When Did The Music I Listen To Become Safe?
When did the music I listen to become safe? I was picking up my prescription at Walgreen's last week and they were playing The Kink's "You Really Got Me" over the intercom. Not the employees mind you, the corporation had this piped in. The other songs that they were playing were fairly safe, Beatles, Beach Boys and some more recent stuff that you could play around my Grandma, and she wouldn't flinch or notice.
But, "You Really Got Me?" Damn, I was getting into it too...then a pharmacist assistant said, "Lee, your prescription is ready" and she stepped on Dave Davies' solo at the worst possible moment. I didn't complain, they're good to me at that pharmacy. A vein in my forehead did throb, though.
Is Muzak still in business? Or are the streets of Seattle overrun with musicians on every corner, with a sign in front of them saying "will play elevator music for food?"
Then yesterday, I'm buying Procrastinator Junior pants at Mervyn's and they break out dance hits from my clubbing days. All I had to do was put on a print shirt, break out some Z Cavalli acid wash genii pants and some Giorgio Brutini shoes from Oak Tree to be back in 1988.
By the way, "brutini" means "uglies" in Italian. Yes, I wore the "uglies." They were comfortable and um, "stylish" for the times. I wasn't making Stacy Adams money in those days.
Then to completely be in the moment, I would be to ask one of the saleswomen to dance with me. I could Cabbage Patch, Freddie Krueger, tilt, Bankhead Bounce, and after the song is over? She'd say "let's be friends" and I'd say, "I don't even know your name" as she'd cover up her name tag.
Ah, yes, good times without the ten dollar cover and the watered-down drinks.
P.S. Cool it on the comments and e-mails, I'm quite aware that I'm married. It's only a time warp-related fantasy, folks.
But, "You Really Got Me?" Damn, I was getting into it too...then a pharmacist assistant said, "Lee, your prescription is ready" and she stepped on Dave Davies' solo at the worst possible moment. I didn't complain, they're good to me at that pharmacy. A vein in my forehead did throb, though.
Is Muzak still in business? Or are the streets of Seattle overrun with musicians on every corner, with a sign in front of them saying "will play elevator music for food?"
Then yesterday, I'm buying Procrastinator Junior pants at Mervyn's and they break out dance hits from my clubbing days. All I had to do was put on a print shirt, break out some Z Cavalli acid wash genii pants and some Giorgio Brutini shoes from Oak Tree to be back in 1988.
By the way, "brutini" means "uglies" in Italian. Yes, I wore the "uglies." They were comfortable and um, "stylish" for the times. I wasn't making Stacy Adams money in those days.
Then to completely be in the moment, I would be to ask one of the saleswomen to dance with me. I could Cabbage Patch, Freddie Krueger, tilt, Bankhead Bounce, and after the song is over? She'd say "let's be friends" and I'd say, "I don't even know your name" as she'd cover up her name tag.
Ah, yes, good times without the ten dollar cover and the watered-down drinks.
P.S. Cool it on the comments and e-mails, I'm quite aware that I'm married. It's only a time warp-related fantasy, folks.
posted by Writeprocrastinator at 3:28 PM
5 Comments:
At one point, the Rolling Stones were being made to sing "Let's Spend Some Time Together" instead of "Let's Spend the Night Together" on the Ed Sullivan Show. The next thing you know, Nine Inch Nails has a song saying, "I want to f*ck you like an animal," and they just do a little edit over the f-bomb. (Of course, it wasn't on the Ed Sullivan Show. Ed was dead.)
What a difference 25-30 years can make!
So, I'm inferring from what you wrote that you are not one of those who believe Jimmy Page played the solos on the early Kinks stuff. I don't either. But, it is quite a persistent and pervasive rumor. Page was an oft-employed session guitarist at that time.
mwaaaaaaaaahaaaaahahahaha... you know- i've suddenly started noticing something very similar. a radio station that damien and i both enjoy plays something they label "the big cheese" every weekday morning- people phone in and select what they think is the cheesiest hit ever...
Haahnster,
"What a difference 25-30 years can make!"
Absolutely! Not to mention, Trent isn't the most dangerous or scariest thing on the musical radar anymore.
I forgot about the Jimmy Page rumor, but with no reference to yourself, the person who said it to me had a propensity for tall music rumors. Musically, it makes sense because nobody could play with both such speed and abandon in that era.
When I've heard from that same time period...Beck, Clapton, Brian Jones, and the lead guitarist for the Animals, they were more laid back. '67 and '68 was when they then, blew it up.
Angel,
So what do you think is the "cheesiest" hit ever?
Don't you hate it when you're in the grocery store ... a great song is playing ... and they interrupt with an intercom announcement that jelly is on sale on aisle seven? Don't they understand the reverence that must be paid to a Prince guitar solo?
Beth,
I'm always amazed that a song that was on Tipper Gore's Top Ten (S)hit list, "Little Red Corvette," plays right there where all the little kids can hear it.
It doesn't offend my sensibilities because they have to figure the innuendo, to to "oooooooh!" It just gives me pause.
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