RIP Helen Reddy.

[Hardbopjazz]

She was 78. 

Edited October 2, 2020 by Hardbopjazz

[sidewinder]

Helen Reddy?

Sad news - she was a major star back in the day. RIP.

[Big Beat Steve]

6 minutes ago, sidewinder said:

Helen Reddy?

My thoughts too when I read the title.

[felser]

She could sing, and did do some good, provocative songs.  "Angie Baby" is creepy and fascinating.  "I Don't Know How To Love Him"  is beautiful and thought-provoking (the version by Yvonne Elliman, who also wrote it, is even better). 

[Hardbopjazz]

2 hours ago, sidewinder said:

Helen Reddy?

Sad news - she was a major star back in the day. RIP.

That’s what happens when I type on my iPhone.  It always thinks I meant to spell something else.  

[JSngry]

Does anybody have the tapes (audio or video) of the segment of her summer replacement show where she had both BB King & the MJQ as quests? They go out with a group jam with Reddy singing "Everyday I Have The Blues". True.

Never liked her singing, but she was big and "I Am Woman" certainly captures a moment in time that is still a moment, so...more than a moment, perhaps.

RIP, and somebody's got to have tapes.

6 hours ago, felser said:

 "I Don't Know How To Love Him"  is beautiful and thought-provoking (the version by Yvonne Elliman, who also wrote it, is even better). 

She did? I thought it was from Jesus Christ, Superstar (and just who was talking to whom there, anyway?)

[felser]

1 hour ago, JSngry said:

She did? I thought it was from Jesus Christ, Superstar (and just who was talking to whom there, anyway?)

It is from JC Superstar, but Elliman had the Mary Magdaline part in that, in the original album recording the original Broadway run, and the movie.  That being said, it looks like I passed along incorrect info that I saw on the web, and that the song was written by Rice/Webber along with the rest of the show.  Mary Magdalene talking about Jesus, but I'm not sure who she's talking to at that point.  I don't remember a thing about the movie except that it was over the top (saw it almost 50 years ago), and you can't tell from the original album (which I still own).

[JSngry]

No, I meant, like, some fed-up dad talking to his full-of-it kid, you, like, "Jesus Christ, superstar, what, you think you're too good to take out the trash? Gimme a break kid". THAT kind of thing.

Here's a good'un!

[felser]

Some really good music, but not exactly noted for theological accuracy!

[Kevin Bresnahan]

Is there some special reason why this is in the "Miscellaneous - Non-Political" forum instead of the "Artists" forum? You can like or dislike her music, but you cannot deny that she was an artist.

[Hardbopjazz]

Move the discussion to the artist forum. 

[John L]

I have always liked her.   She wrote some very good songs and delivered them with feeling and sincerity.   "You and Me Against the World" is probably my favorite.  RIP

Edited October 4, 2020 by John L

[sgcim]

Alright, I deleted my stupid post, but the last post gives the impression HR wrote "You and Me Against the World" ( an excellent song), even if the poster didn't intend to give that impression. It was written by Kenny Ascher and Paul Williams.

[JSngry]

On 10/4/2020 at 7:50 PM, bresna said:

 you cannot deny that she was an artist.

Sure you can. Depends on where you want to set that particular bar.

She was a pop star and had some talent who was also well-produced and who also benefited from the promotional machines that all popular pop starts do.

I don't think anybody cannot deny that.

 

[John L]

On 10/4/2020 at 5:49 PM, sgcim said:

Alright, I deleted my stupid post, but the last post gives the impression HR wrote "You and Me Against the World" ( an excellent song), even if the poster didn't intend to give that impression. It was written by Kenny Ascher and Paul Williams.

Thanks for that clarification.  Sorry.  But I do love the way Helen Reddy sings it.  

[sgcim]

On 10/5/2020 at 9:10 PM, JSngry said:

Sure you can. Depends on where you want to set that particular bar.

She was a pop star and had some talent who was also well-produced and who also benefited from the promotional machines that all popular pop starts do.

I don't think anybody cannot deny that.

 

There was a certain year when they started referring to pop stars as "recording artists", no matter how worthy their music was; probably in the late 60s. I always wondered who and what was behind that. HR was an artist when she sang a great tune like "You and Me Against the World" (we used to do it with funk kicks, which used to make it into even higher art), but what do you call her when she sings a hokey song like "Delta Dawn"? Then again, I saw a live version of her doing it on YT, and the band was effectively funkifying it, hence lifting it up to the level of art, so I guess it goes on a case by case basis.

 

And yet, Barry 'Manifold' was capable of creating good art when he wrote a song like "Could This Be the Magic", based on Chopin;s changes. Again, case by case.

Edited October 7, 2020 by sgcim

[Brad]

You can make fun of I Am Woman if you wish but coinciding as it did with the rise of the women’s movement, it was an important song and inspirational for women at the time. 

[SwingItTrev]

17 minutes ago, sgcim said:

Any song that started off with "I am woman, hear me roar" (we used to replace hear me roar with eat me r-w) is dead before it even began...

You've perfectly captured why that song was necessary in the first place.

[Brad]

20 minutes ago, SwingItTrev said:

You've perfectly captured why that song was necessary in the first place.

Exactly.  

[felser]

My complaints about "I am Woman" are not sociological or lyrical, they're musical.  An estimable song, but one I have always found unlistenable due to its hokey tune and arrangement.

[Dave James]

I was living with an ardent, over-the-top feminist when Reddy hit the big time with "I Am Woman".   Nothing against Helen, but if I never hear that song again, it will be way too soon.
 

[Chuck Nessa]

G'bye.

[Dan Gould]

11 hours ago, Dave James said:

I was living with an ardent, over-the-top feminist when Reddy hit the big time with "I Am Woman".   Nothing against Helen, but if I never hear that song again, it will be way too soon.
 

Are you saying you didn't instantly "hear" the song when you read that she had died?

I also heard "Jump" the moment I heard Eddie Van Halen died.

Brains are funny that way. Or maybe its just me.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

11 hours ago, Dave James said:

I was living with an ardent, over-the-top feminist when Reddy hit the big time with "I Am Woman".   Nothing against Helen, but if I never hear that song again, it will be way too soon.
 

I miss "over-the-top" feminists. If we still had them, maybe we wouldn't be in the state we find ourselves today, where many woman seem to enjoy supporting an obviously misogynistic politician who has admitted to sexually molesting random women.

[sgcim]

18 hours ago, Dave James said:

I was living with an ardent, over-the-top feminist when Reddy hit the big time with "I Am Woman".   Nothing against Helen, but if I never hear that song again, it will be way too soon.
 

I Am Woman would've fit in great with this satire on the feminist movement on SCTV: