Linda of Straight Up and Slightly Dirty got me turned on to a new meme from Hedgewizard's blog: songs that always make you cry. (OK, it's more nuanced and subtle and shit. What am I, an echo? Go read it for yourself.)
So anyway, I'm going to play. For me, that song is "Parallel Lines" by Todd Rundgren. Here's an amazing live performance of the song on YouTube. (Actually, it's so amazing that it doesn't make me cry at all.) (And holy shit, did you know this entire album was recorded live? Thank you, Wikipedia.)
I guess this is where I explain why this song affects me. (Note how I said "affects" and not "impacts." Because I know that "impact" is a noun. I also know the difference between "effect" and "affect," so once in a while, I have this irresistible urge to flaunt my knowledge.)
OK, the question is, Can a hard-ass pedant like me be emotionally affected by a song? And the answer is, yes, even though you might think I spend all my time nit-picking about proper usage.
Amazingly enough, I also find it fairly easy to get over those late '80s hairdos. Particularly the bass player (I think) with that very strange-looking faux-hawk/quiff. And the backup singers dressed in those stretchy minidresses that look like they're being recycled from a Robert Palmer video.
See, here's the thing. Long before this song came out, I had a massive crush on a guy. I thought he was just perfect for me. Except that he was already taken. Years later, I heard this song, and it hit me--this is exactly what was going on back then--this man and I were on different tracks. We were always going to be in different life stages. And really--isn't that always the way? Your college boyfriend isn't ready to commit, so you end up with someone else; then he decides he wants you, but it's too late.
And musically, it's a great song. There's this suspension that really gets me where I live. I mean, people, this is TODD RUNDGREN we're talking about. Who's only--you realize this, don't you?--a fucking genius.
Now, maybe you'd like to know about the
On top of that, the guy I had such a crush on in the early 80s? Turned out to be a douchebag.
Who has been known to read this blog.
Heh heh heh.
Here's the button if you want to play.
You are my hero for the week. Just knowing the difference between "affect" and "effect" is all it took, lol. I once got into an argument with some twit about it on an old usenet group. It was a lost cause. She was just so sure she was right and kept telling me I was stupid. And then at some point we were *All* stupid because everyone else confirmed that I was correct. My other major grammar peeve is "your" and "you're". But let's not go there.
ReplyDeleteBless you, Poppy, for caring about "impact." It's one knife strike of the death of a thousand cuts every time I hear it misused, which is happening more and more. Someone who is trying to sound educated uses the wrong but fancier sounding version of a perfectly good word, and the next thing you know, it's everywhere. I know this is how language has always changed, but I still miss "disinterested", "fortuitous," "bemused": all specific and useful words I no longer use because I don't know what the listener/reader will understand them to mean.
ReplyDeleteWhile I'm at it, may I say how much I hate it when someone says, "...to John and I." Like fingernails on a blackboard. Come to think of it, the only time I cry because of a song is when I hear something like
"I'm gonna love you
Till the stars fall from the sky
For you and I."
Language snobs, unite!
Let me add the misuse of "quality" to my rant. As in, "Poppy Buxom is a quality blogger." "Quality" is not an adjective, dad gummit! Plus it sounds bad, at least to my ear.
ReplyDeleteI hope this was a post of quality....