Aaliyah's "One in a Million" vs. Guns N'Roses' "One in a Million"

ronan, I was not too young, and I did like gnr, but I AM embarassed by the critical revisionism and revivalism. (cue posts about oh I was always down with gnr, whatever, I don't want to argue about it.)

Aaliyah wins by default, even if it isn't her best.

No that's not just you Ronan, i was old enough to be taken in, but I wasn't. having to test endless copies of "GnR Lies" and the other piece of total ass they put out at the used rekkid store. "fat squawking fukcing losers" will do nicely, thank you, and not only was i amazed that anyone liked them the 1st time around, it amazes me that anyone still rates them. Aaliyah wins for me then, by a fukcing 1000 miles.

Oh please give me a fuckin' break.

"applauding it for 'having a moving reaction' just reminds me of the character in the Ghost World comic who claims 'to hate everyone equally' and makes friends with paedophiles."

Wyndham, you're skirting rather closely to calling me a racist, and I don't really appreciate it. My point was that the Guns' track is simply more interesting than Aaliyah's (a comparitivly conventional pop song) BECAUSE its so ugly/reprehensible/indefensible. Or are you of the school of thought that anything that deigns to say something that could be construed as patently offensive should be immediately stricken from consideration?

i think they key thing about the gnr song is the same with Eminem: would Axl be delivering the song to his audience expecting them to draw the above conclusion that 'oh its SOO obviously a postmodern fable with axl casting himself as a modern day rentboy and delivering gritty urban-noir vignettes of race-hate and fag-bashing with the sharp-witted insight of a modern Hubert Selby Jnr?' or was he expecting them to think 'HUH HUH Axl beats fags up too. COOL.'

um, lets remember we're not talking about Oscar Wilde here. this is a man who (allegedly, yes yes) beat his ex wife up, raped her and shot her full of smack.

sorry if it seems like i'm picking on people for defending this song. this kind of critical revisionism just gets on my nerves enormously.

I'm not. Believe me. Someone just pulled the race card on me ( Band T-shirt Etiquette ), so I know what it's like, but in any case, you drew the "Ghost World" parallel, not me.

By saying I prefer the GnR song over the Aaliyah song is not to suggest that I condone the message contained therein, but just that when the two songs are presented side by side, I will *ALWAYS* opt for the one that is more provocative over the one that is simply nice (and, subsequently, bland as dry toast). Does this mean that the Aaliyah track is a pile of spooge? Not at all. That wasn't the question. It's which do you prefer. I've stated my opinion.

"this is a man who (allegedly, yes yes) beat his ex wife up, raped her and shot her full of smack."

I'd heard that he beat her (Stephanie Seymore, Erin Everly, _____ [insert name here]) up, but that the other two allegations. Do tell if you have credible info to support the claim.

...In the end, I think Aaliyah's comes out slightly ahead. It's very close though.

GNR, who cares.

Aaliyah wins.

When the Aaliyah track came out, it seemed like US R&B, an incredibly popular yet seemingly closed (even moribund) system of production, had completely reinvented itself. The arrangement was totally unique, showcasing Timbaland's almost drum n bass approach to drum programming (although he denies having heard any dnb prior to recording this track). The eerie almost sci-fi sonics and slow bass with double time snare and hat fills directly influenced countless R&B and then hip-hop and pop releases. Aaliyah's later tracks are denser and more immediate, but "One In a Million" was quite a shot in the dark and made me reconsider R&B completely. I still think it's one of the 10 sexiest songs ever - actually it's just pure sex music of the highest order. It's also a kind of key to a clearer understanding of subsequent Timbaland productions.

this reasoning is just the equally bullshit inverse of the old "man you kids today with your green day and emo don't know what real punk is" reasoning...

