# Great, talented recording artists that have zero TASTE. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 12, 2008, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-talented-recording-artists-that-have-zero-taste/472270 "2008-11-12T00:08:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Asylum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/53a042/32.png) [@Asylum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asylum)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2008, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-talented-recording-artists-that-have-zero-taste/472270/21 "2008-11-13T04:46:47Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > Mariah Carey. She can sing, I don’t think anyone can argue that; I can. She alternates between sounding like a car alarm and a car alarm out of breath. The only reason you notice either is because you want them to shut the fuck up. ---
**Author:** ![phil417](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6bbea6/32.png) [@phil417](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phil417)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2008, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-talented-recording-artists-that-have-zero-taste/472270/22 "2008-11-13T07:46:39Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > I nominate Dolly Parton. Her early work, such as Jolene, I Will Always Love You annd My Tennessee Mountain Home (all of which she wrote) can move you to tears. Her later, pop-oriented stuff can move you to tears for opposite reasons. Now that she’s aging out of pop territory she seems to be moving back to her roots. Seconded. I also consider her a class act for the way she sings back up on other singers’ songs. My favorite is her back up of Faith Hill “Breathe” [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIp9vmH6ZYM](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIp9vmH6ZYM) Listen to the song; during the chorus, especially, you can hear Dolly. Some say Dolly Parton lacks taste in clothes. To quote the multi-millionaire herself, “Honey, it cost a bundle to look this cheap!” Love, Phil ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2008, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-talented-recording-artists-that-have-zero-taste/472270/23 "2008-11-13T08:46:42Z")
> [@phil417](#): > > Seconded. I also consider her a class act for the way she sings back up on other singers’ songs. My favorite is her back up of Faith Hill “Breathe” [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIp9vmH6ZYM](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIp9vmH6ZYM) Listen to the song; during the chorus, especially, you can hear Dolly. > > Some say Dolly Parton lacks taste in clothes. To quote the multi-millionaire herself, “Honey, it cost a bundle to look this cheap!” > > Love, Phil Also DP in her own words: "I patterned myself after this woman that was the town tramp back home. She had blond hair and high heels and red fingernails and lips, and to me she was like what movie stars were to other kids. We’d see her, and I’d say, ‘Oh, look, she’s got plastic goldfish in her heels!’ and my mama would say, ‘She ain’t nothin’ but trash, nothin’ but trash,’ and I thought, “Ooh, that’s what I’m gonna be when I grow up — _trash_!” ---
**Author:** ![Petrobey\_Mavromihalis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bcef8e/32.png) [@Petrobey\_Mavromihalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Petrobey_Mavromihalis)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2008, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-talented-recording-artists-that-have-zero-taste/472270/24 "2008-11-13T08:49:18Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > In Cohen’s case I believe it’s not so much a lack of personal taste as a willingness to leave a lot of things up to the producer. For the '80s stuff I find it helps to think of the keyboards as being ironic, whether or not they were intended that way at the time. I kind of have to agree with this, all be it through gritted teeth. The worst example is the Phil Spector produced album, _Death of a Lady’s Man_. Some great songs spoiled by weird production (apparently everyone was off their faces the entire time). In its defence it is quite interesting to listen to a stoned Bob Dylan and Allen Ginsburg shouting the backing vocals to _Don’t Go Home With Your Hard On_. Additionally, if the keyboards weren’t originally meant to be ironic, they are now: [Glastonbury 2008](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPPuuXlKXxM) Note the skill that goes into pressing the “Bossa Nova 2” button. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2008, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-talented-recording-artists-that-have-zero-taste/472270/25 "2008-11-13T14:43:26Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > You may be right, but as much as I admire Karen Carpenter, all we have to go on is her discography, which includes both amazing work and totally disposable pap. > > I nominate Dolly Parton. Her early work, such as Jolene, I Will Always Love You annd My Tennessee Mountain Home (all of which she wrote) can move you to tears. Her later, pop-oriented stuff can move you to tears for opposite reasons. Now that she’s aging out of pop territory she seems to be moving back to her roots. I know you ain’t sayin’ nothing about Dolly Parton. I mean, I’m not saying you’re wrong, but you better shut your mouth about Dolly Parton. When I go to heaven and look up at the throne I think God is going to be Dolly Parton. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2008, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-talented-recording-artists-that-have-zero-taste/472270/26 "2008-11-13T15:09:32Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > Elton John. Well, the last 20 years, not the first 20. 😃 That was before [_Billy Elliot_](http://www.billyelliotbroadway.com/). The man is a genius. As for Rod Stewart, You’re in my Heart is one of the best songs ever. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2008, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-talented-recording-artists-that-have-zero-taste/472270/27 "2008-11-13T18:26:37Z")
Amy Grant. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2008, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-talented-recording-artists-that-have-zero-taste/472270/28 "2008-11-13T18:58:57Z")
> [@Asylum](#): > > I can. She alternates between sounding like a car alarm and a car alarm out of breath. The only reason you notice either is because you want them to shut the fuck up. You can certainly argue that you don’t like her singing (I don’t like it either, and looking at a couple of her videos on Youtube, I just want to punch her in the face when she does stupid trills and flutters her fingers at the same time), but she can carry a tune. She is technically able to sing quite well. She just abuses her talent. Ooh, that reminds me of another great example of this - Celine Dion. She has one of the best voices of our time, and uses it to sing complete crap. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2008, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-talented-recording-artists-that-have-zero-taste/472270/29 "2008-11-13T19:06:06Z")
> [@Asylum](#): > > I can. She alternates between sounding like a car alarm and a car alarm out of breath. The only reason you notice either is because you want them to shut the fuck up. You’re welcome to stop by my house for a cup of coffee any time. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2008, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-talented-recording-artists-that-have-zero-taste/472270/30 "2008-11-13T20:41:55Z")
> [@cornflakes](#): > > Seconded. Several years ago, “You Look Beautiful Tonight” was being heavily played on the radio, but only in ads and promotions for a cell phone provider. “From God to Shill” was the phrase that sprung to my mind. Do you mean “Wonderful Tonight”? ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-talented-recording-artists-that-have-zero-taste/472270/31 "2008-11-14T02:45:44Z")
> [@Petrobey\_Mavromihalis](#): > > I kind of have to agree with this, all be it through gritted teeth. The worst example is the Phil Spector produced album, _Death of a Lady’s Man_. Some great songs spoiled by weird production (apparently everyone was off their faces the entire time). The title track to _Death of a Lady’s Man_ was my first introduction to Leonard Cohen as a performer, which was unfortunate because my reaction was pretty much “What the…is this a real song? Who IS this guy?” I remembered the name but figured Cohen was just some pretentious weirdo\* until several years later when I found out that he’d _also_ written quite a few songs I knew as covers by other artists: “Hallelujah”, “Susanne”, “So Long, Marianne”, etc. So I decided to give the guy another chance, and I’m glad I did. > [@](#): > > \*Note the skill that goes into pressing the “Bossa Nova 2” button. \*Heh, that gave me a chuckle. 🙂 It took quite some time before I could hear Cohen’s '80s stuff without remembering my family’s old Casio keyboard… \*I guess he arguably is a pretentious weirdo, but he isn’t JUST a pretentious weirdo. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Clivas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@Clivas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clivas)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-talented-recording-artists-that-have-zero-taste/472270/32 "2008-11-15T20:53:24Z")
Pink. I think she has a great voice and could be legendary in the realm of bad ass women but everything I’ve ever heard from her seems to cater to jr. high girls who think that tough means hanging out with a group of friends that say the F word a lot. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-talented-recording-artists-that-have-zero-taste/472270.md?page=1)