# Some people with "eclectic" musical taste. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 9, 2006, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-people-with-eclectic-musical-taste/368081 "2006-08-09T23:34:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-people-with-eclectic-musical-taste/368081/41 "2006-08-10T17:16:23Z")
[QUOTE=ultrafilter] Everyone will agree with this, no matter what their definition. [/QUOTE] I don’t! I say a song is a duck, and damn anyone who disagrees with me! ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-people-with-eclectic-musical-taste/368081/42 "2006-08-10T17:17:48Z")
[QUOTE=DooWahDiddy] the word “song” is generally understood to mean “a piece of music”. [/QUOTE] You’re asserting a generality here, without providing much evidence other than “because that’s what I think”. [QUOTE=Biffy the Elephant Shrew] How about instrumental pieces specifically designated “song” by their composers, such as Mendelssohn’s _Frühlingslied_ (“Spring Song”)? [/QUOTE] It’s a title. The ‘song’ part of the title of _Das Lied von der Erde_ is no more literal than the ‘of the earth’ bit - Mahler’s subtitle is the description: _A symphony for tenor, alto (or baritone) and orchestra_. ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-people-with-eclectic-musical-taste/368081/43 "2006-08-10T17:54:08Z")
[QUOTE=GorillaMan] You’re asserting a generality here, without providing much evidence other than “because that’s what I think”. [/QUOTE] Um, I’m not asserting anything. The fact that everybody in this thread has said things like “I thought anything musical was a song” and “It’s just easier to say “song” than figuring out what it was called by the dead guy who wrote it” kind of leads me to believe that it’s safe to assume that “song” is generally understood to mean “a piece of music”, which is what I said. To argue anymore about it is simply time-wasting ridiculousness, seeing as how it’s simply a matter of semantics. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-people-with-eclectic-musical-taste/368081/44 "2006-08-10T17:56:34Z")
[QUOTE=GorillaMan] It’s a title. The ‘song’ part of the title of _Das Lied von der Erde_ is no more literal than the ‘of the earth’ bit - Mahler’s subtitle is the description: _A symphony for tenor, alto (or baritone) and orchestra_. [/QUOTE] Odd choice of example, since each movement of the symphony is indisputably also a song. So the only thing not literal about the title is that it could more precisely have been _Sechs Lieder von der Erde_… ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-people-with-eclectic-musical-taste/368081/45 "2006-08-10T18:00:45Z")
[QUOTE=DooWahDiddy] The fact that everybody in this thread… [/quote] More generalisations…surely not… [QUOTE=Biffy the Elephant Shrew] Odd choice of example, since each movement of the symphony is indisputably also a song. [/QUOTE] _Arguably_ also a song, I’d go along with. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-people-with-eclectic-musical-taste/368081/46 "2006-08-10T18:05:53Z")
:: does a doubletake, looks up at forum :: Yep. This is the motherfucking pit. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-people-with-eclectic-musical-taste/368081/47 "2006-08-10T18:17:38Z")
A song must be possible to be sung by a singer. So that rules out quite a few pieces of music. But I wouldn’t like to argue that an Opera can’t be considered as a particularly long song, or a group of interrelated songs. ---
**Author:** ![Cemetery\_Savior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Cemetery\_Savior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cemetery_Savior)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-people-with-eclectic-musical-taste/368081/48 "2006-08-10T18:29:23Z")
[QUOTE=Revenant Threshold] Panic at the Disco, the Red Hot Chili Peppers/QUOTE] Ugh…I saw both of these at Lollapalooza…Trying to compare naiive suckiness vs. tried-and-true suckiness is TOUGH! (Wilco was fantastic, naturally) -Cem ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-people-with-eclectic-musical-taste/368081/49 "2006-08-10T18:52:46Z")
[QUOTE=GorillaMan] More generalisations…surely not… [/QUOTE] _sigh_ You’re right, man. I quit. You win. I bow down before your spectacular debating skills and worldly knowledge. Everybody else is wrong and you’re right. Congrats, your prize is in the mail. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-people-with-eclectic-musical-taste/368081/50 "2006-08-10T19:56:42Z")
Only on the Dope can we take a single statement, quite unclarified rant, and turn it into a debate on the more and less obscure meanings of the word song. I’d have bet dollars to donuts that it was eclectic that we would be ranting about. ---
**Author:** ![Leviosaurus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Leviosaurus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leviosaurus)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-people-with-eclectic-musical-taste/368081/51 "2006-08-10T20:37:07Z")
[QUOTE=Dangerosa] Only on the Dope can we take a single statement, quite unclarified rant, and turn it into a debate on the more and less obscure meanings of the word song. I’d have bet dollars to donuts that it was eclectic that we would be ranting about. [/QUOTE] \ Back in my day, we didn’t have semantic arguments over artistic sophistry. We were restricted to grunts of general disagreement followed by bloody hand to hand fighting… and we LIKED it that way! \ ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-people-with-eclectic-musical-taste/368081/52 "2006-08-10T21:06:42Z")
