And I tell you what. A cappella is in a rut, and I’ll tell you why. It’s because the kids don’t care about the old styles anymore – like good old doo-wop. Before the 1990’s, I’d go see shows on college campuses and be treated to great harmonization. I didn’t mind some of the barbershop sort of stuff that those Ivy League types liked to do, because they sang it well, even though it was pretty square. But when the Nylons came around and all the kids did their arrangements, that was the best. It brought me back to the days of standing around the streetcorner, singing late into the night. So what if it was 15 kids doing what it should only take five guys to do. So what if they sang every note exactly like it was in the original recording. It was still great harmony. It was still the classics, like “Up On the Roof” and “Love Potion #9”.
Then it all went haywire. The kids decided that songs built for harmony weren’t good enough, and they started doing all kinds of Oingo Boingo crap.
Sometimes it was interesting, I guess, but most of the time it just sounded like some stupid kid singing along to the radio. Suddenly an “arrangement” was a bunch of off-pitch chords, some obnoxious mouth drums, and some girl standing in front of it all trying her best to look and sound exactly like Alanis Morisette.
No wonder good old a cappella now has the same nerdy reputation that barbershop has lived with forever. It used to be I’d invite my friends to a show, and they’d be very excited. I’d tell them all about harmony singing and all of the great groups. Nowadays, I’d be embarrassed to take them, especially the college shows. If I wanted to hear 50 Cents, I’d just jangle my wife’s change purse.
The only group I’ll even spend money on anymore is Rockapella, even though I barely recognize them. I don’t mind sitting through their newer original songs as long as they keep the classics. And I guess I’ve always respected The Bobs, even if they’ve always seemed a little weird to me. But what was the last time any group even came close to cracking the mainstream?
I know, I know. You don’t think that’s important, as long as you enjoy it. But doo-wop and groups like The Bobs have stood the test of time because there's something about them that your average person can enjoy. I don’t want to sit and listen to the equivalent of you and your friends singing in the shower. And if you want to sound like a rock band, be a man and pick up an electric guitar.
So if you really do love a cappella, don’t make harmony an afterthought. Trust me. I know what works.
Pug James is a big a cappella fan, and he knows what works. He doesn't care if you don't like what he thinks, and you can write him at wmpjames@yahoo.com if you want more abuse.
Responses to the above commentary:
From: acapartyfun@hotmail.com
Subject: A Cappella Prejduice
Date: Thu, 27 Oct 2005 23:46:51 -0400
Dear James,
I am writing in regads to your so called "article" on the casa.org sight. It seems alike you don't care for the kind of a cappella mucis that the young people of today like well okay fine. But just because you happen to like Do-Wop music doesn't mean that its the only kind of good music, unless somebody mad eyou the king of all music which the last time I checked they didn't. Maybe you should think harder about what your write on a ppopular sight like casa.org because a lot
opeople who read that care very much about the kind of music your putting down. For instance my gorup the U of D Chordial Invitations is curently reconrding an album that we have put all or blood and tears into for two years of hard work with no pay at all. And then you come on a sight like casa.ogr and get payed to write about how much you think it s bad that we do that? In my book that not a cool thing to do, sorry.
Sincerely,
Todd Herge
Tenor/VP
U of D Chordial Invitations
...and Mrs. Pug James responded on behalf of her husband:
Hello, Todd. You seem like a very nice young man. My husband can be a big fuddy-duddy sometimes, so of course he leaves it to me to respond to his "fan mail". But he really does mean well, and is not paid for writing his little articles.
Pug would never admit to this, but he does go to see a lot of college a cappella, and even if he likes to grouse about "Oingo Boingo crap", he enjoys it very much. As long as harmony is involved, he's happy. I think his problem isn't really the modern style, but that most groups do not do it well. Of course, he forgets that when he sang on the streetcorner, his group sounded like a feral cat colony, and the only person that gathered around them was me!
So thank you for helping keep a cappella alive and dynamic. Go make yourself a nice cup of hot cocoa, and good luck with your new album, which I'm sure will be wonderful.
With love,
Mrs. Pug James
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and another opinion:
Subject: the old sound
From: "Jay S. Levin"
Date: Thu, 27 Oct 2005 00:26:18 -0400 (EDT)
Just read your casa.org column. I produced a few CD's in the early 1990's for Penn Six, the humor-oriented group out of Penn.The "modern sound" was just starting to emerge, and we were among its innovators if not one of the most notable two or three.
That said, the group kept on wanting to do a few doo-wop tunes, including two tracks on the 1998 release "Elixir" which otherwise was extremely modern. And I always thought that was cool. I encouraged them to stick a doo-wop song third on the track list -- to establish early on, this will not be 65 minutes of vocal percussion, it's more eclectic and well-rounded than that.
That said, I think most folks who listen to that CD skip that song, and nobody's going to put it on a BOCA album. So maybe you should complain to them.
JSL
Mrs. Pug James wrote:
Hello, Jay. You seem like a very nice young man. My husband can be a bit crotchety sometimes, and he often leaves it to me to respond to his fan mail. But he really does mean well.
Pug would never admit to this, but he enjoys Penn Six, even if he sometimes calls their arrangements "Oingo Boingo crap." I think his problem isn't really the modern style, but that most groups do not do it well. Of course, he forgets that when he sang on the streetcorner, his group
sounded like a feral cat colony, and the only person that gathered around them was me!
So thank you for helping keep a cappella alive and dynamic. Go make yourself a nice cup of hot cocoa. And if you see those boys from Penn Six, please ask them if they can do something about their potty mouths.
With love,
Mrs. Pug James
---------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Thank You!
From: Jonathan Minkoff
Date: Thu, 27 Oct 2005 14:25:22 -0400
Pug,
I may disagree with some/many/all of your opinions,but boy do I love your writing! Please keep sending CASA your thoughts. Your voice needs to be heard and it's a fantastic addition to CASA.org!
-Jonathan
Jonathan Minkoff
President
CASA
Mrs. Pug James wrote:
Hello, Johnny. You seem like a very nice young man, and we're proud to have you as our President. My husband can sometimes be a real stick in the mud, so of course he leaves it to me to respond to his fan mail. He really does care about harmony music -- it just comes out of him with a few rough edges.
It wouldn't be ladylike for me to repeat to you what he said after reading your e-mail, but rest assured he is encouraged to write more. Not that he needs much encouragement.
Now, don't forget to put a scarf on when you go outside -- it's getting cold again!
Love and hugs,
Mrs. Pug James
Click on the wrench in the upper left-hand corner to see what else you can do.