Are there songs that appeal to only one sex?

TerrifiedCitizen Sat, Aug 9, 2008 at 07:57 PM EST

You know, this discussion may have helped me understand better why I don't enjoy Dion.

Madeleine Sat, Mar 15, 2008 at 09:33 PM EST

I prefer Cindy's version among those 2 but above I like very much Celine's one. Her version is much more alive and I'm tired to read that she sings without emotions whereas she always give heartfelt performances

Silv Fri, Mar 14, 2008 at 09:54 AM EST

Cyndi's version - love the deep voice on this one - and Orbison's video.

Brian Fri, Mar 14, 2008 at 09:01 AM EST

I'm a guy, and I have to go with Lauper's. The video was one of the first clues I ever had that women might get turned on when I was at a very young and naive age. The part of the video where she is completely nude and has the movie projected on her bare body was an epiphany to me. I remember clearly thinking I wanted to date a woman who was that open. It was so cool.

a Fri, Mar 14, 2008 at 08:21 AM EST

to Dinosaur - I agree about Pink Floyd but I LOVE the song "Radar Love"... and I'm a girl! (albeit a girl who watches sports and drinks beer with the guys... does that make me an aberration?)

Elena Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 10:48 PM EST

Cyndi sounds much, much better than Roy, and makes the song sexy and naughty. But for the video, you have to give the edge to Jason and Jennifer - they are almost enough make Roy's version sort of sexy, too. If only there was some way to put Cyndi's song over Roy's video.

Chris Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 10:38 PM EST

Well, for the record, I'm not female. But then, I'm not a straight man either. Oh well...but notice how Cyndi mostly uses her lower register in the song. Fabulous! And the song does have a very "humid" feel to it that corresponds well with the lyric "the city was sticky and cruel(I think, for some reason, it's the strings that do the trick as it's literally a very heavy sound, also the spare drumming during the verses.

Chris Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 10:28 PM EST

Simon can sometimes have very dubious tastes. I mean, Leona Lewis? Hello?! "I Drove All Night" is a stunning song, right up there, in my opinion, with "Time After Time" and, another seemingly forgotten Cyndi classic, "Change of Heart". And Cyndi just nailed it. I mean, I was wondering why she wasn't inducted into the Hall of Fame and her ex-rival Madonna was. I mean props and love to Madge, but Cyndi should be just as honored as well. Would there be people like Gwen (especially during her No Doubt days) or [insert your favorite eccentric/kooky rock chick) without Cyndi?

gabrielle Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 06:59 PM EST

It's got to be Cindy for me, but it's actually true about Celine being great in french. Her english covers are very stilted, but when she sings in french she's all emotion.

Mary Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 06:56 PM EST

I love "I Drove All Night" but I think my favorite version is one that has only been mentioned once...by an obscure country band called "Pinmonkey". It came out about the same time as Celine's. And Pinmonkey is a group of guys...so it must appeal to some guys, right?

Michael Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 06:18 PM EST

This song just doesn't do much for me, which may or may not prove your point--I'm just one guy. I'll take Orbison by a hair over Lauper, but either of them, even on I song I don't care for, blow any Celine Dion performance out of the water.

Ames Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 04:39 PM EST

I have noticed there seems to be an unwritten rule that says when a band is popular with men, it is a good band. But if most of the fans are women, especially younger girls, than the band is a joke.

Princess Vespa Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 03:24 PM EST

Cyndi's is the best.

Rose Tyler Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 03:17 PM EST

Once a upon a time my now husband(at that time he was my boyfriend's best friend)and I were driving around listening to Weezer's Blue Album. The last song,"Only in Dreams", came on. "I love this song." I said to which he replied, "Of course you do, you're a girl."

fredric Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 03:13 PM EST

There aren't many guys I know who could get into Lisa Loeb's "Stay" when it came out. Other than Ethan Hawke, that is.

Shay Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 02:47 PM EST

I'm loving Roy's version the best and I think the video puts it over the top. It's pretty sexy in an 80's, youthful way. I dig it.

Bethann Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 02:03 PM EST

Totally Cyndi's version. LOVE it!! Celine doesn't even come close. And Roy's does sound a bit stalkerish...

