Aw, the secret's been revealed. Had no idea, (assuming WordWolf is right) that Billy Joel used to box however, it fits the bill. I only have one query about this, how could anybody not associate Billy Joel with being from New York City? I was led astray.
He's been spending a lot of time among fishermen from Rhode Island and points past Montauk, on Long Island. He made a political statement by getting arrested for fishing outside regulations. He's insistent the rules have squeezed out families of fishermen for generations, who no longer can make a living by fishing unless they break the law.
Ok, there once was a song called "Bigger." I want you to tell me who sang it.
It was co-written by one of the greatest lyricists currently writing and performing today. He's not the one who sang it. The one who sang it is known to sing, but is not known as a singer.
The song itself is seven-and-a-half minutes long and features background performances (including but not limited to vocals) by circus-style acrobats, cheerleaders, transvestites, children, a guy in a Spider-Man costume and former boxing heavyweight champion Mike Tyson.
Its lyrics featured a crass (but not vulgar or profane) comment on the sexual history of a music producer who was in the audience at the time.
There were two rehearsals and one live performance in front of an audience of, depending on how you count, about 6,000 people, or 7.3 million. It received a one-minute standing ovation.
And was never performed again. Never released for purchase. Never got any airplay on the radio. Never charted on Billboard. Yet is still regarded as a landmark of its genre. It's success has not been repeated.
Who performed lead vocals on "Bigger"? For extra credit, when? And why didn't it get treated like a hit song?
There were two rehearsals and one live performance in front of an audience of, depending on how you count, about 6,000 people, or 7.3 million. It received a one-minute standing ovation.
And was never performed again.
That's the key. Figure out WHY, and you will have significantly cut down the possibilities on WHO.
I'm going to take a shot and guess "EMINEM", Marshall Mathers.
Here's my thinking....The key to the specifics was when it was performed. It was obviously rehearsed, them performed in front of a live audience at a tremendous show that was seen nationally or internationally, and not aired for a repeat. That suggests either a live performance at an awards show, or a live performance at an event.
I'm thinking this might have been performed at a SUPER-BOWL HALF-TIME show. The other year, when Eminem was one of the performers at the Super Bowl, there was all sorts of controversy, including whether or not he was kneeling at any point in his performance.
In all likelihood, I'm far off, but that's what I'm thinking at the moment.
To be clear: The WHEN has already been identified, though only in a general sense, not specific (and the WHEN is inseparable from the WHY). It just wasn't recognized when it was mentioned. Glossed right over it in favor of the wrong answer.
Once you identify why/when, you will narrow down the WHO to, at most, three or four people. No one else fits the category of "known to sing but not really known as a singer."
Sometime after Mike Tyson lost his heavyweight title, someone did a live performance of a song, where about 6,000 people were in live attendance, and that got a national airing on a onetime basis. This was done at an individual event, like an annual awards show or something, or the opening ceremonies of the World Cup or something. (Although the attendance numbers for the broadcast were low for an INTERNATIONAL event like the World Cup and suggest a US nationwide event.)
There were a few music execs that got in trouble a few years ago- Phil Spector keeps coming to mind, I forget who was the more visible figure. The "me too" movement would have made a song about this a big deal a few years ago.
Who sang it gets tricky. It was sung by someone who is NOT known "as a singer", but has been known to sing. So, someone whose primary claim to fame is for something OTHER than singing, but who has been KNOWN to sing. (So, Robert Downey Jr is out since nobody knows he can sing.) All the established singers are out (Shania Twain, Taylor Swift, Alanis Morrisette...) Having transvestites onstage also really suggests it was in the last few years, since they've been pushed as mainstream entertainers. We don't know the genre, but it was the last 5 years or thereabouts, which limits the possibilities.
This wasn't a multi-day event like Lollapalooza, this was a one-day event as far as the singing goes. If I had a better sense how big a venue has to be to seat 6,000, I'd narrow down the possibilities more. (Was it a stadium, was it a big theater....)
So, to take another guess on the person-who-sang-but-is-not-a-singer, I'm going to try ALAN THICKE. He's an actor but he has sung. (Maybe I should be thinking more about who the Germans like to see singing....)
You keep correctly identifying the generic when/why without realizing it. If you just settle on that one fact, your pool of potential singers drops to three or four.
I never said the music exec got in trouble. And the song wasn't about it. The lyrics just gave it a fleeting mention.
