The '70s speaking to me
Listening to the classic hits station on the way to work (because I am 50), it occurred to me that the music of the '70s was so unabashedly—for lack of a better word—frank.
In the midst of hard rock music taking flight that decade, were all this seemingly-innocuous little ditties. Sure, they're pretty enjoyable songs, but it starts to get moderately icky to know your religious aunt knows all the words to these.On the radio this morning was this one by Sheer Elegance, called "Life is Too Short Girl". I must have heard it a million times before, but for some reason, this morning I was really listening to the lyrics.Life is too short girl, that's why I must be moving on and on
Keep my body flowing, my mind growing baby
Watching it again on YouTube brought me to this song, which I used to sing along to on long car drives up to Malaysia with my parents.
Arms of Mary, by the Sutherland BrothersShe took the pains of boyhood, and turned them in to feel-good,
Oh, how I wish I was lying in the arms of Mary
(I also found an absolutely putrid version by Boyzone, and a very countryed-up version by Keith Urban—who is Aussie but sounds like George Bush when he sings.)
But I digress. Let's close this post now with quintessential 1976 number, "Afternoon Delight", by the Starland Vocal Band, made popular again for this generation by Ron Burgundy. That "My Humps" song has got nothing on the '70s.
