LETTERS FROM THE ROAD: Jim Boggia
Serving up another edition of LETTERS FROM THE ROAD, our guest post series where we invite musicians we are utterly nuts about to take over and write whatever they like. 2 rules: it has to be in the form of a letter, it has to have something to do with music. This week’s LETTERS FROM THE ROAD guest author is a friend and brilliant singer-songwriter who we adore, Jim Boggia:
Dear Taylor Swift,
We need to talk.
I want you to know up front that I really tried to find someone else to write to – someone else who could ease my pain, someone else who might not make me feel so bitter. But I am bitter, Taylor – bitter about things you’re probably too young to understand and that you probably, to be fair, are not so much responsible for as you are representative of.
You know where this is going. Yes, it’s the Grammy thing. That performance. You can’t sing. You took home four Grammys . . . . and you can’t sing. There’s a moment in the first chorus of ‘Rhiannon’ where you can see Stevie Nicks is visibly cringing at how flat you are singing. Let me make sure you understand this, because you’re young and this might be lost on you. This is not Stevie WONDER we’re talking about cringing at your performance, but Stevie NICKS, a woman who owes her career to sleeping with a genius guitar freak/audio architect. Because you see, that’s how it was done in the old days and we didn’t necessarily approve of it, but it got us laid, so ok – let the girl who likes to pretend she’s a witch sing a couple of songs. But even she still had to hit the notes.
How can I make you understand?
A long time ago, we had a group called the Beatles. You might have heard of them as they are now a video game. Anyway, we loved them so much that we even liked to hear their drummer, Ringo, sing one song an album, even though he couldn’t really quite hit the notes. But, the thing is Taylor, he was the DRUMMER. And we really loved the Beatles. And everything else they did was so groundbreakingly amazing. And it was only one song an album.
When you don’t hit the notes it’s different, and not in a good way. I know, I know, on your records, it sounds like you CAN hit the notes. But see, we’re sophisticated now and we know it’s auto-tune and that’s not your fault either but I still have to tell you that it’s no fun living in a world where it’s easier to make someone who looks like you do sound good than it is to make someone who sings like I do look good.
Which brings up another point. You know that song of yours? The one where she’s the cheerleader and you’re the unpopular outsider? Well, I’m having a hard time buying into that because – not to dwell on this but, um . . . . LOOK AT YOU. You can feel free to read this next sentence in the voice of Grandpa Simpson, but: In my day, girls who looked liked you WERE the cheerleaders and then, as now, girls who looked like you wound up getting the guy you talk about in that song. And music . . . Music . . . MUSIC . . . well, that was OUR territory – the folks who really were unpopular. You should check out a tune called ‘At Seventeen’ by Janis Ian. Then you should check out Janis Ian. I mean do a Google Images search. See? SHE was in the bleachers wearing a t-shirt, Taylor, not you. Can’t you just be happy being the cheerleader? Do the popular kids have to take over music, too?
But why am I blaming you? The popular kids took over our game a while ago. There was a bit of a back and forth tussle for a while, but there was a moment – it might have been when Kurt put the bullet through his head – that it was over, the cool kids won and popular music (not POP music, but music which is massively popular) became about being popular and not about making music. And it’s not just you – those guys in Franz Ferdinand can’t sing, either. And on and on. And on and on.
So, no – you are not to blame for this world that you find yourself in – a world that has been this way pretty much since you were born. But you were just given four Grammys. There was a time when you kinda had to be able to bring it, really have your craft down and then, if you caught a break or two, maybe you’d win a Grammy. The process is reversed now. You’ve been awarded your Grammys already. I hope you step up, work hard to really become a musician (and, most specifically, a singer – please learn how to sing) and earn them somehow retroactively.
To end on a positive note – I’m not going to tell you that Beyonce made one of the greatest videos of all time.
