I think the difference is the opera singer is their own name and you can point to some parts or performances, but the songs belong to someone else. “Toxic” by Britney Spears is considered her song… even though it was written by other people, for example. Nobody thinks that Queen of the Night is Diana Damrau’s song.
And I get there’s a difference, because nobody think Beyonce’s version of “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” is anything but Elton John’s song regardless. But the line is so blurred amongst pop singers (as some write their own and some don’t) that credit seems falsely attributed often.
Basically, if you’re a songwriter/composer, you have songs. If you’re a singer, you have performances.
No one ever asked that question about an opera singer
I actually have asked this specific question to my idiotic boomer father recently (not MAGA but almost). He “knows” (or religiously believes) that people must both compose AND perform, otherwise they suck. I had some free time with this moron so I kept on trying to find examples until I went to your question.
An opera singer cannot “write” lyrics because they sing Mozart stuff and Mozart is dead. My father answered very seriously that, yes, even the best opera singer is still a failure because he’s singing songs from dead people.
Now you know, Bocelli and Pavarotti failed at life.
Let’s say that we have a complicated relationship, he never was a father to me, and I’ll grieve him for 30 seconds when he dies, but some people do believe that. Sorry for the rant.
Yes, Sinatra too. He is obsessed by the 60/70s first rock music (the real kind, not the fake stuff of the 50s) and he’s stuck there.
You know what’s worse? He is listening on a regular basis to singers he hates because they wrote their own songs. Having pure principles is more important that liking something. Yep, he’s fucked up in his head somehow.
Can’t deny that there’s a really big difference between late 60s rock and 40/50 rock, though - it’s not really wrong to consider it a new genre, even if it appropriates the name of the older genre.
No one ever asked that question about an opera singer. Or of an actress/actor. Why should it be different?
I think the difference is the opera singer is their own name and you can point to some parts or performances, but the songs belong to someone else. “Toxic” by Britney Spears is considered her song… even though it was written by other people, for example. Nobody thinks that Queen of the Night is Diana Damrau’s song.
And I get there’s a difference, because nobody think Beyonce’s version of “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” is anything but Elton John’s song regardless. But the line is so blurred amongst pop singers (as some write their own and some don’t) that credit seems falsely attributed often.
Basically, if you’re a songwriter/composer, you have songs. If you’re a singer, you have performances.
Toxic by Britney Spears et al.
I actually have asked this specific question to my idiotic boomer father recently (not MAGA but almost). He “knows” (or religiously believes) that people must both compose AND perform, otherwise they suck. I had some free time with this moron so I kept on trying to find examples until I went to your question.
An opera singer cannot “write” lyrics because they sing Mozart stuff and Mozart is dead. My father answered very seriously that, yes, even the best opera singer is still a failure because he’s singing songs from dead people.
Now you know, Bocelli and Pavarotti failed at life.
Let’s say that we have a complicated relationship, he never was a father to me, and I’ll grieve him for 30 seconds when he dies, but some people do believe that. Sorry for the rant.
Would that also make Frank Sinatra a failure?
What a bizarre line of thinking.
Yes, Sinatra too. He is obsessed by the 60/70s first rock music (the real kind, not the fake stuff of the 50s) and he’s stuck there.
You know what’s worse? He is listening on a regular basis to singers he hates because they wrote their own songs. Having pure principles is more important that liking something. Yep, he’s fucked up in his head somehow.
60/70s first rock music? Rock is a 1940s/50s genre if we are looking for its origins.
Can’t deny that there’s a really big difference between late 60s rock and 40/50 rock, though - it’s not really wrong to consider it a new genre, even if it appropriates the name of the older genre.
That’s a shame, he’s cutting off his ears to spite his brain. Ah well.