Spider-Man's knowledge of music

[Mister Mets]

In a recent issue of Hawkeye, Spider-Man thinks Axl Rose is a member of Metallica.

This is similar to a gag in the MCU where Peter doesn't know the difference between Led Zeppelin and AC/DC.

It makes a lot of sense to me that both versions of Peter Parker would be wrong about a lot of pop culture. They don't exactly have free time on their hands.

[Revolutionary_Jack]

It makes a lot of sense to me that both versions of Peter Parker would be wrong about a lot of pop culture. They don't exactly have free time on their hands.

Well in the '70s Peter did have a collection of contemporary records. Like when MJ visited his pad in ASM#130, she riffled through his vinyl collection and that included Aretha Sings the Blues.

With Comic Book Time, I guess you could say that Peter's music tastes are older since he was friendless and lived with his Aunt and Uncle who raised him on classic 60s and 70s rock, blues, rhythm, and soul.

[Tuck]

Peter and music has been an inconsistency, like whether he drinks alcohol.

There are distinct things like him being shown owning contemporary music, and then there's the story during Civil War where Peter is telling a cop about his relationship with Mary Jane and they exchange music, but Peter gives her a lecture because he doesn't listen to music.

I think Marvel Time has broken everyone's psyche.

[Revolutionary_Jack]

Peter and music has been an inconsistency, like whether he drinks alcohol.

There are distinct things like him being shown owning contemporary music, and then there's the story during Civil War where Peter is telling a cop about his relationship with Mary Jane and they exchange music, but Peter gives her a lecture because he doesn't listen to music.

I think Marvel Time has broken everyone's psyche.

That's from Fraction's "To Have and to Hold". Peter gave MJ a mix-taped of science lectures in a flashback to when they were dating. I liked that scene and it does seem inspired by this Conway issue (Fraction did admit having an affection for the Conway run).

But yeah, Comic Book Time makes it harder to have characters be "with it" and be up to speed in their references. Especially characters like Peter who are supposed to be young and represent the latest trends. In the Lee-Ditko run, on account of the fact that both Lee and Ditko were, in reality, a pair of old dudes who were also squares (Lee a-square-in-denial, Ditko a-square-in-defiance), the teen culture they portray is really dated and old even by the standards of the '60s. Then MJ arrives, and she represents a '60s spirit (or what Lee understood to be a '60s spirit). And then Conway, 19 years old at that time, actually did know youth culture. So he could show some cool records for Peter and MJ to actually be collecting, and grooving to.

[jebsib]

Peter and MJ's official song is "King Fu Fighting", a gag in the Wein (?) / Andru era - then confirmed more than 20 years later by DeFalco & Skroce!

[Revolutionary_Jack]

Peter and MJ's official song is "King Fu Fighting", a gag in the Wein (?) / Andru era - then confirmed more than 20 years later by DeFalco & Skroce!

Their song for "getting in the mood" is Frank Sinatra's "I've Got You Under My Skin".
http://www.jmdematteis.com/2018/02/marital-bliss.html

According to JMD, "The song that's playing in the background is Cole Porter's "I've Got You Under My Skin"—performed, most famously, by Francis Albert Sinatra. (I suspect it's Mary Jane, not Peter, who's the Sinatra fan. I'll ask next time I see them!)"

And in Spencer's HUNTED, MJ loves to groove to Maggie Rogers' "Burning" which is a very new song.

So I guess MJ is the one who knows all the latest songs and gives new tunes for Peter to listen to. Which makes Zdarsky's decision to make her a DJ in Spider-Man Life Story really spot on.

[Mister Mets]

Well in the '70s Peter did have a collection of contemporary records. Like when MJ visited his pad in ASM#130, she riffled through his vinyl collection and that included Aretha Sings the Blues.

With Comic Book Time, I guess you could say that Peter's music tastes are older since he was friendless and lived with his Aunt and Uncle who raised him on classic 60s and 70s rock, blues, rhythm, and soul.

When Amazing Spider-Man #130 came out, the Aretha Franklin CD featured music that was at least nine years old.

[Revolutionary_Jack]

When Amazing Spider-Man #130 came out, the Aretha Franklin CD

It's a Vinyl LP record, not a CD. As someone who has actually had the chance to play records for real, let me tell you they are different. The music quality is simply incomparable.

... featured music that was at least nine years old.

It was a latest record of compilation songs, and Franklin was still a popular singer of the early '70s. So it would still be contemporary.

Besides, rock artists of that era, and a number of musicians still did covers of the "American Songbook", so it wasn't uncommon back then in the least bit.

[WebLurker]

I think Marvel Time has broken everyone's psyche.

Eh, I just stop worrying about everything matching up or caring about continuity that much so long as I like the setting and premise of the stories (heck, I like the AU Spidey comic series far more then the "canon" 616 one). It's very freeing.

But yeah, Comic Book Time makes it harder to have characters be "with it" and be up to speed in their references.

Honestly, I just assume that they were "really" referring to contemporary media that would be an analogue to the original thing in question.

[jetengine]

Reminds me of the JLA books where they'd argue about Jazz and the Beatles.

[Revolutionary_Jack]

Reminds me of the JLA books where they'd argue about Jazz and the Beatles.

Batman is totally a Jazz guy.

I wonder who among the JLA listens to hip hop, with all those f-bombs and other 4-letter words.

Marvel has the advantage in that you can totally imagine its heroes swearing or listening to hip hop and rap.

[Alan2099]

More often than not, usually Peter seems to be a little bit behind the times when it comes to music. I can't name any issues, but I can remember a time or two when he's mentioned music to MJ and she's basically went "You still listen to that?"

[Pav]

I remember an issue in which Peter sings "The Way" by Fastball as he swings around.

I remember another issue in which Jonah is trying to get into a morgue and asks the guard if he knows who he is, to which to guard responds, "Are you Hootie or one of the Blowfish?"

-Pav, who knows the road they walk on is paved in gold...

[Dr. Skeleton]

I don't think Peter follows music all that much and not sure what he's really into. I did leaned he went to a rock concert with Debra Whitman in a Spider-Man annual issue in the early 80's seeing a band that did exist called Shrapnel that was fronted by Dave Wyndorff of Monster Magnet.

[jetengine]

Batman is totally a Jazz guy.

I wonder who among the JLA listens to hip hop, with all those f-bombs and other 4-letter words.

Marvel has the advantage in that you can totally imagine its heroes swearing or listening to hip hop and rap.

Martian Manhunter and Diana easily