Musically Yours,
Jim
Tags: Beyoncé, Jim Boggia, LETTERS FROM THE ROAD, Stevie Nicks, Taylor Swift, the beatles —
3/1/10
Categories: KATE BRADLEY • LETTERS FROM THE ROAD
← Previous | Next →
25 Responses to “LETTERS FROM THE ROAD: Jim Boggia”
Leave a Reply
Rubbish, you are all jealous of taylor. Get off her back. Thanks.
[...] Serving up another edition of LETTERS FROM THE ROAD, our guest post series where we invite musicians we are utterly nuts about to take over and write whatever they like. 2 rules: it has to be in the form of a letter, it has to have something to do with music. This week’s LETTERS FROM THE ROAD guest author is a friend and brilliant singer-songwriter who we adore, Jim Boggia [...] [...]
Wow! Awesome letter, Jim. Couldn’t agree more, although, I actually don’t think Taylor Swift is all that good looking, but instead looks somewhat inbred.
She should have done the right thing and handed back the Grammys after that awful performance.
Keep up the great work, Jim.
GREAT letter Jim! All the things I want to say, but can’t find the words.
From the mom of the Mother-Daughter music theory concert in Boston.
Right on Jim Boggia, thank goodness someone spoke up about this! She cant sing and that performance was a disgrace. Hand the Grammys back!!!!
I could not have said it better myself. I think its a shame that Stevie Nicks and Butch Walker were playing back up to Taylor Swift. Its a sad sign of the times!
I’m sorry, I still think Beyonce made the best music video of 2009.
AND, I have never heard Taylor Swift sing. Too busy listening to anti-hype artists like John Doe and the Sadies and Jim Boggia to do that, you know what I mean?
Brilliant letter! That Grammy duet was one of the most uncomfortable televised moments since…hmmm, maybe since the Kanye/Taylor moment. Blame that whole VMA thing for giving Swift a groundswell of sympathy. And, if you were a chick, you’d know how hard it is to get your hair to stay in those perfect ringlets. So, c’mon, the girl deserves somethin’ for that, right?
Like you said, Swift is just representative of the problem. It’s not really her fault that she’s been rewarded disproportionately to her talent — who wouldn’t be happy to have 4 Grammys handed to them? It’s just a shame that real musicians are forced to take a backseat to the manufactured ones these days.
I’m calling you out, Jimbo, YOU are too adorable to criticize Taylor for being cute. Off-key, sure. I can’t stand listening to all these lousy singers, so I agree with your sentiment here, but if you didn’t get laid in high school, you just weren’t trying.
Brillant letter Jim!!!!! Couldn’t agree more!!!!
I thought the same thing. I too was cringing. I couldn’t believe Swift won all those Grammys. It’s like forcefeeding. Great analysis, it’s not HER fault, she’s a symptom of the problem. But why is it that technology in music results in good artists getting overlooked and good looking but bad artists disguised as capable, but technological films like Avatar still need talented actors to back them up? Doesn’t seem fair.
Couldn’t agree more in reference to the image reigning over substance these days. I don’t even watch the Grammys anymore b/c they’re indicative of nothing important.
Hmm… well, I’m going to buck the tide here (is that a proper cliché?) a bit, by reminding dear readers that there’s been popular crap for probably the last— oh, forever. In every genre. There have been bad singers, there have been manufactured superstars and no-talents since people started singing into the can. Taylor swift’s Grammy performance was, inarguably, heinous. It doesn’t take much rooting around on YouTube to find her caterwauling off the rails on other “live” telecasts. I’d submit that the only “performances” that you’ll find of her singing at all in tune are surely dubbed.
But really—the 80′s? The same outcry over video pop stars and the end of true talent rose then, as it did when there was a shitpile of drecky 70′s schlock (does anyone remember the music once called “disco”). Even the 60′s had its share of crapola (Pat Boone!), as did the 50′s… you get the idea.
Anyway, I love Jim’s letter to Taylor, but in large part she gets the goods for her songs (if they really are her songs) and the recordings of them. The studio is where you go to make things sound great. That’s a given. If Taylor can’t carry a tune live, maybe it’s best for her to poop out the shimmering teen anthems and stay home.