Um...One in a Million by GNR is a hard one...on one hand, i still remember the (for lack of a better word) "icky" feeling i got when i first heard it...it is hateful and bitter and everything else everyone's accused it of being...

i also think it's a pretty great song...the melody is good and i like the downcast, defeated mood of the piece...axl sounds more sad for at least half the song than mad...the great fuzzed out guitar that creeps in at the end...it reminds me of some lost exile on main street track or something...axl at his best can make me feel things even though i know he's a coked up fuckhead...there's a vulnerability and confusion beneath the hate that - while it sure shouldn't let him off the hook cuz he's a dick let's face it and a pretty fucking hateful on this song - makes this songs compelling for me....

um, just out of curiosity, which Ted Nugent songs are you thinking of that "reek of defensive blind hate"?

bringing food into music debates isnt fair to music

iron chef america episode on right now> both these songs

-- J0rdan S., Sunday, 25 November 2007 07:00 (3 months ago) Link

the secret ingredient was "thanksgiving"

Pizza>>>>>>cupcakes>>>>>>cinnamon toast>>>>>>>getting felched by a crack-addled wino>>>>>>Aaliyah's "One In A Million"

I kid, I kid...... cupcakes are way better than pizza.

more like borex in nyboring amirite

I kid, I kid...... cupcakes are way better than pizza.

-- Alex in NYC, Saturday, March 15, 2008 1:24 PM (5 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

real talk, the rongest thing said in this thread

Nothing's worse than bad pizza, and in NYC in 2008, it's everywhere.

I can count reputable Manhattan pizza parlors on one hand.

alex the rest of the world doesnt have an overabundance of wack pizza nor does it have those gourmet cupcakes you dorks make snl skits about either

Yeah, I can't even begin to apologize enough for the Magnolia bakery. Single-handedly destroyed NYC's otherwise respectable reputation.

cupcakes are way better than pizza.

You are DEAD to me.

But yeah

Pizza everywhere else on the planet >>>>> Manhattan pizza, easy

Sbarro is Times Square back in the day was OK.

Pizza everywhere else on the planet >>>>> Manhattan pizza, easy

Well, yeah, that was kinda my point. It's not that I'm all that fired up about cupcakes (although who doesn't love a good cupcake?), it's just that Pizza in Manhattan has reached a new low.

pizzaz in manhattan has reached a new low

What about "One in a Million" by Pet Shop Boys? Not their best tune or anything, but surely better than anything by Guns and Roses.

Ah, the legendary Pet Shop Boys-Axl connection.

Pizza in NYC

manhattan pizza still better than fucking los angeles "pizza" if you can even call it that

all these things still worse than "one in a million" except for cupckaes

hmmmm, didn't really know either song (except by reputation), just checked youtube, gotta go with gnr. also, youtube lolz

a fucking faggot tried to rape axl when he was staying at his apartment, because he was homeless at that time, so i think i know why such lyrics

This this case Pet Shop Boys > Aaliyah > Modern Talking >>>>> GnR

"It is possible the Aaliyah one was shit, but the GnR one was unbearable. I mean, musically, they always sucked back then, but that particular song combined the usual musical suckiness with some truly scary lyrics in addition."

SCARY LYRICS.

They're not so much "truly scary" as "truly stupid."

I would like to hear Randy Newman cover the GnR song.

I'd rather hear GN'R cover "Short People."

i'd rather hear the lex ask "who's randy newman?"

I'd rather hear GN'R cover "Short People.Simon Smith and his Amazing Dancing Bear"

You know Randy would sing "Immigrants and faggots" with relish on top of some barrelhouse piano.

"They're not so much "truly scary" as "truly stupid.""

There are ignorant and racist lyrics in there, but not really any stupid ones. It's a strong song lyrically.

I wonder if this "truly scary" thing means that Geir doesn't like "Midnight Rambler."

ok any nyc person complaining about pizza has to come live here for a year. you'll be begging for famous original polysexual ray's or whatever you're calling it.

famous original polysexual ray's

Bahahahahahahaahaha

CONFESSION

aaliyah version is the only song to ever make me cry

^^^real talk

well, except i cry all the time, but this one, too

How is this "taking sides" thing even a question here?

Aaliyah, obviously.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IXw84xM4Mc

The male duet partner's vocals on Aaliyah's "Never Givin' Up" on her One in a Million album is the most tortured/torturous singing I've ever heard.

