Double Flee A

Last night I was flippin' through the old radio channels, and I heard a song called "some beach", which relies on the comedic premise that "some beach" is redneck (workin' man language) for son of a bitch. Here are the lyrics, which I include because they are a perfect demonstration of contemporary country boy cultural bias. Boldface and italics mine.

Driving down the interstate
Running thirty minutes late
Singing Margaritaville and minding my own
Some foreign car drivin' dude with the road rage attitude
Pulled up beside me talking on his cell phone
He started yelling at me like I did something wrong
He flipped me the bird an' then he was gone

Some beach
Somewhere
There's a big umbrella casting shade over a empty chair
Palm trees are a-growing and a warm breezes a blowing
I picture myself sitting there
On Some beach, somewhere

I circled the parking lot trying to find a spot
Just big enough I could park my old truck
A man with a big cigar was getting into his car
I stopped and I waited for him to back up
From out of no where a Mercedes Benz
Came cruising up and whipped right in

Some beach
Somewhere
There's no where to go when you got all day to get there
There's cold margaritas and hot Senoritas smiling with long dark hair
On some beach
Somewhere

I sit in that waiting room
It seemed like all afternoon
The nurse finally said doc's ready for you
you're not going to feel a thing we'll give you some novocaine
That tooth will be fine in a minute or two
But he stuck that needle down deep in my gum
And he started drilling before I was numb

Some beach
Somewhere
There's a beautiful sunset burning up theatsmosphere
There's music and dancing and lovers romancing
In the soft evening air
On some beach
Somewhere
On some beach, somewhere

Yeah, so italics are "US GOOD", and the boldface is "THEM BAD". This song is about the common man's perceptions of liberals and conservatives. Republicans have to think they get crapped on by city slickers and the educated, otherwise they can't be the lion-hearted underdog struggling against the evil liberal oppressors. Hilarious and transparent, at least to anyone who actually applies a tenth of their noggin on a semi-regular basis. So not transparent then; a better word is intertranspicuous, because the intended audience of this song, the people who like it because it reminds them of themselves, won't be able to divine its broader meaning, only its intended meaning. The literal message of foreign cars will come across loud and clear (yee haw, U.S.A.), but the fact that the singer exhibits a strong preference for tolerance and patience as a way of dealing with life's setbacks will not. Aren't those -gasp- liberal values?

Today's first non-surprise, other than that Bush wants us to shit our pants every time Osama bin Laden releases another album (who's the big pussy on that one, red America?) is that I had to correct the spelling of novocaine and cruising. The public education system that fails people so miserably does nothing to inhibit their love of country music.

posted by dale @ 8:17 AM