The Providence Athenaeum

filed under Music

Could’ve Been So Beautiful, Could’ve Been So Right. Until Somebody Invited Tiffany Along.

6:49PM ON 06/16/2008
BY Matthew Lawrence

tiffany As this blog’s resident expert on 80’s teen-pop and homosexuals, I have to say that I’m doubly shocked and appalled–or at least disappointed and confused–that the headliner of this year’s Pride festival is Tiffany.

Tiffany, a girl who had three, maybe four hits twenty years ago, two of which were covers of songs that were hits for other, better people twenty years before that.  I mean, don’t get me wrong; I thought she was awesome when I was six, but that doesn’t mean I particularly want to hear her now that I’m twenty-seven.  And I say that as someone that still kinda likes The Party.

But, you know, I figured I’d give her a chance.  Last night I listened to her old singles.  All of them, even the ones I didn’t remember, like Radio Romance and the inspirational ballad from the Jetsons movie.  And I can now say with some degree of confidence that I Think We’re Alone Now is kinda lame; I Saw Him Standing There is basically unlistenable.  Could’ve Been is drecky, and All This Time, which is the one I remembered the best, is both drecky and whiny, despite probably being the best of her big hits.

I didn’t think Tiffany’s voice was particularly terrible (although both my boyfriend and my roommate disagreed with me on that point), but the production is amazingly bad.  Seriously, seriously bad.  And I’ve spent the last two days wondering what roomful of adults in Providence (and Atlanta!) came to the decision that this is someone that makes music that grown people should be listening to in 2008.  (Especially since she spent the nineties being born again…)

I have to acknowledge that I did actually like one song, though.  Danny, her first single, which the record company didn’t even bother to make a video for.  I didn’t remember it at all, but it’s got a good chorus, indecipherable though the words may be.  And while yes, it would’ve been better had Roxette done it, it’s probably the only bright spot on a terrible, terrible teen-pop career that probably should have never happened in the first place.

2 Comments on “ Could’ve Been So Beautiful, Could’ve Been So Right. Until Somebody Invited Tiffany Along. ”

  1. [...] think we all know by know how I feel about Tiffany, the woman who had a bunch of hits in the late eighties despite having a total lack [...]

  2. [...] mall enthusiast* who had a couple of hits in 1987 that sounded mildly tolerable then but which are completely unlistenable today to anyone over the age of maybe nine. (A friend of mine pointed out the fact that her appearance wouldn’t have been nearly as [...]

Write a Comment

ARCHIVES:

CATEGORIES:

Add to Technorati Favorites

What Cheer! Antiques

side blog «contribute now!»

» Food Revolution Day!

Celebe Food Revolution Day on May19!
Urban Greens and CrossFit Providence collaborate…

» Gallery Night Providence

The bike tours are back!  Gallery Night Providence launches the 2012 bike…

» Indie folk show tonight at Local 121

Local 121 Show
Share

» The Screening of Martin Scorsese and The Band’s ‘The Last Waltz’ with Mark Cutler and Scott Duhamel

The Screening of Martin Scorsese and The Band’s ‘The Last Waltz’

Thursday,…

» Photos from RI United Against the War on Women

some random candids of attendees, speakers and performers at today’s rally at…

» TEDxMosesBrownSchool April 19

What do a Brown physics professor, GTECH’s chairman, and an Episcopal priest…

» TOR JOHNSON RECORDS 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY SHOW

TOR JOHNSON RECORDS 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY SHOW
May 12th
7pm $8
@AS220
115…

» TJR PRESENTS: MASTHEAD, BEST PRACTICES, GERTRUDE ATHERTON @ AS220

Tor Johnson Records Presents:
Sunday April 22nd
9pm $5
@ AS220
Masthead…

VIEW ALL SIDE-BLOG POSTS

RECENT COMMENTS

8:42PM 05/16/2012
AF said:

I love the video and love the birds. A couple months ago I had the excellent opportunity to see the...

about Peregrine Update — Banding Day!

4:41PM 05/16/2012
Shame said:

It's unfortunate that for a local publication, you failed to highlight the works of the 29 other seniors who busted...

about RISD Film/Animation/Video Senior Show

9:38PM 05/15/2012
Jack said:

What amazes me is that everyone saw this coming. They knew his videogame was derivative crap from the outset and...

about Shilling For Schilling

1:53PM 05/15/2012
Beth Comery said:

I took it. It's him....

about Matt The Knife At AS220 Saturday

10:11PM 05/14/2012
Albert said:

This isn't a picture of Matt the Knife. He looks like this: http://www.matttheknife.com/7101.html...

about Matt The Knife At AS220 Saturday

10:53AM 05/13/2012
Jacob Haller said:

Well that was a fun show. Thanks to everyone who came out!...

about Jacob Haller And Friends Paint NewCo Blue

8:46AM 05/04/2012
Jamie said:

Saturday @MWM Cover Grrrls 90's coverama benefit show for Girls Rock RI featuring Gertrude Atherton, Lolita Black, Whore Paint and...

about Weekend In Music

3:40PM 05/03/2012
Jim M said:

Dan is right about some NYC businesses being hurt by the High Line, but on the other hand: 1) Having...

about Athenaeum Salon — The High Line