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FORT LUPTON — Barry Manilow's "I Write the Songs" may begin with the line, "I've been alive forever,'" but for noise ordinance violators, listening to Manilow may feel like forever.

Fort Lupton Municipal Judge Paul Sacco says his novel punishment of forcing noise violators to listen to music they don't like for one hour has cut down on the number of repeat offenders in this northwestern Colorado prairie town.

About four times a year, those guilty of noise ordinance violations are required to sit in a room and listen to music from the likes of Manilow, Barney the Dinosaur, and The Platters' crooning "Only You"

"These people should have to listen to music they don't like," said Judge Paul Sacco for a segment about the program that aired Friday on Denver's KUSA-TV.

Sacco began the program years ago when he noticed that many of the repeat offenders simply showed up at his courtroom to pay their fine with cash.

"Most kids don't want to hear somebody like Glenn Close trying to sing opera," he said.

Video of a recent class showed teenagers with long faces shifting in their seats or looking up at the ceiling.

"You can't fall asleep," said teenager Rueben Fuentes right before letting out a bit of a sigh.

Members of a garage band were at the class after playing music late at night in their backyard.

"The cop station was two blocks away," said band member Robert Mort. "People who were at the party loved it. I'm not sure the cops did."

"Too much music, too loud, too late," added band member Harrison DeRuiter.

So what does Sacco think of Barry Manilow?

"I actually don't think Manilow's too bad," he said.

Sodbuster wrote:At the risk of appearing political at all, I'd say the sentence for more serious offenses could be forcing the perp to listen to "Barry" Obama through an entire speech.

Sodbuster wrote:A politico telling people what they want to hear, what a novel approach!

The Annoyed Man wrote:

Sodbuster wrote:A politico telling people what they want to hear, what a novel approach!

I think you've misunderstood here. He's not telling them what they want to hear. He is punishing them by forcing them to listen to what they don't want to hear - because they (the punished) forced everyone around them to listen to their stuff turned up way too loud. An eye for an eye and all that. I think it is a devilishly good punishment, and the cretins who are being forced to listen to Manilow are learning a valuable lesson about what not to do to others. Perhaps being made miserable by being forced to listen to someone else's music played to loud will make them realize what {insert bad name here} they are being when they do it to others around them.

lunchbox wrote:

The Annoyed Man wrote:

Sodbuster wrote:A politico telling people what they want to hear, what a novel approach!

I think you've misunderstood here. He's not telling them what they want to hear. He is punishing them by forcing them to listen to what they don't want to hear - because they (the punished) forced everyone around them to listen to their stuff turned up way too loud. An eye for an eye and all that. I think it is a devilishly good punishment, and the cretins who are being forced to listen to Manilow are learning a valuable lesson about what not to do to others. Perhaps being made miserable by being forced to listen to someone else's music played to loud will make them realize what {insert bad name here} they are being when they do it to others around them.

I believe sodbusters post was in reference to the post above it not the OP