Obligatory Comment On Susan Boyle's Dream Of Becoming A Professional Singer

At least Susan can sing! That has got Barbra beat, hands down.

Babs runs on high-octane egomania. I think that helps.

I must have watched and listened to her singing that wonderful song 20 times as her voice is just incredible. The look on the faces of the judges as she hits hers first note was priceless. Reminds me of the old adage, never judge a book by its cover. She knocked their socks off and I hope she gets the break she is looking for. You go girl!

So nice to see something good happening with so many depressing things going on. Just shows us there is so much excellent talent just waiting for a chance to shine.

I'm getting a bit tired of all the papers going on about how frumpy or dowdy she is and how surprised everyone was. Since when did looks become a measure of talent? Unfortunately people seemed to have been brainwashed into thinking that unattractive people are both stupid and untalented. It seems to go hand in hand with the thinking that all poor people are stupid or lazy. Some of the most talented people I know aren't much to look at. Then again I grew up poor and I'm from Scotland and I learned a long time ago not to judge a book by it's cover. The stupidest people I've ever met have have been rich and beautiful. And I wasn't surprised by that at all.

So there.

I found her lack of pretense, a refreshing change from what has become the norm of the entertainment industry.

She said she had never been kissed. She should beware the line uyp of wanabee kissees.

The obsession with looks is pretty much a Leftist thing. No wonder the Big Media is babbling about the lady's appearance. Just as they ridiculed the appearances of Preston Manning, Stockwell Day and Stephen Harper, while refusing to make a stink about the appearance of Chretien, Martin, Dion and Iggy, who all have visible characteristics which could be commented upon. Oh, and the Big Media certainly made a lot of stinks about how Sarah Palin looks. And Rona Ambrose (they don't try, however, to use Hillary Clinton's big, huge bum as supposed evidence that she's unfit for this or that, in contrast to the way they treat conservative women). Doesn't matter whether one's hot-looking or not. I've always noticed that the Big Media will leap upon irrelevant superficialities like bunnies upon one another.

Superficiality and namecalling ("teabagger") is the latest slur against non-Leftists. Is there any doubt now that the Big Media is devoid of substance and/or uncaring thereof?

She sings a lot better than Streisand. Give her access to the sort of hairdressers and clothing stylists that Barbie had, and she's more than "ready for prime time". Too bad that radio has been squeezed out by TV. Without the boob tube, we wouldn't be having this discussion.

I think she's nice, and I hope she's got enough Scots steel in her so the friggin MSM vampires can't do her an injury. Some of them are trying already. B@st@rds can't go out of business fast enough, you ask me.

The video is a classic.

I hope Susan Boyle puts out a best-selling CD which helps her and her family live comfortably for the rest of their lives. She can SING.

I hope Susan Boyle never wears dark panty hose with a light dress and white shoes EVER again!

batb I never noticed the hose etc. Think of KISS, Madonna and the rest as far as clothing. My daughter refuses to wear matching socks. I did think the dress was a little busy but she is from a village and probably doesn't give a rat's behind. After all the real men wear skirts. My grandfather was from Scotland and to be honest I never understood a word the man said but he could play the pipes.

"I'm getting a bit tired of all the papers going on about how frumpy or dowdy she is"

Speaking of Elizabeth May...

Presnt

Present

My awesomeness should explain the spelling mistake.

The fact that she is, ah, dowdy and doesn't dress or look like a prima donna is a great part of her appeal.

She's not trying to put anything over on us, not trying to manipulate us, not trying to bewitch us. She doesn't expect adulation, doesn't demand that we not mock her.

She's only herself, she's real, she's not a manufactured, plastic surgery, botoxed high-maintenance person. She's just - herself. And she sings like an angel.

Can see bowl?

Susan Boyle recorded Cry Me A river for a charity CD in 1999; it's much better than the BGT song, IMO.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5ETPG26ALE

ET - Sometimes naiveté is a refreshing quality.

Hey, Barbra Streisand can really sing. I have a couple of her albums from the 60's and she is a wonder. Sure, Susan can sing but can't match Barb at her peak.

Any further dissing of Barb will be considered anti-semitism. (heh)

At least Susan is reletively cute.

I'm waiting for the story to break that the whole thing is made up and that it is actually Paula Abdul in white-face.

