August 12, 2008
This weekend I was in Dick's Sporting Goods in Topeka shopping for a youth softball glove. I admit that this activity is pretty mundane and not worthy of a blog post except... On the store ambiance music system I heard:_ Ah, me so horny_ _ Ah, me so horny_ _ Me love you long time_Yep, Dick's was playing a little 2 Live Crew to get everyone into the sports buying frame of mind. I wasn't personally upset, a business should have the right to play whatever music it wants to play. However, I found that I was a little uncomfortable trying to keep up an interesting and loud conversation with my girlfriend's preteen daughter so that I could avoid an awkward (and unwanted) conversation discussing the lyrical genius of 2 Live Crew's Luther Campbell. Maybe I have become too sanitized to the standard innocuous music that most public places subject us to. Looking back, I may have avoided an opportunity to have a mature conversation about some very adult lyrics. I didn't know how to start that conversation or what that conversation should be or if I should be the one having said conversation, especially on a seemingly harmless outing to look at softball gloves. Maybe next time I can be a little more prepared and when Liz Phair's "Flower" hits the store speakers.
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El_Borak (Bill Hoyt) says...
I remember when the original 2Live obscenity dustup occurred in Florida* in the late 80s, and NPR was running a piece on the Broward County sheriff's scare tactics and saying how awful it was, since everyone has the right to free speech, you know. In the background of the commentary ran a recording of the live performance for which Luther was prosecuted, which sounded like this over the NPR airwaves:Put your lips on my BEEP, and suck my BEEP tooBEEP suckie, me BEEP suckieI BEEP all the girls and I make em cryI'm a freak in heat, a dog without warningMy appetite is sex, 'cause me so hornyIt was pretty funny.* best thing that ever happened to Luther, I'm pretty sure he'd agree.
August 12, 2008 at 10:12 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Joel (Joel Mathis) says...
Reminds me of a game -- from my Mennonite college days -- of coming up with Christian versions of popular songs. I "won" the game one day with this:Aw me so holyAw me so holyAw me so holyAnd me love the Lord God.Needless to say, I'm going to hell.
August 12, 2008 at 10:22 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
El_Borak (Bill Hoyt) says...
2Live Jews had a pretty funny version as well, featuring two old guys in Florida complaining about the weather, with the chorus done in a nasally New York accent:Oy, it's so humid, Oy, it's so humid,Oy, it's so humid, It's like a sauna in here.
August 12, 2008 at 10:40 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )