Goodreads songs

 


Don't get me wrong, I love Goodreads.
Well, at least I love the fact that thanks to this website I get to know people from all around the world who share the same passion for reading!

My Goodreads-friends give me daily inspiration and I want to say a big 'Thank you!' to them all ๐Ÿ˜‰

 

 

But if you're on Goodreads too, you'll probably know that sometimes there can be a glitch.

And that this website doesn't take its users seriously.

For example by totally ignoring the feedback they gave about the new layout of the book pages.

 

In the past Claudia and I already wrote several lyrics.

Time to bundle them in one place and to add a new one for the latest blunder.

 

 

Here's where it all began in October 2020 …

Claudia put the song Another Brick In The Wall (Pink Floyd) in my head.

So inevitably I had to write some Goodreads lyrics on this tune:

 


We don't need no problem solving

We don't need no full control

No dark sarcasm in the chatroom

Goodreads leave readers alone

Hey, Goodreads, leave readers alone

All in all it's just another glitch in the wall

All in all you're just another glitch in the wall



Inspired by this little text Claudia chose In the End (Linkin Park) and she wrote following matching Goodreads lyrics:

 


I've looked down the timeline and what's there is not what ought to be

Held back by the curses they brought out of me

Calling me to be part of their property

And now I see that we get no chance

We get no break, fakes and snakes quickly lead to mistakes

And as the tightrope within slowly starts to thin

I can only hope that they open their eyes

With the twilight through the timeline

And the highlights on a frame of site

See the stupidness of their bugs

As I write this on a pad, with the way I feel

Hear the screaming, in my scrolling

As it's seeming that Goodreads played its part

 

Like they're mindless, take apart this

In the darkness, while I know that

 

They tried not so hard, and got so low

 

But, in the end, it doesn't even matter

Goodreads had to fall, we lose it all

But, in the end, it doesn't even matter

 

 

That last phrase reminded me of Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen).

Which in my version became the 'Goodreads Parody' ๐Ÿ˜‹

 


Readers, we just killed the site

Put a glitch into it's head

Look what happened, it has spread

Readers, the damage now is done

All the feeds and comments are just thrown away

Readers, ooh

We know that this will make you cry

If we're not up again this time tomorrow

Carry on, carry on

As if Goodreads wasn't ever there

 

Too late, our time has come

Not sending messages anymore

We're all over the floor

Goodbye everybody, we've got to go

Gotta leave you all behind and confess the truth

Readers, ooh

No matter how hard we try

This website won't be working again at all

 

 

A few months later Goodreads bugged again.

Thus, in February 2021 I chose Fool on a Hill (The Beatles) and wrote following lyrics:



Bug after bug

Appears on our screen

They take everything over

Thinking they can stay unseen

 

But everything hits the fan now

You can't find what you're looking for

Lots of books keep going missing

 

Cause the bugs on the screen

Like the books as their meal

And they filled their belly

They're Goodreads' Achilles' heel

 

 

Now over to the latest blunder ...

Goodreads has tested a beta-version of a new layout for the book pages.

They're implementing it gradually since a few hours, even though many users gave negative feedback the past few months.

This layout entirely focusses on people who use smartphones, …

But for desktop users it's a real nightmare. As Claudia said, the new design should get a 'horror label'.

 

We're readers.

Hence we love to READ.

Not to scroll and click endlessly.

Goodreads, give us back the former book pages!

 

So, you all understand I just hรกd to write new lyrics.

The music that immediately came to mind was Baby Come Back (The Equals).
My version is titled Book Page, Come Back
๐Ÿ˜‰

 


Come back

Book page, come back

Book page, come back

Book page, come back

 

This ain't the first time, but now today

You've really run away

We ask Goodreads for the umpteenth time

Listen to us and let our book page stay (all right)

 

Hey (Goodreads)

Hey (it ain't right)

Hey, yeah

 

Come back

Book page, come back

Book page, come back

Book page, come back

 

There ain't no use in giving our view

Cause we mean nothing to you

But now we're standing up for our rights

Goodreads, you know it's true (yeah, right?)

 

Ooh (Goodreads)

Ooh (it ain't right)

Ooh, yeah

 

Come back

Book page, come back

Book page, come back

Book page, come back

 

Come back, book page, don't you leave us

Book page dearest, please don't go

Oh, Goodreads, why don't you listen to us?

