Monday, October 27, 2008

October 27, 2008 Earworm



The Satisfactions' ode to a biker boy, "Daddy You Just Gotta Let Him In", is revered by girl group fans around the world but for me, the flip-side, "Bring It All Down", is their shining moment. Written in 1966 by Bob "Elusive Butterfly" Lind for Cher - who turned it down - "Bring It All Down" is a wordy rebuke; a warning of the shelf-life of fame, and the danger in believing the words of one's sychophants. In the hands of Sonny Bono - and the mouth of Cher - it's highly doubtful that their version would have turned out as tender, thereby turning the words into a lecture that probably would have gone ignored. Jack gives his wife, Gracia, a comfortable cloud to sit upon as she addresses the head attached to the person bound to fall, an angelic choir to back up her words, a light string line waits to soften the landing, and a stunning yet simple ending that suggests that the mission was accomplished.

Listen up, Superman, and presidential candidates, too.

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