It's funny one time, but it quickly becomes tremendously annoying. I know it's meant to be satirical but it suffers from the "Chicken Song" / "Barbie Girl" syndrome of becoming the very thing it mocks.
@DVCwins Yes, I can imagine if it's played in clubs/on the radio etc it must be torture. It's a really weird hybrid anyway; when I found it on Spotify I didn't think it was for real, it sounds like some sort of indie satire on certain (not always stupid) young girls and the music they are surrounded by. But I always analyze too much! I don't listen to music radio either so have little context for things. So you win, it's the Birdie Song :) !
@decarter @teen@DavidAnderson@UncannyUK I'm glad you found it funny too, although it's worth reading what @DVCwins says about it. Thanks for listening :)
The Birdie Song is terrible and brainless (see also: Agadoo, Mr Blobby, anything by Coldplay, etc), but I have a bit more time for novelty records that are trying to make a point. Spitting Image's "Chicken Song" was so popular that many forgot that it was meant to be crap. "Barbie Girl" is actually a critique of airheads, but the airheads made it into an anthem, compromising its integrity. The character in "Selfie" is meant to be annoying and stupid, but this soon infiltrates the song itself.
@DVCwins I don't think the integrity of a genuinely meant satire/parody can be compromised. Don't people always adopt what threatens them in an effort to defuse it? Like politicians who claim that certain cartoons that lampoon them are wonderful. But a brilliant cartoon will get under their skin and alarm spin doctors before it appears framed on the wall of their toilet. TV is more complicated; if the victims can't adopt, (Yes Minister), they will try and silence ( Chris Morris). It works.
@DVCwins The people who found this funny were probably, like me, previously unaware of it and could respond naturally. In it's original state it is a funny, well observed (to an extent) parody. Would it be annoying if played endlessly? Yes. So is all music.( I still haven't recovered from the radio 1 playlists I was forced to listen to at work in my teens!) I get your point, but it's probably a discussion that can never be resolved. Except by leaving parody/satire to bands unheard by the target
Perhaps the question might be is music a suitable vehicle for parody/satire? Once stated this is obviously a ridiculous contention. I'd be interested to know how popular this is btw?
I'm about as disconnected from popular culture as I've ever been, so I had to ask my teenage daughter about this song. Apparently, it was top 10, "possibly number one". I had no idea and heard it for the first time on here. As one of the seven "likers", I was amused by it.
@Rocklobster Quite so :) I'm interested it was in the top 10 though. That means I wasted a hell of a lot of time listening to what claims to be 'the official uk chart' on whichever channel it appears on. Unless it was one of the songs that were skated over because it didn't have an 'official video'. They didn't seem to have names either! . But it may have been heavily sponsored by Calvin Harris's record company as he was name checked every few minutes.
@alisonsghost@DVCwins
Hue! Yea, annoys the fuck outta me. Personally, i think it's a really tedious rip off off of 'Boring Bitches', which is even more apparent when you watch the videos for both.
However, where 'Selfie' as @DVCwins points out, becomes the thing it seeks to satirise, 'Boring Bitches' maintains a sense of caustic distance from it's subjects, and as a result, keeps you coming back for more.
One of my favourite anthems, as it goes.
But i'm weird...
http://youtu.be/dkABiq8RfiM
@ZenPyramid Better done, certainly - it really lets that misogony less hard to mistake. Even the repeated 'you could be dancing to this now' is a nod to the fact it is already part of what it claims to hate. This one is, I suppose, to put it at it's most elevated a record of how certain girls behave. Weirdly, the other one while being more intelligently put together is the more stupid. It drips hatred. Bring me two similar things about boring men will you? Jam change now, but replying ok :)
22 Comments (since 21 May 2014)
UncannyUK
Great fun.
DavidAnderson
Brilliant!
teen
HA, love it..
debutch
HaHaHa! Yeah!
