ABBA vs Bee Gees

[Hatchetaxe&saw]

I really don't get how The Bee Gees or Abba were great songwriters. It just sounds like fluffy disco pop music to me. Unless great songwriting = very popular and commercially successful, I'm not getting it. They were decent songwriters for the kind of music it was I guess. It's kind of like saying an opera has beautiful lyrics - it may have, but all I hear is piercing shrieking. The same goes for disco - the lyrics might be well written, but it's couched in superficial pop music much more suited for dancing than listening IMHO.

 

Contrast the songwriting of both these groups and Rush and the enormous gap is apparent... unless of course you are talking popularity and commercial success, in which case both groups definitely had Rush beat.

 

It's not about beating Rush. I LOVE Rush. I also LOVE Abba & the Bee Gees. You don't, fair enough. But keep insulting them, by all means. You don't get opera? That surprises me.

 

Would you consider Chic superficial?

[rushgoober]

 

Agreed, it's a ridiculous poll. What's next - Poll: Crap or Crapola? I like crapola cause it's got the ola at the end of it - that's kinda cool. :P

Ridiculous poll? No, a ridiculous poll would be..

 

Q- Which is more annoying:

 

A. Rushgoober talking about Vapor Trails

B. Rushgoober talking about anything else

 

 

 

 

That'd be a tough choice!

[rushgoober]

I really don't get how The Bee Gees or Abba were great songwriters. It just sounds like fluffy disco pop music to me. Unless great songwriting = very popular and commercially successful, I'm not getting it. They were decent songwriters for the kind of music it was I guess. It's kind of like saying an opera has beautiful lyrics - it may have, but all I hear is piercing shrieking. The same goes for disco - the lyrics might be well written, but it's couched in superficial pop music much more suited for dancing than listening IMHO.

 

Contrast the songwriting of both these groups and Rush and the enormous gap is apparent... unless of course you are talking popularity and commercial success, in which case both groups definitely had Rush beat.

 

It's not about beating Rush. I LOVE Rush. I also LOVE Abba & the Bee Gees. You don't, fair enough. But keep insulting them, by all means. You don't get opera? That surprises me.

 

Would you consider Chic superficial?

 

All I know about Chic is a small handful of singles - I'd categorize them in with the Abba category of pop 70's music, but I know next to nothing about them. Nothing I heard by them made me want to explore them any further. Superficial? Maybe. The songs I've heard kind of are.

 

The closest I get to opera is Elizabeth Fraser of the Cocteau Twins and Lisa Gerard of Dead Can Dance. :wub:

[rushgoober]

Goober is a prog snob, not a pure music snob mind you, his listening parameters are a bit too narrow to achieve that level of awfulness. He's also very good at trolling, thinly disguised as disdain and disgust. He doesn't fool me though, oh no. I'm on the whiskey.. :D-13: :fury:

 

 

:hockeygoon:

 

I'm not purely a prog snob - I love other genres too! :P

[Hatchetaxe&saw]

I really don't get how The Bee Gees or Abba were great songwriters. It just sounds like fluffy disco pop music to me. Unless great songwriting = very popular and commercially successful, I'm not getting it. They were decent songwriters for the kind of music it was I guess. It's kind of like saying an opera has beautiful lyrics - it may have, but all I hear is piercing shrieking. The same goes for disco - the lyrics might be well written, but it's couched in superficial pop music much more suited for dancing than listening IMHO.

 

Contrast the songwriting of both these groups and Rush and the enormous gap is apparent... unless of course you are talking popularity and commercial success, in which case both groups definitely had Rush beat.

 

It's not about beating Rush. I LOVE Rush. I also LOVE Abba & the Bee Gees. You don't, fair enough. But keep insulting them, by all means. You don't get opera? That surprises me.

 

Would you consider Chic superficial?

 

All I know about Chic is a small handful of singles - I'd categorize them in with the Abba category of pop 70's music, but I know next to nothing about them. Nothing I heard by them made me want to explore them any further. Superficial? Maybe. The songs I've heard kind of are.

 

The closest I get to opera is Elizabeth Fraser of the Cocteau Twins and Lisa Gerard of Dead Can Dance. :wub:

 

Your Chic comment smacks of ignorance and trolldom, but dammit, I love your bones.

 

You want to bump uglies with Liz and Lisa, so that doesn't count.

 

HAIL GOOBS, THE PROGMEISTER GENERALISSIMO!

[Unattractive Truth]

ABBA had some fun pop tunes, but the Bee Gees win by a mile.

 

Tell me this isn't good stuff...

 

[bluesbreaker]

If I could I would vote for both. Both are great in their own merits.

And did you guys know that ABBA has been compared to......let's see.....

 

Queen

Fleetwood Mac 2.0

Heart

Beatles

Ace of Base

......and many more for different reasons. Which means ABBA were very enigmatic as a band.

Edited April 19, 2013 by bluesbreaker

[CygnusGal]

ABBA had some fun pop tunes, but the Bee Gees win by a mile.

