A sight to behold at the tender age of 42: Three men of the same age on their feet, drinking glasses in hand, defending the romance of the lyrics "You ain't a beauty, but hey you're alright" from Bruce Springsteen's "Thunder Road."
The romance?
Yes, they would argue, the romance.
Somehow, if you're imaginative enough and your glass is as full as theirs and sure to remain that way, this line is meant to be seductive, the extended hand in the halflight of a warm night that leads to--well, you know. Sex.
Because you'll do for now. And it is so romantic to suffice for now (which, to most female ears, means until someone better [looking] comes along).
The men on their feet defending this unfortunate line were addressing two women who insisted that any man who could utter such a line was telling the woman "you're ugly, but you'll do because I want to get laid." What he says he's "here for." Except there's no music in saying it quite like that.
But no, wait. Shakespeare says kinda the same thing in sonnet such-and-such. Yes, the Bard also says you're ugly but you'll do. But let's face it; he is thought of nowadays as more of a man's man (ahem) than a ladies' man, anyway. Besides, let's not send Shakespeare the bill for someone else's train wreck, for goodness sake.
That good-natured co-ed exchange between New Year's revelers came to mind as I was listening to Springsteen's latest offering, Working on a Dream--specifically, "Queen of the Supermarket."
Indeed, this ode to the girl grocery bagger is a clear and true expression of unrequited love, unexpressed passion, and the clearest depiction of the very ordinary nature of our unfulfilled lives that I have ever heard. It is a true, gritty, eloquent song. I love it right down to the F-word in this stanza:
As I lift my groceries into my car
I turn back for a moment and catch a smile
That blows this whole fucking place apart
The romance?
Yes, they would argue, the romance.
Somehow, if you're imaginative enough and your glass is as full as theirs and sure to remain that way, this line is meant to be seductive, the extended hand in the halflight of a warm night that leads to--well, you know. Sex.
Because you'll do for now. And it is so romantic to suffice for now (which, to most female ears, means until someone better [looking] comes along).
The men on their feet defending this unfortunate line were addressing two women who insisted that any man who could utter such a line was telling the woman "you're ugly, but you'll do because I want to get laid." What he says he's "here for." Except there's no music in saying it quite like that.
But no, wait. Shakespeare says kinda the same thing in sonnet such-and-such. Yes, the Bard also says you're ugly but you'll do. But let's face it; he is thought of nowadays as more of a man's man (ahem) than a ladies' man, anyway. Besides, let's not send Shakespeare the bill for someone else's train wreck, for goodness sake.
That good-natured co-ed exchange between New Year's revelers came to mind as I was listening to Springsteen's latest offering, Working on a Dream--specifically, "Queen of the Supermarket."
Indeed, this ode to the girl grocery bagger is a clear and true expression of unrequited love, unexpressed passion, and the clearest depiction of the very ordinary nature of our unfulfilled lives that I have ever heard. It is a true, gritty, eloquent song. I love it right down to the F-word in this stanza:
As I lift my groceries into my car
I turn back for a moment and catch a smile
That blows this whole fucking place apart
Maybe she ain't a beauty, but her song's all right.
3 comments:
How do you find the time ... to do all you do?
Now you got me wanting to go out and buy this song ... but first I shall try and listen to it free on youtube.
For me this song oozes from its pores all the magic of Springsteen from the glory days. For the first time in a while it takes me back to Thunder Road, Tougher Than The Rest and Cross My Heart.Songs like this are why, so many, many years ago I was at Wembley Stadium for the incredible Independence Day concert (yes he did open with that song of course) and why I have always bought everything Bruce does.
This is a wonderful song! All those critics who called it "Springsteen's worsts song" are idiots. It's mundane scenario masks an all to common situation for an enormous number of middle aged people. The closest they ever come to a romance is a fleeting flirt in some place like the market.These two people are lonely, and both know they don't have long to find someone to connect with. It is a profoundly insightful song that touches a chord few pop musicians would ever have the nerve to tackle. I also love the Beach Boys style arrangement.
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