Episode 176 - The Jazz Singer: LIVE!

[PollyDarton 1807]

I just want to add my favourite bit of Neil Diamond trivia. Neil Diamon, Burt Bacharach and his wife Carole Bayer Sager went and saw the movie E.T. Diamond so moved by the film that the three of them collaborated and came up with a song about E.T. They were not contracted or asked to do this, and in fact despite the song not mentioning and characters by name still had to pay $25,000 to MCA. They release the song "Heartlight" a reference to E.T's glowing chest at the end of the film in 1982 and it would be his last song to hit #1 on the charts and top 30 on the hot 100.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBDj4Rlyr28

 

I DID know this - at least part of it. That song is RIDICULOUS.

[PollyDarton 1807]

Even the remake "White Christmas" had enough sense to remove the black face scene from the original "Holiday Inn" - and that movie came out in 1954.

 

It's true although they did still have a "minstrel show" number, but thankfully did not use any makeup. Fun fact on that - the minstrel number in Holiday INN was called "Abraham" - offensively enough it even had a few actors of color singing along from the kitchen. No one in White Christmas sang "Abraham" but they did do a high tempo dance to a sped-up version as a nod to the original.

[Cameron H. 23786]

So...do you guys all want to share your favorite Neil Diamond songs? They can be covers of his songs if you want. So if you’re wondering, UB40’s “Red, Red Wine” is 100% on the table.

 

(I’m going to pick two)

 

I mean, he has an extensive catalog (as you all know), but if you put a guy to my head I’d pick “Solitary Man” and “Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show.”

 

 

[tomspanks 9039]

So...do you guys all want to share your favorite Neil Diamond songs? They can be covers of his songs if you want. So if you’re wondering, UB40’s “Red, Red Wine” is 100% on the table.

 

(I’m going to pick two)

 

I mean, he has an extensive catalog (as you all know), but if you put a guy to my head I’d pick “Solitary Man” and “Hot August Night.”

 

Mine is Sweet Caroline, because I'm basic. I really liked America from the movie. After watching the movie, I checked if he's still touring, but it apepars he's only doing Australia next year.

[The_Triple_Lindy 2482]

So...do you guys all want to share your favorite Neil Diamond songs? They can be covers of his songs if you want.

Easy

 

[Cameron H. 23786]

 

Easy

 

 

Ooh, sorry, this one I can’t do. I skip it every time. After you posted it, I was trying to look up its meaning, just to confirm I wasn’t missing a super subtle metaphor or something, when I saw this comment:

 

I remembers me of the first time I went to bed with my boyfriend. I knew this song since my childhood, my mother used to play it, she had a cassette with music on it...

Later I saw it in Pulp Fiction (wich I must agree is great... That scene... how she moves... great) I was on msn messenger, the evening before I would spend the day with my bf. I was listening to this song, uncontious about the importance of tomorrow... He saw what I was listening, he told me later. It made him feel insecure. I spend my day with him... It was beautiful... Really, it was perfect...

Later that evening he sent me an email, with title "Girl, you'll be a woman soon", with all the sweetest things in it... He's just great...

To bad we're breaking up tomorrow... But I cant stop listening this song, since it refers to the most special day I ever had. And I still love him...

 

I love the twist ending!

[LTL 154]

Once again my "second opinion" I love this movie and the soundtrack and Neil Diamond I thought he looked great in bearded cowboy mode.

Also I find all the offense by proxy for the black makeup scene hilarious..Was anyone actually offended or just UNCOMFORTABLE wondering what the black reaction would be?

[The_Triple_Lindy 2482]

 

Mine is Sweet Caroline, because I'm basic.

 

You gotta hand it to ol' Neil ... the Second Opinions theme from this episode proved that if a person writes a song to the tune "Sweet Caroline" and sings it in public, everyone within earshot will fill in the "Bah Bah Baaaaaaah!" I could only ever wish for that kind of staying power.

[The_Triple_Lindy 2482]

Also I find all the offense by proxy for the black makeup scene hilarious..Was anyone actually offended or just UNCOMFORTABLE wondering what the black reaction would be?

Neither, really ... when I see stuff like that, I more just shake my head, baffled that something like this was ever considered normal.

 

I live in the south ... I come into contact with more offensive things than that every day. Plus, what Neil does in the movie is nothing like the stuff Jolson used to do.

[Geans 193]

So...do you guys all want to share your favorite Neil Diamond songs? They can be covers of his songs if you want. So if you’re wondering, UB40’s “Red, Red Wine” is 100% on the table.

 

 

This is mine--my mom played it a lot when I was a kid (her name is Rose). I do feel like moms in the 1980s and their young daughters were his core demographic.

 

Nevermind that I think the subject of the song is a prostitute.

 

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhumCu3fzMI

[The_Triple_Lindy 2482]

Ooh, sorry, this one I can’t do. I skip it every time.

Pictured: Cameron H and I on the boards this week

[Cameron H. 23786]

Once again my "second opinion" I love this this movie and the soundtrack and Neil Diamond I thought he looked great in bearded cowboy mode.

Also I find all the offense by proxy for the black makeup scene hilarious..Was anyone actually offended or just UNCOMFORTABLE wondering what the black reaction would be?

 

Considering a certain ongoing joke, I'm not sure it's wise for me to weigh in here, but here's my take...

