Night Music: Mayer Hawthorne, “The Stars Are Ours”

I’m not sure what to do with this. I was just out parking the car and I heard this song on the radio. Well, first there was a cover of the Rolling Stones’ I’m Free by a band called the Soup Dragons, which was weird but cool. And then this song came on.

I felt immediately that I’d heard it a thousand times, and yet I was pretty sure I hadn’t. I’ve now played it three times and I’m struck by how it seems to jam the ur-Stevie Wonder song into the ur-Steely Dan song, with pretty smart lyrics about being young and feeling special. I’m dumbstruck and awestruck at the same time. I should hate it the way I hate Bruno Mars appropriating the Police, but I don’t. Not yet, anyway.

4 thoughts on “Night Music: Mayer Hawthorne, “The Stars Are Ours”

  1. Okay, I hate it. Not the sound, but watching this dude operate. His eyes bug me. His hair bugs me. I hate to get ad hominem, but on looks I hate this guy. Since I know nothing else, I admit I could be wrong. But I doubt it. He’s clearly a narcissist, thinks he’s clever when he’s cleverly stealing. I doubt he’s nice to the people around him. Again, based on those eyes, the way he moves his hands.

    Oh, and the fact that this music really is an amazing simulation of Steely Wonder, which come to think of it would be amazing, if it didn’t emanate from this guy.

    Plus, and I’m not linking here, he did a totally narcissistic and crap cover of Lorde’s “Royals,” which took all the gas out of an amazing song and replaced it with lite jazz ooze. Yuck.

  2. Alright, I just listened (watched) again, and was reminded that while the tune sounds like Steely Wonder, the attitude is all Billy Joel. That’s the bete noir here. Nigel Hawthorne? That’s some kind of Downton Abbey name. This guy reeks of Billy the Kid and Oyster Bay. God help him.

  3. Was interesting for about one minute, especially when the background singers said, “Hey.” Then it started sucking so I turned it off.

  4. Pingback: Night Music: Southern Culture on the Skids, “Camel Walk” | Rock 'n' Roll Remnants

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