Monday, February 11, 2008

JUST SAY "YES YES YES"

CAUTION: This blog post contains irony, and possibly even a pinch of satire. Reader (at least those without a functioning sense of humor) discretion is advised.

I didn't catch the Grammy’s this year, but it's hard not to hear about it all anyway, so I know that troubled Brit bad girl Amy Winehouse won a whole swack of ‘em. For those of you who, like me, are stuck (mostly) in the 60s, and don't know who Amy is, let me put it this way: Amy Winehouse is the one in the tabloids who looks kinda like a feral Ronette. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not criticizing her look. I think her mix-it-up outfits and multiple tattoos are probably what Joplin would be wearing if she were doing her gigs in this millennium. I’ll also add that I think Amy’s voice is not without its appeal. But it’s the content of her winning song, “Rehab,” that leaves me knitting my brows. Because the song is all about how she does not want to go there. Well, fine, but still, with all the entertainment headlines she’s been making lately almost out-Britneying Britney, when I hear her sing about not going into “Rehab,” I can’t help but hear Dr. Phil, too, going, “And how’s that workin’ for ya?” (I warned you there’d be irony)

It would seem that things are somewhat different these days (and boy, am I ever going to sound like an old fogy here) from the days of my youth. Sure, we had songs extolling marijuana and bottles of Cracklin' Rose, but we also had Canned Heat's “Amphetamine Annie” (speed kills!) and Steppenwolf's “The Pusher” (tombstones in their eyes!) and Donovan's cover of "Cod'ine"– all decidedly what you’d call anti-substance abuse. Those were rockin' little Public Service Announcements from our peers about avoiding serious bodily or mental harm. I don’t know whether it’s tougher out there today than is was in the 60s, or if it just seems that way. But peer influence sure has done a one-eighty. As for Amy, well, time will tell, but whether in rehab or out, let’s wish her well. Ya gotta support big hair and big eyeliner, it's just the right thing to do!

YouTube came up a bit short this time - no "Amphetamine Annie" and no Donovan cover, but here's a vid of Buffy Sainte-Marie singing "Cod'ine" (she wrote it) back in 1964.

Rehab http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD5sahXoj0U

Cod'ine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEK_w0SIFHY







2 comments:

Quiet Paths said...

You just crack me up every time! This was so great. Loving the book too.

Deborah Godin said...

Thank you!!