I just think the retelling of the story is being done in a way to perpetuates the stereotype. None of the papers, radio, blogs or tv are telling the story in a proper light. They are all doing it in the way of a backhanded compliment. Instead of writing "A great singer was disrespected" or "a brilliant singer was laughed at". They keep retelling the story in terms of "A frizzy haired frumpy woman sang brilliantly" or "Ugly fat woman wows judges". It's like they still feel like an ugly person with talent is an anomaly. It's like saying the judges had made a mistake but did nothing wrong because they would have thought the same thing.

If this was the first time it happened then maybe I'd believe that there wasn't an element of manufacture in it but the whole "ugly duckling shocking the crowd with talent" was done before - Do a Youtube search for Paul Potts, he did the same thing on BGT last year and he ended up winning it.

Rick: Actually I considered Barb quite sexy back when I was a teenager. And stand by that view to this day. A distinctive beauty. And just to ward off any smart remarks on my musical tastes, I soon wallowed in the raging rock and roll of the late 60's, leaving Broadway tunes behind.

Before TV we all would just be appreciating her voice...
looks wouldn't even be an issue.

Since the dawn of the MTV age, we have been conditioned to judge a singer first by looks, and then by ability to sing.

I remember the golden age of radio when you had no idea of what a singer looked like sometimes for years after you first heard them sing. Therefore you just judged them by the music.

And I have to confess that enjoy some of the songs of Rita MacNeil, Anne Murray, etc and many others.

I see nothing ugly or fat about this gal.
I see an unremarkable, unpretentious, middleaged woman who was charming the backstage "Heckle and Jeckle" prior to her turn.....
Innocent perhaps, gregarious definitely....unintimidated for sure....
"Just folks"....
I have read extensively on the natural selection which produced a handsome aristocracy worldwide....power and wealth has always provided attractive mates.....
I have heard many times from my mates in the Legion that there are no beautiful women in the provinces....they all migrate to Paris....natural selection in reverse....

A set-up if there ever was one, but it worked, didn't it?
Seems to me all contestants would be screened ahead of time, so this was no surprise to the producers/celebrities/judges(?)of the show,(even Susan herself??), and it was played very well.
Predictably, it got the public going ga-ga, the ratings are up, some people are appalled, some people are enthralled, some are outraged, some disgusted.
Susan Boyle can sing, no doubt about it, but if you just heard the audio with no other information, you'd think it's nothing more than ordinary.
It's only extraordinary when the visual factor comes into play. How dare anyone of the plain and lowly class be so good! And that, my friends, is the saddest part....
Having said that, it would be nice if she gets more than her fifteen minutes of fame, is not made a dupe in a sorry charade, and benefits generously by the exposure.
Can you say shallow? Oh yeah!

get real...barbra may be a silly ditz but she has an extraordinary voice....a truly extraordinary talent far more refined and virtuoso than la Boyle ...but still a boring nitwit ditz with delusions of grandeur...

it's like this i guess...given my druthers i'd rather be in a lifeboat with la Boyle than barbra......

gord; Success in music is at least as much about how one looks as it is about how well you can sing or play an instrument. I saw that all the time when I worked in a place that booked bands to play. Some very talented people I heard never went anywhere because of a lack of stage presence. It's sad but true.

Video killed the radio star.
Video killed the radio star.
In my mind and in my car, we can't rewind we've gone to far.....
~Buggles

sorry Oz...i'd far much rather make the beast with two backs with barbra than la Boyle...

but is that the response you were after ?

No, john begely.
I myself have always thought that Barbara Streisand was kinda hot, even though she did date that spawn of Satan, PET and appears to be about as sharp as a ping-pong ball.

My point was that video DID kill the radio star, agreeing with bob c, that presentation is just as important as sound.

I remember hitch hiking up to Edmonton from Calgary in, oh, 1980 I think it was, to see The Cars Candy-O Tour at Northlands Coliseum and although their sound was note perfect they just stood there on stage, immobile and the show was largely a bomb because of that.

I see her as more as a Rita MacNeil than Babs. Forget the makeover. Rita does just fine being exactly who she is, and so can Susan.

Listen to her Cry Me a River on YouTube and then imagine the success of her first CD.
We won't list all the ordinary looking entertainers who made it on talent alone, but Sammy Davis Jr. comes to mind.
Unless it's a sexist thing and only women are held to a higher standard.