Five years is too small a window, but you are on the right track.
Alan Thicke and the singer have appeared on screen together, but the singer is not Alan Thicke.
The name of the venue is in the song's lyrics. It wouldn't help nearly as much as the when/why.
In the middle of the song, the singer performs a fairly impressive magic trick.
ok, what was the occasion? It wasn't the Super Bowl. What were the other guesses?
The singer is mostly known as a comic actor. He is not known as an X-man. X-man's performances were of different songs in different years [though it was the same occasion]. At one point they did a duet satirizing the fact they held the sane job in different years.
Recommended Posts
Top Posters In This Topic
363
195
267
280
Popular Days
Apr 5
17
Jul 11
11
Feb 15
10
Nov 28
10
Top Posters In This Topic
GeorgeStGeorge 363 posts
Raf 195 posts
WordWolf 267 posts
Human without the bean 280 posts
Popular Days
Apr 5 2023
17 posts
Jul 11 2023
11 posts
Feb 15 2024
10 posts
Nov 28 2023
10 posts
Popular Posts
GeorgeStGeorge
No. (Misread it.) George
WordWolf
Raf clears the table! (Been practicing billiards lately?) A) 1605 was the last time- before JP1- that there were 3 different Popes in the same calendar year. It has to coincide with the concl
Human without the bean
Don't forget about me Raf, I'm so petty too. From "Wildflowers" to "The Last DJ".
Posted Images
Human without the bean
Aw, the secret's been revealed. Had no idea, (assuming WordWolf is right) that Billy Joel used to box however, it fits the bill. I only have one query about this, how could anybody not associate Billy Joel with being from New York City? I was led astray.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
WordWolf
He's been spending a lot of time among fishermen from Rhode Island and points past Montauk, on Long Island. He made a political statement by getting arrested for fishing outside regulations. He's insistent the rules have squeezed out families of fishermen for generations, who no longer can make a living by fishing unless they break the law.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Raf
He's more associated with Long Island, just outside NYC, rather than the Bronx.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Raf
The song most identified with Billy Joel is, of course, Piano Man, released in Nov. 1973.
His last hit was Lullabye, off the River of Dreams album.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
GeorgeStGeorge
Most sports team names end in the letter "S," e.g., Marlins, Forty-Niners, Cubs, Lakers.
There are some college teams that are exceptions: Illini, Crimson Tide, Wolfpack, Midshipmen, etc.
The NBA also has some exceptions: Heat, Jazz, etc.
There are two MLB teams and one NFL team in the last seventy years to have names not ending in "S." Name them.
George
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Raf
do technicalities count? Because technically:
Chicago White Sox
Boston Red Sox
Washington Football Team
are the only ones that come to mind.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
GeorgeStGeorge
Those are the ones. "Sox" of course is a misspelling of "Socks," but -- it doesn't end in S.
"Washington Football Team" is an abomination. "Commanders" is not bad.
George
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Human without the bean
Glad someone got that. I was scratching my head
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Raf
Ok, there once was a song called "Bigger." I want you to tell me who sang it.
It was co-written by one of the greatest lyricists currently writing and performing today. He's not the one who sang it. The one who sang it is known to sing, but is not known as a singer.
The song itself is seven-and-a-half minutes long and features background performances (including but not limited to vocals) by circus-style acrobats, cheerleaders, transvestites, children, a guy in a Spider-Man costume and former boxing heavyweight champion Mike Tyson.
Its lyrics featured a crass (but not vulgar or profane) comment on the sexual history of a music producer who was in the audience at the time.
There were two rehearsals and one live performance in front of an audience of, depending on how you count, about 6,000 people, or 7.3 million. It received a one-minute standing ovation.
And was never performed again. Never released for purchase. Never got any airplay on the radio. Never charted on Billboard. Yet is still regarded as a landmark of its genre. It's success has not been repeated.
Who performed lead vocals on "Bigger"? For extra credit, when? And why didn't it get treated like a hit song?
But you win the round just by naming the artist.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
GeorgeStGeorge
NO idea. That Mike Tyson was involved narrows the time frame A BIT, but I'm otherwise at a loss.
George
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Raf
That's the key. Figure out WHY, and you will have significantly cut down the possibilities on WHO.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
WordWolf
I'm going to take a shot and guess "EMINEM", Marshall Mathers.
