JPF Home Page Forums General Messages General Message Forum Shania Twain

Hey everyone,

I'm a big fan of Shania's but I do sometimes 'cringe' when I sing along to some of her lyrics lol. Specially, on 'UP!' where she wishes that she could grow a beard to cover all her spots!!! :-)

Any Shania fans here?

Love the woman though. Full of talent.

Oh, I'm new so HELLO EVERYONE!!!

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Erin Simms

http://www.viennadomain.com/

I agree with you she is the most talented major label artist out there.Also welcome to jpf.Check out the artist above...she's incredible too.I was in Ireland in 73 when it was a war zone.Got detained in Heathrow airport coming back from Dublin...i looked liked the IRA.My head was shaved and i had bought a violin there.Guess they thought it was a machine gun.Nice tune on your site.

Love Shania Twain! Wonderful mindless pop with cool grooves and fantastic production! Alway's gets my toe tappin' Rob My Songs
P.S., welcome to JPF!

Not only a talented Artist , but one of the most beautiful faces I have ever seen!

Yep .. I am a fan!

Hi! I have some of her albums too!
What's your favorite shania twain album?

Enjoy some... semi-fan. Pretty and talented. After a while all her stuff sounds the same... not a slam, just my opin!

Slick

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There are two kinds of music... good music and bad music. - Duke Ellington

http://www.acidplanet.com/artist.asp?songs=25457&T=6380

http://groups.msn.com/SwampYankeeBlues

I like Shania cause.... she's Canadian... she's beautiful inside & out... she turned Nashville on its ear, just a little

P.S. - well, howdy there, Dimps!!!

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Vikki Flawith, Canadian Singer/Songwriter & Voice Teacher

This bird sings at:
http://www.soundclick.com/vikkiflawith

Blog: http://theshysinger-songwriter.blogspot.com/
Web: http://www.theshysinger.com

You know what really blows me away is her producer (and husband) Mutt Lange made it huge producing AC/DC and Def Lepperd, and now he made it in country...he is a REALLY BIG reason she is successful.

Hey everyone, Hey HUMMINGBIRD!! lol

I have Shania's Greatest Hits in my car. I play it every single day. I think the actual melody helps on her songs. On some of her songs her lyrics are pretty cheesy. Then you have classics like 'The Woman in Me', 'From this Moment on', 'Still the one'...

I just love listening to her thought regardless of the cheese. lol. I write some cheese too. :-)

Hey everyone, Hey HUMMINGBIRD!! lol

I have Shania's Greatest Hits in my car. I play it every single day. I think the actual melody helps on her songs. On some of her songs her lyrics are pretty cheesy. Then you have classics like 'The Woman in Me', 'From this Moment on', 'Still the one'...

I just love listening to her thought regardless of the cheese. lol. I write some cheese too. :-)

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Erin Simms

Hi,

I also like Shania . I just wish her and Mutt would take more songs from outside writers. I guess they figure they will own all the revenues. Great for business but bad for the music.

If anyone of us wrote a song called "Always and Forever" we would have to wear a bullet proof vest Cause they will start a shootin!
I like her early record best "Still The One" hmm thats sounds a little familiar.

All kidding aside they are very talented.

Sub

[QUOTE]Originally posted by substudio:


I just wish her and Mutt would take more songs from outside writers. I guess they figure they will own all the revenues. Great for business but bad for the music.

Betcha they think just the opposite. Shania's career started with outside material. It flopped. She didn't hit it big until she dumped the Music Row thing and did her own.

If anyone of us wrote a song called "Always and Forever" we would have to wear a bullet proof vest Cause they will start a shootin!

Why do you say that? That's a pretty good song. Who cares what the title is?

Just to mix things up: I don't care for Shania's music and wouldn't own any of her records. 'Cringe' is an appropo term. Just my opinion - I respect your right to have your own...