― The Reverend, Sunday, November 25, 2007 1:30 AM (1 year ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

this guy's name is 'Tavarius Polk,' btw

So it just finally occurred to me that one of the big ironies of "One In A Million" is that Axl is sort of an immigrant himself in the lyrics -- an outsider who just got off the boat (well, Greyhound bus) in a bizarre new land. Not sure whether anybody's pointed that out before. Also not sure why it took me 22 whole years to notice.

The order and structure of the lyrics to Guns and Roses's "One in a Million" cleared up any confusion I had about the level of confusion the narrator was experiencing, and struck me as the most intelligent part of the song.

Police matches up with gold chains for sale,
Niggers matches up with bracelets behind back. Out of order.

Immigrants and Faggots lyrics match up, but singer seems to jumble his anger and who he's angry with like a schizophrenic street rant. There isn't any difference between speaking different languages and fucking, It's all wrong and different. "It's all Greek to me" clever gay joke? , or not very clever gay joke.

I was a confused teenager when this came out, and it fit right in with Jane's Addiction and Public Enemy and the early grunge and old punk I was listening to at the time. It also spoke to me. I was tired of being hassled to buy jewelry in front of the 7-11, and the cops, and gay guys coming on to me more often than straight women, and the dudes behind the counter not checking my ID until I questioned the price. Get off my back.

I've been listening to the Aaliyah track for the first time as I've typed this, and don't have much to say. I'll have to give it a chance on a better stereo than my computer. I like the deep R&B feel of it as compared to more expansive pop oriented songs it may have influenced that I've heard since.

GNR song is all, like:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Za2k5wA3sk

The male duet partner's vocals on Aaliyah's "Never Givin' Up" on her One in a Million album is the most tortured/torturous singing I've ever heard.

― The Reverend, Sunday, November 25, 2007 1:30 AM (1 year ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

this guy's name is 'Tavarius Polk,' btw

― some dude, Saturday, August 29, 2009 6:55 AM Bookmark

lol

I just listened to GNR's "One in a Million" and it's kind of amazing how fully and perfectly it paints the mental landscape of a typical Trump voter.

I think there's still a few GNR threads you haven't revived, what's the holdup

16 years, and i still don't get this board. there's a weird, bubbling hostility beneath 75% of posts

I wasn't trying to imply that you liked Dionne because she is camp, Chuck, just that I see Dionne's campness as a major point of distinction between her and most millenial R&B - cf. Whitney who was always very camp, or something like Toni Braxton's "Unbreak My Heart' - a huge gay club hit of course. In fact it would be interesting to see someone write about how, despite some exceptions, the last fifteen years have seen R&B inexorably move away from gay male appreciation.
― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Friday, 22 October 2004 00:18 (11 years ago) Permalink

(three years pass)

"I wasn't trying to imply that you liked Dionne because she is camp, Chuck, just that I see Dionne's campness as a major point of distinction between her and most millenial R&B - cf. Whitney who was always very camp, or something like Toni Braxton's "Unbreak My Heart' - a huge gay club hit of course. In fact it would be interesting to see someone write about how, despite some exceptions, the last fifteen years have seen R&B inexorably move away from gay male appreciation."

I said this three years ago. It would seem that things have perhaps begun to swing the other way, what with Rihanna's last album and now Beyonce working with the Freemasons. If the swing really is on, it'd be interesting to speculate why.

― Tim F, Sunday, November 25, 2007 9:36 AM (8 years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

(nine years pass)

I was amused to read the above posts today, given that mainstream R&B has probably never been so plugged into gay male appreciation (sonically and culturally) as in the last few years.

16 years, and i still don't get this board. there's a weird, bubbling hostility beneath 75% of posts

in my case it's just weird bubbling hostility to GNR, an awful band composed of awful people

You know Randy would sing "Immigrants and faggots" with relish on top of some barrelhouse piano.

Would be a good year for this cover.

The MAW Main Mix of More Than a Woman is 1am jazz-funk perfection