On: The Masses, Not the Classes – Irving Berlin

[quadrangle]

I was hoping to find other comments processing the question of why such a lousy song was a hit beyond what the article describes…

[groby_b → quadrangle]

Because it speaks to the large number of people who engage with music they enjoy and can sing/hum along to easily, not the small group of self-styled "critics" who can only find joy in tearing down?

[quadrangle → groby_b]

Well, that doesn't explain why it would stand out as such a hit because that explanation would apply to tons of songs that weren't hits or celebrated like that one.

[groby_b → quadrangle]

It quite literally does, right there in the article.

[Cupertino95014 → quadrangle]

Maybe there's some other hit from 1911 that you think was NOT a lousy song?

Come, Josephine, in My Flying Machine

Down by the Old Mill Stream

Oh You Beautiful Doll

I Want a Girl Just Like the Girl That Married Dear Old Dad

[1] https://playback.fm/charts/top-100-songs/1911

[quadrangle → Cupertino95014]

Down by the Old Mill Stream is nice. I like that one. It's not pretentious or corny, and the harmonies are interesting enough.

Let Me Call You Sweetheart is also totally fine.

But yeah, I get your point. I was like huh "Woodman, Woodman, Spare That Tree" wazzat… oh… um, cringe

[Waterluvian → quadrangle]

It’s the McDonald’s of music.