context she has reinterpreted this song for is those who suffer from HIV/AIDS. Whether or not you appreciate that, it is certainly not mockery. She is simply speaking for the suffering of a different people than the original song.
Now, if you knew how much she meant to some of those people, I think you'd feel a little ridiculous accusing her of pretense or being "strange" for its own sake or whatever... I hope.
sex6cult9revolution 7 months ago 2
This song is so profund, it´s so soul! Amazing performance
pedroxixi 1 year ago