 

Tell me this isn't good stuff...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W42rMjYWlk

^^^ this - they wrote this based on the beat of the car tires crossing a bridge in NYC. That is exactly the same song that came to mind when I thought about this question. The BeeGees by a mile. I think they wrote better songs, were a better band and they had a longer and more robust career. They spanned genres and while usually associated with disco, there catalog is much, much deeper.

 

Here's a 1989 performance of a 1967 classic from the BeeGees. They sound incredible live.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XWYefe9EzI

 

JMO.

[Tombstone Mountain]

ABBA had some fun pop tunes, but the Bee Gees win by a mile.

 

Tell me this isn't good stuff...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W42rMjYWlk

^^^ this - they wrote this based on the beat of the car tires crossing a bridge in NYC. That is exactly the same song that came to mind when I thought about this question. The BeeGees by a mile. I think they wrote better songs, were a better band and they had a longer and more robust career. They spanned genres and while usually associated with disco, there catalog is much, much deeper.

 

Here's a 1989 performance of a 1967 classic from the BeeGees. They sound incredible live.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XWYefe9EzI

 

JMO.

I agree sister...they were fantastic live. Great vocals AND music craft

[bluesbreaker]

As far as live, yes BeeGees was better than ABBA me thinks........

Not saying ABBA could not put on a show, just saying BeeGees were better.

Edited April 19, 2013 by bluesbreaker

[Babycat]

I prefer the Bee Gees.

[Presto-digitation]

Both were great at what they did, but I think The Bee Gees just had an edge. That's no knock on ABBA either, mind you.

[Presto-digitation]

I recently heard "Tragedy" walking through the mall with my wife. What an embarrassing scene for her, me belting out the high harmonies of the chorus. Couldn't help it.

[tangy]

definiely love me some abba but the rank the bee gees higher. lots of great tunes from the 70's. o pretty much love all of the saturday night fever soundtrack.

 

pretty sure i made a thread about these guys awhile back......... too funny

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=dhgjEObtrWE#!

[tangy]

I really don't get how The Bee Gees or Abba were great songwriters. It just sounds like fluffy disco pop music to me. Unless great songwriting = very popular and commercially successful, I'm not getting it. They were decent songwriters for the kind of music it was I guess. It's kind of like saying an opera has beautiful lyrics - it may have, but all I hear is piercing shrieking. The same goes for disco - the lyrics might be well written, but it's couched in superficial pop music much more suited for dancing than listening IMHO.

 

Contrast the songwriting of both these groups and Rush and the enormous gap is apparent... unless of course you are talking popularity and commercial success, in which case both groups definitely had Rush beat.

 

It's not about beating Rush. I LOVE Rush. I also LOVE Abba & the Bee Gees. You don't, fair enough. But keep insulting them, by all means. You don't get opera? That surprises me.

 

Would you consider Chic superficial?

 

All I know about Chic is a small handful of singles - I'd categorize them in with the Abba category of pop 70's music, but I know next to nothing about them. Nothing I heard by them made me want to explore them any further. Superficial? Maybe. The songs I've heard kind of are.

 

The closest I get to opera is Elizabeth Fraser of the Cocteau Twins and Lisa Gerard of Dead Can Dance. :wub:

 

ged is on record of saying what a bad ass the bass player for chic was.

 

 

secondly Nile Rodgers is a major player in the music industry. chic was highly influential.

[Tombstone Mountain]

I saw the Bee Gee's do a show with Al Roker where they played whatever the crowd wanted. They were obviously up there in age...their harmonies and music ability were absolute gifts from above. ABBA was good, but not that good...

[rushgoober]

I really don't get how The Bee Gees or Abba were great songwriters. It just sounds like fluffy disco pop music to me. Unless great songwriting = very popular and commercially successful, I'm not getting it. They were decent songwriters for the kind of music it was I guess. It's kind of like saying an opera has beautiful lyrics - it may have, but all I hear is piercing shrieking. The same goes for disco - the lyrics might be well written, but it's couched in superficial pop music much more suited for dancing than listening IMHO.

 

Contrast the songwriting of both these groups and Rush and the enormous gap is apparent... unless of course you are talking popularity and commercial success, in which case both groups definitely had Rush beat.

 

It's not about beating Rush. I LOVE Rush. I also LOVE Abba & the Bee Gees. You don't, fair enough. But keep insulting them, by all means. You don't get opera? That surprises me.

 

Would you consider Chic superficial?

 

All I know about Chic is a small handful of singles - I'd categorize them in with the Abba category of pop 70's music, but I know next to nothing about them. Nothing I heard by them made me want to explore them any further. Superficial? Maybe. The songs I've heard kind of are.

 

The closest I get to opera is Elizabeth Fraser of the Cocteau Twins and Lisa Gerard of Dead Can Dance. :wub:

 

ged is on record of saying what a bad ass the bass player for chic was.

 

 

secondly Nile Rodgers is a major player in the music industry. chic was highly influential.

 

i really know next to zero about them, although i've certainly heard the name nile rodgers bandied about a lot over the years. i really doubt any of it is music that would appeal to me, but i guess anything's possible.

