Why All the Fuss About Susan Boyle?

Enough already with Susan Boyle!!! Yes, she sings beautifully; SO WHAT? There are millions of people in the world that can sing just as well or better. In fact, any voice coach will tell you that anyone can sing like that with the proper training. The fuss about Boyle seems to be that she can sing beautifully yet is not beautiful herself.

Well, duhhh. Since when does physical appearance have anything to do with the capacity of one’s lungs and vocal cords to produce extraordinary music?

I think American Idol has helped create this mistaken assumption. For years I’ve been telling people who watch this show that you can walk into any karaoke bar any night of the week and see the same level of performance. It’s one thing to watch Idol for the entertainment value, although I’ve never found any; yet the slobbering masses continue to follow every episode as if something extraordinary is happening, as if it makes some difference in the long run who wins and who doesn’t.

Another factor that has shaped the public’s attitude toward music is Clear Channel, the company that controls what we hear on most of the radio stations in this country. For years they’ve been marketing talentless “divas”, like Celine Dion, Cher, Tina Turner, and Christina Aguilara and sugary bubblegum acts like Brittney, Miley Cyrus, and The Jonas Brothers to the point where people have forgotten what real music sounds like.

Or maybe the real decline of American popular music began with MTV back in the early 80s with the popularization of music videos and the emphasis on visual more than aural sensibilities. How much airplay did great acts like The Clash and The Blasters get compared to Madonna, Duran Duran, and The Thompson Twins?

If you want to compare how attitudes have changed over the years, go to Youtube and do a search for Kate Smith. She was probably the most popular singer in America during the 40s and early 50s, famous for her performance of “God Bless America”. She was also very round, the inspiration for Yogi Berra’s famous quote about how it “ain’t over till the fat lady sings”.

I suspect that many who grew up in that era are scratching their heads about our reaction to Susan Boyle.