This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Way back when
In Sixty-seven
I was the dandy
Of Gamma Chi
Sweet things from Boston
So young and willing
Moved down to Scarsdale
Where the hell am I
Hey Nineteen
No we can't dance together
No we can't talk at all
Please take me along
When you slide on down
Hey Nineteen
That's 'Retha Franklin
She don't remember
The Queen of Soul
It's hard times befallen
The sole survivors
She thinks I'm crazy
But I'm just growing old
Hey Nineteen
No we got nothing in common
No we can't talk at all
Please take me along
When you slide on down
The Cuervo Gold
The fine Colombian
Make tonight a wonderful thing
No we can't dance together
No we can't talk at all
In Sixty-seven
I was the dandy
Of Gamma Chi
Sweet things from Boston
So young and willing
Moved down to Scarsdale
Where the hell am I
Hey Nineteen
No we can't dance together
No we can't talk at all
Please take me along
When you slide on down
Hey Nineteen
That's 'Retha Franklin
She don't remember
The Queen of Soul
It's hard times befallen
The sole survivors
She thinks I'm crazy
But I'm just growing old
Hey Nineteen
No we got nothing in common
No we can't talk at all
Please take me along
When you slide on down
The Cuervo Gold
The fine Colombian
Make tonight a wonderful thing
No we can't dance together
No we can't talk at all
Lyrics submitted by AbFab, edited by jackmiller, AndyVon, Kargan
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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
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Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
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“Skate a little lower now” is the key line. The song is the internal monologue of the protagonist. Out and about, he’s watching “nineteen,” a lovely stranger, and coming to the realization of some hard truths. All men 30 plus began to have these moments.
@panzer4963\r\n\r\nJust heard this song the other day, and took note of how Aretha Franklin\'s career came back after this song was released, such that even a lot of younger people today know who she was - the irony of that made me want to see if anyone else thought the same, which is why I\'m here.\r\n\r\nIn the process of satisfying that bit of curiosity, I have been amused by a lot of the commentary regarding word/phrase choice in the lyrics. And in yet another twist of irony, most of those words being debated here, are of the era; someone who lived through the time will know what they mean, but the younger commenters - the \'19s\' - won\'t get the reference, just like in the song itself.\r\n\r\nKeep in mind that Steely Dan delves into double entendre a LOT in their lyrics, so even when the song came out, people debated what some of the words/phrases meant, because they can be taken multiple ways. Purely intentional, they do it all the time in their lyrics.\r\n\r\nAll of that said, this song is very simple - I will borrow this description from some guy named Ronald Kinchion, who posted this on YouTube: "its a trip when you get a little older and go to a club, young ladies will politely let you know how old you really are, you have kids their age, but they still talk to you, and make you feel real old, steely dan captured all that awkwardness in this jam, great song, makes you want to go out and have a midlife crisis."\r\n\r\nThat\'s it really - not a \'creepy old man\' as so many want it to be. Just, as you said, the moment many guys might feel at some age, when it suddenly feels odd to be in a bar surrounded by distinctly younger people, of whom you are no longer a part.\r\n\r\nThat said, it isn\'t even clear to me if the older dude is hitting on the younger girl, or if she slid on down the bar to start the conversation with him ("slide on down" is another double entendre, of course, but the primary meaning is simply to move down the bar to sit next to someone... do people not say that anymore?). I\'m pushing 60 now, but well into my 40s, I had \'19s\' slide on the down the bar to test the water... and yeah, sometimes I would bite, but "Ain\'t nothin\' wrong with that" (which of course, ages me too - Robert Randolph is my \'Retha Franklin).\r\n\r\nA few other things, because I\'m old and remember...\r\n\r\nFine Colombian is 100% weed, NOT coke - specifically Colombian Gold. There was no ambiguity of meaning intended here, as EVERYONE of the era knew what \'fine Colombian\' was - no one here is debating what Cuervo means, and this is in the same category.\r\n\r\nGamma Chi is not a frat, it is a sorority reference (specifically, sorority recruiters), hence the next line of the song.\r\n\r\nSole survivor has double meaning, referencing the R&B band of his \'dandy\' era, when Franklin reigned as Queen of Soul.\r\n\r\nSkate a little lower is double entendre again: \'skate\' was popular slang of the time, which could mean many things, but broadly meant \'get.\' In this context, it is metaphorical - this is in a bar, not a skating rink - but basically means he is open to getting it on with the younger woman, and getting increasingly turned on by her. Call it creepy if you will, I will call it human physiology at work.\r\n\r\nIn the end, it\'s all just about "growing old."\r\n\r\nI read some tripe elsewhere from some joker trying to argue the song is all about wealthy white privilege - subconsciously no less. What a bunch of laughable crap!\r\n\r\nYes, Steely Dan intentionally uses ambiguous language, in many of their songs, but this one is not murky.\r\n\r\nit is simply about the awkwardness of realizing that we all grow old, and perhaps consensually enjoying a youthful moment or two while still on the edge of that divide: no longer in the light of youth, nor darkness of senescence, but in the penumbral shadows of fading twilight.\r\n\r\nPeople try to make more of it than is there, but there is enough. Maybe you have to have experienced this process of aging, to see this for what it is - it\'s not creepy, it\'s more just wistfully sad.