Freud's psychoanalytic model of the 20th century popular arts--

From "Psychopathic Characters on the Stage," Freud profiles the spectator, theater goer, and their relationship to theatrical performance, stage dramas and comedies. But I'd suggest also trying as a little thought experiment substituting readers and writers, pop fans and pop stars, or music fans and music makers, or movie fans and film makers. Blowing off steam "in every direction," concludes Freud, "in the various grand scenes that form part of the life represented on the stage" is as concise an encapsulation of the popular arts in the 20th century as I've come across and Freud wrote these words in 1905. Just add books, movies, TV, radio music and sports and, notice, how in the final twist here the spectator is transformed or disappears into the artist:

The spectator is a person who experiences too little, who feels that he is a 'poor wretch to whom nothing of importance can happen', who has long been obliged to damp down, or rather displace, his ambition to stand in his own person at the hub of world affairs; he longs to feel and to act and to arrange things according to his desires-- in short, to be a hero. And the playwright and actor enable him to do this by allowing him to identify himself with a hero. They spare him something, too. For the spectator knows quite well that actual heroic conduct such as this would be impossible for him without pains and sufferings and acute fears, which would almost cancel out the enjoyment. He knows, moreover, that he only has one life and that he might perhaps perish even in a single such struggle against adversity. Accordingly, his enjoyment is based on an illusion; that is to say, his suffering is mitigated by the certainty that, firstly, it is someone other than himself who is acting and suffering on stage, and, secondly, that after all it is only a game, which can threaten no damage to his personal security. In these circumstances he can allow himself to enjoy being a 'great man', to give way without a qualm to such suppressed impulses as a craving for freedom in religious, political, social and sexual matters, and to 'blow off steam' in every direction in the various grand scenes that form part of the life represented on the stage. 

Three pop songs homaging the psychedelic bliss sounds of '90s EDM, two legacy superstars and one former child-star from Sweden showing their love--

"Ray of Light," Madonna (1998)

 

"Beautiful Day," U2 (2000)

"Dream On," Robyn (2006)

Why isn't there a reality tv show where people dance around the kitchen to their favorite pop music while making a meal together? Aren't people doing that everywhere? If they're not wouldn't that be what they'd like to be doing while making something to eat? Or cleaning up afterwards. You know, household chores. Try playing these three bangers in a row; get jiggy w/ it. Sunshine pop in dark disco packages. Feel something, or not. They work every time for me. 

"The Power of Good-Bye," Madonna (1998)

 "Learn to say goodbye/I yearn to say goodbye." In other words, doing it and still knowing it's going to be impossible. A deep track from Madonna's late imperial phase. Her 37th Top 20 hit. Still dropping bombs, like it ain't no thing. Louise Ciccone, Catholic girl from Michigan, makes it big in NYC, a disco dancefloor diva, Queen of Pop, doing her best lipstick feminist blues. Of course, it's Madonna's punky sass, or her tough dancefloor cheerleader energy, but she could as well bring to the sad ones a tangy counterpoint of human frailty and burning desire that is not easy to forget. 

Biography without Psychoanalysis

A Freud comment, accepting a prize in honor of Goethe, and responding to the general academic hostility towards psychoanalysis, not least of all from historical biograhers, with some psychoanalysis-- 

"All the same, we may admit that there is still another motive force at work. The biographer's justification also contains a confession. It is true the biographer does not want to depose his hero, but he does want to bring him nearer to us. That means, however, reducing the distance that separates him from us: it still tends in effect towards degradation. And it is unavoidable if we learn more about a great man's life we shall also hear of occasions on which he has done no better than we, has in fact come near to us as a human being. Nevertheless, I think we may declare the efforts of biography to be legitimate. Our attitude to fathers and teachers is, after all, an ambivalent one since our reverence for them regularly conceals a component of hostile rebellion." 

--Sigmund Freud, 1930

"You Keep Me Hangin' On," The Supremes (1966)

The Billboard Disco chart began in late 1974, Gloria Gaynor's "Never Can Say Goodbye," based on a template already established by a Philly Sound, with a big assist from the Temptations/Eddie Kendricks, in 1972. But what was the first disco song or what pre-disco song hinted most at the classic disco sound to come? Manu Dibango's "Soul Makossa" has some claim, essentially because it got big at David Mancuso's Loft in 1972, generally recognized as the NYC private party danceclub where disco started; or an important early model, anyway. Archie Bell & The Drells were an early disco staple, from "Tighten Up" in '68 to "Let's Groove" in '75. The Isley's "It's Our Thing" in '69 deserves some attention. Uptempo, insistent, even stomping, funky rock & soul was showing the way. But this Supremes nugget-- 1966!-- should not be overlooked. Pathbreaking proto-disco, if you ask me. 

"My World Fell Down," Sagittarius (1967)

 Underside of Summer of Love; the dark side of Sunshine Pop? Best Beach Boys copy maybe ever? Gary Usher, Curt Boettcher, Glen Campbell, and probably an army of Wrecking Crew regulars. Bad trip, to be sure, but as vocal group psychedelia goes this belongs on a short list of great examples of this precious sub-genre. Reached 70 on charts. And the 4th song, on the 4th side, of Lenny Kaye's Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965-1968. The studio perfectionism, uncharacteristic of the garage punk aesthetic prevailing on the Nuggets collection, puts some off but I like the slick multi-tracked whip cream glee club sheen. And the delicious agony of the sad blue boy lead; "My World Fell Down." Worthy of the Brill Building.  

"Long Season," Fishmans (1996)

 

Apparently, much of the internet psych world has been aware of this 35 minute masterpiece for a long time but still very deserving and glad to spread the love. Japanese band that put out five records in three years in the late '90s before the sudden death of the singer. An explosion of alt-indie Trip Hop creativity. And on this one the universal language of pastoral psychedelia, blenderizing Philip Glass, jangly guitars, funky drums, sweet group harmonies and the kind of swelling cathartic collective jamming characteristic of long from psychedelia. No translation needed. Brilliant.