The other day, the radio station to which my car radio was tuned played "Bennie and the Jets", by Elton John (sorry - "Sir" Elton John). Since nobody was in the car with me and I was in "one of those moods", I decided to sing along. Just one little problem, though; I didn't know the words. What's more, I couldn't make out the words, even now that I was actually paying attention. Funny how a song can be so familiar, and yet you don't even know how it goes.
Do you know how it goes? Quick! Sing "Bennie and the Jets" right now - either out loud or in your mind. And no fair reading ahead!
My guess is you either had no clue, or you came up with something like:
She's got electric boobs, a maha zoom
You know I read it in a magazi-HEEN Ohhhhhh
B-B-B-Bennie and the Jetsssssssss...
Electric boobs? Sounds dangerous. Or enticing. And what is "a maha zoom", exactly? Heck, you probably didn't even know it's "Bennie" as opposed to "Benny". (I know I didn't!)
Fortunately, that's why God gave us the internet. And Google. (I mean, come on, something as indispensably useful as Google could only have come directly from the Hand of God Himself, right?) Anyway, here, for posterity, are the official lyrics to "Bennie and the Jets". Sing 'em loud, and sing 'em proud!
Hey kids, shake it loose together
The spotlight's hitting something
That's been known to change the weather
We'll kill the fatted calf tonight
So stick around
You're gonna hear electric music
Solid walls of sound
(Refrain)
Say, Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet
Oh but they're so spaced out,
Bennie and the Jets
Oh but they're weird and they're wonderful
Oh Bennie she's really keen
She's got electric boots a mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine
Bennie and the Jets
Hey kids, plug into the faithless
Maybe they're blinded
But Bennie makes them ageless
We shall survive, let us take ourselves along
Where we fight our parents out in the streets
To find who's right and who's wrong
(Refrain)
Bennie, Bennie and the Jets...
Jets...
Bennie, Bennie and the Jets...
(etc.)
Ah! It's electric boots! That makes more sense. Wait - no it doesn't. And what's mohair anyway? Is it anything like naugahyde?
Oh and, one last thought. Next time you hear that song, I'll bet you still don't know the words.
Ahh the halmanator...perfect name good man...as i sit here watching the rays putting the bats (boots) to the phillies i hit upon a blog i can sink my teeth into much impressed that you and i share some of the same tastes in music...i mean come on...who remembers mike Oldfield anymore...a musician much overlooked...
ReplyDeletethe Bennie and the jets commentary was amusing and certainly enlightening...Naugahyde!!!i know what you mean...never knew what that was till i worked for a car manufacturer...and then...$hit...it is everywhere...it is in every car known to man...cept the Ferrari Testarossa of course...
finally Andy (Halmanator), as the resident Austrian...and not the "black ploughman" you must translate that (Halmanator) for me at the next Dead Wood meeting...you will recognize me as the note taker...i will have the sharp pencil!!!
Who remembers Mike Oldfield anymore? I'll have you know he's still out there recording albums, my friend. His most recent was released earlier this year.
ReplyDeleteHere's a link to his official web site:
http://mikeoldfield.com/
...and here's a link to his Wikipedia article. Check out the discography for an idea of how busy and prolific he's been all these years!:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Oldfield