Obscure References

One of the many things I hate about aging is that youngsters don't understand my references.

Brother Paul, all set to see the USA

Of course, they can always google it, but I suspect most will just shrug off my odd phrases and chalk it up to my being an old quirky wingnut.

Which is not entirely off-base. 

But I digress.

Here's an example. The other day, I was writing about Chevrolets for work. I decided to try and incorporate the phrase, "See the USA in a Chevrolet," but I didn't want to take credit for this snappy slogan, which was penned in the 1950s and was used for decades. I left it in with an aside, but I have a feeling it won't make it through the editing process. Sometimes, I just can't resist.

I know that getting odd references isn't just an aging thing. Musicians, for example, have been misunderstood again and again (as illustrated in my blog last week – yes, this is a shameless attempt to get you to go back and read it if you haven't already).

Mr. Ginley was reading a book about rock songs, and he stumbled across AC/DC's Dirty Deeds, Done Dirt Cheap. There has been a fair amount of speculations as to the impetus for this tune, but the truth is much better than anyone could have imagined. However, it's only really funny if you're familiar with Beany and Cecil. The three main characters were a boy named Beany, a "seasick sea serpent" named Cecil, and Dishonest John (DJ), the antagonist, fashioned after classic black hatted villains. The show ran for a few years in the early 1960s and, much like Rocky and Bullwinkle, was rife with puns. 

DJ had a business card. It read, "Dirty Deeds, Done Dirt Cheap. Holidays, Sundays, and Special Rates." Which is where AC/DC got the idea for the song. Feel free to share this bit to impress family and friends.

And I can still recall the hoo-hah caused by Don McLean's American Pie. I was one of those who listened to the song over and over to discern what it meant. The tune is really long – I had the 45 single, and it was on two sides. My mom, who quickly grew sick of the whole matter, saw Don McLean on a talk show saying the song didn't mean anything, and she told me I should give it a rest. Critics and fans analyzed the lyrics ad nauseam until they'd broken it down. Eventually, Don McLean relented, and fifty years later, the song was the subject of a documentary, The Day the Music Died. McLean explained the song is biographical and chronicles the music social scene of the 1960s, starting with the 1959 plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson. 

Another amusing rock music reference which is less obscure is the origin of Donald Fagen and Walter Becker's band name. Steely Dan is a steam-powered dildo featured in William S. Burroughs' book, Naked Lunch. In all likelihood, it was before the battery-operated kind and was likely a plug-in. (Sorry, I could not resist.)

Of course, there are many other such examples of sly asides, inside jokes, and hidden meanings, rock musicians being the cheeky sort they are. You probably know of several yourself. Please share.

In the meantime, I'll keep on working Eight Days a Week – by the way, did you know Ringo got the title from his chauffeur? 

I just can't help myself.