Things "Super Fans" Say That Annoy Me (Part 2)
By Four Walls
@FourWalls (86583)
United States
October 25, 2015 11:20am CST
This is the second in my series of things that over-zealous music fans say that makes me want to pull my hair out. (Lucky I don't look like Andrew Zimmern and actually have hair to pull out! 
)
THE "EVERY SONG BY...." ANSWER
It's one of the most common questions among people when the subject of music comes up: "What's your favorite song?" The worst answer imaginable is the teenybopper throwback reply, "Every song by (insert the name of their favorite singer/band here)."
Grow up.
There are two reasons I despise that answer. First, it's a LIE. No fan, no matter how devoted and dedicated, can say with a straight face that someone has never ever done a bad song (and mean it). I can list ten favorite artists and their worst song (to me, anyway) without thinking or blinking. I'm a huge Talking Heads fan, but I'd like to slap David Byrne upside the head with a balloon (no violence here, please ) for "Listening Wind" or most of the Naked album. The Eagles were my favorite band in the 70's, but mention "Life in the Fast Lane" or "Teenage Jail" and I'll start to sound like The Dude Lebowski ("I hate the [bleeping] Eagles, man"). It's no sin to admit that.
The second reason that answer makes my skin crawl is that it doesn't take the question seriously. The question is NOT, "Who is your favorite singer" (which is what "everything by" answers), it's, "What is your favorite SONG." Singular. One out of 1,000 (or, from my iPod, 8,300).
If you can't pick a particular favorite, that's fine. I'd rather hear, "Gee, I don't know if I really have one favorite song" than "everything by the Beatles."
PS: if you're wondering, my favorite song is "Dark As a Dungeon" by Merle Travis. See? It's not that hard.
)
THE "EVERY SONG BY...." ANSWER
It's one of the most common questions among people when the subject of music comes up: "What's your favorite song?" The worst answer imaginable is the teenybopper throwback reply, "Every song by (insert the name of their favorite singer/band here)."
Grow up.
There are two reasons I despise that answer. First, it's a LIE. No fan, no matter how devoted and dedicated, can say with a straight face that someone has never ever done a bad song (and mean it). I can list ten favorite artists and their worst song (to me, anyway) without thinking or blinking. I'm a huge Talking Heads fan, but I'd like to slap David Byrne upside the head with a balloon (no violence here, please ) for "Listening Wind" or most of the Naked album. The Eagles were my favorite band in the 70's, but mention "Life in the Fast Lane" or "Teenage Jail" and I'll start to sound like The Dude Lebowski ("I hate the [bleeping] Eagles, man"). It's no sin to admit that.
The second reason that answer makes my skin crawl is that it doesn't take the question seriously. The question is NOT, "Who is your favorite singer" (which is what "everything by" answers), it's, "What is your favorite SONG." Singular. One out of 1,000 (or, from my iPod, 8,300).
If you can't pick a particular favorite, that's fine. I'd rather hear, "Gee, I don't know if I really have one favorite song" than "everything by the Beatles."
PS: if you're wondering, my favorite song is "Dark As a Dungeon" by Merle Travis. See? It's not that hard.1 person likes this
2 responses
@DeborahDiane (40844)
• Laguna Woods, California
26 Oct 15
My favorite song is "Peaceful Easy Feeling" by the Eagles ... but only because it has a special meaning to me and my husband. It's a great song, too! However, there are other songs by the Eagles that I don't like as well ... and others that I really like.