Wow! You covered a lot of ground there! Many “music” acts today fit into your scenario. Taylor Swift, as all the rest, should not have received such a prestigious award so soon. It cheapens the Grammy Awards in a big way…I really appreciated your mention of Janis Ian and Ringo Starr. I can attest to the Beatles putting that one token Ringo tune on each album. You were right on target there. Unfortunately, a person who has just taken home four Grammys isn’t going to get the message.
Jim, Jim, Jim, sunny Jim. Don’t be so hard on the youngster; sure she has some problems with her delivery and her pitch but I can’t sing a lick and as a guitarist I have CRS disease (that would be Can’t Remember Shhhtuff) but if someone handed me the keys to the kingdom my 1st question isn’t
“why” my 1st question is “what time can I move in”. Let’s not have the bitter Jim, let’s have the happy go lucky singing sprite (haha) we all know and love – that would be women, children, men and men of questionable repute. In closing, you da man! Sincerely, Joe Kopcik
This letter is wonderful. I’m glad to see I’m not alone in this; I couldn’t agree more.
Hey Jim, really good that you mention Janis Ian and “At Seventeen”- that kind of says it all in many ways.Because I grew up listening and practicing to the janis Ian’s of this world I do not actually bother to watch the Grammy’s anymore- don’t even know when they’re happening! But of course this year I couldn’t avoid knowing how dreadful Taylor’s performance was because of all the postings on FB! So you are not alone in the way you think about her….but you have really struck a chord with me about the ‘popular’ thing. This has been going round in my mind now for a few years. e.g. if George ‘the quiet one’ Harrison tried to get a deal and be successful these days- I don’t think it would happen at all. Think about what we’re missing – and I hope to see you soon!
Right there with you Jim! I kind of respect her for her simple no frills songwriting, but the girl CANNOT sing and he fact that Butch Walker was playing second fiddle to her made me throw up in my mouth a little..
Right. On. I suppose the crafts that the Grammy’s really reward now are those of “groomer”, “software designer” and “sound engineer”. How long before there is a “reality” show for this?
And yes, I abused a lot of quotation marks. Sad.
Taylor Swift might benefit from a year on the bus with Buddy Rich. But, hey, that ship already sailed. (And so did the mixed metaphor it rode in on.)
Dear Jim,
From a fellow Michigander and fan of yours, I have to ask “who is Taylor Swift?” Keep up the good work – talent and hard work will make all the difference in the end.
Sincerely,
Catherine (and even I noticed Taylor’s off-key Grammy performance – ugh!)
well…you CLEARLY can sing, Jim and amazingly…like to see you there…hell, I’D like to be there myself… Now i watched her sing White Horse in 2008 which sounded good..high notes solid..emotion all there… and here it is 2010 and she was def off….too much too soon…
too much partyin’ goin’ on? Hopefully the “coach” has already paid her a visit…does it all come down to who u know?
Jim is right most music today is about style not substance. Of course there are notable exceptions like Brandi Carile. Listen to a song called “That Year” or pretty much anything else. Brandi’s music hopefully will find a wider audience!!!
Dear Jim,
Wow. Who pissed in your wheaties? Try and focus on YOUR career and working on YOUR success, rather than blaming pretty teen pop queens for your shortcomings. It makes you sound like a whiney little…
Dear Elena,
Respectfully, I think you need to read this post again, as you seem to have come away with the impression that I’m upset about some “shortcomings” in my career that I’m blaming Taylor Swift for (check the sentence “So, no – you are not to blame for this world that you find yourself in”).
My career has nothing to do with Taylor Swift’s or the world she lives in, but, as a MUSICIAN, I find that level of incompetence pretty revolting and the exaltation of it by the industry totally reprehensible. She’s going to sell a shitload of records because she’s marketable, fine, but that doesn’t mean that she has to be given awards for artistic merit and achievement when she lacks BASIC musical skills.
Also, I don’t like Wheaties.