In a message dated 1/21/2003 9:39:44 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> What exactly makes a song a "standard?" Just sheer > repetition? Good question, Deb...I have no pat answers but some thoughts. First I would say that "Moon At The Window" has the potential to become a standard. In the past year or so a couple of versions have been done. Repetition is certainly a factor...look at the numbers of times that the Rodgers/Hart, Gershwin, Bacharach, Hoagy Carmichael songbooks have been raided. It would be silly to propose that songs like "Stardust", "Summertime", "My Funny Valentine" are NOT standards, solely based on the NUMBER of times they've been recorded. So what number makes a song a standard, I dunno. I would say another factor would be the interpretation of the song in several genres; pop, jazz, etc. This definition may need to be revised in the post-rock era. Anyway, it's interesting to think about. Blue Motel Room has just always SOUNDED like a standard to me...when I had the privilege of talking to Joni, I talked to her about this very subject. She responded by saying that BMR had some archaic language (the America vs. Russia references), and I responded by saying that THAT can sometimes be a characteristics of a standard, the indication that the song was written in another time and has stood the test of time. For instance, how many standards use the word "gay" in context of happiness as opposed to context of sexuality? Bob NP: Fleetwood Mac, "Monday Morning"
