6.21.2005
Weddings and Heroin: A match made in heaven.
Since I've already made one music-based post today, I figured that I would continue today's trend.
While cruising through the soundtrack of my day that my iPod supplies, I came across Lou Reed's "Perfect Day." I always think that this song is terribly funny, as I'm sure so many people think it's the most romantic and lovely thing.
Oh it's such a perfect day, I'm glad I spent it with you.
Oh such a perfect day, you just keep me hanging on.
You just keep me hanging on.
Just a perfect day, problems all left alone,
Weekenders on our own, it's such fun.
Just a perfect day, you made me forget myself.
I thought I was someone else - someone good.
"Awww, Lou. I'm glad I spent this day with you, too," says the Heroin.
Says that what, what, what?
Yes, kids. All of you who had this song in your wedding, as your song, as you cut the cake, etc., he is not writing the song about this:
This is a very simple, straightforward, gentle song about a day spent with a lover. There is no mention of love or lust, nothing sentimental, just a description of the day and the sense that everything is so nice that Lou feels like a better person. I have felt that way with my husband and early in our relationship, it became our song (of course, we have a few our songs). We played this song as we cut our wedding cake.
The person in the song doesn't love a person; he loves a drug. Granted, on this day the heroin made him feel so good that he felt like a better person. At the time. So I guess she was sort of right?
This is only one of the many songs that are misinterpreted as being sugary and sweet. I know of a crapload - like the La's "There She Goes," since remade (horribly) by that Sixpence None the Richer Band, and featured in both versions in many movies and television commercials.
Like the Ortho Tri-Cyclen LO birth control commercials -- where all the ladies are not skipping around, excited from their latest high.
Let's play the "List All the Songs About Heroin That You Know" game. Who is next?
Anonymous at 6:03 PM
6 Comments
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at Tuesday, June 21, 2005 7:25:00 PM
said... "Golden Brown" by The Stranglers is probably the least subtle paean to heroin ever, but it's still pretty fabulous. Oh, and it also qualifies as possibly the only pop song ever to successfully inegrate the dulcet tones of a harpsichord into its underpinning central riff. Smashing.
Some other horse-related ditties that spring immediately to mind are "The Needle & The Damage Done", "Heroin" (duh), "Needle Of Death" (Bert Jansch), and the thorughly fucking brilliant "Another Girl, Another Planet" by The Only Ones.
Handily enough, both Webjay and Wikipedia have handy smack-centric guides, in mp3 and text format respectively:
http://webjay.org/by/fbsdtoor/songsaboutheroin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_about_heroin
Oh, and no post about misinterpreted/misrepresented songs could possibly be complete without mention of The Police's "I'll Be Watching You" (a stalker anthem regularly mistaken for a sappy love song) and Bruce Springsteen's "Born In The U.S.A." (a story of luckless Vietnam vet regularly mistaken for a flag-waving patriotic anthem.)
Yeah, people are dumb.-
at Tuesday, June 21, 2005 8:08:00 PM
annamaria said... Alright, Rich named all the good ones except...Jeff Buckley's Mojo Pin (another often misinterpreted song--why do people always thinks songs about heroin are love songs?). Oh, and Sam Stone by John Prine, about a strung out Vietnam vet. And, of course Not If You Were the Last Junkie On Earth by The Dandy Warhols.
And can I just complement Rich on his use of "smashing" in the above post? Limey-Brits are so cute!-
at Wednesday, June 22, 2005 7:33:00 AM
annamaria said...
Oh! I just thought of another one! Ghetto Defendant by The Clash.
This game is fun! :)-
at Wednesday, June 22, 2005 2:36:00 PM
said...
How did I forget "Sam Stone"? More importantly, how did I forget "Hurt"? (Johnny Cash version, naturally.)
Oh, and what about Suede's "Heroine"... a thinly veiled metaphor if ever there was one!-
at Thursday, June 23, 2005 8:33:00 AM
Dane meets Simone said...
Drug songs are love songs. ;)
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at Monday, June 27, 2005 5:51:00 PM
Lenka Reznicek said...
Probably 'orribly tacky, this, but how about "Flowers of Evil" by Mountain (1971)?