T-Rex Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 01:58 PM EST

I'll take Orbison by a large margin. Then Carly. Then Celine. Then Cyndi, what an uninspired train wreck.

Homerox Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 01:46 PM EST

Oh, and to "oddly"...I think late 80's Jennifer Connelly more than gives him a run for his money!

Homerox Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 01:42 PM EST

Love Cyndi's version (she's VERY much underratd, in my opinion), but Roy's will always be my favorite. I love the way his voice takes what, in Cyndi's version is a pretty dated-sounding 80's piece of music, and makes it instantly into something that to me sounds timeless (even if Jeff Lynne's production is all over it). Or maybe it's just cuz I'm a guy...? : )

oddly Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 01:36 PM EST

Oddly, Cyndi sounds more masculine and Roy sounds more feminine when they are juxtaposed like that. I think it works better as a chicks kick a$$ song. Cyndi's version is much hotter. Coming from a guy it sounds more stalkerish. I tell ya, though, was there anything prettier than late-'80s Jason Priestly??

Strepsi Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 01:34 PM EST

Word to Dave! Gay men "get" the DIVA dub-genre of "chick music" much MORE than straight women. I mean, my sister-in-law loves to feel empowered and jump around to "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun", but I am a Cyndi Lauper FAN. Annie Lennox, Sarah Brightman, and yes, Celine and Madonna have powerful gay male fan bases. And look at the guest stars on Will & Grace: Cher, Janet, J-Lo, etc...

Ben Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 01:33 PM EST

I don't think songs are gender specific. I love pure pop music like Girls Aloud, Sugababes, Madonna, Britney, Cyndi, etc. and singer/songwriters like Tori which some have said is "chick music" but I also like "guy music" genres like hard rock and rap. Why do we need to categorize art into these strict categories?

That being said, I like Cyndi's version better. Roy Orbison's voice bothers me. And Celine's song was a good dance bit, but she lacks all passion and emotion.

NineDaves Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 01:12 PM EST

cyndi's. duh.

Heather Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 01:12 PM EST

Cyndi's is a dream. It's just that great.

AH Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 01:07 PM EST

I'm with Mandi on the Cyndi version of this song. I have always found it to be a powerful expression of female empowerment and I love Cyndi's wailing. I think it is hard for me to be objective because I love her version so much. Is that a clear enough answer?

EP Sato Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 01:00 PM EST

Any time I hear women getting down to "roll b*tch, get out the way" I'm wondering why any woman would dig such a mysoginistic song. For that matter, why would any woman dig on 2 Live Crew? Flipside to that, I'd argue that there are few guys who have a flavor for Tori Amos, Ani Difranco or KD Lang. But be aware there'll be exceptions to every rule.

Dave Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 12:54 PM EST

I agree that certain artists and songs may generally appeal to one gender more than the other. However, the discussion here seems to limit that to heterosexuals. If you're going to discuss something like this, you can't differentiate simply based on gender. For example, an artist like Madonna enjoys more overall appeal among women rather than men; however, some of her most fervent fans are gay men. To say that music like hers is "chick music" completely glosses over this point and, frankly, ignores a segment of the population that is a voracious consumer of pop culture. At the same time, there are probably lots of gay guys that couldn't care less about Madonna (although I don't know any) and would resent being categorized as such (which, um, I guess I kind of just did). In the end, I guess this just shows that you can't be stereotyped (if you're an artist) based on who you supposedly appeal to and (if you're a fan) based on who's music you enjoy. So basically I could have just summed up my point in two sentences instead of a whole paragraph.... :-)

Dinosaur Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 12:44 PM EST

Seems to me that Pink Floyd has a primarily male fanbase ... but the first song that popped into my head was "Radar Love" by Golden Earring. Totally a guy song.

Stephanie T. Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 12:29 PM EST

Tori Amos would mostly likely fit into the strictly womans artist category.

Stephanie T. Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 12:27 PM EST

Eric,

It is true. Rush has mostly a male fan base. It is one of those weird phenomenons. I am a girl and I always admired Lee, Lifeson, and Peart for thier amazing arragements. Sure a lot of their work is over 6 mins. long but it is like listening to a three man orchestra rather than a rock band.

