# Guilty Pleasure



## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

I'm in a darkened room. A woman is with me. Together, we watch, as if through a window, some men, some women perform certain acts, produce certain sounds that give us frissons of pleasure. We know it's wrong, we know that others will recoil in spasms of disgust and repudiation if or when they learn what we have done. But, against that fear of rejection and censure, there was the pleasure. Was the pleasure intense enough such that we will do it, view it, hear it again (and again)? Probably not. But the pleasure was certainly real while we were engaged in it.

What were we involved in? We were watching our local PBS station's fundraiser, an airing of Rocktopia: Live from Budapest. This was/is a full-orchestra and chorus, with vocal soloists, guitar, bass, drums, solo violin, backup singers partially melding classical (Beethoven, Mozart, Rachmaninoff, etc.) bits and pieces with sumptuous versions of classic pop and rock songs (U2, Styx, Céline Dion, Journey, The Who, etc.). I have a carefully-maintained reputation for execrable taste, so despite what I posted above, I luxuriated in the blend while experiencing it. I'd even watch it again--it was well done; those responsible were fully committed to providing the resources to bring it off, and the various individual numbers were excellent theatrics. The closing number mingled the Ode to Joy with Don't Stop Believing, proving again that Beethoven could rock .

https://www.rocktopia.com/


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## regenmusic (Oct 23, 2014)

I was going to start a Brigitte Ahrens thread but I thought I wouldn't embarrass anyone in case it didn't pick up any traction.





Brigitte Ahrens - Donaumelodie (Danube Melody)

She's not a guilty pleasure for me but I realize a lot of people don't respect older female pop unless it's "politically correct" in some way. For instance, I think much of Ye Ye and female 1960s1970s female Schlagel is good, but it gets marginalized for some reason.


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## regenmusic (Oct 23, 2014)

I also do not feel any guilt for having watched this video over 15 times. I learn something new every time.





Britt Kersten - Küsse im Winterwald (1967)


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Regenmusic, thank you for sharing .

While I'm here, let me throw in a non-guilty pleasure from your same era: Brasil 66 and the Burt Bacharach classic _The Look of Love_. The way they close-miked the female lead singer so she's practically singing in my ear is mighty engaging....


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## regenmusic (Oct 23, 2014)

Strange Magic said:


> Regenmusic, thank you for sharing .
> 
> While I'm here, let me throw in a non-guilty pleasure from your same era: Brasil 66 and the Burt Bacharach classic _The Look of Love_. The way they close-miked the female lead singer so she's practically singing in my ear is mighty engaging....


Yes, a very popular version in the USA. Heard it many times and like it too.


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