[QUOTE=Miller] I don’t! I say a song is a duck, and damn anyone who disagrees with me! [/QUOTE] So songs don’t echo? 😉 [QUOTE=Hampshire] I consider my cd collection to be quite “eclectic”. Usually because most people that look at it comment “I have never even heard of the majority of the artists/bands of the cds you have.” [/QUOTE] Obscure isn’t the same thing as eclectic. If you have 100 CDs that nobody’s ever heard of, but all 100 of them are rap (or punk, or any other single genre), that’s not eclectic. Eclectic also doesn’t mean non-discriminating. My iPod has a mix of orchestral, string quartet, a capella vocals, classic rock, Celtic rock, Scottish folk music, country, jazz, jazz fusion, zydeco, bluegrass, competition bagpipe, swing revival, big band, rockabilly, bootleg mash-up, electronic, soundtracks, steel drum, acoustic piano, acoustic guitar, hammered dulcimer, new age, ragtime, and stuff I can’t figure out how to classify (e.g., Trans-Siberian Orchestra). There are some musicians, however, that have put out tons of music, and I’ve only chosen a few of their tracks. You can be eclectic and still be choosy. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-people-with-eclectic-musical-taste/368081/53 "2006-08-10T21:28:37Z")
Wait long enough, and everything becomes eclectic again. Let the bidding on my Cowsills collection begin… ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-people-with-eclectic-musical-taste/368081/54 "2006-08-10T21:30:27Z")
[QUOTE=Jackmannii] Wait long enough, and everything becomes eclectic again. Let the bidding on my Cowsills collection begin… [/QUOTE] The Cowsills? I’ll give you $2. You’re not going to beat that, even on E-Bay. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-people-with-eclectic-musical-taste/368081/55 "2006-08-10T21:32:16Z")
[QUOTE=GorillaMan] It’s a title. The ‘song’ part of the title of _Das Lied von der Erde_ is no more literal than the ‘of the earth’ bit - Mahler’s subtitle is the description: _A symphony for tenor, alto (or baritone) and orchestra_. [/QUOTE] And no, I will _not_ trade you my 45 of _The Rain, The Park And Other Things_ for your CD of _Das Lied Von Der Erde_. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-people-with-eclectic-musical-taste/368081/56 "2006-08-10T21:32:59Z")
This one’s actually really easy. “Songs” are anything done by Zep. Everything else, is like, crap man. Total crap. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-people-with-eclectic-musical-taste/368081/57 "2006-08-10T21:45:59Z")
[QUOTE=Cluricaun] This one’s actually really easy. “Songs” are anything done by Zep. Everything else, is like, crap man. Total crap. 😉 [/QUOTE] No, I’m pretty sure those are “dirges”. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-people-with-eclectic-musical-taste/368081/58 "2006-08-10T21:49:21Z")
[QUOTE=Jackmannii] And no, I will _not_ trade you my 45 of _The Rain, The Park And Other Things_ for your CD of _Das Lied Von Der Erde_. [/QUOTE] The way the Cowsills have been dropping lately, you’d be more likely to get a CD of _Kindertotenlieder_ in trade. ---
**Author:** ![MrSquishy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9e5f3/32.png) [@MrSquishy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrSquishy)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-people-with-eclectic-musical-taste/368081/59 "2006-08-10T22:33:49Z")
[QUOTE=Cemetery Savior] [QUOTE=Revenant Threshold] Panic at the Disco, the Red Hot Chili Peppers/QUOTE] Ugh…I saw both of these at Lollapalooza…Trying to compare naiive suckiness vs. tried-and-true suckiness is TOUGH! (Wilco was fantastic, naturally) -Cem [/QUOTE] I’m guessing you enjoy Son Volt as well? I’ve wondered in the past about your username. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-people-with-eclectic-musical-taste/368081/60 "2006-08-11T01:04:07Z")
[QUOTE=InvisibleWombat] Eclectic also doesn’t mean non-discriminating. My iPod has a mix of orchestral, string quartet, a capella vocals, classic rock, Celtic rock, Scottish folk music, country, jazz, jazz fusion, zydeco, bluegrass, competition bagpipe, swing revival, big band, rockabilly, bootleg mash-up, electronic, soundtracks, steel drum, acoustic piano, acoustic guitar, hammered dulcimer, new age, ragtime, and stuff I can’t figure out how to classify (e.g., Trans-Siberian Orchestra). There are some musicians, however, that have put out tons of music, and I’ve only chosen a few of their tracks. You can be eclectic and still be choosy. [/QUOTE] I’m not discriminating, but I can’t buy an iPod Shuffle. Insurance does not cover the whiplash you get going from Prince’s DMSR to Anonymous 4’s Gloria from Lammas Ladymass. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-people-with-eclectic-musical-taste/368081.md?page=2)