Topic: Paul McCartney vs. Elvis Costello

[Solitary Wanderer]

Good pop music is a perfectly acceptable art form.  For some reason the really good musicians feel they have to justify their talent by turning to classical music.  I've never understood it.  Know your boundaries!

Yes, by trying to appear as a 'serious' musical artist they usually end up revealing their limitations which was the chip on their shoulder in the first place

[George]

Has a composer ever written a pop song?

[Montpellier]

There are quite a few composers who live on the border between popular and classical music (scuse the loose terms) always relative to their times and genres - the most well-known being Gershwin.  In earlier times some got away with having their feet in both camps - less now I'd guess, where putting a pop song together seems more like Lego and everyone seems to compete to be the most conservative!   And where music notation is no longer important.

But this thread is about McCartney and Costello so I digress.

[Hector]

Has a composer ever written a pop song?

You mean classical composer? Possibly, but some have stolen pop songs to use in their own compositions. Rossini for one!

Almost forgot. McCartney and Costello, neither. Both are an embarrassment.

I'd rather listen to Golivojov.

No I wouldn't

[Mark G. Simon]

Has a composer ever written a pop song?

Vladimir Dukelsky, a Russian emigre and friend of Prokofiev, wrote symphonies and piano concertos concurrently with pop songs such as "April in Paris" and "I cant' get started", written under the name of Vernon Duke.

Kurt Weill came to the US and wrote Broadway musicals. His "September Song" is still widely sung.

[longears]

Costello the better songwriter.  As for Il Sogno, it's not the fruit of his "pretensions" or a mythical chip on his shoulder, but rather was a commission by an Italian ballet company and it's not half bad. Of course, you'd actually have to listen to it to know that, not prejudge it from a 30 second clip or even without hearing a bit of it.

[scottscheule]

Costello the better songwriter.  As for Il Sogno, it's not the fruit of his "pretensions" or a mythical chip on his shoulder, but rather was a commission by an Italian ballet company and it's not half bad. Of course, you'd actually have to listen to it to know that, not prejudge it from a 30 second clip or even without hearing a bit of it.

Damn, told!

[karlhenning]

Has he done classical?

Seems to owe much to Mossolov, doesn't it?--

[dtwilbanks]

Neither one knew how to read music when they created their pop music. I think Costello has learned but I'm not sure about McCartney.