Obscure References in Lyrics

JerryEng · Post by **JerryEng** » January 18, 2007 1:24 pm

One of the things I like the most about Jimmy’s music is how he often works in obscure references into his lyrics. Something that was prevalent at the time may now be a distant memory…

Stepped on a pop-top … (remember the old pull tabs on cans??)
Don’t tell that I ought to get rolfed (body restructuring/alignment??)
Door Number Three (Let’s Make a Deal TV show – Monty Hall)

What are some of your favorite obscure lines?

TropicalTroubador · Post by **TropicalTroubador** » January 18, 2007 1:39 pm

Thing is, when these songs were written, they weren't obscure - they were part of contemporary culture. As are many songs being written now.

I'll bet that in 30 years, people will be calling things "obscure" references in Chesney's songs that we just accept as part of our worlds now.

chippewa · Post by **chippewa** » January 18, 2007 1:47 pm

Good topic! (from a newbie, yet

) Some of my obscure (or just plain old) references...

Roaring Forties (PATEOTW) "A popular nautical term for the stormy ocean regions between 40° and 50° latitude. It nearly always refers to the Southern Hemisphere, where there is an almost completely uninterrupted belt of ocean with strong prevailing westerly winds."

Painted the sky shooting fireworks

Could you beam me somewhere, Mister Scott? A Star Trek reference from Boat Drinks. I think "beam me up, Scotty" is such a part of pop culture, even those who have never seen the tv show would know what you were talking about. I guess that wouldn't make it obscure, would it?

Gardner McKay (We Are the People) early 60s TV show Adventures in Paradise

Hanging out at a marina when Steve Martin called
Singin' anybody there really want to get small. (Manana) Back in Steve's early standup days, his "Let's get small" routine (and album).

I'm sure I'll have more tonight when I get more time...

photogal · Post by **photogal** » January 18, 2007 1:47 pm

I like the part where he talks about Steve Martin and anybody want to get small. I loved the comedy bit that Steve Martin used to do. And one day I had to explain it to one of my kids when they heard the song. Turned into a you had to be there thing. They just didnt get it...lol.

parrotpartygod · Post by **parrotpartygod** » January 18, 2007 1:48 pm

TropicalTroubador wrote:Thing is, when these songs were written, they weren't obscure - they were part of contemporary culture. As are many songs being written now.

I'll bet that in 30 years, people will be calling things "obscure" references in Chesney's songs that we just accept as part of our worlds now.

Kenny Cheeseney - What I Need To Do

STOP Listening Immediately.

photogal · Post by **photogal** » January 18, 2007 1:48 pm

heehee chippewa we must have been typing at the same time.....

chippewa · Post by **chippewa** » January 18, 2007 1:51 pm

photogal wrote:heehee chippewa we must have been typing at the same time.....

GPHMTA!

parrotpartygod · Post by **parrotpartygod** » January 18, 2007 1:54 pm

chippewa wrote:Good topic! (from a newbie, yet ) Some of my obscure (or just plain old) references...

Roaring Forties (PATEOTW) "A popular nautical term for the stormy ocean regions between 40° and 50° latitude. It nearly always refers to the Southern Hemisphere, where there is an almost completely uninterrupted belt of ocean with strong prevailing westerly winds."

Painted the sky shooting fireworks

Could you beam me somewhere, Mister Scott? A Star Trek reference from Boat Drinks. I think "beam me up, Scotty" is such a part of pop culture, even those who have never seen the tv show would know what you were talking about. I guess that wouldn't make it obscure, would it?

Gardner McKay (We Are the People) early 60s TV show Adventures in Paradise

Hanging out at a marina when Steve Martin called
Singin' anybody there really want to get small. (Manana) Back in Steve's early standup days, his "Let's get small" routine (and album).

I'm sure I'll have more tonight when I get more time...

Eddie Balchowsky and some other wino from Chicago, whose name escapes me at the moment.

LIPH · Post by **LIPH** » January 18, 2007 1:58 pm

Just about any line in Pencil Thin Mustache - Boston Blackie, Ricky Ricardo, Andy Devine, Sky's niece Penny, etc.

20 years from now Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On will be obscure because nobody will remember Hurricane Katrina.

Volcano -
I don't want to land on no Three Mile Island
I don't want to see my skin a-glow

~Hippolyte~ · Post by **~Hippolyte~** » January 18, 2007 2:46 pm

LIPH wrote:Just about any line in Pencil Thin Mustache - Boston Blackie, Ricky Ricardo, Andy Devine, Sky's niece Penny, etc.

20 years from now Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On will be obscure because nobody will remember Hurricane Katrina.

Volcano -
I don't want to land on no Three Mile Island
I don't want to see my skin a-glow

I know what you're saying, even though you may not have said it the best way.

I just really like how he managed a rhyme for Ushuaia in Party At The End Of The World.
and yes, Pencil Thin Mustache is full of things that many of us had to look up to really know what was going on.

phjrsaunt · Post by **phjrsaunt** » January 18, 2007 2:49 pm

MY very phavorite is in "Math Su*ks".. the line is "...quacking like the Peabody ducks!!"

I sparked my curiousity, so I Googled "Peabody Ducks" and found out abou the incredible Peabody Hotel in Memphis where the ducks live. Since I'd heard Jimmy sing about Memphis before, I made SURE to take a trip there one year. Memphis is now my PHAVORITIST place in the world...I've been back a couple of times. The Peabody ducks are the COOLEST PHREAKIN' thing EVER!!!

JerryEng · Post by **JerryEng** » January 18, 2007 2:51 pm

TropicalTroubador wrote:Thing is, when these songs were written, they weren't obscure - they were part of contemporary culture. As are many songs being written now.

