Most commenters here get the joke: It's about how guys can even cast their immaturity as a kind of romanticism. Perhaps that's the trap: Once you've decided that your emotional problems are just part of your "local color", fat chance you're going to develop true emotional maturity. Add to this the brilliance of the use of musical idiom to create a striking irony ("romantic" female background vocals telling the awful truth), and you've got a winner!
What would this song look like if sung by a girl, about her serial relationships with guys looking for a mature relationship?
@razajac Wanted to add: I sometimes teach this song in ESL classes here in Taiwan, and I point out the very, very ingenious allusion to Paul Simon.
@razajac Wanted to add: I sometimes teach this song in ESL classes here in Taiwan, and I point out the very, very ingenious allusion to Paul Simon.
It's great because, on one hand, they "had to" refer to it--to clear themselves artistically; prove they weren't being copycats, sort of), and on the other hand, they did it so artistically; slyly/off-handedly.
It's great because, on one hand, they "had to" refer to it--to clear themselves artistically; prove they weren't being copycats, sort of), and on the other hand, they did it so artistically; slyly/off-handedly.
Most commenters here get the joke: It's about how guys can even cast their immaturity as a kind of romanticism. Perhaps that's the trap: Once you've decided that your emotional problems are just part of your "local color", fat chance you're going to develop true emotional maturity. Add to this the brilliance of the use of musical idiom to create a striking irony ("romantic" female background vocals telling the awful truth), and you've got a winner!
What would this song look like if sung by a girl, about her serial relationships with guys looking for a mature relationship?
@razajac Wanted to add: I sometimes teach this song in ESL classes here in Taiwan, and I point out the very, very ingenious allusion to Paul Simon.
@razajac Wanted to add: I sometimes teach this song in ESL classes here in Taiwan, and I point out the very, very ingenious allusion to Paul Simon.
It's great because, on one hand, they "had to" refer to it--to clear themselves artistically; prove they weren't being copycats, sort of), and on the other hand, they did it so artistically; slyly/off-handedly.
It's great because, on one hand, they "had to" refer to it--to clear themselves artistically; prove they weren't being copycats, sort of), and on the other hand, they did it so artistically; slyly/off-handedly.