Old songs

There’s always a great nostalgia for old songs, not just because some of them are very good and stand the test of time, but some bring back memories… a musical nostalgia trip! However, some of them, even those I liked, give me a shiver when I listen to the lyrics; some have not lasted at all well in terms of the story they tell,.

For example ‘Wives and Lovers’, made famous by Jack Jones but also sung by Dionne Warwick, has the sort of lyrics which make my feminist hackles rise! The melody is great, the singing superb, but the words… “Comb your hair, fix your make-up… don’t think because there’s a ring on your finger you needn’t try any more…” It goes on to warn about ‘girls at the office’ and that ‘men will always be men’. The only way a woman can ‘keep’ her man is to seduce him by her beauty, charm, soft lighting and a glass of wine… hmmm.

Much as I like Jack Jones, the way he rubs his hands when he sings ‘time to get ready for love’ makes me shiver

A worse example is ‘Living Doll’ by Cliff Richard. “Got myself a crying, talking, sleeping, walking, living doll…” not an intelligent, interesting, brave, confident woman who you actually don’t own. She’s a possession, not even human, “look at her hair, it’s real and if you don’t believe what I say, just feel”.  This suggests an image of a slave market where customers come and touch and prod and feel their prospective possessions. It gets worse, creepy, and spooky… however could anyone ever have thought it right to sing this: “I’m gonna lock her up in a trunk so no big hunk can steal her away from me…” I’m not calling for it to be banned, but I would like it to be cast into a bin and never ever played or sung again… an interesting insight into male (and maybe female) attitudes of the fifties.