DVCwins
It's funny one time, but it quickly becomes tremendously annoying. I know it's meant to be satirical but it suffers from the "Chicken Song" / "Barbie Girl" syndrome of becoming the very thing it mocks.
alisonsghost
@DVCwins Yes, I can imagine if it's played in clubs/on the radio etc it must be torture. It's a really weird hybrid anyway; when I found it on Spotify I didn't think it was for real, it sounds like some sort of indie satire on certain (not always stupid) young girls and the music they are surrounded by. But I always analyze too much! I don't listen to music radio either so have little context for things. So you win, it's the Birdie Song :) !
alisonsghost
@DVCwins ......only possibly more intelligent :)
alisonsghost
@decarter @teen @DavidAnderson @UncannyUK I'm glad you found it funny too, although it's worth reading what @DVCwins says about it. Thanks for listening :)
DavidAnderson
it was for listening to within the context of your intro - "hilarious and short" - job done. Its not for over-analysing IMHO.
alisonsghost
@DavidAnderson Probably not!
DavidAnderson
:D
DVCwins
The Birdie Song is terrible and brainless (see also: Agadoo, Mr Blobby, anything by Coldplay, etc), but I have a bit more time for novelty records that are trying to make a point. Spitting Image's "Chicken Song" was so popular that many forgot that it was meant to be crap. "Barbie Girl" is actually a critique of airheads, but the airheads made it into an anthem, compromising its integrity. The character in "Selfie" is meant to be annoying and stupid, but this soon infiltrates the song itself.
DVCwins
@DavidAnderson Sorry to analyse, but isn't that partly what TIMJ is for?
alisonsghost
@DVCwins I don't think the integrity of a genuinely meant satire/parody can be compromised. Don't people always adopt what threatens them in an effort to defuse it? Like politicians who claim that certain cartoons that lampoon them are wonderful. But a brilliant cartoon will get under their skin and alarm spin doctors before it appears framed on the wall of their toilet. TV is more complicated; if the victims can't adopt, (Yes Minister), they will try and silence ( Chris Morris). It works.
alisonsghost
@DVCwins The people who found this funny were probably, like me, previously unaware of it and could respond naturally. In it's original state it is a funny, well observed (to an extent) parody. Would it be annoying if played endlessly? Yes. So is all music.( I still haven't recovered from the radio 1 playlists I was forced to listen to at work in my teens!) I get your point, but it's probably a discussion that can never be resolved. Except by leaving parody/satire to bands unheard by the target
alisonsghost
Perhaps the question might be is music a suitable vehicle for parody/satire? Once stated this is obviously a ridiculous contention. I'd be interested to know how popular this is btw?
Rocklobster
I'm about as disconnected from popular culture as I've ever been, so I had to ask my teenage daughter about this song. Apparently, it was top 10, "possibly number one". I had no idea and heard it for the first time on here. As one of the seven "likers", I was amused by it.
alisonsghost
@Rocklobster Quite so :) I'm interested it was in the top 10 though. That means I wasted a hell of a lot of time listening to what claims to be 'the official uk chart' on whichever channel it appears on. Unless it was one of the songs that were skated over because it didn't have an 'official video'. They didn't seem to have names either! . But it may have been heavily sponsored by Calvin Harris's record company as he was name checked every few minutes.
alisonsghost
@Rocklobster Just found this about You Tube. Everyone else probably knows but it would seem to make the future of THIMJ slightly in doubt. http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/may/22/indie-labels-youtube-subscription-music
ZenPyramid
@alisonsghost @DVCwins Hue! Yea, annoys the fuck outta me. Personally, i think it's a really tedious rip off off of 'Boring Bitches', which is even more apparent when you watch the videos for both. However, where 'Selfie' as @DVCwins points out, becomes the thing it seeks to satirise, 'Boring Bitches' maintains a sense of caustic distance from it's subjects, and as a result, keeps you coming back for more. One of my favourite anthems, as it goes. But i'm weird... http://youtu.be/dkABiq8RfiM
alisonsghost
@ZenPyramid Better done, certainly - it really lets that misogony less hard to mistake. Even the repeated 'you could be dancing to this now' is a nod to the fact it is already part of what it claims to hate. This one is, I suppose, to put it at it's most elevated a record of how certain girls behave. Weirdly, the other one while being more intelligently put together is the more stupid. It drips hatred. Bring me two similar things about boring men will you? Jam change now, but replying ok :)
alisonsghost
@ZenPyramid I saw your video but not one for this. I've only heard it 3 times! So will look for one.