For me, it’s the over-the-top sweetness mostly. It’s Paul and Stevie so of course the melody is nice. Of course it’s a nice lyrical sentiment but I think the metaphor is kinda trite. But on top of all of this I think it’s just the expectation of Paul and Stevie working together. I’d expect a masterpiece. Power to you if you enjoy it though. I don’t hate it so much to not understand why someone might like it
Thanks, Chris, for the respectful response. I meant the question sincerely. I di get the seeming triteness of it, especially melodically.
But as a budding songwriter, I think I immediately felt that what seemed so obvious in the wordsmithing was the result of some serious craft mastery.
(Begging the reader's indulgence):
"Ebony and ivory
Live together in perfect harmony
Side by side on my piano
Keyboard
Oh Lord
Why don't we?"
Now, for however many centuries black and white keys have been arranged such as they are, I was struck with why no one had, until then, thought to draw the obvious parallel with black/white societal relations.
Maybe it'd been done in some obscure poem somewhere, sure. But this was on the radio in everybody's car--and we nodded our heads and tapped our feet to some, dare I say, thought-provoking social commentary. That's not nuthin'.
But more to the point, I remember hearing Paul say in an interview--and I was a kid writing lyrics, so it stuck with me--that (paraphrasing) sometimes a songwriter gets it just right when some Joe Blow of a listener thinks to himself "of course ... I could've done that."
Come to think of it, I wonder if that interview was when "Silly Love Songs" came out--another song for which Paul suffered slings and arrows! Maybe I'm misremembering that ... But I do love me some happy pop lyrics -- so "here I go again"...
What’s interesting is that I love silly love songs. I feel like that is up against the line of cheesiness and ebony and ivory crosses it. Also silly love songs has a sneaky unreal bass line
I agree that it was well received when first released, after all it was Stevie Wonder & Paul McCartney!
But it began to get a bad rap for being trite as time progressed. Maybe because sweetness & light themselves began to wane on pop radio. Wonder if that coincides with the rise of hiphop or other genres trafficking in crudeness and vulgarity ... Just guessing.
Have never understood why people despise "Ebony & Ivory," which here is described as "abysmal."
Is it just the overall sweetness that to many is mere kitsch and saccharine?
Is it like getting (what do the kids call it) "rickrolled" or something?—once everybody decided to hate it, the ridicule took on a life of it's own?
Would sincerely love to hear what the song's artistic demerits are. Been wondering this for years and years.
For me, it’s the over-the-top sweetness mostly. It’s Paul and Stevie so of course the melody is nice. Of course it’s a nice lyrical sentiment but I think the metaphor is kinda trite. But on top of all of this I think it’s just the expectation of Paul and Stevie working together. I’d expect a masterpiece. Power to you if you enjoy it though. I don’t hate it so much to not understand why someone might like it
Thanks, Chris, for the respectful response. I meant the question sincerely. I di get the seeming triteness of it, especially melodically.
But as a budding songwriter, I think I immediately felt that what seemed so obvious in the wordsmithing was the result of some serious craft mastery.
(Begging the reader's indulgence):
"Ebony and ivory
Live together in perfect harmony
Side by side on my piano
Keyboard
Oh Lord
Why don't we?"
Now, for however many centuries black and white keys have been arranged such as they are, I was struck with why no one had, until then, thought to draw the obvious parallel with black/white societal relations.
Maybe it'd been done in some obscure poem somewhere, sure. But this was on the radio in everybody's car--and we nodded our heads and tapped our feet to some, dare I say, thought-provoking social commentary. That's not nuthin'.
But more to the point, I remember hearing Paul say in an interview--and I was a kid writing lyrics, so it stuck with me--that (paraphrasing) sometimes a songwriter gets it just right when some Joe Blow of a listener thinks to himself "of course ... I could've done that."
Come to think of it, I wonder if that interview was when "Silly Love Songs" came out--another song for which Paul suffered slings and arrows! Maybe I'm misremembering that ... But I do love me some happy pop lyrics -- so "here I go again"...
"You'd think that people would've
Had enough of silly love songs
I look around me and I see it isn't so.
Some people wanna fill the world
With silly love songs.
And what's wrong with that?"
What’s interesting is that I love silly love songs. I feel like that is up against the line of cheesiness and ebony and ivory crosses it. Also silly love songs has a sneaky unreal bass line
Fair enough, Chris.
And I dig that "Silly Love Songs" horn arrangement :0)
Until today, I was not aware the song was hated. The song came out when I was a kid and it seemed like a popular song and a big deal.
I agree that it was well received when first released, after all it was Stevie Wonder & Paul McCartney!
But it began to get a bad rap for being trite as time progressed. Maybe because sweetness & light themselves began to wane on pop radio. Wonder if that coincides with the rise of hiphop or other genres trafficking in crudeness and vulgarity ... Just guessing.