For those who don't know this about me, I am a huge Rod Stewart fan.
I mean, HUGE.
Anyone asked what kind of music I like, the answer was always, "anything by Rod Stewart."
Until he decided to start releasing those "American Songbook" CDs when he thought he was a lounge singer -- yucko! I have the entire collection, though.
Because every Christmas or birthday, I would receive the current Rod the Bod CD.
You see, one of the things I love about his music is his interpretation of other hit songs (let's face it, he doesn't do very much original stuff). I truly believe his arrangements are genius. His version of the BeeGee's "To Love Somebody" just blows me away -- and my car stereo gives it tremendous air time.
But that American Songbook series just didn't cut it with me. Rod the Bod being a lounge singer just doesn't work -- wonderful choice of songs but he really should leave those vocals to Michael Buble (another artist I really admire).
So I've just continued listening to all my old Rod the Bod collection -- I have them all you know.
Until this Christmas. Finally, it seemed that he had released a CD of songs that were closer to the old Rod the Bod that I loved.
Soul Music -- Sam Cooke; Otis Redding; The Temptations; The Four Tops -- how could I go wrong?
All the music I love.
By the singer I most love to hear.
And some of his best tunes were songs about those very singers.
It's gotta be a sure bet, doesn't it?
Wrong!
My step-granddaughter (my beautiful boy's older, half-sister) gave me Rod's newest CD for Christmas (on the advice of my little chickadee who had consulted with me, yada yada yada).
Today, we popped the CD into the player and listened while we worked.
Yeh, this will be the first and the last time it will be played in this household and it will not likely be played in my car.
Rod the Bod needs to hang up his microphone and leave the vocals to them who can.
He is finished; his day is done.
He was fantastically fabulous in his day.
And I don't doubt that he could still turn out a hit CD -- perhaps from the other side of the recording table.
The only effect that listening to "Rod Stewart Soulbook" had on me was to make me want to seek out the original versions of the songs that are covered on it. Because these ones are terrible.
He knows good music; he just can't deliver it any longer.
Rod, please stop torturing yourself; this CD is an embarrassment to your talent.
No comments:
Post a Comment