Shania MUST have done something right... Didn't she sell more records than the 3 other TOP selling female country artists COMBINED! Must have really turned heads in Nash Vegas! hehe

Shred

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http://www.secondtakeband.com/

Yeah, I guess most artists would do better if they dumped their own material and covered some Jeffrey Steele songs.

If Shania Twain was not doing her own songs, she wouldn't be Shania Twain. She'd be friggin' Martina McMcEntire.

I love Shania's smokey smoldering voice. Her best song to me is; HOME AINT WHERE HIS HEART IS ANYMORE.

I don't hate her but I don't like her song"were havin a party".I wonder when faith hill is going to come back? She's been gone for quite a while.

If anyone of us wrote a song called "Always and Forever" we would have to wear a bullet proof vest Cause they will start a shootin!

Why do you say that? That's a pretty good song. Who cares what the title is?

The reason I say that is simple. As songwriters
we all have to borrow and use things that have been done before. We know we can use any title
we want cause we can't copyright our titles. However I think we try to avoid very popular ones
like "Always and Forever" a past hit which has been sung at every wedding I have ever attended and probably every wedding I haven't attended, in this region anyway. To me it's like calling your song "Just The Way You Are" Songs that live on in events like weddings are never forgotton so it's kind of harder to use there tiles. Generations of people know these types of songs. "Color My World" We are Family" "After The Lovin" etc.. I'm sure there are lots of country song eqivalents.
"Walk The Line" "Stand By Your Man" etc..

And anyone who hasn't heard "Still The One" by
Orleans would have to be from another planet.
That's a great record, I think it would be a hit in any decade.

As far as caring about titles- I'm more in the rock world etc.. and today titles don't matter much there neither does alot of other things lol!
I assumed that in country songs Titles and Lyrics are a bit more important. And I think publishers and labels would be a bit more picky if a new comer was trying to Break Through as they like to call it . With a song like Shania's "Always and Forever" I feel that only an established artist could get away with a song like this one.Kinda weak lyrically, melodicaly, and musically in general. Nothing to special for a hit single.
Sounds nice and nice beach footage

Outside of country music, songwriters are vanishing in a lot of other genres in the industry. I would hate to see that happen to country music not that it ever will,but if every artist can get over with there own songs then what?

I'm not very up on country writers and such so
forgive me if get some names or info wrong.

I still think Shania is lovely and very talented.

Thanks for your replies
Sub


[This message has been edited by substudio (edited 05-11-2005).]

I think Shania's good looks are certainly a plus helping her sell CDs,after all,music is mainly about image and sex appeal today, especially with female singers.A plain looking singer(with the voice of an angel) will not sell as well as beauty with an average voice.Music seems to get filtered through the eyes before reaching the ears.LOL

When i first was Shania on TV, I thought 'she's got it all' - the talent, the looks, what more could a music fan ask for?

Mind you, I'm not a fan but I can appreciate her appeal.


http://www.susanmahoney.com

Smoldering? Please! She sings through her nose half the time just like the lead man with rascal flats (whom I also dislike). Her latest video was on last night on CMT and you couldn't uderstand anything she was saying. Half the songs wouldn't be worth listening to if it weren't for the "music" backing the lyrics. Who's gonna give the musicians some credit? She's got the looks and we all like Eye Candy, but serious talent, PLEASE!

What Shania has apart from what all of you mentioned previously is a unique tone. She may not have the greatest voice or range or even singing style but when a Shania song comes on the radio, even if you have never heard it before, you can recognise that it is Shania singing. This quality is one that most of the best selling artists possess.

As far as titles go, remember there were 4 songs with the title Heartbreaker that were hits. The one you remember depends on the era you come from or listen to and the genres of music you like.

For unknown writers, a great and unique title is important, for established artists, they don't have the same obstacles we do and most of the buying public is not concerned about whether there were 10 songs with this title before this one. As long as the song sounds good and is eminently singable, they are hooked.

Shania is an international million selling artist which means she must be doing something right whatever people may think.

Peace,
Rachel

Yeah, boy! If Shania and Rascal Flatts could only sing, they might be able to sell some records and concert tickets.