[tangy]

I really don't get how The Bee Gees or Abba were great songwriters. It just sounds like fluffy disco pop music to me. Unless great songwriting = very popular and commercially successful, I'm not getting it. They were decent songwriters for the kind of music it was I guess. It's kind of like saying an opera has beautiful lyrics - it may have, but all I hear is piercing shrieking. The same goes for disco - the lyrics might be well written, but it's couched in superficial pop music much more suited for dancing than listening IMHO.

 

Contrast the songwriting of both these groups and Rush and the enormous gap is apparent... unless of course you are talking popularity and commercial success, in which case both groups definitely had Rush beat.

 

It's not about beating Rush. I LOVE Rush. I also LOVE Abba & the Bee Gees. You don't, fair enough. But keep insulting them, by all means. You don't get opera? That surprises me.

 

Would you consider Chic superficial?

 

All I know about Chic is a small handful of singles - I'd categorize them in with the Abba category of pop 70's music, but I know next to nothing about them. Nothing I heard by them made me want to explore them any further. Superficial? Maybe. The songs I've heard kind of are.

 

The closest I get to opera is Elizabeth Fraser of the Cocteau Twins and Lisa Gerard of Dead Can Dance. :wub:

 

ged is on record of saying what a bad ass the bass player for chic was.

 

 

secondly Nile Rodgers is a major player in the music industry. chic was highly influential.

 

i really know next to zero about them, although i've certainly heard the name nile rodgers bandied about a lot over the years. i really doubt any of it is music that would appeal to me, but i guess anything's possible.

 

as much music as you have digested over the years i would be surprised if you don't own a record that he has worked on. seriously, his bio is crazy.

 

http://www.nilerodgers.com/about/biography

 

while i have your attention, did you ever check out the hillage/ozric song i put in the jurassic shift thread?

Edited April 19, 2013 by tangy

[rushgoober]

I really don't get how The Bee Gees or Abba were great songwriters. It just sounds like fluffy disco pop music to me. Unless great songwriting = very popular and commercially successful, I'm not getting it. They were decent songwriters for the kind of music it was I guess. It's kind of like saying an opera has beautiful lyrics - it may have, but all I hear is piercing shrieking. The same goes for disco - the lyrics might be well written, but it's couched in superficial pop music much more suited for dancing than listening IMHO.

 

Contrast the songwriting of both these groups and Rush and the enormous gap is apparent... unless of course you are talking popularity and commercial success, in which case both groups definitely had Rush beat.

 

It's not about beating Rush. I LOVE Rush. I also LOVE Abba & the Bee Gees. You don't, fair enough. But keep insulting them, by all means. You don't get opera? That surprises me.

 

Would you consider Chic superficial?

 

All I know about Chic is a small handful of singles - I'd categorize them in with the Abba category of pop 70's music, but I know next to nothing about them. Nothing I heard by them made me want to explore them any further. Superficial? Maybe. The songs I've heard kind of are.

 

The closest I get to opera is Elizabeth Fraser of the Cocteau Twins and Lisa Gerard of Dead Can Dance. :wub:

 

ged is on record of saying what a bad ass the bass player for chic was.

 

 

secondly Nile Rodgers is a major player in the music industry. chic was highly influential.

 

i really know next to zero about them, although i've certainly heard the name nile rodgers bandied about a lot over the years. i really doubt any of it is music that would appeal to me, but i guess anything's possible.

 

as much music as you have digested over the years i would be surprised if you don't own a record that he has worked on. seriously, his bio is crazy.

 

http://www.nilerodge...about/biography

 

while i have your attention, did you ever check out the hillage/ozric song i put in the jurassic shift thread?

 

tl; dr

 

oh, ok, i skimmed - he did produce bowie's let's dance, so that's cool. i still barely care, but i'm sure he's a fine, talented dude. he's got to be more interesting than abba at the least. :P

 

and yes, i saw a hillage/ozric song and it was very cool.

[Lerxster]

The Bee Gees are winning, but ABBA is stayin alive. Stayin alive.

[Chicken hawk]

Took all but 2 seconds to decide. BEE GEES.

[Tombstone Mountain]

Been playing these dudes today. Blissfully entertained and delighted. Way before my time, but their music is timeless. "How deep is your love" is just poetic perfection.

[rushgoober]

Been playing these dudes today. Blissfully entertained and delighted. Way before my time, but their music is timeless. "How deep is your love" is just poetic perfection.

 

How deep is your love and life are deep. Maybe as his eyes are wide. Today's Tom Sawyer he gets high on you should be dancing, yeah. Dancing, yeah.

Edited April 20, 2013 by rushgoober

[Steevo]

I recently heard "Tragedy" walking through the mall with my wife. What an embarrassing scene for her, me belting out the high harmonies of the chorus. Couldn't help it.

 

Great track, no question.

 

If I had to add up all the Abba win vs Bee Gees though, Abba would easily come out on top. Playing live is an entirely different question for this thread.

[RUSHHEAD666]

Love them both! The Bee Gees used to be PROG!

 

ABBA RULES!