Counterpoint

Earlier today, Jake asks the question, "can anyone think of any good music that isn't on some level going for a head-fuck," and it's worth responding to, I think.

It seems to me that if you're going to bother writing music, one of your goals could likely be to mess with people's heads. Because if you have some power over people's ears, you may as well try to affect their minds as well. It's just more fun like that. And don't you think it would be crazy to assume those guys (and by "those guys" I guess I mean those classical music composers I know pretty much nothing about. Jake will have to fill you in on all that) wouldn't be trying for a "head-fuck" as well? I mean, there's nothing particularly mind-fuckable about the 21st century unless you tie that term to specific hallucinogenic drugs, right?

All that said, I would like to point out there's lots of music I like enough to call "good," that I highly doubt is going for any sort of head-fuck. Should I be using a thesaurus for that term, or just repeating it over and over? Oh well.

Some songs are just enjoyable for their directness and relatively simple melodies. And do smart lyrics and political messages count? They do make you think, so I guess that's up for grabs unless we get into an in depth definition of "head-fuck," which, to be honest, is a term I am sick of looking at just now.

I am thinking of a straight-up pop song, as in Belle and Sebastian's "Funny Little Frog" or something obvious and punky, like "Orgasm Addict" by the Buzzocks. And what about Jay-Z's "Dirt off Your Shoulder?" I have an inexplicable fondness for that track, and I don't see anything particularly complex about it (though I may be wrong, there).

I can contest that while strange and interesting music that confuses my brain is often really good, it doesn't mean other stuff isn't worthwhile as well.