I'll bet that in 30 years, people will be calling things "obscure" references in Chesney's songs that we just accept as part of our worlds now.

I used the term "obscure" for lack of a better word at the time. What I really meant were things that you might have to search for the meaning of now.
I'm over 40 so I remember pop-tops and stepping on them as a kid. My kids now don't get that because pull tabs haven't been around for 20 years.
However, there are still things in some of his songs that I have to search for on the internet ( I had no idea what Rolfing was until I looked it up).

Its cold, wet and miserable here in upstate SC so I thought this would be a fun topic

MacPhin · Post by **MacPhin** » January 18, 2007 2:51 pm

~Hippolyte~ wrote:
LIPH wrote:Just about any line in Pencil Thin Mustache - Boston Blackie, Ricky Ricardo, Andy Devine, Sky's niece Penny, etc.

20 years from now Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On will be obscure because nobody will remember Hurricane Katrina.

Volcano -
I don't want to land on no Three Mile Island
I don't want to see my skin a-glow
I know what you're saying, even though you may not have said it the best way.

I just really like how he managed a rhyme for Ushuaia in Party At The End Of The World.
and yes, Pencil Thin Mustache is full of things that many of us had to look up to really know what was going on.

speaking of which... what is a "boston blackie" does that refer to the segregation riots???

sky's niece penny?????? what is that?

as you can tell i'm a bit clueless here.

phjrsaunt · Post by **phjrsaunt** » January 18, 2007 2:55 pm

MacPhin wrote:
~Hippolyte~ wrote:
LIPH wrote:Just about any line in Pencil Thin Mustache - Boston Blackie, Ricky Ricardo, Andy Devine, Sky's niece Penny, etc.

20 years from now Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On will be obscure because nobody will remember Hurricane Katrina.

Volcano -
I don't want to land on no Three Mile Island
I don't want to see my skin a-glow
I know what you're saying, even though you may not have said it the best way.

I just really like how he managed a rhyme for Ushuaia in Party At The End Of The World.
and yes, Pencil Thin Mustache is full of things that many of us had to look up to really know what was going on.
speaking of which... what is a "boston blackie" does that refer to the segregation riots???

sky's niece penny?????? what is that?

as you can tell i'm a bit clueless here.

That's funny...I was listening to that song just this morning and said to myself "only Jimmy could find a way to rhyme something with 'Ushuaia!'"

bravedave · Post by **bravedave** » January 18, 2007 2:58 pm

MacPhin wrote:
~Hippolyte~ wrote:
LIPH wrote:Just about any line in Pencil Thin Mustache - Boston Blackie, Ricky Ricardo, Andy Devine, Sky's niece Penny, etc.

20 years from now Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On will be obscure because nobody will remember Hurricane Katrina.

Volcano -
I don't want to land on no Three Mile Island
I don't want to see my skin a-glow
I know what you're saying, even though you may not have said it the best way.

I just really like how he managed a rhyme for Ushuaia in Party At The End Of The World.
and yes, Pencil Thin Mustache is full of things that many of us had to look up to really know what was going on.
speaking of which... what is a "boston blackie" does that refer to the segregation riots???

sky's niece penny?????? what is that?

as you can tell i'm a bit clueless here.

Sky King was a rancher and a pilot in a radio and television series that bore his name.
His niece, Penny, was the object of Mr. Buffett's desire (at age 12 or so).

Boston Blackie was a hard-boiled PI in the Mickey Spillane tradition.

phjrsaunt · Post by **phjrsaunt** » January 18, 2007 3:00 pm

"A little knowledge, a little history." I like!!

green1 · Post by **green1** » January 18, 2007 3:09 pm

I love the John Henry reference in "Elvis Presley Blues"

I heard the folktale when I was a kid in school and it stuck with me. This is the first time I have heard a reference to him in 24 years.

LIPH · Post by **LIPH** » January 18, 2007 3:11 pm

MacPhin wrote:
~Hippolyte~ wrote:
LIPH wrote:Just about any line in Pencil Thin Mustache - Boston Blackie, Ricky Ricardo, Andy Devine, Sky's niece Penny, etc.

20 years from now Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On will be obscure because nobody will remember Hurricane Katrina.

Volcano -
I don't want to land on no Three Mile Island
I don't want to see my skin a-glow
I know what you're saying, even though you may not have said it the best way.

I just really like how he managed a rhyme for Ushuaia in Party At The End Of The World.
and yes, Pencil Thin Mustache is full of things that many of us had to look up to really know what was going on.
speaking of which... what is a "boston blackie" does that refer to the segregation riots???

sky's niece penny?????? what is that?

as you can tell i'm a bit clueless here.

I'm pretty sure Boston Blackie was a radio show in the old days, even before I was born. Sky's niece Penny was the hot babe on Sky King. It was a Saturday morning TV show about a rancher out west who had so much property he had to fly his own plane to get around.

edit: I need to read and type faster.

phjrsaunt · Post by **phjrsaunt** » January 18, 2007 3:11 pm

green1 wrote:I love the John Henry reference in "Elvis Presley Blues"

I heard the folktale when I was a kid in school and it stuck with me. This is the first time I have heard a reference to him in 24 years.

I heard the story from my grandmother every time we went to West Virginia. Ahhhh...memories....

freaky4tiki · Post by **freaky4tiki** » January 18, 2007 3:22 pm

EOTP is loaded with lots of contemporary references. it's cool:

But that’s all ancient history
Like bongs and lincoln logs
Now we’re living like the Jetson’s
In a wacky wireless fog