For those of you who are tone deaf, Babs is one of the best in the business. I'm a musician of 55 years, sing, play bass, guitar and keyboard. Streisand although abrasive in her politics and attitude is a legendary singer. I love her voice.
Having said that, Boyle is a nice singer, a diamond in the very rough. Yes give her a chance. If she overcomes the stresses of a music career, the competition, the lack of money, the asshole agents, the phoneys, illness, nodes on vocal cords etc. perhaps she will make it. For all of you out there that don't know about the music business, think a bit. It's a tough business with a lot of variables. Babs is a survivor in a tough business whatever her politics. Give her that credit. She is also a beautiful singer. Listen to the the first Gibb/Streisand album Guilty and if you don't like it, then you sir to quote someone of Infamy are Worst than Hitler.

Susan Boyle has got a voice that NEEDS to be recorded. Her looks leave a lot.... reminds me of a B actor in the 50's-60's that was in a lot of war movies as the private that is sacrificed, or gets the unlucky bullet. Can't recall his name, but she's a spitting image of him. That aside, her guts and obvious talent are to be regarded highly. MORE POWER TO HER!

Canuckguy: You mean "Butta," don't you? That's her nickname with the Jewish ladies.

Bab's voice is "like butta": golden, smooth, rich.

"At least Susan can sing! That has got Barbra beat, hands down."

Barbera's politics may suck, and her ego, or maybe her insecurities are often out of control, but to suggest she can't sing is ridiculous. While not commenting on her choice of materials, she is probably the best female pure singer I have heard in my fifty years.

Her movies from the sixties are also a guilty pleasure.

Did you guys know that Babs and Mel Brooks are twins. I shat you not!

This surprise feel good story, would never happened in countries where the women are not to be seen and heard. Whether or not the youtube video was staged, sometimes I tend to believe that when God speaks and we're not listening, He manages to grab our attention to make a point.

Having said that, there are some songs that just can't be re-recorded. I cringe when someone tries to do some of Patsy's signature songs. As for Babs, great voice, I read somewhere that GWB has one or two albums of hers and even asked her to autograph one for him at some gala in the last few months of his term. Boy that must of sent her for a loop.

I think Susan Boyle will do some very fine renditions of many songs, I bet she can make Kate Smith proud with a performance of God Bless America.

By the way does anyone here know the title of the opera piece from Shawshank Redemption where Robbin's character locks himself into the wardens office and plays the piece over the PA system?

The best thing about Susan Boyle, she has exposed many young people to a different genre of music and in turn to other artists. Read the comments on the Youtube video's of Julia London for "Cry me a river". I bet many a finder are starting to realize that the mass produced hip hop, rap, pop is rather thin.

Anyhow, I'm going to listen to Figaro, and think of a little green frog in a tin box and smile.

Whenever the thread gets into a discussion of the "music business" Hunter S. Thompson's memorable quote comes to mind:

"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side."

That seems to be about as apt a description as one can find. The fact that Babs Streisand thrived in that business, despite her ditziness and appearance probably says more about her personality than her voice (which admittedly was one of the better voices in the business).

Snagglepuss, listen to her singing "Cry me a River" and then tell me she has just an ordinary voice. Her voice is rich and sultry and you picture a different person than Susan Boyle.

With her twinkle, smile and attitude I hope she goes far. I would certainly love to hear a full CD of her singiing.

Babs was great with a super voice as Woody Allen noted when he went to hear him in the little clubs in New York. Loved her with Redford in the Way We Were, great talent. Too bad about her political views but thats Hollywood.

snagglepuss;

Such a synic. The two fellows just off stage clearly knew, but the audience clearly didn't, nor I suspect the judges either.

Who the hell is Susan Boyle?

I like Barbara's singing. I just don't like her talking.

LOL Ghost of Ed, true for me as well, although I'm not a fan I do recognize she has a very good voice.
Watched a documentary program on Babs, she lives in a round house. Hates corners and straight lines, cubes box shapes for a home, so all her rooms are circular.
...
Susan Boyle's voice is phenomenal and she seems like a very decent lady.

Many years ago (circa: early 60s) Winnipeg nightclub owner Benny Hatkins (who later founded the Winnipeg Jets) FIRED Barbara Streisand, commenting that she could not sing.

Ah heck, Benny Hatkins probably didn't like her nose and maybe he wanted her to go to bed with him and she said, "Take a hike" or words to that effect.

Butta can sing.

To all you know-nothings that have the stupidity to mock Barbra's voice and singing: You are not worthy or qualified to lick the soles of her Stuart Weitzman pumps. You are all unsophisticated common losers who probably never truly listened to her glorious platinum pipes.