Book page, we loved you so (all right)

 

Ooh (Goodreads)

Ooh (put it back)

Ooh, yeah

 

Come back

We said book page, come back

We said book page, come back

Oh won't you book page come back

Oh won't you please come back

We really loved you

Oh book page come back

 

 

Edit:

Claudia was inspired too and wrote lyrics on the music of Something to Remind You (Staind) ๐Ÿ˜„

 


So this is it

We say goodbye

To the lovely page of GR ever-changing site

Mistakes over mistakes

The list is long

I'm sure GR'll answer for them when we're gone

 

So when the day comes and

Our patience'll leave us with no grace

Tell the ones who cared enough

That we finally left this place

 

That's been so long

Look at my page

All the stories it will tell I won't erase (but GR may)

The bugs list's just too long

Just one more groan

A little something to remind GR when we're gone

When we're gone

 

The road to hell

Along the way

Is paved with great changes so GR say

But we believe

That no mistake

Goes unpunished in the end or so wish

 

9 comments:

  1. Well, Tau, I browse on Goodreads very infrequently, just to get an idea of the reviews of a specific book or author, so I do not have an educated opinion on the quality of the site since I hardly visit it. But one thing's for sure: a lot of creative effort went into this alternative playlist of complaints. Who knows you might get heard with this approach?

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    Replies
    1. Truth is that I use Goodreads a whole lot more than Hebban, where I mainly stay to react to your columns and occasionally to another item on the site.
      Especially since I began read to read a lot of English books, Hebban became rather tedious because I have to add almost every English book manually to their database. As you can see, my 'to be read'-list on Hebban contains only half of the books that are listed on Goodreads (for the same reason obviously).

      These lyrics are a very effective and, as you said, creative way to ventilate my frustrations about Goodreads.
      And the interaction with Claudia makes it even more fun ๐Ÿ˜„
      But I have no illusions whatsoever about the effect of our creative feedback on Goodreads. Users have been giving a lot of feedback the past few months and they didn't listen then. So why would they now?

      If it weren't for the friends I made there, I would have left the place already.
      As we speak, I'm exporting my book lists. So if I decide to open an account elsewhere, I don't have to import these thousands of titles manually.
      But just like I stayed a bit at Hebban (mainly for you and some others members), I'll stay at Goodreads too. Just to keep in touch with the friends I made there ๐Ÿ˜‰

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    2. Ah, but you see, Tau, that is just the thing: sites like Goodreads and Hebban are first and foremost platforms to meet and interact with people you have a common interest with. People who become friends over time. Friends in a disconnected, on screen and distant sort of way, but friends nonetheless. That's where the magic lurks: in the unintended consequences. Take me for instance: I never thought I would befriend a woman who likes to poke fun at me all the time, who constantly floors me with snarky and witty reactions and always seems to have the upper hand in our online exchanges (I used to think that would be the exclusive prerogative of my wife). Yet here we are.

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    3. Well said, Bohse ๐Ÿ˜„
      Although I don't always have snarky and witty reactions and our exchanges are in fact well-balanced (which is one of the reasons why I like to talk to you) ๐Ÿ˜‰

      Delete
  2. You know Tau, I'm always amazed that you still have time to _read_ books. You are always busy with so many other things, apart from working, such as looking for unusual and special videos. And now this: writing new lyrics for songs to express your displeasure with goodreads.

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    Replies
    1. Sometimes I'm amazed myself, Glawen ๐Ÿ˜„
      That's a very good observation and truth is that I often tend to start too many things at the same time.
      But writing lyrics like these is often done very quickly, you know. For example: while I'm eating breakfast or taking a 15 minute break from work.
      It's a fun way to distract my ever busy brain ๐Ÿ˜‰

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    2. Yes Tau, you don't have a "Nothing Box" while mine is exceptionally large. You probably know that YT video, don't you? ๐Ÿ˜†

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    3. It might surprise you, Glawen, but I didn't know that one ๐Ÿ˜„
      For those who want to discover it too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU79-_jfxic
      And you're right, I don't have a 'nothing box'. Will put it on my wishlist ๐Ÿ˜‹

      Delete
    4. Well Tau, that surprises me indeed. I expected you to know that video. I think it's an apt description of the male brain. I don't know much about women's brains, say none, but I suspect that description is also apt.

      Delete