I like Orbisons video but when I think of "I drove all Night", I think of Cindi.

keiren63 Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 12:25 PM EST

I like them both, don't think I could decide on one over the other. I once spent a day driving around to record stores trying to find a copy of Roy Orbison's. And the observation about Celine has been made before...the Quebecois singer/songwriter Luc Plamondon once said that he found her pretty uninteresting in English but that she was transcendent when singing in French.

Snarf Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 12:22 PM EST

Cyndi's. Music is about mood, headspace and other factors, but gender isn't one of them.
A good song is a good song.

Wu Kong Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 12:22 PM EST

Back to the original question -- I would say there are definitely songs that only appeal to one gender. A lot of bubblegum pop (Debbie Gibson, Tiffany, Britney Spears, etc.) is "chick" music.

Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 12:13 PM EST

Cyndi without a doubt. I LOVE her version.

JohnO Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 12:04 PM EST

Cyndi all the way. Celine's version is a big disappointment.

collins Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 11:46 AM EST

shame on you mandi. first you extol carly for nailing the song and then don't offer her up as an option for the best cut of this song? i only own one version of this fab song. and it is carly's! those last two high notes make me smile everytime, even at mile 5 of my half-marathon training. why couldn't they have done a full treatment of this song for her?

Rob Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 11:46 AM EST

Cyndi's version is the definitive to me. And I like Celine, but she has a way of sucking the life out of a cover. Heard her version of Heart's "Alone" on her new album yet? Stunningly clinical and soulless and it may even be a single! She needs new people on her team—that husband of hers doesn't have an ear to what sells now.

Mozz Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 11:39 AM EST

Cindy Laupers version of I drove all night is one of the Most Played songs on my Itunes. Tis' the better one. But, I must ask. Is Jennifer Connelly a vampire? the girl's been around forever and she still looks the same.

Todd Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 11:34 AM EST

Cyndi Lauper's is the better of the 2 BUT I prefer Celine's verion above all of them.

Todd Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 11:34 AM EST

Cyndi Lauper's is the better of the 2 BUT I prefer Celine's verion above all of them.

Todd Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 11:34 AM EST

Cyndi Lauper's is the better of the 2 BUT I prefer Celine's verion above all of them.

Martha Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 11:34 AM EST

I prefer the Orbison version, mostly because Cyndi's vocal tics tend to annoy me. Eric, you may be right about Rush - I like them but only after my husband spent years convincing me how good they are. In my experience, it's the singer/band and not the song that divides the sexes...I don't know one straight man who likes Celine Dion, for example, no matter what song she sings. Even "You Shook me all Night Long."

Lauren Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 11:30 AM EST

I don't know but I think you nailed why I don't like Celine Dion. She is completely without emotion. Sure she can hit the notes but who cares if doesn't mean anything?

Matt Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 11:23 AM EST

Roy Orbison's a genius, but the Cyndi Lauper version of "I Drove All Night" is the better one. Everything from her beautiful, aching wailing to the opening, powerful strings. Excellent.

Eric Friedmann Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 11:22 AM EST

I don't know about individual songs, but I've found from experience that the band RUSH has mostly a male fan base. Don't know why.

wes Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 11:16 AM EST

Cyndi's vocals, Roy's video.

Kaitlin Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 11:15 AM EST

I prefer the pinmonkey's version from the rest but I have never been a big Cyndi Lauper fan. After hearing Carly I went straight to my ipod to here theirs.

JoeC Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 11:11 AM EST

A great song is a great song; doesn't matter what gender you are. Don't care for 'I drove all night' though; no matter whose version it is. The 'two men' in question are Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, who wrote a lot of songs of that period(the Bangles Eternal Flame and I believe Madonna's Like a Virgin) for example. Just not a memorable song.

Perkle Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 11:06 AM EST

I like both but I think Cyndi's is better.

Ryan Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 11:02 AM EST

I like Cyndi Lauper's version best.

Chris Willman Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 11:01 AM EST

The Tubes' "Drivin' All Night"--a much better song.