Yeah. Like I said, they've got the looks. They are in style. They're Hip. Whoop dee freakin doo. As the old addage goes, "SEX sells"

To me, Shania Twain is just sort of there, you know, not much to like or dislike. She's the Celine Dion of country music -- more of a marketing success than a musical one.
Puts on short shorts or a skin tight leather suits to try to give the illusion of being sexy without ever really singing that way.

I saw a TV show once that actually had Allison Krauss and Union Station acting as the backup band for Shania Twain, doing mostly Shania Twain songs -- much better arrangements than usual.
Every time Allison Krauss opened her mouth, it made Shania sound like karaoke night at Hooters.
Then Shania, dressed in a count-my-freckles tight leather jumpsuit was talking about how she like the outfit because she didn't have to shave her legs to wear it. She turned to Allison, who was wearing a light summery dress cut just below her knees and said, "Hey Allison, you're wearing a long dress. Did you shave?"

Allison looked genuinely embarassed and mumbled something like "Of course I did."

The whole show was like that. Here's Allison Krauss, this beautiful, elegant, sexy woman singing like she really meant it. And Shania Twain, who might as well have been running around the stage shouting "Look at my ass! Look at my ass!"

Can't argue with any of that Joyboy. The difference between Alison and Shania is that Alison has class.
What really corked me on Shania tho', was part of an interview Of hers that I happened to see. She said, Quote-I'm not trying to be sexy or anything" Come on Shania, that's what you "are" is sex.
Oh yeah, Hi Dimps from Wales. Got 3 family members going over to Wales next month. That's the fourth time some of the family has been over. The name in the old country was Griffiths. Still relatives around Haverford West and I think Swansea
Wy

Wy

(Quote)To me, Shania Twain is just sort of there, you know, not much to like or dislike. She's the Celine Dion of country music -- more of a marketing success than a musical one.
Puts on short shorts or a skin tight leather suits to try to give the illusion of being sexy without ever really singing that way.
I saw a TV show once that actually had Allison Krauss and Union Station acting as the backup band for Shania Twain, doing mostly Shania Twain songs -- much better arrangements than usual.
Every time Allison Krauss opened her mouth, it made Shania sound like karaoke night at Hooters.
Then Shania, dressed in a count-my-freckles tight leather jumpsuit was talking about how she like the outfit because she didn't have to shave her legs to wear it. She turned to Allison, who was wearing a light summery dress cut just below her knees and said, "Hey Allison, you're wearing a long dress. Did you shave?"

Allison looked genuinely embarassed and mumbled something like "Of course I did."

The whole show was like that. Here's Allison Krauss, this beautiful, elegant, sexy woman singing like she really meant it. And Shania Twain, who might as well have been running around the stage shouting "Look at my ass! Look at my ass!"




[This message has been edited by Wyman Lloyd (edited 05-11-2005).]

Shania started out with sex and it didn't sell. Sex alone will not do it. Watch the video to "What Made You Say That." It was pure Music Row. It had her and her bare midriff frolicking in the surf, strutting around...unabashed sex. And it didn't sell. She was just as beautiful then, just as sexy...and getting nowhere. You guys can gripe all you want about her sexuality--Jesus, like she's the only woman in show business that leverages her sex appeal--but Shania Twain did not hit it big until she started doing her OWN SONGS.

"Any Man of Mine" was a watershed country record. It sounded unlike ANY record before it. The lyrics of the song applealed to 90's women in the same way that Loretta Lynn's spunky attitude appealed to their mother's in the 60's. People recognized that and responded. Anyone who did not recognize that, wasn't listening. Her SONGS resounded with the public. You may not like them and that's perfectly okay. But, it's just plain silly to imply that a success story like hers is not based on great talent.