Here's my thinking....The key to the specifics was when it was performed. It was obviously rehearsed, them performed in front of a live audience at a tremendous show that was seen nationally or internationally, and not aired for a repeat. That suggests either a live performance at an awards show, or a live performance at an event.
I'm thinking this might have been performed at a SUPER-BOWL HALF-TIME show. The other year, when Eminem was one of the performers at the Super Bowl, there was all sorts of controversy, including whether or not he was kneeling at any point in his performance.
In all likelihood, I'm far off, but that's what I'm thinking at the moment.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Raf
Sound thinking until you blew it.
Songs performed at the Super Bowl have, more often than not, been performed many times before and since.
"Bigger" has not.
Independently, Eminem is incorrect.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Raf
To be clear: The WHEN has already been identified, though only in a general sense, not specific (and the WHEN is inseparable from the WHY). It just wasn't recognized when it was mentioned. Glossed right over it in favor of the wrong answer.
Once you identify why/when, you will narrow down the WHO to, at most, three or four people. No one else fits the category of "known to sing but not really known as a singer."
Edited by RafLink to comment
Share on other sites
GeorgeStGeorge
I'm confused. If Eminem is correct, then WW has won the round.
George
Link to comment
Share on other sites
modcat5
That's why I said Eminem is incorrect. You ok, bro?
Link to comment
Share on other sites
WordWolf
So, what do we have so far?
Sometime after Mike Tyson lost his heavyweight title, someone did a live performance of a song, where about 6,000 people were in live attendance, and that got a national airing on a onetime basis. This was done at an individual event, like an annual awards show or something, or the opening ceremonies of the World Cup or something. (Although the attendance numbers for the broadcast were low for an INTERNATIONAL event like the World Cup and suggest a US nationwide event.)
There were a few music execs that got in trouble a few years ago- Phil Spector keeps coming to mind, I forget who was the more visible figure. The "me too" movement would have made a song about this a big deal a few years ago.
Who sang it gets tricky. It was sung by someone who is NOT known "as a singer", but has been known to sing. So, someone whose primary claim to fame is for something OTHER than singing, but who has been KNOWN to sing. (So, Robert Downey Jr is out since nobody knows he can sing.) All the established singers are out (Shania Twain, Taylor Swift, Alanis Morrisette...) Having transvestites onstage also really suggests it was in the last few years, since they've been pushed as mainstream entertainers. We don't know the genre, but it was the last 5 years or thereabouts, which limits the possibilities.
This wasn't a multi-day event like Lollapalooza, this was a one-day event as far as the singing goes. If I had a better sense how big a venue has to be to seat 6,000, I'd narrow down the possibilities more. (Was it a stadium, was it a big theater....)
So, to take another guess on the person-who-sang-but-is-not-a-singer, I'm going to try ALAN THICKE. He's an actor but he has sung. (Maybe I should be thinking more about who the Germans like to see singing....)
Link to comment
Share on other sites
GeorgeStGeorge
No. (Misread it.)
George
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Raf
Why Alan Thicke? Just curious.
You keep correctly identifying the generic when/why without realizing it. If you just settle on that one fact, your pool of potential singers drops to three or four.
I never said the music exec got in trouble. And the song wasn't about it. The lyrics just gave it a fleeting mention.
Five years is too small a window, but you are on the right track.
Alan Thicke and the singer have appeared on screen together, but the singer is not Alan Thicke.
The name of the venue is in the song's lyrics. It wouldn't help nearly as much as the when/why.
In the middle of the song, the singer performs a fairly impressive magic trick.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Raf
Mike Tyson is actually throwing you off. Don't dwell on him.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
GeorgeStGeorge
Clues notwithstanding, I'm still clueless.
George
Link to comment
Share on other sites
modcat5
ok, what was the occasion? It wasn't the Super Bowl. What were the other guesses?
The singer is mostly known as a comic actor. He is not known as an X-man. X-man's performances were of different songs in different years [though it was the same occasion]. At one point they did a duet satirizing the fact they held the sane job in different years.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
GeorgeStGeorge
Ricky Gervais at the Golden Globes? He was not invited to return after pointing out to Hollywood that we really don't care about their politics.
(Hugh Jackman might have been the X-man you refer to. He's a good singer but not known as a COMIC actor.)
Spitballin'.
George
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Raf
ok, now you're in the neighborhood. An awards show host. You've already eliminated one of four awards show hosts known to sing, Jackman.
Who are the other 3?
Edited by RafLink to comment
Share on other sites
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.