S/O Can we talk about how bad Lin-Manuel Miranda's music is?

[Anonymous]

Your subject line is incorrect. LMM's music is not bad, you just don't like it. It's fine that his music doesn't fit your taste, just don't all it "bad" music. It's well written, musically significant and popular. That means that is isn't bad. It doesn't reflect poorly on you that you don't like his music, but it does reflect poorly on you to call it bad.

I happen to like some of LMM's music, but not all of it and I don't adulate his work like many of my friends and peers. But, I'm like you when it comes to Sondheim. I understand why my peers all love his work and I do admire his lyrics and word-play. He's witty and crafts his lyrics well, and while his music is musically significant and he writes well, I don't particularly like the majority of his music. As the saying goes, when you see a Sondheim musical, you rarely walk out of the theatre humming his music because it is not easy music to retain or sing/hum. So, unless you knew the music beforehand, it isn't easy or catchy. As I said, I admire his work, but don't really like the majority (I like a little bit of his work).

[Anonymous]

There is something really catchy about the melodies of his songs but what sets his music apart for me are the lyrics. They are clever, emotional, sometimes full of innuendo, and they tell a story. His songs give us insight into the characters, who are wonderfully complex and sometimes imperfect. They appeal to children and adults, which is no easy feat.

His songs from Moana and Encanto also celebrate different genres of music that we don't often hear in Disney movies or mainstream Hollywood. I like the standard-issue Disney ballad as much as the next person, but they are pretty vanilla and feel very familiar. The songs from Moana and Encanto are so wonderfully different. Even his songs from Hamilton blended different genres in a unique and interesting way.

Even if you don't enjoy his songs, there's no denying his musicality and talent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When he first became popular I immediately recognized him as the bad beatboxer from the mid 2ks reboot of Electric Company. I find him overly earnest and dewy-eyed, a little too "aww shucks you love my stuff?" That said I do love the music, even if everything seems to come from the same template.

Hey, "Silent E is a Ninja" is incredibly catchy!

[Anonymous]

For those of you talking about the template or formula he uses for his songs, do you think he's first songwriter to do so? Nearly every songwriter does this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:His dad’s political connections have really tokenized all of his work, I think. He’s definitely talented. I feel sad watching him hustle for the Dems in every single thing he does. Would be neat if his work could just be his.

Who or what is his father?

His father has worked in politics a long time. He primarily worked in NYC politics as professional staff and then as a campaign consultant/lobbyist but he has become more of a national figure since Lin became famous. He does a lot for the election of Latino candidates. There is a documentary about him on HBO Max called Siempre, Luis. I've met his father and he's a super nice and charismatic person. His career is definitely helped by his son's fame, and Lin does a lot to help raise money for Democratic causes, but I think it comes from a sincere place (and I don't always agree with them politically). You can see where Lin got his personality and ambition. Lin's mother is connected to Planned Parenthood.

[Anonymous]

I never watched Hamilton. But I love a lot of musical songs in general. Most of the Greatest Show songs.
but I tried to listen to Hamilton songs on Youtube and other platforms and I find them terrible.
Bunch of talking, a bunch of blah, can't get past to get to chorus type of bad.
ANd I am a classical music person! 10 years of piano, passed piano conservatorium exam, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I never watched Hamilton. But I love a lot of musical songs in general. Most of the Greatest Show songs.
but I tried to listen to Hamilton songs on Youtube and other platforms and I find them terrible.
Bunch of talking, a bunch of blah, can't get past to get to chorus type of bad.
ANd I am a classical music person! 10 years of piano, passed piano conservatorium exam, etc.

Hamilton is not classical music and doesn’t pretend to be.

[Anonymous]

They did one of his songs in Mary Poppins, totally misplaced and really bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I never watched Hamilton. But I love a lot of musical songs in general. Most of the Greatest Show songs.
but I tried to listen to Hamilton songs on Youtube and other platforms and I find them terrible.
Bunch of talking, a bunch of blah, can't get past to get to chorus type of bad.
ANd I am a classical music person! 10 years of piano, passed piano conservatorium exam, etc.

Hamilton is not classical music and doesn’t pretend to be.

I am not sure what it is pretending to be? Rap fest with a bunch of words and an occasional cord?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No rhythm? How do you define rhythm?

This is why I think OP is narcissistic, its like objectively silly to say he has no rhythms or melodies. We Don't Talk About Bruno, love it or hate it, is an INCREDIBLY complex song rhymically and melodically, from a technical musical standpoint. Like it, don't like it, whatever, that's personal. But that song takes like 5 distinct narrative verses and then layers them for a united harmonious crescendo (and that is like, not a metaphorical crescendo to be dramatic but what crescendo actually means when you are composing a song).

Interesting take.I think you’re right, We don’t talk about Bruno is brilliant from a technical point of view - multiple voices entering and exiting, layering etc....crescendoing.... but it doesn’t move me emotionally at all. Not the way Joni Mitchell’s Both sides now or River, or even Frozen’s Let it go.
It’s the same with rap - it’s cool but I don’t feel anything.