I named A SONG that she does truly do what I said. Listen to that song. Otherwise get outta my face... I did not say I love what she is up to lately. the formula is getting thin on the latest batch of songs. I vote for her first and second albums. Country aint really keepin Country lately anyway is it? Another big offender is Tim Mcgraws wife. If you are gonna do Pop..just go do it. Get off Country Radio.



[This message has been edited by Michael H (edited 05-11-2005).]

And another thing...if anyone thinks Alison Krauss lacks sex appeal, I suggest you get your hormones checked.

I'll have to check out Alison Krauss I haven't seen or heard her. Does she right her own songs?
I was just wondering if many of the newer or
more popular country artists are writing the majority of there CD.
Also does Kenny Chelsney (not sure of the spelling) write his songs. I watched his video last night and started hugging and sobbing all over my old sofa chair. I felt guilty cause I was gonna throw it out. Then instead decided to take it to the beach to watch the sunset with instead

[This message has been edited by substudio (edited 05-12-2005).]

Shania Twayne(or train ortwain or whatever)
A competent singer who made it big by thrusting her pelvis into the screen while sing a bunch of vacuous silly songs


Yes...a really attractive woman....

A sure fire formula for success in a country that calls the Simpsons funny and Survivor good television.

Rock on, children.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by bob young:
Shania Twayne(or train ortwain or whatever)
A competent singer

I agree

who made it big by thrusting her pelvis into the screen

Sure. That's part of it.

while sing a bunch of vacuous silly songs

Not fair. Her songs have travelled some uncharted waters. They are pointedly feminine. They express--and celebrate--an attitute. They appeal to women. They may be simplistic, but they are not empty. Dismiss them if you want to, but you could make an effort to understand why they work. It is a little insulting to people who like her music to imply that they are attracted merely by a belly-button instead of the music.

Country music videos have a tiny audience. CMT hardly even shows them anymore. Shania has sold TENS of millions of records. It is certainly probable that millions have bought her CDs that have NEVER seen her "thrust her pelvis into the screen."

If you really listen, and still think her material is silly and vacuous, then you are entitled to that opinion. Some opinions are silly and vacuous, too.

My 10 year old daughter sure likes her.
As for me, I tolerate it when she's playing the cd's - not to sound too corny but I always liked the song and especially the video to "From This Moment" which initially drew me to her music - otherwise, nothing there I would turn on for my own listening pleasure.
Definite eye candy though, along w/ Faith Hill.

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JavaMusiK
<IMG SRC=\"http://javamusik.com/javamusik.jpg\">

Okay, I wasn't going to weigh in on this, but it seems to keep popping up to the top of the board.

One of the reasons I was putting off posting here is that what I'm about to say doesn't really seem to make any sense at all. But here it goes anyway!

I don't really care much for her or her music, and yet I seem to own 3 of her CDs. I wish more people felt that way about my music.

But I wonder how many others are like me???

And I can't really explain this phenomenon either. I can't recall buying the 3 CDs. I do remember buying the first one, but after that, it's all a blur. I seem to own an awful lot of CDs that I don't listen to.

Supporting a fellow Canadian Artist perhaps, you hoser? Heh heh heh... I bet ya got some k.d. lang cd's too!

She's doing ok, but she doesn't have a Patsy Cline voice, or can't treat a lyric like Connie Smith or Tammy Wynette. She still sings 'chew' instead of 'you'. On 'When I Breath' she kept hitting an irrating high note at te end of each line.

[This message has been edited by Dennis Harbour (edited 05-22-2005).]

b][/QUOTE]Supporting a fellow Canadian Artist perhaps, you hoser? Heh heh heh... I bet ya got some k.d. lang cd's too!

[/B][/QUOTE]

I think you're probably right about the Hoser thing.
I also have Bob and Doug Mackenzie's album from the 80's. "Take off to the Great White North, take off! It's a beauty way." to go!

Sorry, Truman...

I really do agree with most of what you say, almost all the time..

But, no....I think the songs are just as I described..