 

Personally, this is one of my favorite songs and performances in the movie. I'm not going to say I was offended by it simply because I never felt like the movie was being deliberately malicious. The joke is always on Neil Diamond. He's the one we're laughing at - not the other band members and not the audience. This isn't Mickey Rooney in Breakfast at Tiffany's.

 

Now, should it have been included in the film? I don't know. Probably not. It really wasn't essential to the plot or anything, so it probably could have/should have gone. Still, since it IS in there, I feel like it's one of those things that's okay in the context of the movie, even if it's not okay in a greater social context. To be offended by it is to reduce Bubba to being just "the Black Guy." Bubba is supposed to be Jess' best friend and he's asking him to do a favor so they don't miss out on a huge opportunity. Jess tries to say "no," but Bubba insists. How would it have looked if Jess was like, "Fuck your career, Bubba! I'm not gonna do it! I can't understand how you don't see how offensive this is to you..." I honestly think that would have been the bigger dick move.

 

Anyway, what I find more offensive than him putting on black makeup is the club rioting when they find out he's white. To me, that's way worse.

 

And since we're on the subject: I did kind of cringe when Gethard pointed out that "Hip Hop was happening at the time." I'm sure it wasn't his intention, but it did come off like, "Black people can't possibly like Neil Diamond; they like rap."

 

Or...maybe people are people and can like whatever the fuck they want? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Cameron H. 23786]

 

This is mine--my mom played it a lot when I was a kid (her name is Rose). I do feel like moms in the 1980s and their young daughters were his core demographic.

 

Nevermind that I think the subject of the song is a prostitute.

 

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhumCu3fzMI

 

I was so close to picking this one

 

Pictured: Cameron H and I on the boards this week

 

[Elektra Boogaloo 3371]

Er, I wanted to add a picture of my sign now that I'm back in my apartment, but I can't figure out how to upload it.

[Cameron H. 23786]

Er, I wanted to add a picture of my sign now that I'm back in my apartment, but I can't figure out how to upload it.

 

Are you on Flickr or anything?

 

(Also, how are you doing today, Elektra?)

[Elektra Boogaloo 3371]

Are you on Flickr or anything?

 

(Also, how are you doing today, Elektra?)

I'm good how are you, Cameron.

 

I don't and I think the file is too big or something. Alas.

[Cameron H. 23786]

 

I'm good how are you, Cameron.

 

I don't and I think the file is too big or something. Alas.

 

Hmmm...the only way I’ve ever done it is by uploading it to Flickr first. I’m not sure what to do if the file is too large, though. Sucks. I want to see your sign!

[PollyDarton 1807]

I'm good how are you, Cameron.

 

I don't and I think the file is too big or something. Alas.

Flickr or Imgur is free and easy to use. I'm not sure what their limit is, but I have added pretty big files on there before.

[Cam Bert 8145]

So...do you guys all want to share your favorite Neil Diamond songs? They can be covers of his songs if you want. So if you’re wondering, UB40’s “Red, Red Wine” is 100% on the table.

If covers are okay so should duets right?

 

[Cam Bert 8145]

Once again my "second opinion" I love this movie and the soundtrack and Neil Diamond I thought he looked great in bearded cowboy mode.

Also I find all the offense by proxy for the black makeup scene hilarious..Was anyone actually offended or just UNCOMFORTABLE wondering what the black reaction would be?

First off, yes bearded Neil Diamond was the best look he had in the film and maybe ever. He rocks the beard now in his later years and that's a smart choice.

 

Second, I wouldn't say I was offended no. I'm very much in line with what my fellow Cameron said.

 

In the end I think if they wanted to do an homage like they claimed it was that it could have been done in many different ways. Narrative wise it really doesn't add anything and so if you wanted to do a winking reference there are other things you could have chosen. They changed so much about the story why choose that one thing as your homage. Even for the time in which it was made it just seems like a dumb decision. I would say I was baffled more than anything else.

[Cameron H. 23786]

If covers are okay so should duets right?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohU38WJV45c

 

God, I love this song - in a completely ironic way. I hope you all have or find someone in your lives that you can duet this with.

[tomspanks 9039]

God, I love this song - in a completely ironic way. I hope you all have or find someone in your lives that you can duet this with.

 

It breaks my heart into smithereens. They performed it at the Grammys one year and Neil Diamond's acting during the musical number is a hundred times better than in the Jazz singer!

[Cameron H. 23786]

Just a head's up, but Neil Diamond has done - not one- but THREE Christmas albums! All of which are available for purchase, at a very reasonable price, over on iTunes! Onse includes an incredible dreadful version of Adam Sandler's "The Chanukah Song."

 

 

Anyway, you should all buy at least one.

 

Also, off topic, I've probably (willingly) listened to The New Kids on the Block's "Funky, Funky Christmas" 20 times since Thanksgiving. This is my best possible life.

 

[Cam Bert 8145]

!! Are we talking about awful Christmas songs we love? I have a whole playlist devoted to this.

[Cameron H. 23786]

!! Are we talking about awful Christmas songs we love? I have a whole playlist devoted to this.

 

We can! I think we’ve said everything we need to about The Jazz Singer.

 

Hanson just released a new Christmas album. Yes, I bought it.