lame little musical flourishes

[cutout]

I don't know if there's a word for this, but - today on the radio I heard Tom Petty's "Into the Great Wide Open" and there's a line:

"His leather jacket had chains that would jingle..."

And right after that, you can hear the percussionist do something like wave a tambourine to mimic the "jingle".

Then I remembered "Freebird" which has a reference to...a free bird, and then slide guitarist plays a chirping sound.

Also on Neil Young's "Rockin in the Free World" there's a line:

"We got a kinder, gentler, machine gun hand..."

And in some versions, the drummer does a staccato machine gun-sounding fill.

I know there are others, but I can't think of them. They always make me chuckle.

[namethebats]

The chimes after "send shivers down my spine" in "Bohemian Rhapsody."

[<<<<<]

Spotlights!

Sirens!

Rifles!

Firing!!!

But he made it out...

...with a bullet in his back!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XraJP0jmwE

[Gibby]

Oddly, this flourish works great in 'I Fought The Law' "Robbin' people with a six-gun" and then a RAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT on the snare.

[<<<<<]

I think it works great on the AC/DC song (and they do this a LOT) because it isn't subtle at all.  And they don't care.

I suspect there's a line to be drawn between sneaking it in almost ashamedly and simply bringing the song to a halt in a big dumb, grand ordeal.  The latter at lease exudes some confidence about it.

Though in all fairness, these songs are reeeeallly old now.  What people thought was cool/lame was entirely different.

[Fido]

Well. OK. Then I have no choice but to feel old, even though I was never really a fan of any of these acts, with the exception of Neil Young.

So how 'bout that M.I.A. hit of the summer, plastered all over Top 40 radio, with the same kind of sound that sounds kinda cool but is really meant to mimic gunfire? I supposed maybe the point of the song is to mock racists who think that people of color are really just interested in guns, drugs, stealing and terrorism (she's British I think) but to a lot of American ears it probably comes out sounding kinda like just another ain't-I-a-badass gangsta joint. My point is, it's repeated *throughout* the song. We get it.

Why am I typing this? I really need to get out more and reclaim my life. Also, I need to remember my iPod when I go on vacation so that I don't have to listen to the radio.

[Julie]

I like MIA and the flourishes she uses make me happy.

[buffcoat]

Don't forget "Cowboy Star."

[John Junk 2.0]

So how 'bout that M.I.A. hit of the summer, plastered all over Top 40 radio, with the same kind of sound that sounds kinda cool but is really meant to mimic gunfire? I supposed maybe the point of the song is to mock racists who think that people of color are really just interested in guns, drugs, stealing and terrorism (she's British I think) but to a lot of American ears it probably comes out sounding kinda like just another ain't-I-a-badass gangsta joint. My point is, it's repeated *throughout* the song. We get it.

I think it's meant to play with the violence of hip hop and the fact that all the sudden it's off-putting when a girl does it and talks about third-world drug running as opposed to american gangsta-ism.


()

[Fido]

I like MIA and the flourishes she uses make me happy.

I want you to be happy, Julie.
 

[iAmBaronVonTito]

I think it works great on the AC/DC song (and they do this a LOT) because it isn't subtle at all.  And they don't care.

I suspect there's a line to be drawn between sneaking it in almost ashamedly and simply bringing the song to a halt in a big dumb, grand ordeal.  The latter at lease exudes some confidence about it.

Though in all fairness, these songs are reeeeallly old now.  What people thought was cool/lame was entirely different.

Bon Scott AC/DC: allowed to do whatever they want, it will always work. 
Brian Johnson AC/DC: i'll give him Back in Black and For Those About to Rock, then he's finished

[<<<<<]

Bon Scott AC/DC: allowed to do whatever they want, it will always work. 
Brian Johnson AC/DC: i'll give him Back in Black and For Those About to Rock, then he's finished

Agreed 110%.  On one hand, I don't get it at all ~ Bon Scott had this weird trollish voice, so what was it about him that was so completely unfuckwithable?!?!

I think what I love about early AC/DC was the vibe of the band ~ they were like this dirty pub band playing bluesy songs about getting in trouble with the law and just generally being bad.  Post Bon Scott... meh.  Arena rock about morally loose women only goes so far.

[Martin]

I can't help but think of Petite Feet by Tim & Eric. Not exactly what you're asking for, but still.

[buffcoat]

I think it works great on the AC/DC song (and they do this a LOT) because it isn't subtle at all.  And they don't care.

I suspect there's a line to be drawn between sneaking it in almost ashamedly and simply bringing the song to a halt in a big dumb, grand ordeal.  The latter at lease exudes some confidence about it.

Though in all fairness, these songs are reeeeallly old now.  What people thought was cool/lame was entirely different.

Bon Scott AC/DC: allowed to do whatever they want, it will always work. 
Brian Johnson AC/DC: i'll give him Back in Black and For Those About to Rock, then he's finished

I agree!  Every other album since then has been the same, and not very good.

[Pat K]

Spotlights!

Sirens!

Rifles!

Firing!!!

But he made it out...

...with a bullet in his back!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XraJP0jmwE

You probably should have added "SPOILER ALERT" to the top of that post.