It's all very carefully formulated and distilled by her verytalented mentor, Mr Lange.
They were on a mission...they succeeded.
I do not tbelieve the music is, or was ever inteded to be significant to women or to anyone else.
If some women are liberated or entitled by this crappy ear candy, then they need to study the nature of their "dliberation"

Sorry, Truman...it's crap all the way thru.
At least to me...and I don't thinbk my opinion is "sailly" or "vacuous" on this one.

Respectfully

Bob Young

Interesting topic, this phenomenon known as Shania Twain. It's a mixed bag for me. I don't own any of her CD's but my wife bought her greatest hits album so I guess by default, I own half of it. Of course, if for some crazy reason my wife ever leaves me, she can take it with her...

Shania is a competent singer and she (and/or her hubby/ghost writer) has written some very successful songs. I don't know if that's good or bad. Maybe it's neither. Some of the songs have great melodic hooks and are downright pleasant to listen to. Some of them are just downright stupid. Hey, nobody bats a thousand...

I really doubt, based on the strength of her songs, that she would have anywhere near the success that she's had if she was just a "plain Jane." She might have had success with some of her stronger songs but let's face it, her videos have helped her career a WHOLE lot. Right or wrong, this is how I see it. The biggest exception would be that "Having A Party" video which is about as dorky as dorky can be. Then again, maybe it actually helped her because sometimes, "average" folks like to know that the "pretty people" can by dorky too...

How many of you have ever heard her do an interview? I've seen several and let me tell you... She may be a smart woman but she sure doesn't come off as being very smart. There are plenty smart people who do not articulate very well but she just says some of the strangest and most ridiculous things I've heard from someone of her stature. Every time I've heard an interview with her, I come back to the same conclusion... Shania needs to shut up and sing. When she talks too much, she's a big turn off IMO.

Shania has accomplished a lot as an artist but if she has done anything to empower women in country music, that is a sad statement of where women were in country music before she came along. I just don't buy that part of the Shania PR machine. She's no Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn or Dolly Parton (and several others) by any stretch. Like most phenomenons, she was at the right place at the right time. Kudos to her for that...

[This message has been edited by Buzz Grudge (edited 05-23-2005).]

Bob,

I love a gentlemanly disagreement.

Ironically, I am not a particular fan of Ms. Twain's. I don't own any of her records and probably never will. Yet, I still respect them for what they are, and, in disagreement with you, I think there is something there. I do NOT find them to be typical Nashville cookie-cutter stuff. Ear candy? Definitely! Nuttin' wrong with that. I remember, in my sallow youth, thinking that the Dave Clark Five were pretty cool.

I have observed the way my teenage daughter reacts to Shania's music, and I have seen enough to convince me that the woman has a message that resonates with HER audience. That is not an easy thing.

I'm pretty sure that you and I aren't her audience.

Everything is relative. Compared to Aretha, Shania is pretty lame. But compared to what Nashville is churning out these days, she's solid.

Hey Truman,
How about you put an e-mail address in your profile so someone can send you an e-mail to tell you what they really think about you. Your posts say you are a "serious contributor". All I can tell is you are a serious SMART #%%. Why don't you butt out if you cant offer constructive comments. Oh, by the way, HAVE A NICE DAY!!

It is most interesting how people can see things so differently. She seems HIGHLY intelligent to me. It's one her most appealing traits. Obviously, I have not seen the interviews you spoke about but when I've heard her speak, I've been impressed. Seems to be a very caring, mature, creative, hard-working woman.

As for Truman saying Allison Kraus is sexy, well, what is sexy? I like her but as for SEXY, I'll bet you could ask 100 men to pick sexy from ten female country artists and she would not be in the top half. Not to devalue her worth as a human being but SEXY? Nah.

Like I said, she may actually be very intelligent but she is definately NOT articulate. She hems and haws and basically spends an inordinate amount of time answering a simple question and her answer either says very little or says the same thing 2-3 times. That does not mean she isn't an intelligent woman. In fact, many highly intelligent people are inarticulate because they have so many things going through their brains that they have trouble keeping the "noise" out. Then again, the same thing could be said for "scattery" people...