So I hear you OP! I also didn’t love Hamilton. Saw it once and that was enough. But I have seen Wicked 5 times now in London, NYC, Toronto. And I would see it again.

I find "It's Quiet Uptown" incredibly emotional. Plenty of other parts of "Hamilton" moved me, too, but that song is just devastating.

I tried listening to It's quiet uptown again- no, the melody doesn't work for me. To each his or her own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is something really catchy about the melodies of his songs but what sets his music apart for me are the lyrics. They are clever, emotional, sometimes full of innuendo, and they tell a story. His songs give us insight into the characters, who are wonderfully complex and sometimes imperfect. They appeal to children and adults, which is no easy feat.

His songs from Moana and Encanto also celebrate different genres of music that we don't often hear in Disney movies or mainstream Hollywood. I like the standard-issue Disney ballad as much as the next person, but they are pretty vanilla and feel very familiar. The songs from Moana and Encanto are so wonderfully different. Even his songs from Hamilton blended different genres in a unique and interesting way.

Even if you don't enjoy his songs, there's no denying his musicality and talent.

The lyrics are genius.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I never watched Hamilton. But I love a lot of musical songs in general. Most of the Greatest Show songs.
but I tried to listen to Hamilton songs on Youtube and other platforms and I find them terrible.
Bunch of talking, a bunch of blah, can't get past to get to chorus type of bad.
ANd I am a classical music person! 10 years of piano, passed piano conservatorium exam, etc.

Hamilton is not classical music and doesn’t pretend to be.

I am not sure what it is pretending to be? Rap fest with a bunch of words and an occasional cord?

You seem to think rap is somehow less than.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Broadway music for the NPR set - haha. yes!

I also hate musicals and yet watched Hamilton and still don't like musicals. I also felt "yelled at"!

But Moana was the worst of the worst - I literally was groaning in psychic pain in the movie theater.

I think maybe the problem is that ppl expect waaaay too much from children's movies? They are movies for children...it's not going to be Citizen Kane. The best you are going to get is a couple of winking jokes aimed at the parents and maybe a catchy song or two.

Taking your kids to see a Disney movie is an activity you do to entertain your kids. I don't understand how doing that causes you "psychic pain" unless your expectations are extremely out of whack

I love animated movies and I’m over age 10. I don’t even remember any of the songs from Moana. But there are many beloved songs from other Disney and non-Disney movies.
Let it go
Beauty and the Beast
Rainbow connection
Aladdin

Maybe watch Moana again? I think it would be hard to argue that You're Welcome and How Far I'll Go are not in the same category as those others

The reprise of How Far I'll Go is right up there for me in the absolute best disney songs of all time. I would not put You're Welcome there but more like, Under the Sea etc, strong secondary songs.

I listened to both of these songs - they just don't move me. They're entertaining but they're not songs I would play over and over again, or sing, or want to learn to play on an instrument.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Broadway music for the NPR set - haha. yes!

I also hate musicals and yet watched Hamilton and still don't like musicals. I also felt "yelled at"!

But Moana was the worst of the worst - I literally was groaning in psychic pain in the movie theater.

I think maybe the problem is that ppl expect waaaay too much from children's movies? They are movies for children...it's not going to be Citizen Kane. The best you are going to get is a couple of winking jokes aimed at the parents and maybe a catchy song or two.

Taking your kids to see a Disney movie is an activity you do to entertain your kids. I don't understand how doing that causes you "psychic pain" unless your expectations are extremely out of whack

I love animated movies and I’m over age 10. I don’t even remember any of the songs from Moana. But there are many beloved songs from other Disney and non-Disney movies.
Let it go
Beauty and the Beast
Rainbow connection
Aladdin

Maybe watch Moana again? I think it would be hard to argue that You're Welcome and How Far I'll Go are not in the same category as those others

The reprise of How Far I'll Go is right up there for me in the absolute best disney songs of all time. I would not put You're Welcome there but more like, Under the Sea etc, strong secondary songs.

I listened to both of these songs - they just don't move me. They're entertaining but they're not songs I would play over and over again, or sing, or want to learn to play on an instrument.

DP. But the songs from Beauty and the Beast move you and you play those over and over again? I mean, perhaps you just gravitate to the older Disney stuff because there's nothing remarkable about most of the older songs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I never watched Hamilton. But I love a lot of musical songs in general. Most of the Greatest Show songs.
but I tried to listen to Hamilton songs on Youtube and other platforms and I find them terrible.
Bunch of talking, a bunch of blah, can't get past to get to chorus type of bad.
ANd I am a classical music person! 10 years of piano, passed piano conservatorium exam, etc.

Hamilton is not classical music and doesn’t pretend to be.

I am not sure what it is pretending to be? Rap fest with a bunch of words and an occasional cord?

Lol