[This message has been edited by Buzz Grudge (edited 05-23-2005).]

Okay, Buzz, I just haven't seen her do that. Maybe she was given questions before answering when I saw her.

I also have a bit of bias, I guess, in that I saw her life story in a documentary and she just came across as such an impressive human being. I am a fan. The world needs more of her.

When she first hit it big, her song, "The Woman In Me, oh my, she'd get me wet. Well, you know. My, what a sexy song to me. Of course, she's drop dead gorgeous but that voice of hers and that song, wow.

Except on that song, there is one place that I swear, to me, it sounds FLAT. I swear she goes flat and it drives me bananas. Seems meybe we even had a thread about that song and someone said nope, she's not flat. But sure sounds like it to my ears.

I'd like to see what she could put out if she tried to write more "mature" songs. Instead of silly pop songs. "The Woman In Me" is in that vein.

ric4,

As I said, I always enjoy a gentlemanly disagreement. You seem to be incapable of that.

Here's a good idea....don't read my posts. I promise not to read yours.

That should keep us both happy for a long time.

Hey Duke, it's all good. Everybody has their likes and dislikes and fortunately, there's enough good music to go around for most everybody's tastes.

I don't dislike Shania and some of her songs are enjoyable. She's obviously beautiful and sexy. And I understand why she's as popular as she is but at the same time, I don't understand if that makes any sense.

If you ever get a chance to see the CMT Insider where she is interviewed (and you probably will since it's already been on about 5-6 times since I first saw it back in the fall), you'll see what I mean about the way she answers questions. Not that it really matters all that much. It's just something that bugs me. Other people probably don't even give it a thought. Maybe I'm giving it too much thought...

Ric, did I miss something here? I read this whole thread and Truman was just being sarcastic in a couple of places, nothing that isn't normal fare for an internet discussion. Is that all it took to get you all bent out of shape? If you want to talk about constructive comments how about this one...?



Perhaps you should look at your own "constructive comments" before you start harping on those of others...

Van

Hi Guys,

Well this was a very interesting thread. I do not personally own any of her cd's either, but I will say her music is just as stand up if not more so then Christine Aguilera, Brittany or Mariah Carey, who are half her age and also 'amazingly' use SEX to sell ( and allot more tacky ), their records '10 fold' in the same charts and not doing as well!...Country and Pop

To me Shania regardless of critiques suggestions of, unintelligence, poor diction in songs, too much rump shaking, clothing and nasal problems has worked 'extremely' hard in her chosen industry and never given up and 'made it'. Her Writer/Producer Husband, likewise and in my opinion is an incredible talent. Her live concerts are just that 'LIVE', energetic and 'Sold Out'.

Not all music will appeal to all of us, all the time, but whatever you want to say about her, her record sales speak for themselves. May we all have such success some day.

I live in little ol' Australia and I know who she is!!! and even as a women when her video's come on my TV I stop and watch. Some people have an amazing ability to draw you in and have a presence, but I also would not turn her songs off while on my car radio, just because I didn't see her. ( unfortunately I can't say that for allot of other current music out there )

It all has it's place and there is enough out there for everyone......including you and me! Her fans love her and at the end of the day she will continue to stay where she is, due to her fans!

Good for her!


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Those that try....Succeed!

My, my, this thread goes on and on. Gone a few days and it's still going.
Well, ric, Truman's been around quite a while. He has strong opinions with which I mostly agree But I've had differences of opinion/discussions with him time to time, and I never found him to be out of line.
Everybody to their own opinion. Some "newcomers" have some pretty strong "opinions early on, to which they're of course entitled. "Serious contributor" is just a matter of how many posts you've made. You'll soon be one also if you stay around that long.
As to the subject at hand--I can't stand Shania myself, but that's JMO. I've never heard a knowledgeble industry source call her voice anything but "competent" or "mediocre" or some such. She (and Mutt) are quite successful and that's the name of the game.
Wy